Third Eye Blind: semi-charmed kind of band

(Credit: Jay Blakesberg)

Neither a has-been nor a comeback, Third Eye Blind in 2009 is something entirely different. Six years removed from their last full-length release, the California group has somehow attracted an entirely new fan base, one that (based on recent concerts) is younger, a little more underground and quite willing to scream along to new songs and not hear late ‘90s anthems like “Semi-Charmed Life” and “Graduate.”

As the group plans to release its long-awaited new record “Ursa Major” in June, we caught up with frontman Stephan Jenkins at the music industry’s annual South by Southwest bash in Austin, Texas. For a guy who’s toured with U2, dated Charlize Theron and released multi-platinum records, Jenkins seems surprisingly down-to-earth and at peace with his band’s unintended reinvention.

At your South by Southwest shows, you didn’t do a lot of the hits. Was that by choice? 
We actually held a lot of new songs out; if it was up to me, I’d play all new songs. But the album is out in June, so it’s a little early for that. The songs on the EP won’t be on there, either, but that song [released on a recent EP] “Non-Dairy Creamer” is doing a lot better at alternative radio than we thought it would…even better now than when it started. So now the cats at the label are like, “Put it on the album!”

A lot of new punk and emo bands have starting citing you as influence, such as Panic at the Disco. What’s your connection to that world?
I came up playing in punk bands. I was the drummer, and that’s all I wanted to do. But we could never find a singer; then we couldn’t find a guitar player, so I would just fill in as needed, until I could get back to the drums. I’m still trying to return to that. [Laughs] Actually, I remember an old band of mine got a gig at CBGB’s. We drove across the entire country just to play that gig, in my Volkswagen.

Do you still listen to any punk?
Well, very early on I identified with the rebellious and pureness of punk rock. I have some connection to the musical strength of it…but then again, I also have a connection to Cat Stevens.

Are you surprised that current bands are citing you as an influence?
I’ve read about people like the Arctic Monkeys and Liz Phair citing us, and since I was already listening to them, that was great. And I remember once Billy Corgan was on TV and somebody asked him about his favorite band, and he said “Third Eye Blind!” I was like, “That means he’ll totally talk to me on the phone!” I figured out how to get his number, so I called him and said, “I’m really glad you like us, because I think we’re ripping you off!” He was very cool.

Are songs harder to write now as you’ve been doing this for so long? I think it was Paul Stanley who said, “It takes your whole life to write your first album…”
…And six months to do your next one. Yeah, he’s right. Actually, Paul Stanley came to one of our gigs. We were all like… [mouth agape] You know, the first song I learned on guitar was “Dr. Love”! But yes and no—some songs are easy [and] just roll out, while others take months.
 
What’s the story behind your new song “Why Can’t You Be”?
It’s an argument with a long-time ex-girlfriend. You know how some relationships never end? We were having some sort of argument, and I said something about being her first love, and she’s like, “No, Stephan, my first love was a multiple speed adjustable showerhead.”

What’s the deal with how you’re releasing this record?
The mechanics of a record label don’t exist anymore. It’s like discussing mules when everyone’s moved on to a tractor. I have my own label now; what that means I’m not sure, but I do know I don’t have to ask permission, that’s really about it. I can choose how it gets marketed, the publicist, all that. It’s not all this, you go in and stand before The Man and say, “Can I do this?”

Is this harder to do on your own, though?
I love it. You know what? In the music business now, there’s not going to be a few mega-trillionaires, but there will be a lot more people making a living in music. And, besides, I’ve never been a person who did well fitting into a defined groove. Mrs. Wong, my second grade teacher, made it very clear: “You don’t belong here, Stephan, in this institution.” I gravitate much more toward some kind of well-meaning anarchy.

Mrs. Wong had a big effect on you, huh?
Mrs. Wong was gorgeous, and an absolutely horrible teacher. She meant well. But she was so damaging and scarring on my life. [Laughs]

You’ve re-done your Web site to be more like a social network, and you contribute. Do you like being that close to fans?
When I see my rock stars, I want everyone to dress like Karen O. I want everyone to dress like Karen O every day. I don’t want them to be like, “I’m just like everyone else.” I think that’s the biggest pose of all. I want Bowie! But I want to talk to Bowie. I want both, and I think we can have that now. I’m not sure why a rock star has to behave like Godot.

One really early newspaper article I read about you guys, before you were signed, said you used to perform with a piñata on stage.
When we started, we did a record showcase for record companies, and it was pretty clear we were going to get a deal. But so many people didn’t get it at all; our music is a little weird, it’s not linear. We were getting tired of doing these [showcases], so we decided we had to make it a little more rock ‘n’ roll. So for one of the showcases, we got a piñata, stuffed it full of crickets from a bait shop, and then smashed it during one song and released them all.

Did they sign you?
No, it cleared the room. Actually, we’ve done worse. When we played the American Music Awards years ago, we did “Graduate.” And the chorus is “Can I graduate?” We’re warming up backstage, and my bass player is singing, “Can I masturbate?” We’re all like [Beavis and Butt-Head laugh] “Huh, huh, that’s funny.” And then I just started using that lyric during the telecast, and smashing these Chinese lanterns hanging around the stage, in time to the music. The network was kind of furious at us. But we’ve always been like that.