Hey hey 311 nation! I’m here to get you through another Monday with the latest fan spotlight! Put some papers in front of you on your desk and make it look to your boss like you’re entering stuff in the system, then read on about Ms. Shaden “like Aladdin” Zakour!

Shaden told me people often think her name is pronounced “Shade-in” when reading it on Facebook or various other ways, because people see the word shade in it. So to help people remember how to say her name, she says she’s Shaden like Aladdin! Got it? So now you know how to say her name in your head as you read on! 🙂

Shaden stumbled upon 311 because she listened to a variety of music and just came across the band one day back in high school. She credits her best friend Poochie (shout out to Ian Camhi!) for really developing her as the fan she is today. When she first met Ian she owned the blue album, and found out Ian was a 311 fan because his license plate at the time was 311MUSIC. It was there that her love for the band began to blossom and grow to be what it is now. While Shaden has no clue how many shows she’s attended, she mentioned that her and Ian once hit six shows in one summer. “We followed them around for as many shows as we could afford.  NY/NJ are givens every year, then we did Philly, Boston and SPAC, where I forgot my awesome keen sandals in the grassy lot, and drove away!  I’ll never forget that one hehehe!”

Shaden says it is hard to pinpoint her favorite show because in her words, “I love them all! You get this overjoyed excited feeling every time with the energy from the crowd and the surprise of what songs they’ll play that night.” However, if she had to choose just one, she said it would hands down be the beach show from the second cruise. “It was just EPIC in ALL dimensions!  311 live in the Sun on a BEACH on a private Island surrounded by the coolest fans ever!  What more could anyone ask for?  Oh yeah, and don’t forget about the carnival beer slaves chasing us with buckets of beer, you couldn’t get enough!”

One song that Shaden loves, and I find it is the one song that seems to have resonated strongly with many fans, is “Beyond the Gray Sky.”  Shaden has lost some close friends and this song always makes her think of them. “It’s a very sad and touching song that hits the heart.  I think everyone who was on that first cruise will always remember that show on the lido deck.  It was purely magical, I just got chills writing about it!!” She also loves “Rub-a-Dub” and says it is her all time favorite because the melody is very happy and it always cheers her up when listening to it! Some lyrics that mean the most to her though come from “Can’t Fade Me”: “Massive yang and yin, on this earth we spin, and sometimes I gotta center, find out who I am. I chill out, I let in the wind, I gotta feel the force of the planet on my skin. I got news for ya, it ain’t nothing’ nice, we all got demons, we all got a vice. The struggle never ends, to keep it in check, but I never stop trying to make the trek what up!”

Shaden is a Queens, N.Y. native – born and raised! She says that many people think she has a New York accent, but she is unaware of it. “I definitely do not speak with the typical New Yawk accent like saying cawfee (coffee) and chawclate (chocolate).”  Her dad worked for the United Nations so she was lucky enough to attend the United Nations International School growing up. It was there she met her first best friend Ansaa who was from Ghana. Ansaa ended up passing away when she was 13 from a brain tumor. Shaden says Ansaa is one of the people that the song BTGS reminds her of. Shaden is a self-proclaimed mutt – her parents are both foreigners. Her mother was born and raised in Leeds, England, but she is 100% Irish, and her father is 100% Syrian. It’s the Syrian side of her heritage where her name comes from. It means when a fawn has her independence to leave its mother. Shaden also has a sister and is a proud auntie! She would love to move to the west coast and feels something out there is calling her, but understandably she is hesitant to leave her family because she is so close to them.

Shaden went through a rough time when she was just getting ready to begin college and she ended up being diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease. She went through many painful tests to figure out the extent of how badly the cancer was impacting her. She also ended up going through six months of chemo therapy. She said she really missed her hair and body during that time. While many people think that you would lose weight having Cancer, Shaden said she actually gained weight. Shaden is a fighter though, and she is proud to say that she is approaching her 18 year mark of being in remission! “Many people ask me, how did you survive?  I tell them that it’s all in the mind.  I told myself that I was going to get treatment, get better and go to college, and I did.  Mind over Matter is so TRUE!”

Shaden currently works for the United Nations, following in her fathers footsteps. She has been there for over ten years and has been in many different positions. Right now she has applied and interviewed for a position that would give her a raise and be a permanent role, as opposed to the temporary roles she has been filling in her time there. She said if she wasn’t working at the U.N., she’d like to be doing something artistic. “I really miss having the ability to create.  I wish I could live on a farm and own a barn with tons of tools!  I love welding, carpentry and ceramics.  I also would love to work on movies/films or in theatre.  It’s so much fun and total opposite of the life I feel I’m ‘stick in’… but hey, as long as I can keep on concert hopping, I’m not complaining!”

