Good day to all of you out there 311 nation! We are back with the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight. So let’s meet spotlight #297 – Dave Kerkvliet! 

In the year 1995, Dave was finishing up college and was the drummer in a rock band called Sugarat. It was a friend of his that introduced him to 311 by playing songs from the Music and Grassroots albums. “I instantly thought it was the coolest stuff I had heard and I was hooked!  311 became an influence of our music.  Chad Sexton became the biggest influence on my drumming and is to this day my personal favorite drummer.  We performed the local Minneapolis circuit performing at clubs like The Uptown, Fine Line, First Avenue, Ground Zero, etc.  Then we started to expand into the Midwest and MCA records discovered us.  They were interested in a deal but unfortunately our band broke up and I was left to start over.  (Most bands don’t make it very long. 30 years of 311 with original members blows my mind because of this!) What drew me to their music was how rhythmically tight the band was with catchy grooves, a variety of styles, and heavy guitar with clean melodic and harmonic vocals.”

Show count for Dave is 10. “ I was hoping to add four more this summer but Covid struck.” The first show he attended was with his wife April during the 2010 Unity Tour. “The show was in St. Paul with The Offspring.  I’ve been a longtime 311 fan but I’m a late bloomer as far as attending shows and connecting with other fans.  I hadn’t experienced the community they have built until 311 Day 2016. It is truly something special! In more recent years I have crossed paths with other 311 fans, along with 311 themselves, to connect, share stories, and thank them for all of their great music.  I continue to bring other friends to 311 shows so they can experience the fun.  A 311 cruise is on my bucket list for sure.”

Favorite event for Dave was 311 Day 2020. “What an awesome experience!  To celebrate the 30 year milestone with the band and fans was extremely special.  It’s even more special due to all the changes in the world related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was my brother’s first 311 Day and we had an amazing “Bro-cation”!” Dave also said one of his other favorite moments was when he had the opportunity to moderate a Q&A session during the 2019 fall tour in Minneapolis with some of his music students, his brother, Tim, Nick, and Chad. “The Q&A session earned national attention in The American School Band Directors Association newsletter,  Minnesota Educator magazine, NEA Today magazine and In Tune magazine.”

Song that means the most to Dave currently is “I’ll Be Here Awhile.” “The acoustic closer at the end of 311 day 2020 was a fantastic experience.  I also was included in the recent fan video of this song playing mallet percussion and drum set, which is quite an honor. It seems to be an appropriate song for the current times.” Some lyrics that he loves include: “The fish who keeps on swimming is the first to chill upstream,” “You’ve got to trust your instinct, and let go of regret, you’ve got to bet on yourself now star, cause that’s your best bet,” and “Stay positive and love your life.” “The 311 messages of positivity helps me through the difficult times and situations.”

Dave began his life in South Carolina and then moved to his parents hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, when he was 3 years old. He has a younger sister and brother, who is also a 311 fan. He started playing drums in the 3rd grade and still plays. Dave earned his bachelors degree in music education at Augsburg College and is in his 25th year of teaching and directing at Sebeka Public School. “ I direct Senior High Concert Band, Junior High Concert Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Marching Band, Winter Drumline, 6th Grade Band, and 5th Grade (beginning) Band.  We’ve grown into a well respected program with over 20 years of “Superior Ratings” and 230 students in the program. The Sebeka bands have performed for local politicians, as well as, former Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Mae Schunk, former Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher, and Senator Amy Klobuchar. In 2004 I was awarded the “Crystal Apple” teaching award from KSAX news.  Other important accomplishments of the Sebeka Band program include performances with the University of Minnesota Marching Band at Band Day, at the Target Center for the NBA Timberwolves basketball team, at Walt Disney World in Florida, at Valleyfair theme park, and at the Minneapolis Convention Center for the Minnesota School Board convention. In February of 2004 I traveled to Singapore as an invited guest Band Clinician for the Gen Eng Seng, and Anglican High School bands. In 2012 I was inducted into the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA) at the National Convention held in Asheville, North Carolina, and in 2013 earned “Distinguished Action Research Award” from Southwest Minnesota State University for my work with integrating technology into the Sebeka Band program which helped me earn my Master’s degree.  In 2018, I traveled to France, Switzerland and Germany.  While in those countries I was able to connect with educators and share experiences.  In 2020 I was awarded “Educator of Excellence” from Sourcewell and earned my Specialist in Educational Leadership degree from Minnesota State University-Moorhead.”

