Third Eye Blind just enjoying ride> Group to appear tonight in Portland

In April 1997, an unknown San Francisco band called Third Eye Blind released its debut album to little fanfare.

Now, 15 months later, many younger music fans know their name. The band’s self-titled debut album has gone double platinum, and has spent more than a year on Billboard’s album charts. The group has gone from playing clubs to headlining in theaters, and then amphitheaters.

“It’s hard to believe it’s gone by this fast,” marveled the band’s drummer, Brad Hargreaves, from a tour stop in New York City.

Third Eye Blind is getting ready to play its first Maine date, at 7:30 tonight at the State Theatre in Portland. Its current Bonfire Tour, with a stage resembling a run-down club, is an attempt to recreate their roots.

“We’re playing larger venues than we used to,” Hargreaves explained. “So we try to maintain the intimacy of the clubs we used to play, in the underground scene in San Francisco. We do an acoustic set, and we get people up on stage.”

Going from being unknowns to MTV darlings can be a little dizzying. But the quartet is just enjoying the ride.

“It’s a smooth-running operation,” Hargreaves said. “It’s been very exciting. We’ve traveled around the world and met some cool folks. The record far exceeded our expectations in terms of success.”

So far, Third Eye Blind has kept its new-found fame in perspective.

“We’ve found success and adulation humbling,” Hargreaves said. “We feel we’ve got to be better tomorrow than today.”

The group was founded by vocalist Stephan Jenkins five years ago. Jenkins took almost a year and a half finding the right mix of musicians, first adding bassist Arion Salazar, then guitarist Kevin Cadogan and finally Hargreaves.

Complementary backgrounds is what makes Third Eye Blind work, Hargreaves said.

“It’s kind of a reflection of the kinds of music we’ve listened to in the past,” he explained. “There’s a British rock influence and an American R&B influence. The groove and the rock elements come together to make this new sound.”

While the band’s videos have drawn attention, they aren’t fans of their videos.

“We haven’t been happy with our videos,” Hargreaves said. “We don’t produce our own videos, and it’s been someone else’s interpretation of our music. We see what’s not totally us, what doesn’t represent us. They’re expensive, and not much fun to shoot, but a good video can be truly rewarding and can be good exposure.”

The current 18 months of touring will end this fall. Hargreaves is looking forward to going home to the Bay area, to relax and play jazz with friends.

Then it’s back into the studio for Third Eye Blind. The quartet has enough songs already for an album, Hargreaves said, but expects to write more at that time.

Hargreaves isn’t concerned with a sophomore slump.

“We’re very confident in what we do,” he said. “I feel bad for the bands that sold 7 or 8 million the first time. Our 2 to 3 million is a good start, and we feel we can match that. We have diehard fans that we’ve seen in different cities, so there’ll be a lot of people waiting to buy that album when it comes out.”

For tickets to Third Eye Blind, with Eve 6 and Our Lady Peace, visit Stone Coast Brewing Co., all Strawberries and Bull Moose Music stores, or call 888-767-NEXT.