Here are some fun facts about Shaden! She has a mini cooper “ROXI” that she believes is the 311est car, at least in the state of N.Y.! It has a huge 311 decal on the driver’s side, and a Familia sticker on the other one. Plus her licence plate is 311LOVER! She lives in her own universe that has it’s own time zone called Whammer Time! Whammer is one of her old nicknames and she says she often loses track of time and ends up running late. So to this she says that Whammer Time took over! Shaden also has a unique connection with cats and believes it’s because she is part cat! She’d like to come back in her next life as one! Let’s see – she also starts talking with a British accent when she is tipsy, and can speak and write both French and Arabic! Can this girl get any more interesting?? 🙂

Shaden would like to thank 311 from the bottom of her heart, “For bringing together such an awesome vibe of people.” She mentioned that the band has stayed true to their word about making it all about unity. “Their music and lyrics bring so much joy and positivity to my life, so I would thank them from the bottom of my heart!” She also hopes to one day hear the song “Wandering Around” live and she is absolutely IN LOVE with the new album Stereolithic! “Been listening to it non-stop!”

That’s Shaden in a nutshell! She is an amazing soul and I truly hope you all get to meet her one day and give her a giant hug! I have and I’m one of the many blessed to have met her unique and caring soul! I hope you enjoyed getting to know Shaden like Aladdin better! Here is her personal message to all of you in 311 universe:

“Never give up on your hopes and dreams, only YOU can make this happen, your destiny lies in your mind and determination.  GO FOR IT!!  Oh and this is one of my favorites I’ll steal:  Dance like no one is watching, love like you’ll never be hurt and sing like no one is listening!  But most of all SMILE and enjoy your time on earth.”

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Thank you Shaden again for being this weeks fan spotlight! Hope you all enjoyed the read. Until next week I leave you with one of my favorite lyrics from “Boom Shanka”: “Now I’m ready to turn the page on yesterdays and forgive them. Now I’m willing to disengage, to seize the day and move on!” Seize the day people!

-The Runt

Another Monday is here 311 nation! You know what that means…it’s time for our new fan spotlight of the week! Are you excitable? Of course you are! We always are! Please give a warm welcome to our latest feature – Kellie “Freeze Time” Felton!

Like many of us in 311 nation, Kellie has been a fan of 311 since she was in high school. She was living in Billings, Montana when she got her first taste of the band. It was her older brother who brought home the Music CD and got her hooked. Ever since she first heard it she said her mind was blown. She isn’t exactly sure how many shows she’s been to at this point, but she knows it’s at least ten. While each and every one of those shows has meant a lot to her, she said it’s the first one that will always be her favorite. “It was in my home town of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first show will always be my favorite because I was so excited for it. I could go to a thousand 311 shows but nothing compares to your first show. Boom!”

Kellie grew up in the awesome city of Pittsburgh, PA and lived there until the end of her 8th grade year when she relocated to Montana. As we know, that is where she first was introduced to the amazingness of 311. After she turned 18, Kellie moved back to her hometown and met her love Chuck and they have now been together for 16 years. She says Chuck is an amazing man, but his only fault is, “He is not a 311 fan! They say opposites attract. He doesn’t understand my love for 311, but he respects it.” Sounds like he is a keeper to me then! Kellie and Chuck have twin boys, Donavin and Devin, who are 13 years old. Devin followed in mama’s footsteps and is a “311 nut” as she put it. “He already had his first 311 show under his belt!”  Donavin likes the band, but not to the same level and mom and bro. I can’t imagine having twins, and Kellie said, “The twins keep us on our toes, that’s for sure.”

I asked Kellie, as I do everyone, what song means the most to them. This is the first answer that actually made me tear up. Kellie said that “Strong All Along” is the song that means the most to her. The reason? She has a nephew battling brain cancer and she said that throughout his whole ordeal with the sickness and chemo therapy, Michael has remained “Strong All Along.” Thank you Kellie for sharing that personal information. I don’t know about everyone else, but for me it made me realize just how much we have to be thankful for. If Michael can be strong through everything then the rest of us can too! I hope he wins his fight, he sounds like an amazing person!

Kellie has a lot of quotes that stand out to her from the 311 catalog. A popular one, “From chaos comes clarity”, has been a popular answer from everyone showing how unifying 311 lyrics really are and just how much they hit home! Some of the others are “I grab a moment like a thief and I make it mine,”  “Talkin’ shit like shut up, and listen to me, cutting through the crap is my specialty,” and “Glycerin tears don’t fool me.” Great choices!

