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Mississippi Press Newspaper
02-02-05
Wednesday,
February 02, 2005
By BRAD CROCKER
After
scurrying to find a new drummer just before the release of their third album and
launching a major tour next week, Escatawpa's 3 Doors Down has selected former
Puddle of Mudd drummer Greg Upchurch to handle the stick work as the band
prepares to hit the road in heavy fashion.
"Greg's a
great guy and a great, great drummer," 3DD singer Brad Arnold said Tuesday
just before the band began rehearsing with Upchurch, who was chosen Friday.
"We think he's going to work out great."
Daniel Adair,
who joined 3DD on tour in support of the band's second album, "Away From
The Sun," and who played drums on the new album, "Seventeen
Days," announced recently that he was joining the band Nickelback. Both
Nickelback and Adair are from Canada.
Arnold was the
drummer on the 3DD's hugely successful debut album, "The Better Life,"
and began manning the microphone out front when the band kicked off its first
tour, which featured drummer Richard Liles of Kiln.
Although the
next few months will be hectic for the original Escatawpa quartet -- Arnold,
guitarists Chris Henderson and Matt Roberts and bassist Todd Harrell -- and now
Upchurch, Arnold said the record release on Feb. 8 as well as U.S. and European
tours are still a go.
"We're not
even going to miss a lick and no steps backward," he said. "And I
think we've made a step forward with Greg."
Candice
Belford, 25, of Pas-cagoula, a longtime 3 Doors Down and Puddle of Mudd fan,
said she was pleased with the band's selection.
"(Upchurch)
is a solid rock drummer. He always seems to have fun like the 3 Doors guys and
it sounds like a good fit for everybody, even us fans," she said.
Arnold said
having Up-church, a Louisiana native who lives in Oklahoma, gives them another
member a little closer to home.
"It's cool
because he kinda talks like us, too," Arnold joked.
Reporter Brad
Crocker can be reached at bcrocker@themississippipress.com or (228) 934-1431.