This was another home run, Rick. Y’all have got to do a part two. Third Eye Blind’s debut record is flawless from start to finish. One of the best debut records of all time.
Was totally waiting for this to drop after seeing the short he released. Yes this is one of the best debut albums of all time, song-wise, and of course the actual sound is just amazing. I remember thinking every song could have been a single, one of the very few albums that you acutally just listen start to finish.
My Third Eye Blind story - - back in winter '97 I was in law school in San Diego, wrecked my motorcycle. Had plans to visit friends up in Northern Cal and buddy offered his Toyota pickup truck. When I picked it up he told me - "sorry but should have told you, stereo has issues. It plays the CD only and wont eject.". Damn, I thought, oh well. Hit the road and for six straight hours was BLOWN AWAY listening to 3rd Eye Blind over and over and over driving along the coast. Such a great memory. Love that album start to finish.
@@EdgeofBreakup lol, I hear just certain song intros from the album and get brief but vivid flashbacks from that drive. Cool how music imprints into our souls.
I just want to say as a 44 year old guy that 3eb’s self titled debut is the most important album in my life. It was released the spring before I graduated high school. If I could choose just one album it’s this one. It never loses its magic and takes me back to my prime youth and triggers the feelings and memories I had during that period. It’s a true masterpiece and what’s funny is I grew up mostly a metal head enjoying much harder music. 🤙
Dude you are describing me 100%. Same age and exact feelings and situation. I would have pantera far beyond driven blasting in my car with friends and then suddenly third eye blind would be the next cd in my “ changer” and my friends were like “ what the fuck is this?” And learned to love it too
The last four songs of the first album weren't radio hits, but I Want You, The Background, Motorcycle Drive By, and God of Wine are probably the best four songs on the album.
Absolutely! Taste the salt, taste the pain, I'm not thinking of you again Summer dies and swells rise, the sun goes down in my eyes See this rolling wave, darkly coming, to take me, home
Yeah, Billy Corgan same situation I feel. These guys are creative geniuses and someone like Rick who thinks about music as a fellow musician and also a producer can really relate to where they are coming from and how they are thinking which helps them feel very comfortable and open up and articulate what’s going through their mind.
@@SeaOrcRonnieGreat point! Jenkins has one of the absolute worst reputations in the business (with Corgan right up there!), and Rick got the absolute best out of him.
@@sgitell They got those reputations from DECADES of really stupid and repetitive surface level questions. For better or for worse, human beings are molded/jaded by these experiences.
I dont know what "the background" is about from the writers perspective. I do know that i lost my first wife to cancer at age 27. I play this song on the piano at least twice a month to keep her memory alive. It was subconscious for years, but I've grown into it. thank you Stevan for this beautiful song .
@zeppleymusic6793 The Background is arguably my favourite song on that album. I’m sorry to hear about your first wife; that’s a tragic story. God bless her and you, as well.
I have felt the same regarding this song and my mother who passed of Cancer when I was very young. It’s my favourite song by the band and in no small part because of how emotional it makes me
It's obvious the background is a looming broody song about a loyalty relationship that no one else can get.....exclusivity...like a mother, wife, twin, child
The fingerpicking acoustic guitar on "Motorcycle Drive By" one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Every track on that entire album was 90s songwriting genius, I honestly can't pick a favorite. Hard to describe all the spectrum of moods that album yields a listener through, no song skips on that CD. Pure 90s nostalgia perfection.
@@mindeloman Everytime I listen to that album it's as if I have a new favorite song, but there's something about a road trip and that song when it comes on. Incredible song I agree..
Omg, Rick. That story Stephan told on how "Graduate" unfolded was so insightful and incredible. Thank you for this interview. This is one of my all time favorite albums. Keep up the great work.
I wanted to hate this band because SemiCharmed Life was SO insanely overplayed… then I heard the opening track and I thought “God d-mmit, now I have to like these guys, don’t I?”
Motorcycle Drive By is one of my favorite songs of all time. It is just an epic tune with its lyrics and peaceful but melancholy vibe, and I've felt that way since I bought the tape in 1997 in high school. Seeing Stephan play it live like that was a bucket list occurrence, I felt like I was there. Thank you Rick.
Came here to say Kevin Cadogan needs an interview. Glad others are saying the same. Not just to get this thoughts on the relationship moreso on the music. The guy was brilliant. Some incredible guitar work that needs to be explored more in-depth. Arion Salazar too. These songs are too good to just hear Stephan's side of things. Good interview but a lot more rough of a conversation and I think the fact Stephan is a difficult genius proves the people who helped him were also able to accomplish a lot.
I 100% agree on the Kevin interview but you also mentioned Arion Salazar, one of the best and most underrated Bassists of the 90s! I would love to also hear his side of things because the bass tracks on the first couple of 3eb albums are why I stayed playing bass after Middle and High School!
"I've never been so alone, I've never been so alive." So many sunrises after insomniac nights. This song was a dear dear friend through my late teens. Kept me alive in some dark af times.
Glad you toughed it out. Someone a lot wiser than me once said something such as this... _"Never give up... if things come to an end... it wasn't because you stopped trying!"_ 👍🏼
That song has helped me through so many break ups. That line specifically to me describes the feeling of loneliness after a break up and coming to terms with that. But finally accepting that you are no longer with the person and ready to move on. And the excitement that brings. I have always wanted to know what that song was about specifically. I was hoping they would do a deeper dive but I loved the live impromptu performance.
This band really defined the sound of the 90s. I was born in 83. There’s not a week goes by that I don’t listen to one of their songs and one of my playlists. And the fact that he met Stan Getz, my all-time favorite jazz musician, it’s like connecting the dots. This makes total sense to me now.
Defined the sound of the late 90s, sure. But Nirvana and Pearl Jam defined the sound of the early-mid 90s and really the decade overall. Think about it - whenever you see some kind of 90s retrospective the music is always Nirvana or Pearl Jam or something Grungy from Seattle. By the way, I went to the same high school as Stephen Jenkins (16 years after him)
Born in 84. Favorite album of all time. Most listened to album of all time. I have GIANT playlists and even then I doubt I've ever gone a whole week without listening to TEB.