Some of Kellie’s other favorite bands include Slightly Stoopid, Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, Josh Hienrichs, and One Drop. If you haven’t heard these bands, go check them out! I asked Kellie to tell me something that others may not know and she confessed that she’s really into romantic comedies and chick flicks! “I’m a softy at heart despite my tough and independent attitude. My favorite is Pride and Prejudice. It’s one of the greatest love stories ever told!”

If Kellie could be in front of the band with one thing to say, it would be, “Thank you for being a big part of my life. “It’s been a wild ride, I wouldn’t change a minute.” It’s amazing how many people simply want to tell the band thank you. I don’t think any other words really sum up the unity and positivity they have brought to each and every one of our lives.

So you’ve met Kellie! I hope you all enjoyed her story and if you see her at a show, say hello in person! I leave you with her words to all of the fans:

“To all my fellow excitables – I love the energy and love we share for 311 and each other. I have had the time of my life in Nola with all of you beautiful people who were there. ‘It’s been a wild ride, I wouldn’t change a minute! And of course, “Stay positive and love your life!”

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Thanks for reading 311 crew! Until we meet again…”To all my friends, it’s not the end, the earth has not swallowed me yet!”

-The Runt

It’s every excitables favorite week of the year! Happy 311 Day week everyone! I hope you are all celebrating this entire week (and tomorrow especially) in a unifying and positive sea of happiness! This week our special 311 Day fan spotlight features Mr. Jason Klemmer!

Jason fell in love with 311 when they first started having their videos played on MTV (as Jason put it, back then MTV was actually worth watching – so true). Jason played the trumpet growing up, so he was really into jazz music, but after school his brother would always have MTV on and he would hear the songs playing in the background. The videos for “Down” or “All Mixed Up” would play and Jason said he would stop what he was doing and just start dancing by himself in his room. He loved the sound the band created and recognized how well they played their instruments. “I had never heard a sound like that before.”

Some of us know how many 311 shows we have been to. Others have lost count because it’s been so many. Jason? He has kept every ticket stub from the shows he has been to! He didn’t have time to count them all, but he said that off the top of his head his show total is somewhere between 35 and 40. His very first show was back in 2003 when he saw them tour with Alien Ant Farm. He was on the rail for that first show, which he said just made the whole experience that much more epic! Of the many shows Jason attended, he was lucky enough to have been to three 311 Day’s (that’s including this years), the first and third cruise, as well as Pow Wow. One of his favorite events was 311 Day 2010, and as far as the regular tour shows go, he said that the Atlantic City show in the fall of 2012 was just epic for him. “311 played “Let the Cards Fall” and we all thew up decks of cards!” (I’m sure you’ve all heard about this show by now! I wish I had been there.)

Jason was born and raised in South New Jersey. His parents divorced when he was just 6 years old, so he spent his summers in both Florida and Kansas growing up. Jason also has MS (Multiple Sclerosis), a disease that affects the nervous system. He has had the disease for the past 10 years, but that didn’t stop him from seeing 311 live. He said the disease has made it so he can now only do certain things. He still works one job and says that helps fund his 311 habit.

Of all the 311 songs there are, Jason said there are many that hold a special meaning for him. “Jupiter” is one of them in particular, and he has the lyrics “stay positive” and “love your life” tattooed on his arms. He also mentioned that “Strong All Along” is a song he loves for it’s message and title. “Those are words I live by.”  If he could say one thing to 311, it would be that he is truly, “thankful for all the years of music I’ve been privileged  to hear and feel throughout my body. I believe this is a big reason I am as healthy as I try to stay.”

One thing you may not know about Jason is that he absolutely loves to cook and can do it extremely well! He also told me that he really is a very shy person, but tries to hide that side of himself. He also has trouble sometimes explaining how he feels. (I can tell you Jason, you did great with describing how you feel about 311!)  Jason also loves music in general and listens to all kinds of classic rock, as well as Incubus and Sublime. He specifically said he listens to, “Anything my ears ask me for!”

