311的五名成员都是成长于70年代内布拉斯加州的Omaha，Nick Hexum,Tim Mahoney和Chad Sexton都住在小镇的西面，都在Westside高中读书。P-Nut和SA Martinez住在小镇的南面，是在Bryan高中里的同学。高中里Nick和Tim一起组了摇滚乐队叫“The Ed's”。Nick还和Chad一起参加了学校的爵士乐队。17岁时，Nick早早地就从学校毕业了，为了追求自己的音乐事业搬到了洛杉矶市中心。当Chad和Tim从学校毕业后他也回到了Omaha——音乐总能把这三个人牢牢聚合在一起。之后他们很快找来了一个键盘手名叫Ward Bones并成立了“Unity”乐队。1988年末Nick,Chad和Ward一起去了洛杉矶，他们很快得到了唱片公司的录音合同，并借此人气一度彪升。
但对洛杉矶的音乐情势有了更加深刻的认识之后，Chad回到了Omaha，与P-Nut以及一个叫Jim Watson的吉他手组了乐队。几个月后Chad成功说服了Nick回到他们的家乡并一起加入这个乐队。他们在1990年6月10日为Fugazi开幕做了乐队历史上第一的小型表演。
1991年他们与Jim Watson分道扬镳，并加入Tim Mahoney作为领衔吉他。在那个时候，SA Martinez开始为乐队的表演做客串——并最终作为一员正式加入乐队。由此311正式成立——Nick,Chad,Tim,P-Nut和SA。
在1990和1991年，乐队以他们自己的厂牌（What Have You Records）各发行了三张唱片——它们分别是“Dammit”，“Hydroponic”和“Unity”。凭借着这些唱片和乐队固定的演出，311随即在中西部云迅速建立起了名声，并把影响力逐渐向西海岸延伸。
之后乐队在加利福尼亚州的Van Nuys租下了一间小房子，并全部搬了过去。那段日子对于乐队来说极其拮据，就当乐队眼看要由于经济问题而解散时，Capricorn唱片公司找到了他们并签下了乐队。
311的第一张唱片“Music”在93年默默无闻地发行了。正当乐队准备开始出发去宣传唱片时，却由于他们的一部演出车辆在高速公路上起了火而不得不暂时放弃。大火烧毁了他们所有的道具，服装，钱财和个人物品。尽管什么东西都没有了——乐队却侥幸逃脱了火海，没有造成很大的烧伤。他们决定坚持下去，之后借助由电视新闻上得知这场灾难的乐迷和朋友纷纷的捐助演出设备，311因此只取消了一场演出并最终完成了这场巡演。
1994年7月他们发行了乐队的第二张专辑“Grassroots”。那个时候他们也着手开始在全美范围内举行一场声势浩大的巡演。乐队也从Van Nuys的房子搬出，把他们的东西放在了一个仓库里，并在演出途中四海为家。乐队把他们所有的精力都放到了现场演出中去，并最终在全国范围内建立起了稳固而持久的声誉。
1995年6月乐队又发行了他们的第三张专辑“311”并再一次起程做巡回演出。到1996年乐队的表演次数以及歌迷的数量都在稳步上升——自从这时起大众媒体不再有意回避311，并开始更多地关心起他们来。在96年的九月（发行了“311”后的第14个月），单曲“Down”在电台中一举挤身排行金曲行列，从此从电台到MTV的流行榜单中都少不了这首歌曲。“Down”最终在Billboard的现代摇滚排行中登上冠军宝座，第二名也为他们的单曲“All Mixed Up”所占据。
专辑“311”获得成功之后（现在已有三百万张的销量），311发行了一张名叫“Enlarged to Show Detail”录象，其中包括乐队的现场演出镜头，采访，MV，后台花絮等等。为了突出这张录象的独一无二，乐队在录象中加入了一张5首的“311”里的编辑单曲碟。这张录象在Billboard的音乐录影带销量榜上一度排行第一，现在已取得100万张的业绩了。
经过这张录影带的发行，311回到了录音棚录制他们的第四张专辑“Transistor”。这张专辑在Billboard前200名专辑中曾有排行第四的佳绩，现在销量已突破100万张。为了宣传这张专辑，311在1997年的巡回演出成为了亿万歌迷的聚焦点，在美国平均每场有10000人的规模。乐队在欧洲、英国、澳大利亚、新西兰和日本也举行了一系列的巡回演出。
1998年9月，311新发行了一张EP“Omaha Session”，其中包括许多老歌。这张EP一共有9首歌，都摘自乐队1989年到1991年独立发行的几张专辑——“Dammit”，“Hydroponic”和“Unity”。这张专辑仍以乐队从前的品牌“What Have You Records”发行，现在只有通过311的官方网站以及311邮寄物列表才能收到。
1998年11月，311发行了311现场版唱片——收录着许多乐队1997年全美巡演的一些录音资料。1999年10月，311发行了他们的第五张专辑“Soundsystem”，发行之后排行一下穿升至第9，乐队在美国和日本广泛举行了乐队演出。
2000年乐队在North Hollywood买下了一家录音棚。翻新后搬入了乐队自己的设备，并把这间录音棚更名为“The Hive”（这也是他们歌迷俱乐部的名字）。这间录音棚曾在70和80年代相当出名，Missing Persons和Adam Ant都在这里灌过唱片，最近还被用来做过电影配音。
现在乐队正在自己的录音棚里，由Ron Saint Germain做为制作人，做311的第六张专辑，Ron曾是乐队那张取得过300万销量同名唱片的制作人。他和Creed,Tool,Soundgarden以及Bad Brains也有过合作。这张专辑最后名为“Soundsystem”于2001年春发行。最近在2002年夏天，乐队发行了最新的专辑——由Volcano发行的“From Chaos”。
“当我们刚一开始建队的时候，我们总是相信并确定，一定会有好事情发生的。”鼓手Chad Sexton说，“因此我们从此一直保持向上发展的良好势头。”
The band began playing together as 311 in 1990. The first REAL show was opening for Fugazi at Sokol Hall in South Omaha on June10, 1990.
From that time on, the band was busy playing to packed houses in many Omaha venues, as well as performing in other cities throughout the midwest.
