3 Doors Down: Profile

3 Doors Down                                  

Current Members:
Brad Arnold - lead vocals
Matt Roberts - guitar
Chris Henderson - guitar
Todd Harrell - bass guitar
Greg Upchurch - drums, percussion

Even Superman can’t score a record deal if the music is no good. But when radio station WCPR in Biloxi, Mississippi was inundated with phone calls requesting a song called “Kryptonite” by local band, 3 Doors Down, they realized that the band had quiet the following – and was growing by leaps and bounds.

Three Doors Down’s first gigs were just at parties. The three members - Brad Arnold lead vocals and drums, Todd Harrell bass guitar and Chris Henderson, guitar, had learned just four cover songs by artists like Bush and Metallica that they played over and over. They soon expanded their repertoire and audience by playing out more.

While still a trio, the band was leaving a building in Foley, Alabama. Looking at the building it said Doors Down, since some of the letters were missing. Since there were three members of the band it was decided that their name would be 3 Doors Down.

Three became five as Chris Henderson joined in rounding out the guitar sound. Richard Liles and Josh Freese have contributed on drums so Arnold could front the band with vocals. Today Greg Upchurch is listed as drummer.

Off to Metropolis
As their deep south following went beyond Biloxi, the band took it up to New York City playing the famed CBGB and catching the attention of Republic Records, a division of Universal.
Described as post-grunge somewhere between mainstream rock and alternative, 3 Doors Down has been compared to Nickelback, Daughtry, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots and Matchbox Twenty.

Their fourth effort, a self-titled album will be released May 2008.

The Better Life
Released on February 2000 Universal Records.

The band’s multi-platinum debut album with the hit that made them Mississippi’s hometown heroes, “Kryptonite” with its great guitar hook was a huge hit in 2000. The guitar riffs in “Loser” has been compared a little closely with [i]Alice in Chains[/i] What sets this album apart, aside from being their first, is that Arnold is doing double-duty, singing and playing drums.

Note Worthy Tracks:
“Kryptonite”
“Loser”
“Be Like That”
“Duck and Run”

Away from the Sun
Released November 2002 Universal Records

Although no song on this album has the hook that “Kryptonite” carried on the debut, critics see maturation within the band. Some songs are a little mellow dramatic vocally, like the popular “Here Without You,” however, some harder metal takes up the slack on songs like “Sarah Yellin” whose bass is kinda Chiliesque. This time studio drummer Josh Freese is brought in and Arnold takes up as front man on vocals. Debuting at number eight on the Billboard Top 200, the album went gold, then platinum in 2003.
Note Worthy Tracks:
“Here Without You”
“When I’m Gone”
“Away from the Sun”

Seventeen Days
Released February 2005 on Universal Records.

As Arnold lyrics seem more heartfelt here, the band sticks with a music formula that works for them. Bob Seger lends a hand on vocals for the road-weary “Landing in London.” Seventeen Days, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and went platinum in its first week of release.

Note Worthy Tracks:
“Let Me Go”
“Landing in London”
“Behind Those Eyes”