Behind The Song: “Amber,” Nick Hexum of 311

In 2001, when the Omaha, Nebraska-born band, 311, released its newest single, “Amber,” from the album, From Chaos, it likely came as a surprise to most fans of the raucous group. In 1995, when 311 released its massively popular self-titled album, the band rocketed to fame with rock-rap-reggae hybrid songs that shook the paint off the walls like, “Down” and “All Mixed Up.”

Throughout the band’s subsequent years, 311 has experimented with tones, moods, and sounds while still trading in the hybrid sonic space they helped establish in the mid-‘90s. But when “Amber” came out, it seemed like the most docile track from a band known for knocking the fillings out of your teeth.

But a mellow vibe was exactly the point, which 311 frontman Nick Hexum describes below about “Amber,” which hit No. 13 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts and was certified Gold. Here we catch up with Hexum to ask him about the track’s origins, impact, and feeling.