311 and the Offspring, two of the '90s biggest alt-rock hitmakers, joined forces earlier to keep the dream alive with their Never-Ending Summer Tour, which closes out in September and features Gym Class Heroes as support.
In celebration of the tour, and in a nostalgic twist of role-reversal, the two bands recorded covers of each other's classics, with the Offspring doing their own rendition of "Down" and 311 taking a stab at "Self Esteem." The results give fans of both bands a surreal trip to an alternate musical universe and two more reasons to catch the Never-Ending Summer Tour.
Before the tour began, the Recording Academy caught up with Nick Hexum of 311 and Noodles of the Offspring, going behind the scenes in the place they both call home, Los Angeles.
In the latest episode of On Location, Nick Hexum, the guitarist of 311, and Noodles, the guitarist of the Offspring, talk with host and singer-songwriter Charlie Tavers while touring of the City of Angels.
"For me it's always been about a combination of being outside and creativity," Hexum says in the episode. "I still, being in the music business, like to be in a city, so L.A. is perfect, you can have kind of both lives."
Noodles and Travers visit the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach during the episode, where he explains that it used to be Safari Sam's, a music club where the local bands would jam out. He shares how punk rock and surf and skate culture go hand in hand.
"Punk rock is about breaking the rules. All rock and roll, really, is about breaking the rules," Noodles says.
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You can listen to 311 and the Offspring covers above, and catch the rest of their tour in a city near you. Visit Ticketmaster for more info on the tour.
