If your ears were working and you were even partially conscious in 2000 you've heard the song that brought 3 Doors Down into the limelight. 'Kryptonite' from the group's debut album The Better Life made a huge impact on all the charts. They clung to the top album, single and multi-format radio spots for a good part of 2000 and beyond.
After three years of local gigs, recording demos and pressing a CD to be sold at shows, something big happened at a local radio station in Biloxi MS. In 1997 WCPR was bombarded by requests to hear 'Kryptonite' by a local band called Three Doors Down and the calls haven't stopped since.
The 1997 buzz eventually led to a record contract with Republic/Universal Records that opened up a world of opportunity for the band. From doing local sell-out shows to national venues, 3 Doors Down has paved their own path to success. With Brad Arnold doing vocals, Matt Roberts and Chris Henderson on guitars, Todd Harrell playing bass and Vancouver native Daniel Adair on drums, this band is truly amazing. Within two years of their debut they had four number one singles, a couple of world tours, multiple award nominations, unprecedented radio success and over 6 million albums sold.
After a short break the band made it back home to Escatawpa, Mississippi where they rented a house and spent four hours a day writing songs and jamming. Rick Parashar, who has worked with bands Alice in Chains, Blind Melon and Pearl Jam, produced the new album, Away From The Sun.
Most bands get nervous about dodging the sophomore slump. Expectations of the millions of fans who bought the first album are high and that puts a lot of pressure on a band. They stuck to their four-hour a day schedule in fear of forcing out music that wasn't pure. The success of that approach was evident with the release of Away From The Sun.
3 Doors Down is a band full of mighty guitars, swaggering bass, thick drums, huge vocal melodies and an even bigger lyrical sentiment. The band has grown a lot in the years since they were formed and the music is only getting better. These guys like to rock and they won't have it any other way. "It's a rock 'n' roll band, straight up," Harrell explains. "It's not really alternative or metal or anything - it's rock 'n' roll." Rock 'n' roll that keeps tickets moving and venues packed, continuing the consistency of a sound that will never die.