Dave met his lovely wife April and his stepson Sterling in 1999. “They enjoy 311 as well. When Sterling was younger we really enjoyed being his biggest sports fans watching him play basketball, baseball, and run cross country and track. Sterling is an electrical line-worker who travels throughout the country. April is a nurse and likes to go kayaking.  We have been truly blessed to have enjoyed many travels and live in a proud small town community.  I am so lucky to have such a great family!” 

Interesting fact about Dave, he was fortunate to be able to record in Prince’s Paisley Park studio! Something unique about him, he just recently learned how to play “Happy Birthday” on the accordion. Guilty pleasure for him is that he is really into outdoor sports, especially fishing. 

Dave likes a wide variety of music genres. Lately he’s been getting back into listening to Rush. “For jazz I’ve been listening to some Buddy Rich and Louis Armstrong, Mozart’s Requiem and Niccolo Paganini’s 24 Caprices for classical, Jay-Z, Dirty Heads, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, Dream Theater, Led Zeppelin, Korn, Pantera, Foo Fighters, Beyonce, Metallica, No Doubt, Johnny Cash, Motley Crue, some John Philip Sousa marches, and the list goes on.”

Dave’s words to 311 are as follows: “Thank you 311, 311 crew, and 311 management for creating and sharing your music over the past 30 years and appreciating your fans as much as we appreciate you!” 

Dave’s words to all his fellow fans:

“I am honored to connect with the 311 community to celebrate 311’s music and 30th anniversary.  It is so great to see people from all different places and backgrounds unite because of 311’s music.  The world needs our positive vibes more than ever!”

———————

Thanks Dave for sharing your story! As always, thank you to all of the readers as well! I hope you are all safe, healthy, and staying positive. We need the positive vibes to continue now more than ever! 

Much Love – The Runt

Hey there 311 nation! Yes I know, it’s been a hot minute since there has been a new fan spotlight. But here we are, back at it! So let’s not delay the introduction any longer – meet fan spotlight #296 – Vincenzo Basile! 

It was the summer of 1995 and Vincenzo was taking a trip to Italy to meet some of his father’s  family that lived there. It was a long flight, so his dad allowed him to pick out a couple of CD’s to keep him occupied. He chose Beastie Boys “Ill Communication” and the 311 blue album. “Now I was only going into 6th grade that summer so I was still very young and impressionable and 311 was the first band that was my own as opposed to enjoying all the classic rock my parents would play in the car or at home. They were the catalyst to develop my own sense in music.  Nick’s voice was hypnotic and SA’s added harmonies had me hooked immediately. Their funk, grooves and punk elements had me in an excited Mindspin!”

As far as number of shows attended, his count may not be 100% accurate because he didn’t start collecting his ticket stubs until he was in college. His first show was during his freshman year of high school in 1999. “ I had just got out of the hospital and still in my wheelchair so my buddies had to wheel me around. Once they planted me in the handicapped section they all went out to do their thing.  They ended up running into Adam Raspler after recognizing him from Enlarged to Show Detail and told him about my situation and asked if I could go backstage. Tall order right?  Adam compromised and agreed to meet them back at that spot after the show and he ended up bringing a signed piece of paper by all five of our guys.  How can you not fall more in love with this band after something like that?” 

Vincenzo believes his show count is somewhere between 30-35. “The good  thing about living in New England is that 311 will play Providence, RI, Boston, MA, Portland, ME and Gilford, NH and Hartford, CT in one shot.  If not all at once, at least three locations where you tack on your experiences not to mention NY and NJ aren’t that far off either if you had any money left.” As for his favorite show, he believes he has seen the bands two best shows. “Watching 311 perform Transistor in its entirety at Pow Wow is everyone’s white whale if you weren’t there.  It was special and one of a kind.  I was blessed to partake in that and will wear that badge proudly forever.  The second show that comes to mind was cruise 2.  To witness 311 rock out on a tropical island was mind blowing!  I’m sure anyone who was there would agree.  What an incredible experience that was even though I suffered the worst sunburn of all time. My face looked as if an entire nest of bees stung my face and could hardly see which brought me to the boat’s infirmary.  I’d do it again in a second!”

Favorite song for Vincenzo is “Do You Right.” “This song was chosen to be “our song” for my girlfriend at the time, now wife. Every time we hear that song at a show we just look at each other, hold hands and smile knowing how sentimental it has become over the years.  It was also the song playing when being announced man and wife at our wedding reception.  It encompasses everything we love about each other.” 

