Hey there you awesome people in excitable 311 nation! Hope you are all well and staying positive. Let’s check out a new fan spotlight shall we? Meet John Leslie!

Intro to 311 was from the songs “Down” and “All Mixed Up” on the radio and MTV, but John didn’t really get fully into them at that point. It was when he heard “Beautiful Disaster” and bought the Transistor album that his mind was blown. “I got the Live album and Blue Album for Christmas. The bridge of Purpose blew me away. They were my favorite band after that.”

Over the past 24 years John has seen 311 live 37 times. His first show was the Soundsystem tour in the fall of 1999. He saw them in Portland for his first theater concert and it was three days before Soundsystem was released. “After that I was addicted to the live shows.” As for favorite of the 37 shows, it’s a tie between 311 Day 2006, the first cruise and 311 Day 2010.

The song that means the most to John is “I’ll Be Here Awhile.” “I like the symbolic nature of the song. It has a new meaning for me after a traumatic medical event 10 years ago. I think I’ve proven that I will be here awhile!”

Some of the lyrics that really resonate with John include the following: “The method that makes sense is patience.” “You can make a mean hand out of what you’re being dealt,” and “Someone told you that you had no chance, people told us it would never transpire, you could be defeated in advance, just let them all burn in the wildfire.”

John was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and he loved growing up in the Pacific northwest. “Our family would take our dog on walks in Mt. Hood National Forest, I went camping once a month for several years in Boy Scouts.” John is also a huge Disneyland fan and has been there about 30 times.

John’s parents were also super into music and die hard Moody Blues fans for 52 years. His sister was also a big influence on his musical taste. He lived in Eugene for four years while going to college. “Graduated from the University of Oregon with a BA in Digital Arts. I lost 100 pounds over 2 years in college, put it back on over 5 years, took the weight off again during the pandemic with 70lbs down.” Now for work, he’s been in the IT field since 2004. ” I’ve been working at an IT data center in Portland that supports local county government services.”

Other things that interest John include conventions like Portland Retro Gaming Expo and PAX West, films, filmmaking, photography and video editing, collecting vinyl, playing board games and Halloween haunted mazes. He enjoys conversation and listening, hanging out with friends and family, going to pub trivia, and he’s been running a regular music event for 14 years.

Fun fact about John is that he likes to challenge himself by singing random songs at Karaoke! “At Rock Band Night at Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade we would fill each instrument for each song. Sometimes I would end up on vocals singing a song I’d never heard before but I’d do it to help the event keep moving. I think it’s fun!” Keeping with the same theme, John likes to make custom karaoke videos and sing them with his other music loving friends. “We’ve been singing for 15 years. Lots of fun!”

Other musicians that John loves include Bad Religion, They Might Be Giants, Self, The Moody Blues, Rebelution, NOFX, Foo Fighters, Weezer, The Offspring, Descendents, Nerf Herder, The Explorers Club, Millencolin, XTC, Sparks, Freezepop, and Blondie. 

Guilty pleasures for John include ska music, video game conventions, the movie Freddy Got Fingered and sometimes pop music stations. “As a rock fan I still feel guilty but I do enjoy it.”

To 311, John would like to send this message: “I already tweeted it at P-Nut around 311 Day. Thank you for making the fans feel like friends. I think Nick got that idea from Joe Strummer.”

Now here is his message to all the other fans out there:

“Never give up! Be yourself! If you have a positive attitude, self discipline, and self determination you can set a goal and attain it! Be creative! Don’t be afraid to live your life!”

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Many thanks to John for sharing his story of his love for 311! Per the usual, I send so much gratitude to all the readers and supporters of this each week. Sending so much positivity and strength to you all. Until next time!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends! It’s a new week and time for the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight. Let’s meet Crystal Fisher!