This song always makes me well up. Some songs do that to you every time and this is one for me. The power of that last bridge section when he comes in with “I wanna get my self back in again” hits me like nothing else I’ve heard before or since. Magical
My wife and I had just gotten married when this album came out. Living in SoCal in a tiny apartment with a new baby. So many memories of driving in our car listening to KROQ and singing their songs together. Such a simple life we had, I miss those days.
I'll be honest, I never really listened to Third Eye Blind beyond the singles, so I'd never heard Motorcycle Drive By before. That was one of the most beautiful song performances I've ever heard.
Go and listen to the recorded version of the song. It’s an entire world unto itself. So many rainy day drives to the beach blasting that song in the car.
I was 17 when it came out and it was a different kind of epiphany for me - the alternative rock of the early 90s that I loved was firmly dead, replaced by this ham-fisted, derivative tripe. If I never heard another song by these guys, Matchbox Twenty or Smash Mouth again, it would be too soon
@@pensivepenguin3000other than the fact that the singers hated each other, I don't get lumping them in with Smash Mouth. Totally different sound and approaches to music. I at least get M20 since they were also a band that sounded like they practiced in the garage before making it big.
I absolutely hated “Semi-Charmed Life” and had no use for this band when the song was first released to radio. And then I heard the long version with the full bridge AND I GOT CHILLS. I love that song now and I will often blast it in the car. What a song. What a band. ❤
I love this album, especially, God of Wine, played with the volume control hard right in the car! And who can forget Jim Carrey taking forever to tune a guitar before singing Jumper to save a man on the edge of a building in the movie, Yes Man.
Its crazy that this much time has past and Stephen almost refuses to say his name. Like man, you wouldn't be where you are if it was for his guitar playing.
@@redline311 As well as the fact He wrote or Co-wrote most of the first album, as well as a good amount of Blue as well. After that, nothing was as good. What was the missing ingredient? Kevin.
Thank you Rick for making it happen. One of my favorite albums ever. It's AMAZING how close our musical taste is. I am grateful for all that you provide in this world of mad content we're blessed to have you.
"Motorcycle Drive By" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I remember thinking how awesome it was that it started with simple picking guitar, then built up to a huge climax, then back into the simple picking guitar. Love that song!
The slow-fast-slow thing was huge in the 90's. The more I think about it, the more I think Foo Fighters "The Pretender" is structured similarly to "Motorcycle Drive By".
Oddly enough, the same thing can be found in U2's With or Without You. On the "Classic Albums" making of DVD, Edge says that the rock god thing would have been to go big, but that he found it so much more satisfying to just gently strum the song out.
When he started playing and singing I had it on my phone in the background and I had to pick up the phone and check that it was actually live! Absolutely killer live performance right there in Rick's studio! Such a treat
I'll scream it from the rooftops if I have to, but this is one of the best debut albums of all time. The only reason you might skip a track was because you'd heard it too many times on the radio. They're all great, The musicianship is on point, the songwriting is fantastic, the sequencing is great, the production is impeccable. The back half of the album is where it shines, for me. I Want You, God of Wine, and Motorcycle Drive-by are mesmerizing. The Cars, Boston, Van Halen, Tesla, GnR, Pearl Jam, Better Than Ezra, Third Eye Blind… I'm probably forgetting a couple others but these are the best debut albums for me. Because I can listen to them front to back, no skips required, and I can listen to them over and over.
@KingBeevr ill add Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory. Second best selling debut album of all time. Your list is legit though. Personally I'd also say Taking Back Sunday but that's because I'm an emo kid at heart.
This is SUCH an important band. What a treat to hear more of the story behind one of the best records of the 90s. It’s also an INCREDIBLE sounding record. Eric Valentine deserves some props on that mix.
I do not understand how to categorize this phenomenon of Third Eye Blind - the album. Some of the most overplayed ubiquitous high school pop of the late 90s. But lives on like Nirvana - except it’s taken as approachable pop music. But when you listen to the lyrics there’s much more going on there. I first started listening to the album because the guitar parts were so solid. From a guitarist perspective- a lot to chew on for a “pop” album. Then I started listening to the lyrics on the deeper cuts, and I’m all “damn, this album is pretty hefty.” And the album continues to live these two lives. It has a phenomenal lifespan for its pop songs, but as Rick says it still sounds great - every track. This thing exists in its own separate category. And wow a great, great interview. I don’t think an artist is truly interviewed until Rick does it. That live recording of Motorcycle Drive By…. chills.
I love the first two albums. People assume they're some rosy upbeat pop act but a majority of their songs are dark AF. Slow Motion is probably the darkest of the bunch. Great band.
I feel validated/vindicated seeing so many people in the comments that share the same sentiments for this album all these years later. I was 15 years old when it originally released, when nu-metal was starting to run rampant and none of my friends could seem to appreciate a band / album like this at the time. They'd scoff when I'd wax about how good the album was front to back, how incredible the lyrics were, how unique the lead guitar player was etc...
I was born in 94. Grew up listening to this, and also nu metal lol. My Mom and Dad loved it all! We could listen to this album one night and then the next Mechanical Animals
52:55 I thought that was going a whole different direction, didn't even ask, just helped himself to a Beato guitar, the balls, the confidence, the moxy, the nerve.... baller move, Stephen.
but also you could tell a pang of inspiration you know and I really appreciated that because he felt comfortable being in Rick's control room. and just yeah, inspired to just grab a guitar and that takes a lot of trust. really you know with a new friend, someone you respect and I don't know it. just it shows the rawness of both of these gifted musicians and that's such a mutual thing and that really makes you realize that they're both connected through music
I honestly thought SJ was leaving the interview. And then when he grabbed Beato’s guitar I thought the same thing, balls of steel! But I think Rick knew what was happening, or at least hoped for the best like the rest of us!
Rick, what I took from this interview is that his song writing is not about what someone else things sounds good he doesn't pander to his audience it's all about feeling and expression, and just like the writer of the song September learned from earth wind and fire you can't get in the way of the groove. Music is all about expressing the human experience and every human has his own. He is just bold enough to share those expressions despite what it could cost him.
Motorcycle Drive By still to this day brings tears to my eyes and a lump in the throat. Beautiful song. Wish I could like this 1000 more times Rick, I loved this!
This Album is not only nostalgic for me as a 53-year-old, but there was something nostalgic about it when it first came out. I think that feeling of nostalgia or melancholy comes from music that has a deep meaning that hits your soul.
