As their confrontational name would imply, the four-piece hard rock band known as 3against1 has never shied away from a challenge. Hailing from the punk / indie-rock hotbed of San Diego, CA, the group formed in 2001 and proceeded to earn a commendable reputation for musical non-conformity. Composing and performing radio-ready modern rock, 3against1 originals like ""Broken,"" ""A Day In The Life"" and ""Monster"" were not so much songs but hit-and-run assaults -- high-impact rockers that creatively showcased the soulful vocals of Mark Weiss, the stun-chord assaults of guitarist Arnaud Lemaire and the banzai rhythms of bassist Steve Adams and drummer Saul Ashley. The band took a similarly take-no-prisoners approach to business, managing themselves, booking their own gigs, promoting their own shows and maintaining an informative, fan-friendly website.

Before long, 3against1 had cultivated a rabid fan base and achieved a list of accomplishments that would flatter many major label bands, much less an unsigned group. In January 2005, the band was named the winner of the Zippo Hot Tour (www.zippohottour.com), an unsigned band competition that over 1,200 acts from across the US. As if that wasn't impressive enough, 3against1 took ""Best Rock Band"" at the 2004 San Diego Music Awards. The single ""It's Over"" was licensed to THQ's ""MX Unleashed"" on PS2 and Xbox, as well as MTV ""Road Rules"" and ""Real World."" Budweiser also recently signed the band to the ""Bud True Music Live"" program, making them the only San Diego rock band with that sponsorship.

Now, having mesmerized both fans and critics alike, the members of 3against1 find themselves poised on the brink of stardom. AandROnline.com recently raved about the band's ""hooky, angst-ridden songs delivered with style and fervor,"" while SDMusicMatters.com wrote that ""individual instrumental mastery on all parts lends to their tightly packaged, hard-rocking sound and sheer overall musical power."" Hilary, the afternoon DJ at San Diego's popular 91.1-FM effused: ""I've seen 3against1 play around town a few times now, and each time I see them, they seem to get better and better! A super-fun band with a lot of passion.""

While all the recognition is gratifying, it simply validates what founding members Weiss and Lemaire knew all along: that 3against1 is not just a band, but an unstoppable force of nature that will not be denied. In fact, their unshakeable faith in their musical mission is embodied in their name. ""It's more like a statement of how this band operates,"" singer and co-writer Mark Weiss says of the name, 3against1. ""In this band majority rules.' From songwriting to arrangements and business decisions, everything in this band revolves around that philosophy.""

""What makes it work is that we all come from diverse backgrounds,"" states guitarist Arnaud Lemaire. ""I come from a sort of Metallica and Slayer background, while Mark started out more in the classic rock, almost R&B vein. Saul brings an incredible backbeat and variation in the rhythm, and he sings well, too. Steve is just a solid bass player who has this ability to look at the music from an outside angle and put a different twist on things. We all balance each other out.""

Fans nationwide will get the opportunity to hear that musical balance when 3against1 releases their independently-produced CD in 2005. Until then, the band's remarkable ascent continues. They just placed a song on the official soundtrack to the forthcoming feature film, ""Cruel World,"" (Maverick Films and Primetime Pictures) featuring Edward Furlong, Susan Ward, and Jaime Pressley. It's the just the latest triumph in the ongoing saga of 3against1, a passionate and intensely creative band that is determined to win success on their own, uncompromising terms.

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Modern Rock

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