For the past six years a band from a little known town from the Gulf Coast of Escatawpa, Mississippi has exploded on the music scene with twelve-million albums sold, including six number one singles, over three-hundred worldwide sold out shows per year, TV Appearances, etc. However, the band remains remarkably grounded. They demonstrate their passion for life with not only their Better Life Foundation (www.thebetterlifefoundation.org), which donates thousands of dollars to help children in need, but also with their recent donations to help their hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast town and the rest of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in general. I recently caught up with Chris Henderson, guitarist from 3 Doors Down, to chat about the future and saving lives.
What a ride it has been for you guys in the past few years. Awards, platinum albums, number one album, number one songs. Did you ever think that one day..?
No, we thought we might have some regional success. Never thought we would be where we are.
I read a review from Dan Aquilante at the Washington Post that said "when they're onstage, 3 Doors Down is one of the most captivating bands on the rock circuit today." From a multiplatinum selling band, I admit I was quite shocked. Pyro, a huge stage, three projector screens, your shows rival those of some of the bands of the 80's and have been compared to AC/DC, Kiss, and others. Certainly you all do not have to do that much to sell out shows. What is the philosophy behind such concert productions?
Go big or go home. People pay their hard earned money to see us play, so we want to give them their money’s worth!
I have heard that Bob Segar joined you guys on stage for a show or two.
He surprised us, and a lot of other people, by showing up in Detroit one night. I hope he does that again sometime! It was a true honor sharing the stage with him. As far as him doing more of that, we will have to wait and see.
You guys have grown from touring the Mississippi region to touring the world, having done some international dates. How was that?
Europe is cool. People there really love music and concerts. It’s fun to hear people who don't speak English as their first language sing your songs back to you!
With all of your successes you guys seem to stay relatively grounded. How do you do it?
Being from a small town in Mississippi has everything to do with it!
Speaking of home towns, some of your band members were from the hurricane ravaged gulf coast. How has that impacted the band?
I personally had five feet of water in my house and lost my studio. Compared to most people though, I didn't lose that much. I can rebuild! That's a lot more than I can say for most people.
Tell me about the DVD and Katrina relief efforts.
We are doing everything we can for Katrina efforts. We take one dollar from every ticket sold to our shows and donate it directly to relief efforts. We also have an annual benefit which we donate all proceeds to relief. And of course our live DVD "Away From The Sun". We take ten dollars from every one of those sold and donate to relief.
I know you guys and your Better Life Foundation has raised over half a million dollars for the Gulf Coast. You guys also stepped in and helped out Waveland, MS with some of their needs. Tell us about that.
We bought Waveland, MS a fire truck, three police cars and sent them one of our tour buses to use for City Hall. They lost their whole city! The police and fire department, all the schools and churches! Not to mentions everyone’s homes!
The Better Life Foundation started long before the hurricanes hit the coast. Tell me about that work.
We used the foundation to raise money for women’s and children’s charities along the Gulf Coast. We did it because we were in a position to do so and that is what we feel like we should do to help out.
Awards, multiplatinum albums, sold out shows, so what is next for 3 Doors Down?
New record coming soon.
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