3EB and The Pumpkins are my two fav bands. For some reason I never imagined that I’d hear Stephen referencing Corgan. But it does make so much sense. Great interview as always, Rick! Thanks Stephen!
Him and Billy became friends a few years ago and Billy actually had a hand in some of the arrangements on the Screamer album. Also, they are both my favorite bands too! Cheers.
That new track Stephan showcased at the end definitely had some Pumpkin-esque vibe. Like Rick highlighted “English” sounding ala Joy Division, The Cure and New Order. Really loved the way it built near the end. Cool song!
This album affects me so heavily. It was a huge part of my adolescence. I think falling in love with albums like this is what drove me to recording and appreciating good music
"The lyric drives the song." I've always felt like that when listening to their music, I actually said it in my head before Stephan said how the lyrics are the driving force of the arrangement, raised my hands to the screen saying "YES!" Thank you for this very insightful interview.
That album isn’t just one of the best albums of the 90s, but one of the best albums ever written, literally the whole thing is absolutely amazing, those open tunings are gorgeous..
I love how open-heartedly Rick gives this album the love that it deserves - he is so happy that it exists and also, you can tell, so happy he didn't have to produce it. 😂 What a handful this artist, he's borderline impossible, how anyone could have put up with his megalomania for more than an hour is a fair question but answered perfectly by his impromptu performance of Drive By, the man is abnormally great. I wish he knew it, and could just relax, and enjoy. His work is not finished, none of ours is, but what he accomplished with his first two swings is immortal. Thank you, Mr. Jenkins, et al. However you did it, you knocked it straight out. Thank you, Rick! 🤘😎
Well put. Can’t/wont take anything away from the 1st album. I’m 45 and still listen to this once a month. I agree with Rick - it might be one of the best albums ever written. But my god this man (Steven) tests me. I hope to never meet him.
@@5150OSO Thank god… glad I’m not the only one. Excellent interview but Jenkins was so squirrellyv I felt like I was half on my chair the whole time just waiting for him to spazz.
This was such a wonderful delight! Third Eye Blind rose up to popularity during a dark time where I wasn't exposed to any new music at all from about '96 to 2005. Semi-Charmed Life is the only one that was familiar to me but now after watching the interview I have a whole new perspective about them and Stephan's work. I was blown away over how interesting I found his story about Skywalker Ranch and then the journey he took after that session. Thank you so much, Rick and Stephan!
Up late after a long drive with the family, from the west coast to Texas, and I simply could not cut this interview and wait til tomorrow to finish it. Simply engaging, both Rick & Stephen. So refreshing. So nostalgic, and yet, achingly present. Thank you Stephen! Love the new track. Need to catch up live soon. And thank you Rick! I hope you’re on the mend. Cheers!
Most musically underrated band out there. Been a huge fan for many years. I watched this thinking, hurry Rick, you need to get to Motorcycle Drive By! And then you delivered absolute magic. Thank you.
It's awesome that Stephan called out Camper Van Beethoven - David Lowery was hugely influential and underappreciated. His band Cracker was great as well. So smart and witty. I randomly saw Cracker play a record release set at the old Tower Records on Newbury Street in Boston on a perfect spring day in 1992. Great memories.
After I watched this video when it came out 13 days ago, I shared it with my girlfriend . She lives in Jacksonville and she texted me and said " You know they are going to be here this coming weekend" I said get tickets, It was a GREAT SHOW!!!!
I forget sometimes how great these songs are. They stand up against anything that is out today and never sound stale or dated. EVERYTHING is so tight, so well written, so powerful. Again, Rick delivers the goods and brings the creative process behind the music. I love this!!!
Rick, I really love all of the interviews you have been doing on your channel! As a teenager of the 90's and a child of the 80's all of your guests have had a huge musical influence on my life!
That Third Eye Blind record was the first one I ever purchased for myself. It was a defining moment, for me. And it more or less shaped a lot of my music taste. I say all the time that I feel fortunate to have been from the San Francisco Bay Area and developing a love for alternative rock music in the 90s because of the artists that the radio stations put on rotation. I was thoroughly enthralled by this interview, Rick. A huge thank you to yourself and Stephan for doing it.
Best interview with Stephan I have ever watched. I think he’s one of finest lyricists of our generation. I would love to see an interview that walks through their entire catalog! So many gorgeous lyrics and songs I would love to know how and why. I could watch content like this all day.
TEB’s debut album sounds phenomenal. I didn’t appreciate it when it came out cause I was into heavier grunge bands but as a producer, mix engineer, I think it stands up to any music today.
I remember going to a birthday party in 1998 when I was 14, somebody played Jumper on a CD player and I remember everyone in the room singing along and just vibing together. Everyone loved that album.
Good god that impromptu version of Motorcycle Drive-By absolutely brought me to tears. What a pro. I'm a lifelong musician and I cannot imagine whipping that out with no warmup and still just killing it. Wow. Just wow. I'm floored.
Of course I heard of TEB when semi charmed came out. But I found them again as a high schooler in 2004. That album sent me down a rabbit hole of discovery. Out of the Vein doesn’t get the credit it deserves as a come back album. The writing on it is spectacular.
Third Eye Blind was my very first concert experience. We were right up front, smashed against the barrier in front of the stage. The concert venue was a college arena and it was rowdy as hell. I was there with my girlfriend at the time and we both got kicked in the head repeatedly by crowd surfers. She ended up with a wad of gum in her hair before the end of the show. They finished with "God of Wine" and to this day nearly 30 years later, I still cannot listen to that song without tearing up. I miss you Kate, and I'm sorry.
I still remember listening to this album front to back for the first time. It’s one of the albums that showed me that you could have an album front to back with no filler
"Jumper" got a boost from MTV's The Real World Seattle in 1998. By that point they were making the cast work together on a job/project. The housemates worked at a radio station and produced a teen (self-deletion) PSA using Jumper as the music in the ad.
Their first two albums captured the zeitgeist of the late 90s better than any other work, music or otherwise. Certain people mention “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen or Sam Mendes’ “American Beauty” as speaking to its time to greatest effect. For my money, “Third Eye Blind” and “Blue” were that era more than anything else offered through any media in any format.
