Happy Halloween 311 nation! Hope you are having a spooktacular day so far and let’s make it better by meeting a new fellow 311 fan – here is Bonni Sue!

High school era, Bonni was listening to KROQ, and that’s how she initially heard 311, but it was actually an ex who really exposed her ears to them back in 2002. “I enjoyed all of their music. But while scrolling through Facebook one day in August 2011, I came across the cruise promo picture listing all the bands and djs. I knew I had to be apart of this.” Bonni had only seen them live once prior to the cruise but she booked her cabin on the third cruise knowing absolutely not a single person on the ship. “Walking off that boat I knew I was a 311 fan for life! The friendships and bonds that I made were unreal!!! The positive message in their music with the reggae rock vibe mixed with the amazing fans fit perfectly with my lifestyle and the way I choose to live.  I will be honest and say that 311 isn’t my #1 favorite band but 311 fans are my #1 favorite group of people! I get pumped for 311 shows because my ears get filled with beautiful music and my heart gets full of love seeing everyone from around the world!”

Number of shows she’s been to, well she doesn’t know, because she chooses not to count. “Music is such a huge part of my life there is no way I can keep up with how many shows I’ve gone to. My goal is to catch a live show of any kind at least once a week. I’ve traveled across the country following the bands Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, The Simpson Project, The Expanders and Soja.” Favorite place to see 311? “Red Rocks. I’ve seen them there twice now and both times my heart gets stolen! Red Rocks is magical to begin with add 311 and all the beautiful people they bring together! Words can’t describe the feeling it give me.” A close runner up is the 2014 Vegas show because during that trip she made some long lasting bonds with a few people.

Song that means the most to her is “Beautiful Disaster” and it holds a lot of memories for her. “It’s been my favorite for years! It’s one of those songs I love putting on repeat, turning the volume up super loud and sing at the top of my lungs while traveling the open road.” One of her favorite lyrics comes from “All Mixed Up” – “You’ve got to trust your instincts and let go of regrets.”

Huntington Beach, California is where Bonni Sue was raised an only child by her dad. She has a stepmom, two older stepbrothers, and a younger half brother. She was raised in the same house that her dad grew up in. Her free spirit and strength she says definitely comes from her mom. Growing up near the water she spent a lot of time in it. “I grew up with a pool in our backyard…I could swim before I knew how to walk. I was on the swim team in high school and our water polo team won CIF championship my senior junior year.” Her first job was teaching kids how to sail at Huntington Harbour Yacht Club.

When Bonni turned 21 she started to move around a lot which she said turned into a “2 year itch plan.” She has lived in Humboldt County, Seattle and Ventura. From 2014 to 2016 she lived out of her trailer, traveling all along the coast of California. She recently moved to Denver, Colorado after having dreamt of living there for over 10 years. During her travels, she worked on a cannabis farm in Northern California and realized what she would love to do for work. She now has a career as a budtender at a dispensary in Colorado. “love being able to help people and broaden their horizons when it comes to medicating with so many different types of cannabis products.” She has two fur kids known as “The Hounds:” Koda, a coonhound, and Marilyn Mae, a bloodhound. She said despite being mauled at an animal shelter in 2010, she still loves animals especially her dogs. “My experiences do not define me but rather strengthen me in life. My pups are my healers and help me get over my challenges being around the other dogs.”

Earlier this year Bonni lived in Rishikesh, India, where she studied to be a yoga teacher. She has since opened a yoga studio in her home and named it after a nickname she was given when traveling – “Traveling Gypsy Hippie.” She is also working on opening a boutique in November that will feature hand crafted items that she and other artistic “brodellas” have made. Next up for her regarding travel is heading to Thailand to study Thai Massage. “Trying to find more ways to educate myself so I can help people he’s naturally is something I get so much enjoyment from.”

