In an era where even the smallest acts of civic responsibility often get buried under the noise of online outrage and bureaucracy, Nick Hexum—frontman of alt-rock veterans 311—picked up a pair of shears, stepped onto the side of the road, and did something most people wouldn’t: he took matters into his own hands.
The location was Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Canyon Road in Calabasas, California—a scenic but notoriously tricky intersection where overgrown brush had turned a blind curve into a daily gamble for passing drivers. Instead of phoning in a complaint or waiting for a city maintenance crew to work through layers of municipal red tape, Hexum grabbed his tools and got to work.
“I’ve seen a lot of wrecks and close calls at this blind curve intersection,” Hexum wrote in a now-viral Instagram video posted from the roadside. “Made worse by overgrown vegetation. So I decided to do something about it. Have a good day ??”
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It wasn’t a stunt or some performative influencer moment. There were no staged shots or branded hashtags. Just a rock star putting in the work on a strip of sun-baked asphalt in L.A. County. His motivation? Partly personal. Partly paternal.
Hexum says he was inspired by his daughter’s Girl Scout troop, who recently spent their own weekend picking up trash to help beautify the community. “If they can do it,” you can almost hear him think, “so can I.”
The gesture feels fitting from a guy whose band has always exuded a kind of cosmic positivity. Since breaking through in the ‘90s with their genre-blending hits like “Amber” and “Down,” 311 has been preaching unity, action, and self-betterment. But in this case, Hexum didn’t need to write a song to make a statement—he just needed a pair of gloves and a willingness to show up.
In a world where too many people pass the buck or film the chaos, Hexum quietly cut through the literal noise—and brush—without waiting for permission. It’s the kind of simple, human move that reminds you that rock stars aren’t just voices onstage. Sometimes, they’re the guys making your morning commute just a little bit safer.
And for the residents of Calabasas, Nick Hexum isn’t just a guy from 311 anymore—he’s the guy who saw a problem, picked up a pair of clippers, and fixed it.
Nick Hexum, recently released his solo effort Full Memories, the second EP to be released from Hexum this year. Full Memories – which Hexum produced and co-wrote with the help of collaborators Ben Kweller, Alan Hampton (Andrew Bird, Madison Cunningham), Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters, The Wallflowers), Joel Martin and Kenny Feinstein (Water Tower) – is a reflective and surprisingly earnest statement from the singer-songwriter.
