The Starbucks was Vancouver back in 1996. The brothers Kroeger, lead singer/guitarist Chad and bassist Mike, first started what was to become Nickelback along with their cousin Brandon on drums and longtime friend Ryan Peake handling guitar duties. Chad wrote the lyrics, while all four members collaborated on the music. Their first two outings, a seven song demo Hesher (a title derived from slurring the phrase "Hey, sure") and their full-length debut Curb, were well received in Canada and the band toured ceaselessly to support them. Nickelback later burned through six sticksmen, finally clicking with Ryan Vikedal, an old friend of Peake's.

When it came time to head back into the studio to record their sophomore effort, the band was adamant about doing things their way. The State was produced by the band with acclaimed Canadian knob-tweaker Dale Penner (Matthew Good Band, Holly McNarland) and mixed by famed mixmaster GGGarth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers).

The four-piece chose to record at Vancouver's Green House studios, where Aerosmith and The Cult have laid down classic tracks. All the songs were hammered out before heading in, except for "One Last Run," which was merely a riff when they walked through the door. Recorded over the course of twenty days in July and August of '98, the band tracked ten songs, including the pleading roar of "Breathe" a track where the music punches a hole in the aural atmosphere. "I usually write songs with several different ideas in mind," says lyricist Chad. "To me, 'Breathe' is a couple of different stories. The first part conjures an image of Churchill and Stalin walking and talking, while the second part is about two people trying to get through a relationship." Musically, THE STATE packs a wallop - the soaring riffs in "Old Enough" (Listen in Real Audio) and the powerful rock rumble of Leader of Men" (Listen in Real Audio) are worthy of full stereo crankage.

As a whole, the album is one of the finest to emerge in a long time from the great white North and tackles a complex variety of issues and ideas. "The State is a title that can mean so many things," declares Chad. "It's open to interpretation. We like it when we throw out a vague idea and people come up with interpretations. Writing this record was therapy. It was putting things on tape that bothered me. And now they don't bother me anymore." He laughs. "It also gave me a chance to tell stories about some of the things that have happened to me."

The State was independently released in Canada in January 1999 through the band's own label. When the leadoff single, the anthemic "Leader of Men" went top-twenty on the rock charts with only the band's vehement self-promotion behind it, the labels quickly came swarming around. They eventually inked with Roadrunner Records.

As usual, the band hit the road to promote their latest collection. Having toured with everyone from Creed, Silverchair, and Everclear, to Stabbing Westward and Oleander, the band already has a fanatical live following in Canada. They can't wait to bring THE STATE to the ÔStates and win over audiences with the fiery romp that is Nickelback live.