As if Bonni hasn’t been interesting enough so far, here are some more tidbits of info that make her unique. She used to manage a live artist and they completed a national tour with the bands Fortunate Youth, Ease Up and New Kingston. She auditioned for the T.V. show “Big Brother” seven times while traveling across the country. She has been a diehard Denver Broncos fan since 1995 and was lucky enough to go to the Superbowl in 2014, even though they lost. Oh and she can blow glass!

Bonni is also a tough woman and fighter to get what she wants. Last year she lost her job, place to park her trailer and call home, and her life savings. “I literally had $200 to my name and nothing but dreams still left to live. I knew if I didn’t stay positive I would fall back into a dark place I didn’t want to end up again. I made a sacrifice to live out of my truck for 6 months, I put my trailer in storage.  I was able to manifest abundance and funded my way to live in India for a month. I am a dreamer and I don’t let anything stand in my way. If there is a will there is a way. When I returned from India I started from scratch again trying to get the money to move to Colorado. I continued to live out of my truck another 4 months. My life in Denver is magical and I couldn’t have dreamt of a better move or home for myself and the pups.”

Mentioned earlier, 311 isn’t Bonni’s favorite band. So who is? “Sublime will forever be my number 1 band!!!” She also was lucky to have become close with a lot of bands from when she worked in the music industry, including a lot of musicians in the reggae community. “I am very grateful for Stick Figure and Fortunate Youth in particular. I met my best friend Michelle at a Slightly Stoopid show and shortly after meeting we bonded on a road trip to see Rebelution for 4 shows!! I truly believe that Soja saved my life. After I was mauled by a dog at an animal shelter in 2010, I feel into a very dark place. I thought about attempting suicide a few times and even came close, every time I would turn on something that would play music, Soja would come on and tell me “I’m not done yet”. Lights came on and I turned to music!” Her guilty pleasure also comes in musical form. “I’m a parrot head! My first concert I ever went to was Jimmy Buffett. My dad loves him and made me love him too! Lol.”

To 311, her message is this: “Thank you! My life would not be so rich and full of love if it wasn’t for you and the message you send, the bonds I have made with other fans whom I now call my family is something I cherish and hold very dear to my heart!”

And to all the other wonderful 311 fans:

“Don’t stop dreaming, anything is possible! When bad things happen in our lives it is because we are being tested at how badly we want those dreams to come true! Live the life you love! And listen to a lot of 311 music in the process!”

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Wow what a story! Thank you Bonni for sharing your journey. As always, thank you to all the fans who continue to read. You are all truly amazing! Until next time…

Much Love – The Runt

Excitable friends, welcome back to the 311 fan spotlight! Now it’s time to meet Hayley Kluge!

First encounter with 311 came in the year 1999 for Hayley when her friend played her the whole Soundsystem album and hooked her in. “Their positive lyrics and funky rhythm mixed with rock and reggae totally attracted me to listening to them more.” Then in 2011 when she started snowboarding 311 became her life. “My boyfriend Mike and I listen to them on our drives up to the mountain, as their music gets us pumped up and ready to ride.”

While Hayley hasn’t kept track of the number of times she has see 311 live, she can tell you her favorite event which was 311 Day 2012 in Las Vegas. That was her one and only big event so far. “We met some amazing people and began to learn about the kindness that comes along with the amazing followers of this band. I remember meeting some really amazing people on day one that saved me a spot up in the front. This meant so much to me because not only had I never been in the front at a 311 show, I also had a full arm cast on from a broken wrist injury 2 weeks prior. I was so bummed about hurting myself before the big weekend. It was so cool to have some rad people make my day under the circumstances.”

The song “Slinky” is one of her favorites because it reminds her of all her “awesome slinky sisters.” She also has a special place for “Beyond the Grey Sky.” “I always get teary eyed as I hold up my lighter up during that song.” One of her favorite lyrics though comes from “Grassroots” – “Challenge comes and goes, and there will be another I say bring it on. The roots that grow underground are as big as the tree that you see, if not, it will fall down.”

