July 24, 2008 10:03 am
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By Alan Sculley
Guitarist Chris Henderson may not have used these exact words, but he feels if fans want to hear 3 Doors Down in a form that truly reflects the band’s talents and musical interests, the place to turn to is the group’s new self-titled CD.
“No one person writes all the songs here,” Henderson said in a recent phone interview. “It’s always everyone in this band that writes. And I think this record just more so solidifies that than anything else. It’s a pretty good cross-section of what everybody’s capable of doing individually and then putting it together and making it one thing. That’s why we named it ‘3 Doors Down.’ ”
The self-titled record, if quintessentially 3 Doors Down, represents a new beginning for the hugely popular band.
Formed in 1995 in the small town of Escatawpa, Miss., the band hit big in 2000 with its debut CD, “A Better Life.” Featuring chart-topping hits such as “Kryptonite” and “Loser,” the CD sold nearly 6 million copies.
The band’s 2002 follow-up, “Away From The Sun,” did almost as well, topping 3 million copies sold as it gave the group another string of top 10 hits, including “When I’m Gone,” “Here Without You” and “The Road I’m On.”
“Seventeen Days,” released in 2007, became the band’s first CD to top of Billboard magazine’s album chart. And while it wasn’t quite as big a seller as the first two CDs, it was another platinum-plus effort and included two more hit singles, “Let Me Go” and “Behind Those Eyes.”
But by 2006, the success and the busy touring schedule that accompanied the three albums had taken a toll on the band members, Henderson, singer Brad Arnold, guitarist Matt Roberts, bassist Todd Harrell and drummer Greg Upchurch.
The group finished up touring and for the first time in its career, took an extended break.
“We were all burned out, strung out, whichever way you want to call it,” Henderson said. “Rock and roll is a hard lifestyle to live. It’s just one of those jobs where if you don’t look up every now and again, you’ll run yourself into the ground. And you’ll do it without even realizing it because you’re having so much fun.
“We all looked at each other and said, ‘All right man, I’ll see you later. Call me in six months and we’ll talk about it.’ ”
Henderson, at least, didn’t lose his marriage to the demands of the band or a touring lifestyle. But it did create strains. Another complicating factor was Hurricane Katrina. All of the band members were affected, but Henderson’s home was the hardest hit, as 10 feet of water ruined the house.
“That’s what I did (during the group’s hiatus), rebuilt my house and rebuilt my studio and got all of that squared away and salvaged my family the best I could, let everybody know that I was still alive,” he said.
According to Henderson, the non-stop schedule that came with 3 Doors Down’s success also took a toll on the relationships within the band.
“I’ve known these guys since I was a kid,” he said. “But spending five or six years on the road with them, our relationships kind of regressed a little bit because of the working we did ...You take a lot of (stuff) for granted and you don’t really think about the other person’s feelings.”
There, of course, was never really any question that 3 Doors Down would regroup. But Henderson said that when the group reconvened, they discovered they all had gotten their lives in order and were re-energized about making music.
“Everybody got a lot cleaner, you know what I mean,” Henderson said. “You know, the rock and roll lifestyle pretty much gets you. You go and party, and you party and party and party, and you drink and you drink and you drink and you drink. And then one day you figure out I can’t do this any more. So we’ve already been through all that stuff. Now we’re in a batter place as far as being sober.”
The self-titled CD backs up the claim that 3 Doors Down came back as a better band. Arguably the group’s best album, it has its share of songs that fit the band’s signature mix of hard-edged melodic rockers (“It’s Not My Time,” “These Days” and “Give It To Me”) and hearty balladry (“Let Me Be Myself” and “Your Arms Feel Like Home”).
The band, however, also adds some new wrinkles to its sound. The most obvious musical departure is the song “She Don’t Want The World,” which achieves a haunting feeling with its somber percussion, its delicately plucked guitar and downcast vocal melody.
There is also a subtle move toward a darker and heavier sound on some songs. This is especially apparent on the song “Train,” which storms out of the gate behind some particularly tough but ear-catching guitar riffs. Henderson said the shift to some darker overtones grew partly out of experimenting with tuning down the guitars.
“It basically opened up our eyes and got us to think outside of the box we were thinking in, so to speak,” Henderson said. “That’s kind of what happened. It was really a cool thing.”
The CD figures to get a boost this summer as 3 Doors Down hits the road, heading up a triple bill that on most dates features two other bands that have also had chart-topping success, Staind and Hinder.
Fans can expect a generous set from 3 Doors Down, as Henderson said the band plans to play more than 20 songs each night.
The band isn’t skimping on the visual aspect of its show, either.
“We’re running tons of production,” Henderson said. “I mean, we’re shooting fire and everything. We’re pulling out all of the stops ... it’s definitely a rock show. You’re going to see a lot of things blow up.”
Alan Sculley is a St. Louis-based freelance writer.
IF YOU GO
* WHAT: 3 Doors Down with Staind and Hinder
* WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Friday
* WHERE: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, 9993 Alleghany Road, Darien Center
* MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.livenation.com
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