 Falling between
Hootie & the Blowfish and
Live,
Third Eye Blind's catchy and melodic post-grunge made the group's first
single, "Semi-Charmed Life," into a hit in the spring of 1997. The San
Francisco-based quartet consisted of
Stephan Jenkins (vocals), Kevin Cadogan (guitar), Arion Salazar (bass), and
Brad Hargreaves (drums). After earning an English degree from the University
of California at Berkeley,
Jenkins concentrated on playing solo shows in the San Franciscan scene. He
spent four years playing in local bands before beginning a solo career; however,
shortly after he set out on his own, he decided to form a band. After several
lineups failed to gel, former
Fungo Mungo bassist Arion Salazar joined the group, which was now called
Third Eye Blind. At one of the band's shows, guitarist Kevin Cadogan, a
former student of
Joe Satriani who later became involved in the northern California ska and
punk scenes, introduced himself to
Jenkins. Cadogan joined
Third Eye Blind in late 1995, bringing along former
Counting Crows drummer
Brad Hargreaves, as well.
As
Third Eye Blind was getting off the ground,
Jenkins was earning major-label attention through his production of
the Braids' cover of
Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," which became an international hit. Shortly
afterward, he signed a publishing deal, which was reported to be the largest
ever for an unreleased artist. By playing the Bay Area frequently,
Third Eye Blind cultivated a dedicated fan base, and the group's original
14-song demo attracted the attention of major labels. The buzz was continuing to
build on
Third Eye Blind when the group finagled their way to a prized opening slot
for
Oasis' April 1996 concert at San Francisco's Civic Auditorium. At the time
of the concert, the group was unsigned, but following their well-received
performance, the band became the subject of a bidding war. The band signed with
Elektra/Asylum because the label offered the most artistic freedom, which
included enlisting
Jenkins as the album's producer. Upon signing to Elektra, he was offered a
production deal to help develop new bands.
Jenkins produced
Third Eye Blind's eponymous debut, which was recorded in San Francisco with
the assistance of
Eric Valentine, an engineer who also worked on their early demos. Third Eye
Blind was released in the spring of 1997, and by the summer, its first single
"Semi-Charmed Life" had become a number one modern rock hit. Blue followed in
1999, selling 150,000 within a month of its release, but it didn't gain the
praise and popularity compared to the band's previous albums. Tours across the
globe followed throughout 2000, but by the time 2001 rolled around, the band
opted for some time off. Instead of focusing on music,
Third Eye Blind participated in several charity events. They put on shows
for the Tiger Woods Foundation and as well as Breathe, a performance organized
by
Jenkins to promote breast cancer awareness. By 2003,
Third Eye Blind resumed schedule with the release of Out of the Vein in May.
~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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