Question thats bugged me about "Jumper" Since Childhood

[pearldrum944]

I'm sure Mr. Valentine will answer...but I always just figured it was guitar noise/feedback helping to set the vibe for the last rockin' chorus...which it does.

[bcgood]

Here ya go

[ev33]

Originally Posted by workingtitle

Hey EV,

First of all, thank you SO much for this opportunity to ask you a question.

Third Eye Blind was my FAVORITE childhood band, and the debut album was permanently glued to my CD player at the time. It's all I listened to day in and day out. Honestly, no exaggaration.

I only have one question, something that's been on my mind since childhood. At around 3:30 on the track "Jumper", right after the guitar solo, the chorus is about to kick right in and there is a feedback noise as if a microphone got too close to some speakers.

"Can you put the past awa-NOISE"

Was this intentional? Did you mean to do this? Was it even actually a mic feedback noise? What's the story behind this "Sound". It's honestly haunted me since childhood.

No joke, at school when we had "show and tell" I used to bring in the third eye blind self titled album and point out the "mistake" to all my friends to prove how much I had listened to the CD. Any light you could shed on this would be awesome!

I can't believe I finally can know the answer to this riddle. Once in a lifetime opportunity.

I know the exact sound you are referring to and it was absolutely left in intentionally. It is guitar feedback but Kevin was not trying to get feedback in that particular moment. It just happened at the beginning of that take. When we were mixing the song Stephan and I agreed that it had a sort of awkward charm to it and that it should be left in. Listening back to it now I would say it was maybe a bit loud though and kind of distracts from the vocal entry. Definitely can't fix that now

EV

[roman manlord]

I've never heard that song before but I wouldn't have considered it a mistake. I'm pretty sure I've heard lots of songs where feedback comes in a little before the guitar part. It gives it a bit of a live sound, like the dude engaged the overdrive pedal to get ready for the part.

[abechap024]

Awesome!

[plunderpot]

I've always loved that part - HUGE energy, really feels climactic... Good choice friends!

[ionian]

I remember hearing that even the first time when I had gotten the album and always wrote it off as a "F**k up in the studio that was left in on purpose to underscore the live playing aspect", which has always made that song that much cooler to me.

Kind of like the repeated false starts on "Good Riddance" from Green Day that are left in on the album.

Regards,
Frank

[kclare26]

i never noticed that after all these years of being familiar with the song but i will probably hear it every single time from now on. haha you think they would have removed the noise at some point. i hate to think that one of the engineers would have picked up on it. i have to go with the idea that it was a way to build up for the last chorus of the song

[Sqye]

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Great job, and awesome track, Eric! def a huge fav!

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[fooman]

I am now going to hear this everytime haha.
I've heard this tune 1000 times, but never noticed it as a 'question mark' part. Just seemed to be part of the vibe!