My buddy is seeing them tonight at Merriweather Pavilion, what a coincidence! So awesome that Jenkins made it onto Rick's show, Third Eye Blind is definitely emblematic of the late 90s sound.
The Summer Gods Tour is stellar! Saw them in June and hearing so many songs live after not attending a show in a long time was everything!! Their albums really send me.
What a wonderful and far-reaching contribution you're making to the music community, Rick. Thank you for all you've done to inspire and educate us. These interviews are solid gold.
as a gen z i gotta say their debut album is definitely one of my absolute favorites. any day of the week you'll probably catch me jamming to semi charmed life or graduate. its such a good album bro
Such a fun interview. The post-debut 3EB catalog is highly underrated so hopefully some of that will be covered in a follow up interview. "Sharp Knife" and "Bonfire" both rip.
I didn’t realize how good they are until now because they were all over the radio and I went through phases where nothing was good to me on the radio. There’s always good music somewhere.
I was on a plane with Mr. Jenkins both to and from Jamaica. Years ago. The outbound got stuck overnight at LAX. 3EB was doing a acoustic fan promo down there. I was on a corporate retreat. Met Kevin. Until he fell asleep next to me drooling haha. Great guys. Super approachable and cool even tho I was being a bit of a fan boy. Totally chill.
Such a great interview. I actually have a renewed appreciation of the band after the solo acoustic rendition of that song. I love how he jumped up and grabbed the gibson
This was another home run, Rick. Y’all have got to do a part two.
Third Eye Blind’s debut record is flawless from start to finish. One of the best debut records of all time.
Top tier!
Agreed! An absolutely flawless record. However, they never came close to that first release since.
Was totally waiting for this to drop after seeing the short he released. Yes this is one of the best debut albums of all time, song-wise, and of course the actual sound is just amazing. I remember thinking every song could have been a single, one of the very few albums that you acutally just listen start to finish.
Part 2 and Part 3 would be very much welcome. I felt this was too short haha.
Blue album needs more attention
@@mphillips4324 hard to beat pefection.
My Third Eye Blind story - - back in winter '97 I was in law school in San Diego, wrecked my motorcycle. Had plans to visit friends up in Northern Cal and buddy offered his Toyota pickup truck. When I picked it up he told me - "sorry but should have told you, stereo has issues. It plays the CD only and wont eject.". Damn, I thought, oh well. Hit the road and for six straight hours was BLOWN AWAY listening to 3rd Eye Blind over and over and over driving along the coast. Such a great memory. Love that album start to finish.
How many times did you get chills on that drive from the music!? My hair still stands up listening to this album, over and over. Great story!
@@EdgeofBreakup lol, I hear just certain song intros from the album and get brief but vivid flashbacks from that drive. Cool how music imprints into our souls.
Amazing story!
That’s a great story.
Great story
I just want to say as a 44 year old guy that 3eb’s self titled debut is the most important album in my life. It was released the spring before I graduated high school. If I could choose just one album it’s this one. It never loses its magic and takes me back to my prime youth and triggers the feelings and memories I had during that period. It’s a true masterpiece and what’s funny is I grew up mostly a metal head enjoying much harder music. 🤙
43 years old and I share the same feeling... Third Eye Blind Self Titled is the most important piece of music of my life.
I’m in the exact same boat. It’s an amazing record.
Dude you are describing me 100%. Same age and exact feelings and situation. I would have pantera far beyond driven blasting in my car with friends and then suddenly third eye blind would be the next cd in my “ changer” and my friends were like “ what the fuck is this?” And learned to love it too
@@warrenranstrom4462that’s a great story, we are two birds of the same feather 👍
I was 11, but same feelings. "Semi-charmed Life" was the first song that I learned on drums.
"If you're gonna play, we're gonna mic you up." And, thank you for that. Sounded amazing! 🙏
Pro
This was the first time I heard the song. So I listened to the album version. And this was better. Glad it was recorded.
The last four songs of the first album weren't radio hits, but I Want You, The Background, Motorcycle Drive By, and God of Wine are probably the best four songs on the album.
This is accurate.
Nice to hear someone shares this view.
Always felt this exact same way
Absolutely!
Taste the salt, taste the pain, I'm not thinking of you again
Summer dies and swells rise, the sun goes down in my eyes
See this rolling wave, darkly coming, to take me, home
I agree! I Want You is such a vibe. This album has a lot to offer and the way it closes is perfect with those four tunes.
Rick consistently has the best interviews. His knowledge and respect for the craft and art and artist is always present.
Second
I’ve seen a lot of interviews with Jenkins and this is the most comfortable I’ve seen him in one. Well done, Rick.
Yeah, Billy Corgan same situation I feel. These guys are creative geniuses and someone like Rick who thinks about music as a fellow musician and also a producer can really relate to where they are coming from and how they are thinking which helps them feel very comfortable and open up and articulate what’s going through their mind.
@@SeaOrcRonnie Sting too. It's really nice to see Sting warm up to Rick over the course of the interview. He's kinda cold and standoffish at first.
@@SeaOrcRonnieGreat point! Jenkins has one of the absolute worst reputations in the business (with Corgan right up there!), and Rick got the absolute best out of him.
Gotta ask the right questions at the right time.
@@sgitell They got those reputations from DECADES of really stupid and repetitive surface level questions. For better or for worse, human beings are molded/jaded by these experiences.
I dont know what "the background" is about from the writers perspective. I do know that i lost my first wife to cancer at age 27.
I play this song on the piano at least twice a month to keep her memory alive. It was subconscious for years, but I've grown into it. thank you Stevan for this beautiful song .
@zeppleymusic6793 The Background is arguably my favourite song on that album.
I’m sorry to hear about your first wife; that’s a tragic story. God bless her and you, as well.
That's my favorite song of theirs and one of my top 10 songs of all time
Damn, sorry for your loss, I play that song pretty often too. It's a great song and agreat tribute
I have felt the same regarding this song and my mother who passed of Cancer when I was very young. It’s my favourite song by the band and in no small part because of how emotional it makes me
It's obvious the background is a looming broody song about a loyalty relationship that no one else can get.....exclusivity...like a mother, wife, twin, child
The fingerpicking acoustic guitar on "Motorcycle Drive By" one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Every track on that entire album was 90s songwriting genius, I honestly can't pick a favorite.