I mentioned to you all that Jason will be at this years 311 Day event in Nola. I strongly encourage you to find him and say hello. He said that, “This is closing in on the end of the road as far as big events like this for me. But it’s been a wild ride meeting all of you amazing people from everywhere imaginable!”  From what I’ve learned about Jason through his answers, I can truly say he seems like an amazing human being who has a lot of fight in him, and he truly embodies the positivity that 311 has been teaching us since day one! I personally look forward to meeting Jason in New Orleans, and hope anyone in attendance gets the privilege of meeting him as well! I leave you with his personal message to each and every fan in 311 nation:

“We are the best fans in the galaxy! Everyone have an amazing adventure in New Orleans! Oh and if anyone sees me, gimme a hug! :)”

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Will do Jason! Thanks for reading everyone and HAPPY 311 DAY!! Love you all! “Stay positive and love your life” – The Runt

Welcome back 311 nation! Is everyone excitable for 311 Day next week? Of course you are! So lets kickstart this week leading up to it by reading a new 311 fan spotlight! This week we give some love to the 311 Twitter family by featuring Mrs. Andrea Atchison Gabbitas!

Andrea was introduced to 311 thanks to an ex-boyfriend in high school, somewhere around early 2000. She was instantly drawn to the music and the positivity in the lyrics. However, it was her first live experience where she really fell in love with them. She said the whole experience was amazing and the fans were so great! Since then she’s never stopped listening and is always looking to befriend more 311 fans!

Andrea met one 311 fan along the way that really stole her heart…she met her husband Seth!  A coworker of hers said to her one day, “Oh you like 311? My two younger brothers love 311.”  Andrea went to a party at her coworkers house and met one of the brothers, immediately asking if he was one of the ones that liked 311, which turned out to be Seth. They ended up talking about 311 the whole night that night. Their first date was to a 311 concert in 2009, and they were married on 3/11/2010. Shortly after their marriage, they unfortunately lost Seth’s older brother Steve (the other big fan of 311) because he had a hole in his heart. Steve passed away on June 10, 2010 (which Andrea mentioned was coincidentally 311’s 20th anniversary). She said that it was a really tough loss, especially since it was Steve who really got Seth into 311, which inevitably led him to meeting Andrea and falling in love with her.

Since falling in love with 311 Andrea has been to a total of 16 shows, including 311 Day 2012. She was six months pregnant with her son at the time, so while she couldn’t party like some of us could, she said it still was one of the most perfect and breathtaking experiences of her life! “I loved being in Vegas, seeing all the 311 shirts and meeting so many amazing people. It was amazing having an entire city swimming in the positivity of all the fans. We met some really great people there and had a really fun weekend.”

One of the songs that was played at that 311 Day was “Taiyed” which is Andrea’s all time favorite song. “I love the lyric ‘out from a love that will keep on burning.’  We named our son Taiyden because of that lyric.” She even said that when the song was played her son was rocking out in the womb, kicking the whole time!

Andrea & Seth’s son Taiyden was born on June 5, 2012, which as many of you know is the one & only P-nut’s birthday! She said she swears she doesn’t plan these things!  Her son absolutely LOVES music and is a little mini-excitable, loving 311 just like mom and dad! Andrea said he unfortunately also likes some music that drives her nuts (she mentioned Low by Flo Rida). However, she admits he is just so cute that she can’t refuse him music he loves!

Andrea and her husband went through a tough period back in October of last year because of a miscarriage, but the love of her family and the music of 311 helped get them through this trying time. In order to have some closure, they decided to name the baby Greyson Skyler because as she said, “He was our moment of bliss” just like some of her favorite lyrics from “Beyond the Grey Sky”, “It is a gift I know, this moment of bliss that we hold. A firecracker flash of light then on to the next plane, soul remain.”

Andrea was born in Boulder, Colorado and raised in Farmington, Utah, where she still resides currently. “My husband and I bought a house in Farmington 3 years ago, so I really haven’t gone far!” She is the proud aunt of a brand new niece! (She told me she answered her questions with one hand while holding her!)  Andrea said she is a pretty open book, very honest and not afraid to share what is on her mind. One thing she said she constantly wishes though is that teleportation were real. “I’d love to be able to go anywhere in just a few minutes!” Andrea I think we all wish that were real, at least I know that I do!

While Andrea doesn’t follow anyone as closely as 311, she does have an admiration for other bands such as Muse, Panic! At the Disco, Dirty Heads, Sublime, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Alien Ant Farm, VAST and of course, Nick Hexum Quintet!

So there you have it, our latest star Andrea! She has a lot to be thankful for because of 311, and she would love to tell them simply, “Thank you. I owe a lot of who I am to you.”  If you get the chance to meet Andrea at some point, say hello, because she loves meeting all of you! I leave you with her personal message:

“I love you all!!! I love all the support and love I’ve gotten from everyone.  I can’t wait for more opportunities to meet more of you!”

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That’s all for now folks! Until next week, “Stay positive and love your life!” – The Runt