Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Happy 311 Day to all who observe... We're joined by 311 co-founder and vocalist Nick Hexum at his home studio, deep in the old Topanga Canyon.
We break down his roots growing up punk and listening to funk in Omaha, Nebraska, 311's formation taking place just to open for Fugazi, the whole band moving to Van Nuys to try to get a record deal, the breakout success of "Down" and the whole self-titled record, the even bigger success of "Amber" and the 50 First Dates soundtrack, and thoroughly breakdown how bands like Bad Brains & Helmet influenced them from the beginning.
A truly great conversation and we thank Nick for having us, and for joining us.
Presented by Brain Dead.
_______________
HardLore: A Knotfest Series, fueled by Monster Energy.
Edited by Steven Grise (instagram.com/iamonenineseven/) • Title sequence by Nicholas Marzluf (instagram.com/marzluf/)
• Join the HARDLORE PATREON to watch every single weekly episode early and ad-free, alongside exclusive monthly episodes: patreon.com/hardlorepod
• Join the HARDLORE DISCORD: discord.gg/jA9rppggef
________________
• Brought to you by BRAIN DEAD, head to wearebraindead.com to check out their new collaboration with Cannibal Corpse and to see what's playing at the iconic Brain Dread Studios this month!
_______________
FOLLOW HARDLORE:
INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/hardlorepod
TWITTER | twitter.com/hardlorepod
SPOTIFY | spoti.fi/3J1GIrp
APPLE | apple.co/3IKBss2
FOLLOW COLIN:
INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/colinyovng
TWITTER | twitter.com/ColinYovng
FOLLOW BO:
INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/bosxe
TWITTER | twitter.com/bosxe
#HARDLORE #HARDCORE
00:00:00 - Start
00:00:54 - Nick Hexum
00:02:19 - Omaha, Nebraska & 311's First Show Opening for Fugazi
00:06:34 - Grew Up Punk, Listening to Funk & The Rumor About Their Name
00:11:39 - The Ed's: Meeting the Rest of 311
00:16:20 - DAMMIT & UNITY... LA to Omaha to Van Nuys, What Have You Records
00:21:42 - MUSIC & GRASSROOTS... SA Joins, "Do You Right," First Radio Play
00:26:49 - Dynamic in 311 Today, the RV Fire
00:31:25 - SELF-TITLED... Ron St. Jermaine (I Against I), Helmet Influence, The Success of "Down"
00:45:43 - Pardon This Interruption...
00:47:02 - Touring On The Self Titled And Europe For the First Time
00:49:01 - TRANSISTOR... "Beautiful Disaster," NOFX Influence, Making An Affordable 2xLP
00:59:45 - SOUNDSYSTEM... "Come Original," Focusing on Heavy Riffs, Hugh Padgham
01:07:18 - Learning to Tune Out Critics
01:09:27 - Opening The Hive
01:11:22 - FROM CHAOS... The Iconic Neve Board, Referencing I & I Survive in "I'll Be Here a While"
01:18:53 - "Amber"
01:23:51 - "Lovesong," Adam Sandler & The 50 First Dates Soundtrack
01:28:25 - EVOLVER & GREATEST HITS... Beatles Influence, Musical Catharsis, Keeping Expectations Low
01:35:06 - DON'T TREAD ON ME... Ska, Doomsday Prepping for the State of Music in 2005
01:38:20 - UPLIFTER, UNIVERSAL PULSE... Bob Rock, Some Kind of Monster, "Sunset in July"
01:43:12 - STEREOLITHIC, MOSAIC, VOYAGER & The Post-Pandemic Boom
01:48:18 - FULL BLOOM, SKP & What Nick is Yet to Achieve
01:52:50 - Nick is So Vascular & Jacked (And Eats Good)
01:58:02 - Top 4 Punk/Hardcore Records
Happy 311 Day to all who observe... We're joined by 311 co-founder and vocalist Nick Hexum at his home studio, deep in the old Topanga Canyon.
We break down his roots growing up punk and listening to funk in Omaha, Nebraska, 311's formation taking place just to open for Fugazi, the whole band moving to Van Nuys to try to get a record deal, the breakout success of "Down" and the whole self-titled record, the even bigger success of "Amber" and the 50 First Dates soundtrack, and thoroughly breakdown how bands like Bad Brains & Helmet influenced them from the beginning.
A truly great conversation and we thank Nick for having us, and for joining us.
Presented by Brain Dead.
_______________
HardLore: A Knotfest Series, fueled by Monster Energy.
Edited by Steven Grise (instagram.com/iamonenineseven/) • Title sequence by Nicholas Marzluf (instagram.com/marzluf/)
• Join the HARDLORE PATREON to watch every single weekly episode early and ad-free, alongside exclusive monthly episodes: patreon.com/hardlorepod
• Join the HARDLORE DISCORD: discord.gg/jA9rppggef
________________
• Brought to you by BRAIN DEAD, head to wearebraindead.com to check out their new collaboration with Cannibal Corpse and to see what's playing at the iconic Brain Dread Studios this month!
_______________
FOLLOW HARDLORE:
INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/hardlorepod
TWITTER | twitter.com/hardlorepod
SPOTIFY | spoti.fi/3J1GIrp
APPLE | apple.co/3IKBss2
FOLLOW COLIN:
INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/colinyovng
TWITTER | twitter.com/ColinYovng
FOLLOW BO:
INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/bosxe
TWITTER | twitter.com/bosxe
#HARDLORE #HARDCORE
00:00:00 - Start
00:00:54 - Nick Hexum
00:02:19 - Omaha, Nebraska & 311's First Show Opening for Fugazi
00:06:34 - Grew Up Punk, Listening to Funk & The Rumor About Their Name
00:11:39 - The Ed's: Meeting the Rest of 311
00:16:20 - DAMMIT & UNITY... LA to Omaha to Van Nuys, What Have You Records
00:21:42 - MUSIC & GRASSROOTS... SA Joins, "Do You Right," First Radio Play
00:26:49 - Dynamic in 311 Today, the RV Fire
00:31:25 - SELF-TITLED... Ron St. Jermaine (I Against I), Helmet Influence, The Success of "Down"
00:45:43 - Pardon This Interruption...
00:47:02 - Touring On The Self Titled And Europe For the First Time
00:49:01 - TRANSISTOR... "Beautiful Disaster," NOFX Influence, Making An Affordable 2xLP
00:59:45 - SOUNDSYSTEM... "Come Original," Focusing on Heavy Riffs, Hugh Padgham
01:07:18 - Learning to Tune Out Critics
01:09:27 - Opening The Hive
01:11:22 - FROM CHAOS... The Iconic Neve Board, Referencing I & I Survive in "I'll Be Here a While"
01:18:53 - "Amber"
01:23:51 - "Lovesong," Adam Sandler & The 50 First Dates Soundtrack
01:28:25 - EVOLVER & GREATEST HITS... Beatles Influence, Musical Catharsis, Keeping Expectations Low
01:35:06 - DON'T TREAD ON ME... Ska, Doomsday Prepping for the State of Music in 2005
01:38:20 - UPLIFTER, UNIVERSAL PULSE... Bob Rock, Some Kind of Monster, "Sunset in July"
01:43:12 - STEREOLITHIC, MOSAIC, VOYAGER & The Post-Pandemic Boom
01:48:18 - FULL BLOOM, SKP & What Nick is Yet to Achieve
01:52:50 - Nick is So Vascular & Jacked (And Eats Good)
01:58:02 - Top 4 Punk/Hardcore Records
