3 Doors Down Full Album

[Maricel Fergason]

This story is featured in CityBeat's June 28 print edition.

As a 40-plus-minute conversation in mid-May with 3 Doors Down singer Brad Arnold wound down, he pondered a question about whether, after 25 years of major success, his band has any goals left to pursue.

Arnold said the band learned a few things about how to structure a set list from doing the anniversary tour for The Better Life and those discoveries are influencing how 3 Doors Down are presenting the songs from Away From The Sun this summer.

Not surprisingly, becoming a popular band with The Better Life album and getting to tour across the U.S. and in countries around the world was a life-changing and eye-opening experience for the band, which started out in the small Mississippi town of Escatawpa and had never toured before recording that first album.

What became particularly significant as writing began for Away From The Sun were the stories the band members heard from fans while on tour about how certain songs related to experiences from their lives. These stories flavored the mood of the band members and the lyrics that Arnold and his bandmates wrote for the second album.

Arnold remembers the tour to promote Away From The Sun as a great experience as well. The band played arenas and other large venues, stayed in nice hotels and had grown more confident as a live band. But the memory that sticks most involves the fans.

I got in to the band right out of the gate. The debut album was great rock album and for me stood out in a time when boy bands and Britney ruled the charts. The have been labeled as a post-grunge band or alternative rock band, but for me they are a rock band. The band has had their ups and downs throughout their career and have dealt with alcoholism, health issues, vehicular homicide for one member and somehow the band has continued thanks to Brad and Chris.

Me too. Total burnout on these guys as they were so overplayed. I needed to do something a little different and I picked these guys as it had been years since I listened to them and that helped make this easier.

Re-live the year 2000 with The Better Life, the debut album from 3 Doors Down, a 7x Platinum selling album and the band's best-selling album to date! 3 Doors Down: The Better Life 20th Anniversary Tour comes to Oak Mountain Amphitheatre on Saturday, July 24th 2021 with very special guests Seether! Released on February 8, 2000, The Better Life peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, sold over 5,000,000 copies in America alone! Grab some tickets and get down to Pelham, Alabama to hear this incredible debut album played live in its entirety.

3 Doors down debut album, The Better Life, was released in February 2000. The album was the 11th-best-selling album of the year, with the singles off the album all charting at the number 1 position on the US Mainstream Rock chart, "Kryptonite", "Loser", and "Be Like That" all reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 3, No. 55, and No. 24, respectively.

Formed in 1996 as a trio, 3 Doors Down added a fourth member two years later before rocketing to overnight success with their mega-hit 'Kryptonite' in 2000. The single topped the Mainstream Rock Charts as well as reaching number three on Billboard's Top 40 Chart. Follow up singles 'Loser' and 'Duck and Run' went to number one on Mainstream Rock. By the end of 2000 the band's debut album 'The Better Life' would be among the top 10 selling releases for the year and has since been certified 6 platinum (selling over 6 million copies).

Lead singer and former drummer Brad Arnold has been there since day one. A small town (Escatawpa) Mississippi native Arnold along with guitarist Matt Roberts and bassist Todd Harrell toured throughout Mississippi and Alabama, adding rhythm guitarist Chris Henderson in 1998 just before they began to take off. With Roberts passing in 2016 and Harrell facing ongoing legal battles, Arnold and Henderson remain the two current members from the band's early years.

However, the genesis for 3 Doors Down can be traced further back to 1992, when a 15 year old Arnold wrote the outline for 'Kryptonite' during a high school math class. He admits it had less to do with interest than it did with scheduling. "I guess I would say I hate math. Most of my test scores were in the low 70's. I did enough to get by." He adds, "I took creative writing before math, so usually my mind was wandering even before I got to math class." Eight years later his creative writing would become one of 3 Doors Down's signature songs and propel the band into the rock n' roll history.

While radio stations welcomed 'Kryptonite' almost right away it was the eerie music video that help introduce the song and 3 Doors Down to America. "That was straight from the mind of Dean Karr, who did videos for artists like Marilyn Manson."

