Third Eye Blind

Third Eye Blind was one of the most successful post-grunge bands, combining the raw guitar sound of the Nirvana era with radio-friendly, classic-rock leanings. The band began in San Francisco 1993 as a songwriting collaboration between Kevin Cadogan, a guitarist who'd studied with Joe Satriani, and Stephan Jenkins, a singer who'd been in the duo Puck and Natty. The duo already had interest from various labels, and Jenkins increased their bargaining power by producing the Braids' hit version of "Bohemian Rhapsody."

After spotlighting their songs in a series of showcase gigs they signed with Elektra, with the two founders as the band's core and rotating support members. The debut single "Semi-Charmed Life" was an immediate hit, topping Billboard's Modern Rock chart. Like many of their songs, it combined an upbeat surface with darker undertones: Though it reads as a love/sex song, Jenkins said it was about the drug-fueled atmosphere of the San Francisco scene, and was inspired by Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side." The song appeared in numerous TV shows and movies (notably American Pie), and even had the honor of being sung in a "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medley.

Four further singles came from the self-titled debut album, which went sextuple platinum. The band also opened some dates on U2's Popmart tour. Other tours went less smoothly: On a gig with Oasis Cadogan accidentally threw a Coke can toward Liam Gallagher, who pulled a knife on him. Third Eye Blind had its own dramas brewing behind the scenes.

After the second album Blue-which sold respectably but didn't match the runaway success of the debut-Cadogan was fired from the band, apparently because he refused to sign agreement that would give Jenkins full control of the band's name and business. He successfully sued the band over his firing, then sued them again in 2018 when the debut album was reissued and he claimed they'd shortchanged him over royalties. His replacement Tony Fredeanelli assumed co-leadership of the band over the next few years, then he too pressed charges after Jenkins forced him out.

The band continued working in its trademark post-grunge style, with up-and-down commercial fortunes: Their label dropped them after 2003's Out of the Vein-only two albums past the multiplatinum debut-and there were six-year gaps preceding each of the next two albums, Ursa Major and Dopamine. To write the latter album, Jenkins did a "life swap" with a fellow musician who lived in a dangerous San Francisco neighborhood. The album had a stronger hip-hop element, with a cover of Beyonce's "Mine" released as a single B-side; by now the group was Jenkins and an entirely new backing cast.

In 2018 Third Eye Blind released an EP of mostly obscure punk covers, Thanks for Everything while disgruntled ex-members Cadogan, Fredeanelli and bassist Arion Salazar toured the old material in a rival band dubbed XEB.