As far as favorite lyric, Vincenzo said if you asked his 17 year old self, he would have said, “ I love it when the only sound I hear is your infectious laughter.” It was his senior quote! “311 had clearly made a profound effect on me and it was important to me at that time to represent them to help represent me.  As I got older I really gravitated to Freak Out’s lyric, “The earth has not swallowed me yet!”  These words speak volumes to me.  I have had some scary health issues growing up that makes this lyric really meaningful and I’ll go into more detail in a later question. My All-Star jersey says Freak Out on the back for my love of this song.”

Vincenzo was born and raised just outside of Hartford, Connecticut, in a little town called Hebron. He stayed there until 2002 when he moved to Framingham, Massachusetts, to attend college. “I went to Framingham State College as a visual arts major where I met my now wife my junior year.  After 3 semesters, I transferred to the New England Institute of Art with a graphic design major and I lived in Brookline MA before moving to West Roxbury for my last few semesters.  After that, I was hired at a newspaper printer/distributor  to join their graphics team in Gypsum, CO.  This was 2008-2009 when people stopped reading the paper and smartphones began to replace them.  I was laid off and moved back to Ashland, MA.  I soon moved out to Framingham, MA where I worked in the restaurant business for a while and now in Marlborough, MA ever since.  311 is a priority so se every year, it’s like a holiday you want to be with  your family but it’s our 311 community and fans that make it that significant.  I’ll always stash some money away to be there at the Unity Tours.”

Something most people don’t know about Vincenzo, he has a fear of heights! “I don’t know when it kicked in because as a kid I’d go on all the rides at Six Flags, beg my parents to let me go skydiving or bungee jumping and now I won’t even get on a ferris wheel. I was on a cruise years ago and wouldn’t even go to the top deck of the ship. It’s probably why God made me 5’3″, I’m meant to be close to the ground.”

A truly amazing thing that makes Vincenzo unique, he is a 3 time brain/spinal cancer survivor! “First diagnosed in April 1997 in middle school, relapsed in high school in 1999 then again in college in 2003.  I had to learn how to walk again in my mid teens.  Things were rough. I’ve lost 90% of my hearing as a result and when I first got my hearing aids, I posted about 5 years ago in the Familia page about how 311 will be even better for me now and got a very warm reception from a lot of amazing people out there.I choose to stay positive due to all of the support so thanks guys!”

As far as other musicians that Vinnie loves, he said his next favorite band is Deftones. “‘I’ve been listening to them almost as long as I have been listening to 311. They are an unbelievable band that gives me similar feelings 311 does just through a heavier sound and genre that makes me feel alive in a much different way.  Probably another reason Pow Wow was so amazing to me.” Some other musicians he loves include Phish, Glassjaw, Weezer, Rage Against the Machine, Silverchair, Mastodon, The Sword, Slightly Stoopid, Stick Figure, Pepper, and Rebelution. As for guilty pleasure, Vincenzo said it’s reaction videos on YouTube. “ It’s a pretty new thing for me. What I enjoy most is getting to see people connect with music and see candid reactions.  At the same time, I get to enjoy more music myself whether it’s the nostalgic songs from when I was a kid or new stuff I never heard before.  Each reactor has their own personalities which makes it fun.”

Vincenzo would like to say these words to 311: “A tremendous, heartfelt thank you. For the joy, happiness and SA moves I reenact behind closed doors.  You’ve put so many smiles, hugs and love in all of us and have made such a positive influence for not just me but for so many. I hope you’ re all so proud of yourselves.”

Now his words to all the other fans:

“Oh the fans.  I’ve witnessed some of the coolest strangers you’ll ever meet.  Strangers are just friends I haven’t met yet and I’m looking forward to meeting you!  You’re the guy a row behind me at a show who taps me on the shoulder and shares a blunt and his buddy cracks the expected joke, ” I’m not  from Philly but some say I’m blunt.” and we all laugh.  You’re the stranger that drops off a bottle of water to the stranger puking in the bathroom.  Keep being who you are, I’m very proud of this fanbase, sure there are some naysayers but it’s important I thank the one’s who Fuck the Bullshit and know how to throw down.  The fans are a huge percentage to the 311 experience.” 

—————

That is the story of Vincenzo Basile! Thank you so much Vinnie for being a part of this. Much gratitude to all the readers as well of course! Thank you all for the continued support of this fun project. Until we meet again, stay strong, stay positive, and as always, love your life! 

Much Love – The Runt