Hard to describe all the spectrum of moods that album yields a listener through, no song skips on that CD.
Pure 90s nostalgia perfection.
when I think Alt Rock...they're the masthead of the ship
Introduced my kids to their debut album on a road trip. Listened to it on CD. They all agreed Motorcycle drive by is the best track.
@@mindeloman Everytime I listen to that album it's as if I have a new favorite song, but there's something about a road trip and that song when it comes on. Incredible song I agree..
Yes.
That would be Nirvana
Omg, Rick. That story Stephan told on how "Graduate" unfolded was so insightful and incredible. Thank you for this interview. This is one of my all time favorite albums. Keep up the great work.
Losing a Whole Year is potentially the most underrated song of the 90’s.
Completely agree 💯
I wanted to hate this band because SemiCharmed Life was SO insanely overplayed… then I heard the opening track and I thought “God d-mmit, now I have to like these guys, don’t I?”
@@sthubbins4038 Right that was my feelings in 97, I dunno that was such a great year in entertainment. Now I hear the song and think 97.
Those "why" "why" and just the whole feeling ...he really does capture that young adult male dating feel.
The reprise in narcolepsy is one of the greatest licks ever written.
Motorcycle Drive By is one of my favorite songs of all time. It is just an epic tune with its lyrics and peaceful but melancholy vibe, and I've felt that way since I bought the tape in 1997 in high school. Seeing Stephan play it live like that was a bucket list occurrence, I felt like I was there. Thank you Rick.
Couldn't agree more!
That first album is such a gem of a record. No skippable tracks.
Blue is like that too!
We call that a perfect album. I like your description.
@@Mattened I like that one too
Yes. Excellent album.
Eh...amazing album, but "no skippable tracks?" Yeah, I never liked "Jumper." EVER. I skip that every time.
Came here to say Kevin Cadogan needs an interview. Glad others are saying the same. Not just to get this thoughts on the relationship moreso on the music. The guy was brilliant. Some incredible guitar work that needs to be explored more in-depth. Arion Salazar too. These songs are too good to just hear Stephan's side of things. Good interview but a lot more rough of a conversation and I think the fact Stephan is a difficult genius proves the people who helped him were also able to accomplish a lot.
I 100% agree on the Kevin interview but you also mentioned Arion Salazar, one of the best and most underrated Bassists of the 90s! I would love to also hear his side of things because the bass tracks on the first couple of 3eb albums are why I stayed playing bass after Middle and High School!
"I've never been so alone, I've never been so alive." So many sunrises after insomniac nights. This song was a dear dear friend through my late teens. Kept me alive in some dark af times.
Glad you toughed it out.
Someone a lot wiser than me once said something such as this...
_"Never give up... if things come to an end... it wasn't because you stopped trying!"_ 👍🏼
Epic and enduring lyrics that touch lives
Still does
That's my favorite song of all time
That song has helped me through so many break ups. That line specifically to me describes the feeling of loneliness after a break up and coming to terms with that. But finally accepting that you are no longer with the person and ready to move on. And the excitement that brings. I have always wanted to know what that song was about specifically. I was hoping they would do a deeper dive but I loved the live impromptu performance.
This band really defined the sound of the 90s. I was born in 83. There’s not a week goes by that I don’t listen to one of their songs and one of my playlists. And the fact that he met Stan Getz, my all-time favorite jazz musician, it’s like connecting the dots. This makes total sense to me now.
Defined the sound of the late 90s, sure. But Nirvana and Pearl Jam defined the sound of the early-mid 90s and really the decade overall. Think about it - whenever you see some kind of 90s retrospective the music is always Nirvana or Pearl Jam or something Grungy from Seattle. By the way, I went to the same high school as Stephen Jenkins (16 years after him)
Same. 83 let’s go!!!
Late 90’s but as decades passed it reminds me just of the 90.s haha - incredible
Born in 84. Favorite album of all time. Most listened to album of all time. I have GIANT playlists and even then I doubt I've ever gone a whole week without listening to TEB.
Can't praise their self titled album enough. "Narcolepsy" is one of the best songs I've ever heard
Hows It Going To Be is the real gem.
This song always makes me well up. Some songs do that to you every time and this is one for me. The power of that last bridge section when he comes in with “I wanna get my self back in again” hits me like nothing else I’ve heard before or since. Magical
Kevin's guitar playing has so much personality and style. There's no one quite like him. Get him on Rick!!!
please
PLEASE!!!!
Yeah, Cadogan was the star of that record as much as Stephan
absolutely. his alternate tunings were part of what made that album sound the way it did.
Please!
My wife and I had just gotten married when this album came out. Living in SoCal in a tiny apartment with a new baby. So many memories of driving in our car listening to KROQ and singing their songs together. Such a simple life we had, I miss those days.
KROQ when Jimmy the the sports guy was actually funny.....
I'll be honest, I never really listened to Third Eye Blind beyond the singles, so I'd never heard Motorcycle Drive By before. That was one of the most beautiful song performances I've ever heard.
Did you get a chance to listen to CD version yet? It’s so good!
Man I’m a huge fan of 3eb and I haven’t heard his voice sound that good in YEARS. It was an amazing performance
You gotta spin the self-titled front to back. The back half of that album is pure gold that the masses haven't heard.
@@nathanjones2523yes!
Go and listen to the recorded version of the song. It’s an entire world unto itself. So many rainy day drives to the beach blasting that song in the car.
As a 14 year old when their debut album came out, it was an epiphany. For me, easily one of the greatest albums OF ALL TIME
I was 17 when it came out and it was a different kind of epiphany for me - the alternative rock of the early 90s that I loved was firmly dead, replaced by this ham-fisted, derivative tripe. If I never heard another song by these guys, Matchbox Twenty or Smash Mouth again, it would be too soon
@EchoMountain47 different strokes. Although I agree about smashmouth and matchbox 20
@@pensivepenguin3000other than the fact that the singers hated each other, I don't get lumping them in with Smash Mouth. Totally different sound and approaches to music. I at least get M20 since they were also a band that sounded like they practiced in the garage before making it big.
We want Kevin Cadogan interview
The people have spoken!!!
YAS!!!!
100%
Yup
Guy can shred.
