ARTIST

Third Eye Blind

Every era has its second tier of stars, the Herman's Hermits or the Billy Idol of its day, a band that encapsulates a definitive period by watering down its cultural essence until there's nothing left but a few cute tunes and a whole lot of showbiz goin' on. Who needs to deal with difficult drug addicts when there are young, efficient musicians willing to pick up the slack?

Don't ask San Francisco's Third Eye Blind. They seem to be under the impression that they're following in a grand rock tradition, from the Rolling Stones to the Who to the Clash. That their album is virtually indistinguishable from the other radio faves of the day, be they Tonic or Matchbox 20, never crosses their minds. But then again, Canada's great band Triumph once thought they were making "quality" rock and had the admiration of numerous fans who would've guffawed at the thought that their band might be less than great, and where are they all now? They must love these guys.

Anyhow, the band designed their own album cover, singer Stephan Jenkins produced the album with the rest of the band, and it sold over 2 million copies thanks to tunes such as "Semi-Charmed Life" and "Losing A Whole Year." They've performed on Saturday Night Live and been all over MTV. The band's facelessness and lack of star potential haven't stopped them from becoming a top live draw, and they've opened for the Rolling Stones and U2. Let's wait and see where they are in five years.

Written by Rob O'Connor