The music video presents an old man who was a big-time 1950s TV action hero trying to come to the rescue of a woman being harassed by her boyfriend. Although the old man dressed in super hero attire appears to be past his prime, he gets revenge in the end by diving thru a skylight and knocking the bad guy out, prompting a smirky thumbs up.

Arnold said the band had mixed reactions prior to shooting the video. "We read the treatment and weren't entirely on board, but since Karr had a strong track record and we were new to the genre we signed off on it. Obviously it turned out to be so cool. Radio played our song, but the video really helped put us on the map."

Ensuing videos for 'Loser' and 'Duck and Run' continued to provide a bit of mystique for the band with Arnold's persona allowing for a measure of angst and determination in his vocals. "I think it's a part of me. It's how I like to portray myself on stage." He agrees entertainers such as Gene Simmons and Alice Cooper play characters. "Most artists generally like being someone on stage and totally different off."

Proving they weren't a one trick pony, 3 Doors Down followed the success of 'The Better Life' with a 'Away From the Sun' in late 2002, producing radio friendly singles 'When I'm Gone', 'Here Without You', and 'The Road I'm On'. The band is out on tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the album that went platinum two months after its release and has sold four millions to date.

"Honestly it's my favorite 3 Doors Down album. Our debut release was great, but it happened so quick and was more of a blur to me. With 'Away From the Sun' I have so many memories, like where we recorded the album and where we wrote most of the songs. We recorded it at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, and we had a blast, and I sense we all new it was going to be a great follow up to our first album."

Arnold co-wrote 'When I'm Gone' and 'Here Without You' with both songs dealing with different bouts of separation. "I assume I'm a lot like most writers. I write what I feel. We actually wrote 'When I'm Gone' on the road and performed in live before audiences in Europe. I think we collectively felt it was a hit and knew we would include on the album."

Uncharacteristically there are two videos accompanying 'When I'm Gone'. The official record label backed version portrays clips from when the band performed live for our troops on the USS George Washington, with the original or first draft a haunting video shot in a swamp as the band members are buried alive.

Arnold is showcased quite often in the swamp video. "And none of it was fake. I'm in a hole with a piece of plywood around my waist and another around my chest so I could breathe. They ended up burying me three times. Even more amazing is the fact we shot the video during a tropical storm. It made for amazing footage."

He adds, "That version went to post production and then we went on our military tour to entertain the troops. We had camera crews documenting our trip and the show on the USS George Washington. Somehow all that got made into a video and the label went with it."

Even though Arnold admits the song has no ties to the military, the lyrics and the video represent a strong message many in the armed forces deal with. "Whether it's a situation like military families face or anyone who's separated for long periods of time, it's basically saying 'love me when I'm gone'. I'm a fan of both videos, but the military one is a nice salute to our troops and no doubt a bit more touching."

To complement the anniversary of 'Away From the Sun' and their current tour of the same name, a deluxe digital version of the album is set for release. "I think that's great. We're adding a bunch of B-sides that didn't make the original, and they're adding an enhanced surround sound that will hopefully make it even more enjoyable for listeners." Along with the deluxe set comes a new video for 'Pop Song'. "It's live footage from the tour, so it's turned out to be a really cool video."

Six studio albums and 25 years down the road Arnold is thrilled to be doing what he feels he was meant to do. "With all the things that could have ended the band (Roberts death & Harrell's legal troubles) I'm surprised and happy we're still out here." Calling it quits is not part of the plan. "I never see the end in sight. Although there have been a couple of times it's felt like a runaway truck that's missed the safe exit." Adding, "By the grace of God were still at it, but I'd trade it all to have Matt and Todd back."

Arnold has chased his own demons over the years. He's proud to declare he's been sober now since 2016. "Seven, going on eight years in 2024." He says alcohol became habit forming and a crutch. "I used to think it was a way to calm myself prior to a show or to chase loneliness. There's not one aspect of my life that isn't better due to my sobriety. Honestly I still get a bit nervous just before I go on stage, but I don't need alcohol to lean on."

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