Arion Salazar bass is so amazing and compliments the songs so well. Even the little fills in Semi Charmed Life
"Blue" , their 2nd album is a pretty damn good follow up too
Incredible
Absolutely it is. I still listen to it a lot.
It is a GENIUS level album.
Yes because Kevin wrote allot of the material for blue before he was thrown out of the band....
@@anothermemusic 100%
I absolutely hated “Semi-Charmed Life” and had no use for this band when the song was first released to radio. And then I heard the long version with the full bridge AND I GOT CHILLS. I love that song now and I will often blast it in the car. What a song. What a band. ❤
Radio edits have been known to ruin great songs. I totally get what you mean about this one, for sure. Effing amazing.
Let me guess... your the lead singer for Dashboard Confessional?
That bridge is amazing. The radio edit neuters the song.
@@jibbyjabbatvChris carrabba doesnt have a mean bone in his body lol so probably not.
“Careening through your universe, your axis on a tilt” Love it. What a great band and song writer
"You're guiltless and free- I hope I take a piece of you with me." Beautiful
Heh that was the 2nd tattoo I have with those lyrics in 98
I love this album, especially, God of Wine, played with the volume control hard right in the car! And who can forget Jim Carrey taking forever to tune a guitar before singing Jumper to save a man on the edge of a building in the movie, Yes Man.
Echoing others: the people demand to hear from Kevin Cadogan.
His side of the story needs to be shared.
Kevin Cadogan is an absolute legend. Such a brilliant guitarist and songwriter.
Yes, Kevin is SUCH an important part of this story, and his guitar playing is incredible!
Its crazy that this much time has past and Stephen almost refuses to say his name. Like man, you wouldn't be where you are if it was for his guitar playing.
@@redline311 As well as the fact He wrote or Co-wrote most of the first album, as well as a good amount of Blue as well.
After that, nothing was as good. What was the missing ingredient? Kevin.
@@redline311It’s the definition of narcissism.
Thank you Rick for making it happen. One of my favorite albums ever. It's AMAZING how close our musical taste is. I am grateful for all that you provide in this world of mad content we're blessed to have you.
"Motorcycle Drive By" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I remember thinking how awesome it was that it started with simple picking guitar, then built up to a huge climax, then back into the simple picking guitar. Love that song!
The slow-fast-slow thing was huge in the 90's. The more I think about it, the more I think Foo Fighters "The Pretender" is structured similarly to "Motorcycle Drive By".
@@dwboston1 Haha, I never really thought about it.
Oddly enough, the same thing can be found in U2's With or Without You. On the "Classic Albums" making of DVD, Edge says that the rock god thing would have been to go big, but that he found it so much more satisfying to just gently strum the song out.
When he started playing and singing I had it on my phone in the background and I had to pick up the phone and check that it was actually live! Absolutely killer live performance right there in Rick's studio!
Such a treat
I'll scream it from the rooftops if I have to, but this is one of the best debut albums of all time. The only reason you might skip a track was because you'd heard it too many times on the radio. They're all great, The musicianship is on point, the songwriting is fantastic, the sequencing is great, the production is impeccable. The back half of the album is where it shines, for me. I Want You, God of Wine, and Motorcycle Drive-by are mesmerizing.
The Cars, Boston, Van Halen, Tesla, GnR, Pearl Jam, Better Than Ezra, Third Eye Blind… I'm probably forgetting a couple others but these are the best debut albums for me. Because I can listen to them front to back, no skips required, and I can listen to them over and over.
@KingBeevr ill add Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory. Second best selling debut album of all time.
Your list is legit though.
Personally I'd also say Taking Back Sunday but that's because I'm an emo kid at heart.
Aerosmith Rocks has to be on that list also, but spot on.
Living Colour Vivid
Great albums, all! Can we add Zeppelin 1? And Stone Temple Pilots, “Core” is strong.
@@doublestrokerollGreat debut album! Good call.
the cosmic textures that I Want You brings always take me out of this world. one of my favorite albums of all times.
This is SUCH an important band. What a treat to hear more of the story behind one of the best records of the 90s. It’s also an INCREDIBLE sounding record. Eric Valentine deserves some props on that mix.
Their early work is so underrated. I still listen to their newer stuff but those first 3 CDs are all great.
I do not understand how to categorize this phenomenon of Third Eye Blind - the album. Some of the most overplayed ubiquitous high school pop of the late 90s. But lives on like Nirvana - except it’s taken as approachable pop music. But when you listen to the lyrics there’s much more going on there.
I first started listening to the album because the guitar parts were so solid. From a guitarist perspective- a lot to chew on for a “pop” album. Then I started listening to the lyrics on the deeper cuts, and I’m all “damn, this album is pretty hefty.”
And the album continues to live these two lives. It has a phenomenal lifespan for its pop songs, but as Rick says it still sounds great - every track. This thing exists in its own separate category.
And wow a great, great interview. I don’t think an artist is truly interviewed until Rick does it. That live recording of Motorcycle Drive By…. chills.
I love the first two albums. People assume they're some rosy upbeat pop act but a majority of their songs are dark AF. Slow Motion is probably the darkest of the bunch. Great band.
That song was GREAT live when I saw them in June!
I feel validated/vindicated seeing so many people in the comments that share the same sentiments for this album all these years later.
I was 15 years old when it originally released, when nu-metal was starting to run rampant and none of my friends could seem to appreciate a band / album like this at the time. They'd scoff when I'd wax about how good the album was front to back, how incredible the lyrics were, how unique the lead guitar player was etc...
I was born in 94. Grew up listening to this, and also nu metal lol. My Mom and Dad loved it all! We could listen to this album one night and then the next Mechanical Animals
52:55 I thought that was going a whole different direction, didn't even ask, just helped himself to a Beato guitar, the balls, the confidence, the moxy, the nerve.... baller move, Stephen.
he's the rockstar after all...
but also you could tell a pang of inspiration you know and I really appreciated that because he felt comfortable being in Rick's control room. and just yeah, inspired to just grab a guitar and that takes a lot of trust. really you know with a new friend, someone you respect and I don't know it. just it shows the rawness of both of these gifted musicians and that's such a mutual thing and that really makes you realize that they're both connected through music
I honestly thought SJ was leaving the interview. And then when he grabbed Beato’s guitar I thought the same thing, balls of steel! But I think Rick knew what was happening, or at least hoped for the best like the rest of us!
