It's safe to say that crystal them and oral sex have played pivotal roles in the success of Third Eye Blind. After all, those are the subjects of the rollicking "Semi-Charmed Life," one of several hit songs that have pushed the band's debut into the stratosphere, turning the quartet (singer Stephan Jenkins, bassist Arion Salazar, guitarist Kevin Cadogan and drummer Brad Hargreaves) into one of the years true breakout acts.

"I feel like I'm in a Margritte painting, falling from the sky with my top hat and guitar," says Cadogan of their success. "It's something that very few people get to experience. " The San Francisco band, which is currently domination the airwaves with its single "How's It Going To Be," has soard thanks to explosive, edgy rhythms doused with catchy melodies and potent lyrics. "We make music about people who are flawed but still very beautiful," says Jenkins. "There are dark themes, but there's still joy in it."

The momentum behind the platinum-selling Third Eye Blind has taken 3EB from cramped stages in small clubs to stadium shows where they've opened for U2 and the Rolling Stones. "You're either gonna be a superstar or you're going to get parking tickets while loading your equipment into a tiny club," says Cadogan. "I pay [my musician friends'] parking tickets now, so they're happy."

US magazine, June 1998