As if this year wasn't already exciting enough for Nebraska rock outfit 311 with their upcoming appearance at Good Things Festival 2024 alongside Sum 41, Korn, Mastodon, Kerry King and more, but the band have added a touch more spice to proceedings with the release of their 14th studio album Full Bloom late last week.
Full Bloom is the group's first full-length project in 5 years, following their album Voyager in 2019. Their first single off the album, You’re Gonna Get It is the band’s highest charting song in 13 years, breaking into the top 15 at Alternative Radio. It is proof alone that despite the apparent need for regular releases in the modern musical climate, good music will always be good music and fans will (almost) always stay loyal to good music.
Thirty-three years into a stellar career, 311 continues to produce compelling, unifying music, with a unique, hybrid sound that encapsulates rock, rap, reggae and funk still turning heads with regularity.
Bass player P-Nut joined HEAVY to talk about the album, Good Things and whatever else popped up.
"I don't get nervous about much," he replied when we asked if the excitement of a new album was still the same 14 albums in. "The fear's been scared out of me, I guess (laughs). But releasing an album is a tenuous, nerve wracking, kind of anxious emotion. It's kind of a scary thing to release an album, even if we've done it fourteen times now."
We ask if the band has a set creative process measured over time or if each album presents new challenges.
"I think everyone's got their own method," P - Nut measured. "We come together when those reach whatever peak. Nick calls me in for lyrics frequently, which is really fun, and it's been something that I've really enjoyed in the band over the last fifteen years or so. We're pretty fixed. We've all got home studios, and we work relatively well on our own. We have demo-itis sometimes where the demos can be better than the finished result (laughs), but I think that's just my ears sometimes. It's really fun recording still. It's only easier, of course now, but now I think everyone's fixed in their way and we get together when the time is right."
In the full interview P - Nut talks more about Full Bloom, what to expect musically, how it differs to 2019's Voyager, keeping a steady fan base, their appearance at Good Things Festival, which bands on the line-up 311 hasn't played with before, what we can expect from them live, their just announced sideshows, three songs to get to know the band better plus more.