26:20 - a fellow Oasis fan. Nice.
Well, he is a Crystal Baller...
Their debut is flawless. One of the very best albums in a decade full of outstanding music.
Would love to see a Kevin Cadogan interview as well!
he's a dope guitarist
Cadogan had a messy split from Jenkins and his riffs were a key part of early 3EB success. He would be a great interview
Nobody has ever said that before, wow
@@dukenukem69 Damn dog you sure showed me, I will never recover from this - life is only gonna be downhill from now on
@@dukenukem69 Get out of the comments Stephan!
Rick, what I took from this interview is that his song writing is not about what someone else things sounds good he doesn't pander to his audience it's all about feeling and expression, and just like the writer of the song September learned from earth wind and fire you can't get in the way of the groove. Music is all about expressing the human experience and every human has his own. He is just bold enough to share those expressions despite what it could cost him.
After hearing some of their newer stuff, man, aint that the truth!! he definitely only cares about what sounds good to him, for sure, 100%
Motorcycle Drive By still to this day brings tears to my eyes and a lump in the throat. Beautiful song. Wish I could like this 1000 more times Rick, I loved this!
My 14 year old daughter knows every word to debut album ... we've been to two concerts with her now. One of the best start to finish ... ever
ITS ALL IN YOUR MIND, she said
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
Stephen, your lyrics were so original! What a songwriter
Even the name of his band is deep: Third Eye Blind ☸
I used happenstance because of him. You can tell the guy has a english degree.
THE CLOCK IT BLEEDS FOR YOU BUT YA NEVER GOT THE TIMING RIIIGHT
All hands on deck boys cause this ship was made to sink
Your swabber salutes you now, but I know what he's thinking...
This Album is not only nostalgic for me as a 53-year-old, but there was something nostalgic about it when it first came out. I think that feeling of nostalgia or melancholy comes from music that has a deep meaning that hits your soul.
3EB and The Pumpkins are my two fav bands. For some reason I never imagined that I’d hear Stephen referencing Corgan. But it does make so much sense. Great interview as always, Rick! Thanks Stephen!
Him and Billy became friends a few years ago and Billy actually had a hand in some of the arrangements on the Screamer album. Also, they are both my favorite bands too! Cheers.
That new track Stephan showcased at the end definitely had some Pumpkin-esque vibe. Like Rick highlighted “English” sounding ala Joy Division, The Cure and New Order. Really loved the way it built near the end. Cool song!
@@R33L_Love I had the same thought. Sounds a lot like the 2018 SP track "Silvery Sometimes"
SAME
That was better than I ever could imagine!!! Omg Rick! Well done sir! We are all richer for having “Stephen Jenkins” in this world! 🌎 🇨🇦
Rick, you are the best man. You get such relaxed and open interviews. So thankful for all of these interviews and what you do.
This album affects me so heavily. It was a huge part of my adolescence. I think falling in love with albums like this is what drove me to recording and appreciating good music
Wow, that performance was very impressive. He's the real deal.
"The lyric drives the song." I've always felt like that when listening to their music, I actually said it in my head before Stephan said how the lyrics are the driving force of the arrangement, raised my hands to the screen saying "YES!"
Thank you for this very insightful interview.
I will now listen to "Graduate" with a whole new perspective....wow
Indeed, I thought it was more about "graduating" in life in general but turns out it's more like 3EB's "Have A Cigar"
Stephan’s voice lingers me in longing for a time and a place that no longer exist
As a San Franciscan at the time, Third Eye Blind was huge. The first album is an all-time great and the video for “Jumper” is so epic!
That album isn’t just one of the best albums of the 90s, but one of the best albums ever written, literally the whole thing is absolutely amazing, those open tunings are gorgeous..
TEB first 2 albums were some of my favorites of that era.....still listen to them often and their songs are in my regular mix of tunes I play.
Such an inspiring interview. I would have sat through 4-5 hour track by track with these guys!
I love how open-heartedly Rick gives this album the love that it deserves - he is so happy that it exists and also, you can tell, so happy he didn't have to produce it. 😂 What a handful this artist, he's borderline impossible, how anyone could have put up with his megalomania for more than an hour is a fair question but answered perfectly by his impromptu performance of Drive By, the man is abnormally great. I wish he knew it, and could just relax, and enjoy. His work is not finished, none of ours is, but what he accomplished with his first two swings is immortal. Thank you, Mr. Jenkins, et al. However you did it, you knocked it straight out. Thank you, Rick! 🤘😎
What an excellent comment. I really enjoyed reading that. Well said!
Well put. Can’t/wont take anything away from the 1st album. I’m 45 and still listen to this once a month. I agree with Rick - it might be one of the best albums ever written. But my god this man (Steven) tests me. I hope to never meet him.
@@5150OSO Thank god… glad I’m not the only one. Excellent interview but Jenkins was so squirrellyv I felt like I was half on my chair the whole time just waiting for him to spazz.
Stephan is a genius. A rockstar who truly deserves the title.
Brilliant album. My favorite front to back album of the 90s
Along with Matchbox 20's 'Yourself or Someone Like You'
This was such a wonderful delight! Third Eye Blind rose up to popularity during a dark time where I wasn't exposed to any new music at all from about '96 to 2005. Semi-Charmed Life is the only one that was familiar to me but now after watching the interview I have a whole new perspective about them and Stephan's work. I was blown away over how interesting I found his story about Skywalker Ranch and then the journey he took after that session. Thank you so much, Rick and Stephan!
Up late after a long drive with the family, from the west coast to Texas, and I simply could not cut this interview and wait til tomorrow to finish it.
Simply engaging, both Rick & Stephen. So refreshing. So nostalgic, and yet, achingly present.
Thank you Stephen! Love the new track. Need to catch up live soon. And thank you Rick! I hope you’re on the mend.
Cheers!
Most musically underrated band out there. Been a huge fan for many years. I watched this thinking, hurry Rick, you need to get to Motorcycle Drive By! And then you delivered absolute magic. Thank you.
It's awesome that Stephan called out Camper Van Beethoven - David Lowery was hugely influential and underappreciated. His band Cracker was great as well. So smart and witty. I randomly saw Cracker play a record release set at the old Tower Records on Newbury Street in Boston on a perfect spring day in 1992. Great memories.