Hayley was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California. Oldest of three siblings, she has one sister and one brother, and the whole family has always lived by the beach. “We grew up as little ocean babies.” Her dad has always surfed so they all had their own boards at a young age. “ I love the ocean and the culture that comes along with it.” Hayley also loves to snowboard and has been to Mountain High, Mammoth, Big Bear, Snow Summit, and a few different resorts in Lake Tahoe. A California girl all her life, she has big respect for the ocean and mountains. For 11 years she’s been working in the banking industry. “My motto is I work to live and listen to 311!” She and her boyfriend have been saving up to go on a 311 cruise and they will be on the next one in 2017, which will be their first so she’s super excited.

Something amazing about Hayley is that she is a breast cancer survivor! “It’s been a little over 2 years since my surgery and radiation treatments finished. I feel very blessed to have detected my lump early. I vividly remember 311 playing as I got my treatments, those were some tough days but I got through them with the power of their music. Recently I had the wonderful support from some of my amazing 311 Slinky sisters at a cancer walk that my boyfriend Mike and I were part of. We love getting involved and giving back.”

Fun fact about Hayley is that she’s never been on an airplane ever! So going on the cruise is a big deal for her and she said it’s her first “adult trip anywhere and she’s totally scared.” However she knows it’s going to be amazing! She also loves to sing but gets shy singing in front of people. With that said, she’d love to get together with some musically inclined people and just create some fun music. Keep that in mind fellow fans!

Guilty pleasure for Hayley is that she loves binge watching shows on Netflix. “Walking Dead has me hooked!” She also truly loves her doggy Oscar. “I’m not a mommy yet but Oscar is my little baby boy. I love spoiling him and showering him with lots of love.” Other music Hayley listens to includes old and some new reggae, Steel Pulse, Sister Nancy, Don Carlos, Slightly Stoopid, The Aggrolites and Ooklah the Moc. “I listen to some old school rap from time to time. Some examples would be the Roots, Pharcyde, Living Legends and Atmosphere.”

To 311, her message is this: “Thank you for making great music that has brought so many great people together.”

To the other superb 311 fans: “Never miss a day to shine bright. The light that you give out can be contagious in all the right ways!”

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There you have the tale of Hayley Kluge my friends! I hope you all enjoyed her journey and thank you all for reading. Now go seize the day, be amazing, and as Hayley said, shine bright. Until next time!

Much love – The Runt

Welcome again excitables to the next 311fan spotlight! This week we meet the awesome Des Love!

Thanks to a friend in college Des was introduced to the awesomeness that is 311. Anytime they were driving around in the car the CD’s were playing. “I was drawn into the different sound and lyrics of the music. It had such variation and Way more depth to the songs than what the radio continually played. I Haven’t listened to the radio in over 15 years, I’m not a fan of mainstream music.”

First show for Des sucked her in even more, she was in the front row and said the lights and sound of the music being right in your face is so intense. “It was overpowering with life that there was no turning back from loving the band!! And my appreciate for their ability to connect to others through their music has only grown!”

The cruise has been her favorite event so far. “It’s a span of days and nights spending such memorable times with friends and family in one location under the sun and on the ocean. The opportunity to be Experiencing multiple shows from various artists, and discovering new friendships, loves and plenty of laughter, is truly indescribable! It’s such an open feeling and beyond amazing!!”

The east coast is where Des grew up but she moved to California during her teenage years. “My breath belongs to the ocean tides and my soul resides to the cornfields.” She is a “bad ass, superwoman mom of two spectacular little Mohicans” who has a boyfriend that she met thanks to 311. “He’s shown me love and laughter with the desire to see the ability within myself as we grow together and enjoy our epic and entertaining adventures.”

Des was lucky enough to have attended the Red Rocks show this past summer and said it was one of her favorite concerts ever. “The venue was absolutely awesome and having someone you love share the same excitement and energy for the band makes it even that much more spectacular.”

