New Third Eye Blind Album In Works

SAN FRANCISCO -- Multiplatinum rockers Third Eye Blind have written more than 30 songs for their second album, and singer Stephan Jenkins promises it will be "a big rock record."

Although the band has not begun recording tracks, Jenkins said he and his bandmates -- guitarist Kevin Cadogan, bassist Arion Salazar and drummer Brad Hargreaves -- have been jamming and writing since completing a two-year string of concert tours in support of their multiplatinum debut, Third Eye Blind (1997).

"There's been a really remarkable change in the band since these two years of touring," Jenkins said from his car while on his way to scope out a recording studio in Northern California's Marin County, just over the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. "We've come back in, and there's been so many ideas."

Jenkins and Cadogan together penned 10 of the songs on the first Third Eye Blind album, which featured the massive hit single "Semi-Charmed Life" (RealAudio excerpt); Jenkins wrote the other four himself.

"Arion's actually writing songs now," Jenkins said. "He's writing music that I just really like. He's never written before. And Brad has just been killing us. He's just become so muscular and evil on the drums ... that it's really been inspiring everybody in the band. And then, Kevin is just one creative idea after another ... so it's a really fertile time for us." As he motored toward the studio, Jenkins cranked up the tape of new material he was reviewing on the car stereo. A loud, hard-rocking jam with slapping drumbeats, wah-wah effects and distortion-drenched guitar was apparent, while the vocals crescendoed to vigorous screaming.

"I guess you can tell I've been listening to some Roger Daltrey,"Jenkins said, referring to the singer of classic rockers the Who. "We're going to make sort of a big rock record. ... You know, hip-hop and pop music are completely [predominant] right now, so rock's like totally out -- which in my mind makes rock the coolest thing in the world. I'm so into being in a rock band."

The album likely will include the songs "Ten Days Late," "A Thousand Julys" and "The Red Summer Sun."

One of the more provocative tunes slated for the album is "Slow Motion," a comment on society's glamorization of violence. It includes the following lyrics: "Miss Jones taught me English/ But I think I just shot her son/ 'Cause he owes me money/ With a bullet in the chest he cannot run/ Now he's bleeding in a vacant lot/ The one in the summer where we used to smoke pot/ I guess I didn't mean it, but man, you shoulda seen it/ His flesh explode/ Slow motion, see me let go."

Jenkins was hesitant to give a release date for the as-yet-untitled album, but he said Third Eye Blind will tour again when it's issued. He said they also hope to begin producing their own videos.

"Have you ever looked out at the sun, and then you sneeze, and sometimes a tear comes out of your eye?" he said, describing the feel of the new music.

"I'm trying to put that into your headphones."