I still have my Cracker disc. Good times. 👍
After I watched this video when it came out 13 days ago, I shared it with my girlfriend . She lives in Jacksonville and she texted me and said " You know they are going to be here this coming weekend" I said get tickets, It was a GREAT SHOW!!!!
Unreal! Their first album is perfect. One of the most influential records of my life 🙏
I forget sometimes how great these songs are. They stand up against anything that is out today and never sound stale or dated. EVERYTHING is so tight, so well written, so powerful. Again, Rick delivers the goods and brings the creative process behind the music. I love this!!!
Rick, I really love all of the interviews you have been doing on your channel! As a teenager of the 90's and a child of the 80's all of your guests have had a huge musical influence on my life!
That Third Eye Blind record was the first one I ever purchased for myself. It was a defining moment, for me. And it more or less shaped a lot of my music taste. I say all the time that I feel fortunate to have been from the San Francisco Bay Area and developing a love for alternative rock music in the 90s because of the artists that the radio stations put on rotation. I was thoroughly enthralled by this interview, Rick. A huge thank you to yourself and Stephan for doing it.
Best interview with Stephan I have ever watched. I think he’s one of finest lyricists of our generation. I would love to see an interview that walks through their entire catalog! So many gorgeous lyrics and songs I would love to know how and why. I could watch content like this all day.
Would’ve loved to hear Stephan discuss about ‘Losing a Whole Year.’ It’s my favorite off that album and is such a hard hitting song.
TEB’s debut album sounds phenomenal. I didn’t appreciate it when it came out cause I was into heavier grunge bands but as a producer, mix engineer, I think it stands up to any music today.
I was so lucky this album came out while I was in highschool. I think it means a lot to do many people my age. motorcycle drive by is so beautiful.
I remember going to a birthday party in 1998 when I was 14, somebody played Jumper on a CD player and I remember everyone in the room singing along and just vibing together. Everyone loved that album.
Good god that impromptu version of Motorcycle Drive-By absolutely brought me to tears. What a pro. I'm a lifelong musician and I cannot imagine whipping that out with no warmup and still just killing it. Wow. Just wow. I'm floored.
I would love to see an interview with Eric Valentine.
That would be really cool! Just hearing about his time with T-Ride would be so interesting.
Yes... THIS! I love his YT channel. He would be an awesome guest.. He's a fascinating dude, no doubt! 👍
I was searching for this too
Did my first album at HOS, Eric is a great guy! Mike Martin and Dan were great too!
Andrew Scheps interviewed him several times on his podcast
Of course I heard of TEB when semi charmed came out. But I found them again as a high schooler in 2004. That album sent me down a rabbit hole of discovery. Out of the Vein doesn’t get the credit it deserves as a come back album. The writing on it is spectacular.
Unbelievable concert last week. Timeless. Thank you for the summer joy
Third Eye Blind was my very first concert experience. We were right up front, smashed against the barrier in front of the stage. The concert venue was a college arena and it was rowdy as hell. I was there with my girlfriend at the time and we both got kicked in the head repeatedly by crowd surfers. She ended up with a wad of gum in her hair before the end of the show. They finished with "God of Wine" and to this day nearly 30 years later, I still cannot listen to that song without tearing up. I miss you Kate, and I'm sorry.
I’m mesmerized. This dude is a serious artist. Respect.
I still remember listening to this album front to back for the first time. It’s one of the albums that showed me that you could have an album front to back with no filler
"Jumper" got a boost from MTV's The Real World Seattle in 1998. By that point they were making the cast work together on a job/project. The housemates worked at a radio station and produced a teen (self-deletion) PSA using Jumper as the music in the ad.
Remember this. First time I heard the song as well
omg so many yrs of life spend listening to them.their songs gave so much comfort in hard times.
Their first two albums captured the zeitgeist of the late 90s better than any other work, music or otherwise. Certain people mention “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen or Sam Mendes’ “American Beauty” as speaking to its time to greatest effect. For my money, “Third Eye Blind” and “Blue” were that era more than anything else offered through any media in any format.
My buddy is seeing them tonight at Merriweather Pavilion, what a coincidence! So awesome that Jenkins made it onto Rick's show, Third Eye Blind is definitely emblematic of the late 90s sound.
The Summer Gods Tour is stellar! Saw them in June and hearing so many songs live after not attending a show in a long time was everything!! Their albums really send me.
Third Eye Blind. I still have the CD I bought in 97. I have no idea how many times it’s been played. THE album of the 90s.
What a wonderful and far-reaching contribution you're making to the music community, Rick. Thank you for all you've done to inspire and educate us. These interviews are solid gold.
as a gen z i gotta say their debut album is definitely one of my absolute favorites. any day of the week you'll probably catch me jamming to semi charmed life or graduate. its such a good album bro
my other faves would be jumper, narcolepsy and how's it going to be
This makes me happy.
Such a fun interview. The post-debut 3EB catalog is highly underrated so hopefully some of that will be covered in a follow up interview. "Sharp Knife" and "Bonfire" both rip.
One of my all time favorite record/band. Used to listen to it on repeat back in the 90’s. Each song is so special.
Besides the entire album being amazing, Arion’s bass parts are truly epic. Extremely underrated bass player!
Their entire catalog is stacked. Some of my favorite songwriting of all time. Stoked to listen to this rn✌🏻
I LOVE this album from start to finish! So happy to see this interview.
I didn’t realize how good they are until now because they were all over the radio and I went through phases where nothing was good to me on the radio. There’s always good music somewhere.
I was on a plane with Mr. Jenkins both to and from Jamaica. Years ago. The outbound got stuck overnight at LAX. 3EB was doing a acoustic fan promo down there. I was on a corporate retreat. Met Kevin. Until he fell asleep next to me drooling haha. Great guys. Super approachable and cool even tho I was being a bit of a fan boy. Totally chill.
I just want to say thank you for this interview. That band and those records meant and continue to mean so much to me.
How do these kind of interviews, please?
This band was HUGE. I love this album.
Such a great interview.
I actually have a renewed appreciation of the band after the solo acoustic rendition of that song. I love how he jumped up and grabbed the gibson