|
|
 
 |
3 Doors Down
Published: February 2004
Story: Jeff Royer
Photo: Press Photo |
3 Doors Down are so hot right now that they're making hit albums by mistake.
After selling an unbelievable nine million albums in just three
years, the jeans-and-T-shirt rockers decided to follow up 2002's
triple-platinum Away From the Sun with a live EP. Much to their
surprise, the novelty project, aptly titled Another 700 Miles,
quickly shot up the Billboard Top 200, where it remains three months
later.
"It's done better than we ever expected," admits 3 Doors Down
guitarist Matt Roberts during a recent Fly interview, his thick
Mississippi accent making him sound more like a bad Al Gore
impression than an international rock star. "We didn't plan on it
being a huge smash. We just wanted to give something a little extra
to the fans for the holidays.
"It was just one of those things where our second record was doing
well for us, and we felt like we wanted to add a little something for
the fans that already had both records. It was kind of a segue," he
drawls. "A lot of fans have seen us live, and a lot still haven't. We
just wanted to express and show that we are a touring, live band. ...
If you haven't seen the show, take a listen to it on the record."
It's difficult to put your finger on what it is that's making 3 Doors
Down such a phenomenon. On one hand, their no-frills music isn't
particularly groundbreaking. But then how do you explain the fact
that six singles - from their breakthrough smash "Kryptonite" to more
recent hits like "When I'm Gone" and "Here Without You" - have hit
No. 1?
Roberts doesn't know either. "We don't try for any kind of sound
consciously. I don't know. Whatever it is, I hope it stays around,"
he chuckles.
"I don't know if it's an innate thing, maybe," Roberts adds. "We
listen to music just like anybody else does, but at the end of the
day, I think as a writer you're going to write what your passion is
and what really lies inside. There's only so much influence that you
can gain from the current what's-going-on-right-now as far as
music-wise. There's not much I'm willing to absorb."
Maybe that's what fans find so attractive - that the band remains
true to its classic rock roots, that 3 Doors Down is as much Bad
Company as it is Creed. It's rock and roll with just a hint of drama
and not one ounce of irony. Metaphors need not apply; this is
textbook rock and roll to be taken at face value.
International rock stars or not, the members of 3 Doors Down look
more like they should be giving your engine an overhaul than writing
the most-played rock song of the year (2003's "When I'm Gone").
"Yeah, there's been a lack of image for the band, sure, but the rate
of success measured against the lack of image - it just doesn't
really matter," Roberts insists, offering up his 10 million albums
sold as evidence. "To be honest, I don't care. If I can go to
McDonald's and have somebody not notice me and I'm still the same
happy guy in my band, it's all the better."
If the band reminds you of your mailman, or your softball coach, or
your neighbor from, you know, three doors down, well, that's because
they are. They're five average Joes, as Roberts will be the first to
admit.
"We're just normal guys, man, just trying to deal with this like
anybody else would. We just try to get along with everybody and be
fair and nice to our fans," he explains. "It's just been perfect for
us because we don't have the riots or anything like that. We don't
have to deal with that, man, so it's all good. We just get along with
everybody.
"And why not? We do what we love," he figures. "Nobody's really given
to any kind of arrogance or anything like that because at the same
time we know that there's always bigger and better, and we're lucky
and humbled to be where we're at, and we just want to continue being
part of [our fans' lives] in the future."
Once their current tour wraps up early this month, 3 Doors Down will
retreat to their hometown of Escatawpa to begin work on their third
full-length album, which, if all goeswell, could be out by the end of
the year. While Roberts can't and won't talk about the new material,
he will discuss the band's plans once they're done recording: tour
until the Mississippi runs dry.
"It's been difficult for people to understand the level of dedication
that goes behind being in a tour bus every day with your whole
entourage and crew and everybody else. It's a lot of work. It really
is," he says. "At the same time, I feel fortunate to be able to wake
up and do it every day. It's one of those things that's really a
must, in my opinion."
At any rate, it's got to be better than punching a time clock.
"You're damn right it is," Roberts laughs. "Exactly."
Also on the band's calendar is a March video shoot for the third
single from Away From the Sun, the ballad-esque title track. So even
when they manage to get off of the road for a few months, 3DD have no
time for frivolous things like "relaxing" or "sitting still."
"There's always pressure," Roberts sighs. "What's life or a job
without pressure? That motivates and stimulates us to keep going and
writing music.
"There's been a few months off here and there," he continues. "We
signed our deal in '99, so it's been five years we've been a national
touring band. For five years, it seems like it's really come and gone
overnight. Every now and then you get that time off, but I don't
think there's been a true moment of reflection yet."
When you're one of the biggest rock bands in America, with a current
No. 1 single, two albums in the Top 200, and a mantle full of every
award short of a Grammy, there's nowhere to go but down. But this
super-band has yet to find its kryptonite, says Roberts, so don't
count them out any time soon.
"Sustaining is the key. Once you start smashing all those other goals
on the way, you kind of go to the level of sustainment. Just staying
in the boat right now is what we want to do," he states. "And we're
having fun. As long as we can keep paving our career and things go
nicely, I think that's the goal at this point."
|
|
|
Untitled Document
|
|