Obviously Des is a lover of music but she’s also a performer. She can play the harmonica, spoons, and acoustic guitar. As far as listening pleasures, she likes classic rock and a new favorite has been The Movement. “Reggae, dance reggae, no limitation to the genre-it’s the feel of a song that keeps me wanting to have more of it-the lyrics combined with the instrumentals is what I find attracting. I mainly like the faster paced style of songs, not a big fan of the slower kind. Especially during a concert. I really like to be moving and feeling the real vibrancy of it all.” She does have a music guilty pleasure though – it’s Neil Diamond. “My mom played him in the car while I was a child so I have a soft spot in my heart for him.”

Normally the fan spotlight has two different messages for the band and the fans, but in come original fashion, Des has this message to both 311 and the amazing fan base: “No words can properly say thank you to the band members for their dedication and continued vibe to connect strangers together, who in turn form into friendships and families, through our many journeys to concerts across the country and hanging out together! It’s a tribe of unity made up of individuals finding peace, laughter, strength, and hope, you realize you are  among similar minded souls all working at keeping the flow of positivity moving forward in life. It’s pretty damn awesome and a wonderful group to be a part of. Much thanks to each one of you who have touched my life and brought me the ability to keep shining the sun at you full force every day  #I-Love-You-More ☀️-Des Love☀️”

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That is the story of Des Love! Thank you Des for sharing your story with everyone and I think we can all say it was a great one. Of course, much thanks to all that continue to read about your fellow fans! You keep reading and I’ll keep sharing the stories. Until next time…go rock the world!

Much Love – The Runt

 

Hello again excitable nation of amazing 311 fans! New week is here so let’s meet the new fan spotlight – Mr. Jeremy Loya! 

MTV playing the video for 311’s “Down” is how Jeremy was introduced to the magic of their music. He hadn’t heard anything else like it. Then he got to see them live in his home town. “I was already hooked from hearing them, but then seeing them live I was hooked for life.”

Show count is at least at 45 and picking of favorite is a tough one, but Jeremy chose the beach show in the Bahama’s on the second cruise. “Just seeing and listening to 311 while chillin in the ocean!  WOW!!!!” Another favorite moment for him wasn’t a show, it was proposing to his wife during their cruise photo! 

“Love Song” holds a special place in Jeremy’s heart because that was he and his wife’s first dance song at their wedding. Then the song “Hive” is the one that gets him the most pumped up. Favorite lyric? How about a whole favorite verse! 

“You’re all up in my mix like fuckin’ betty crocker

You think you’re playing me but actually you’re a jocker

You bad mouth me bitch man you givin me juice

It aint nothin’ but a party everybody get loose

Notice what I don’t do when stress steps to me

Whatever your complaint so sue me

I say fuck the naysayers and keep goin

Gotta do what I gotta do to get the people glowin’

So let everybody gather the more the better

I represent the traveler him he’s a shredder.”

Jeremy said this whole verse just gets him really pumped up when he hears it and the whole thing just flows so well. 

Topeka, Kansas is where Jeremy was born and raised, as well as where he has resided for all of his 37 years on Earth. A lover of sports he’s especially fond of the Kansas Jayhawks (Rock Chalk). He’s worked at U.S. Foods for the past 15 years and he works A LOT of overtime to fund his 311 adventures. “When I request time off of work, they ask where 311 is gonna be now?” Jeremy just married his sweetheart on 3/11/16 and as mentioned before he proposed to her during the band photo on the cruise. “The photos are epic!  She was so surprised. So the next Cruise will be our Honeymoon!” 

Jeremy is lucky enough to share his birthday with the one and only Chad Sexton! As mentioned above, he loves sports and playing them in his spare time. He also goes to a lot of sporting events and concerts.  When not doing that Jeremy also loves to spend time with his family and friends, just hanging out. “I really like to make people laugh usually at my expense. (I’m a goofy dude).” Jeremy said he’s a big momma’s boy and a big baby when it comes to sad movies. “Or a heart felt video or story I see on FB or You Tube.  I’m a cryer.” Guilty pleasure is going to the movies. “It is my get away from the norm of every day things. It’s a good date night, or just a good time to be alone and enjoy a good movie.” 