311 produced several albums itself in Omaha, all of which sold well. The crowds of faithful fans grew larger and larger, culminating in a farewell concert at Peony Park in Omaha in February '92.
311 moved to Van Nuys Ca in March '92, renting a home (with a pool) and started to work almost immediately. 311 attracted the attention of Eddy Offord. (Eddy is a well-known record producer, having worked with YES.) He saw the talent and strength in 311 and they made a demo tape in L.A.
Several record companies were interested in signing 311. The winner was CAPRICORN Records (a Warner Bros. label). Soon after being signed, the band began recording the album at Ocean Studios in Burbank. Mixing happened at Cherokee Studios; mastering at Ocean View Digital Mastering. Eddy Offord was both producer and engineer. And the album was brought in both under budget and under deadline.
MUSIC is a 12 song album. Four singles have been released: Do You Right; Visit; My Stoney Baby and Feels So Good. Do You Right was featured in BILLBOARDS modern tracks chart.
Do You Right was also 311's first video. Filming for the video took place in California and Omaha. Omaha filming sites included the Children's Museum, the Lied Jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo, the Old Market and a wonderful free concert at Sokol Hall. And what a concert it was! About 700 fans were lucky enough to see and be part of the video filming that night. The video has been shown on MTV and many cable tv stations throughout the country. The bright island rythms, the strong contrast in colors and high energy say lots about 311 and its style of music.
And the band played on, beginning to tour the nation after the release of MUSIC in February '93. 311 crossed the country numerous times, playing a total of 115 concert dates during 1993.
The tour almost ended tragically during a trip between Springfield MO and Kansas City on I-44. Nick was driving the RV when he noticed it was running hot. When he pulled over, he saw smoke and flames near the gas tank. The guys tried to rescue the equiptment, but the RV exploded; the van caught fire and both burned along the interstate. Traffic was backed up for 2 miles! Everything was lost and several "minor" injuries sustained, but 311 regrouped quickly and headlined one day later at the SHARKFEST at Sharky's Brewery in Omaha with borrowed equipment and lots of determination. And the tour continued throughout the fall.
December found the band back in Nebraska for four end-of-the-year concerts. Two concerts at the Ranch Bowl (Omaha) and two at Rockin' Robin (Lincoln) were beyond sellout and the wildest parties of the year in the Midwest!
What's next? 311 has completed pre-production on the next album and entered the studio early in 1994. As we go to press, the nationwide release date is late May/June for the much anticipated second album from 311. Listen to the 311HOTLINE for the latest info.
