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article9 Fired Third Eye Blind Guitarist Speaks Out Candace Murphy April 11, 2000 Just when Saturday evening's 23rd Annual California Music Awards were all but written off as a meaningless event — two years ago the Bammies (as they are more familiarly known) morphed into the California Music Awards and last June the awards' founding magazine, Bay Area Music, folded — things finally got interesting. Former Third Eye Blind guitarist Kevin Cadogan debuted two stunning songs, "Angel Vs. the Train" and "Here in the Still", with his new trio, bully. Later, he used the opportunity to spell out exactly what caused the rift between him and his former band. Cadogan, who picked up an award for Outstanding Songwriter, didn't mince words. That was refreshing, because no official reason has ever been given for Cadogan's termination, even though he shared songwriting credits with frontman Stephan Jenkins on 16 songs on the band's two albums. "Stephan said in an interview that I was a 'great guy,' and it was a 'music biz' thing," said Cadogan, 29. "And it was." The two had had a tempestuous relationship for some time, despite a record contract signed back in 1996, Cadogan said. Problems started when the band's lawyer set up a corporation in Jenkins' name without Cadogan's knowledge. At the same time, Jenkins was branching out, acting as the producer for a women's group, the Braids, and looking into other projects. "He was looking into getting into some more glamorous things," said Cadogan. "And that was like buying a boat with a friend, and then when the pink slip comes in the mail, finding out it's only in his name." Cadogan said things came to a head between the two when Elektra approached the group and offered a reported $1 million advance to record an EP. Cadogan refused to sign off on the deal, and Jenkins said he would go ahead and take the money without him. "I didn't want to sign because I wanted to work out our legal position," said Cadogan. "I didn't want to sign what is in essence a loan, be liable for that, and have Stephan go and set up a record company with it." Cadogan's stand resulted in his being stranded after the second of two gigs in Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival. Jenkins, drummer Brad Hargreaves, and bassist Arion Salazar ditched Cadogan there and flew to Los Angeles to perform on The Tonight Show with Cadogan's replacement, Tony Fredianelli, a member of one of Third Eye Blind's early incarnations. One of Cadogan's new bandmates, one-named drummer Cooldoe, also told damning tales of being on the road with Third Eye Blind as a drum technician. "I'm hired as a drum technician," said Cooldoe,"and then I have to wax Stephan's bike. And do his laundry. What was that?" The band and the record company were asked for comment. "There's no comment on anything," Amy Meyer, tour publicist, said. "They're gone. They're on the road." Jenkins has refused to comment on the situation in interviews promoting Third Eye Blind's "Dragons & Astronauts" tour, a billing that caused Cadogan and the rest of bully to roll their eyes. "The dumbest thing they ever did was firing Kevin," said bully bassist Adam "Messiah" Johnson. "They're going to run out of jet fuel," added Cadogan. After his ousting, Cadogan teamed up with Cooldoe and backup musician Johnson to form bully. The band's first album should be released in August on Cadogan's label, Tossed Out Records. Though Cadogan was happy to have received an award for Outstanding Songwriter Saturday, it was bittersweet having to share it with Jenkins. Especially when Third Eye Blind's manager, Eric Godtland, hopped up on stage and said, "Arion Salazar is someone who should have been nominated for this as well. He writes some of the songs, too." Salazar has co-written two Third Eye Blind songs. Visibly peeved, Cadogan fired his own jab in Third Eye Blind's direction when he commented on Godtland's appearance at the podium. "I was doing an interview backstage and all of a sudden a guy in earplugs and a goatee is up here accepting my award," Cadogan said. Back to articles