AC/DC is another one of Jeremy’s favorite bands, as well as Motley Crue, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and 80’s rock. “I like all kinds of genres of music, from Rap to Blue Grass. Eminem, Beastie Boys, Biggie, Pac, to Texas Tornados, Eric Church the list goes on…lol. Oh I can’t forget Michael Jackson.”

Jeremy’s message to 311 is this: “Thank you!  Not just for their music, but what they stand for and bringing people together, for all the awesome people I have met along my ongoing 311 adventure.”

And now his message to all his fellow fans:

“What’s up Excitables?!?!  Just want to say I love all of my 311 familia I have met throughout the years!  I never would have thought I would meet as many awesome people from listening to a band. People all across the country, when I first heard 311 I thought it was just music, but over the years I have realized its WAAY more!  It’s a lifestyle.  I’m looking forward to seeing my friends and meeting a lot more Excitables in the future!!! Stay Positive & Love your life.”

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That’s Jeremy’s story my amazing friends! I thank you all for reading and hope you enjoyed it. We are all so lucky to be a part of this amazing community of fans. Now go seize the day, be awesome! 

Much love – The Runt

 

Hello and welcome again to the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight! This week we meet the gorgeous Kama Star! 

Flash back to March of 1996 when Kama’s then boyfriend (now ex-husband and still best friend) saw 311 open for Cypress Hill. He came home telling her she had to check them out and while she was pretty much a deadhead at the time, she ended up listening to the blue album since he insisted she give it a shot. “I was instantly engaged.  The harmonies, funky rhythms and most importantly, positive messages, hooked me real good.  Over time, the relationships I’ve built with so many amazing people is a huge part of what keeps me in attendance at so many shows/events.”

Approximate show count is at 103 and of those she chose the second cruise as her favorite event. “The beach show was simply unprecedented and one of the other bands  that was on board is a personal favorite (2 Skinnee J’s!!!!)” 

Song that means the most to Kama has changed over the years depending on what is currently going on in her life, although she said “Wake Your Mind Up” and “Running” have really helped her through tough times. Favorite lyrics are “Stay positive and love your life” and “The jaded ones will wither while the optimistic grow.” She has both of those lines tattooed on her. 

Kama was born at approximately 4:20AM on a snowy January morning in Brooklyn, N.Y.  She grew up however in Silicon Valley in Northern California. In 2001 she moved to Las Vegas and has been there ever since. She currently lives with her boyfriend and fellow excitable Chris Childress and her cat Jupiter Star at what she calls “The Peace Palace.” She works at the Oasis Medical Cannabis as the Patient Services Manager. Her place of employment is a dispensary for medical marijuana patients. “We accept patients from across the world, so I get to help all kinds of people with all kinds of challenges.  To say I love my job is an understatement!”

Something most don’t know about Kama? “I’m 43 years young.” Unique attribute is that her name literally means “Love, to the utmost of all it’s senses.” “I believe I was put on this earth to shine love and light on people so they can better find their way on their journey.  I pride myself in coming from love & bringing people together in various capacities.” Guilty pleasure comes via music including Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Wilson Phillips, and Broadway musicals. When not listening to those artists, or 311, she also jams out to Full Service, Beastie Boys, 2 Skinnee J’s, Trevor Hall, Beatles, Grateful Dead, and G. Love & Special Sauce. 

To 311, Kama has this message: “Thank you, from the depths of my soul, for following your dreams, sharing your creativity and inspiring not only myself, but so so so many others whom I adore!”

To all the other fans out there: “I’m so grateful to be part of such a generous, conscious and beautiful tribe of humans.  We are so much more than just a group of fans, we are truly a community – looking out for one another, united in our love for music…staying positive & loving our lives.”

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That my friends is the story of Kama Star! I hope you all get to meet her in person some day. Thanks for being a part of this Kama and thank you as always excitable readers for coming back each and every week to learn more about your fellow fans! Until we meet again, go out and be the awesome people that I know you are. 

Much love – The Runt