The first time Crystal heard 311 she was with her best friend growing up. They were chilling at her house and her brother had 311 playing in his room. “We had no idea who they were but soon after I remember waiting to hear Come Original on the radio, so I could record it on one of my mix tapes (which I still have oddly enough even though I have no tape player).   That was my first memory of the music but it wasn’t until later when my parents allowed me to go to concerts that I really got into them.  Seeing them live was a completely new experience. The music hits in a completely different zone when it’s live.  The albums can’t record the energy that vibrates from the band and all through the crowd at the live shows. After seeing them for the first time, I was hooked and it’s been an addiction ever since.”

For show count, Crystal believes she is at 44 after 311 Day this year. First show for her was in 2003. “I was a big fan of the band Something Corporate, and I liked G love as well, so a couple friends and I got tickets and went to the show. We stood at the back for the show, but the energy from the band and the crowd was so ecstatic that before we knew it we were sucked in towards the middle, surrounded by all these people rocking out to the music.  I remember I could feel the floor moving slightly from everyone jumping up and down that we thought the floor was going to drop out beneath us!  It was wild but loved every minute of it!”

As for favorite event, it was a tough choice for Crystal. She loves the cruises and she has great memories at all the shows, but for sentimental reasons she chose 311 Day 2016. “I got married to my husband Tim on Bourbon Street that afternoon, and then attended the concert afterwards!   It was so great getting to spend the first hours being married to the love of my life, seeing our favorite band together surrounded by our closest friends and thousands of 311 fans from around the world! I was also really excited my cat Larry made the 311 day video on the big screen at the beginning of the concert.”

For favorite song, Crystal said that over the years there is always a song or two that stick with her because of whatever is going on in her life. One that she always goes back to is “Flowing.” “I have a bad habit of playing scenarios and events over and over in my head, and the song is a good reminder that when you go down a wormhole of bad thoughts the good are still there even if you don’t think you have any.”

Lyrics that Crystal loves include “Always try to keep your feet on the ground and love yourself” and “Go away sun I’m not prepared for you today, it seems you are, it seems you are.”

Crystal was born and raised on the northeast side of Houston, Texas. She is a first generation Texan and has lived there her whole life. “My parents live in Florida so I try to make it out there a couple times a year and I have family in other parts of the country but I really can’t see myself living anywhere else!”

While Crystal has worked a number of jobs over the years, she has spent most of her professional life working at Bush Intercontinental Airport for a retail company. ”  After working in the Human Resources office for a number of years, it opened up the door to working for a TPA that did benefits administration for school districts around the country. 2020 was a big year for us, as we expanded it for the first time and we had a little girl join our excitable family!  After her birth I quit my job to become a full time clowder and youngling herder (aka Stay at Home Mom) and For the first time in over 23 years I’m not working for money and instead get paid in cuddles and smiles. It’s been a big change but it’s really great getting to see Leia grow up and be there every part of the way! I’m a huge animal lover and we have 2 dogs and 2 cats, one of which has made his appearance on a number of cruise buttons  (@sirlarrymeow)!”

Fun fact about Crystal is that she collected Pez dispensers before and has a collection of over 100 in a box. “They used to be on display but my cat Larry had a habit of knocking them down and it was too much of a pain to reposition 100+ dispensers in a specified order. ” Something that makes her unique is that she likes to be crafty and creative in numerous ways. “Sometimes I paint things, make creatures out of felt, and do a lot of doodles when the creative bug hits. I made a Star Wars mural for my daughter’s nursery and even made my own Star Wars themed Mobile for her crib! I downloaded the Rockabye Baby 311 album to it, to introduce some great tunes to her right away!”

Guilty pleasure for Crystal is watching really bad sci-fi movies, especially shark themed ones. “Jaws is one of my all time favorite movies, so watching a really bad shark movie while having a couple drinks is one of my favorite ways to get a laugh.  There are some especially bad ones, so my best friend and I started watching them and then blogging about them when we get the chance.”

For other musicians that Crystal likes, she has quite a few including  Mae, Cruiserweight, Passafire, Broadway Showtunes, Dashboard Confessional, Rebelution, Tropidelic, RdGldGrn, Dirty Heads, and Taylor Swift. She also listens to a lot of podcasts including  Sword and Scale, Fangasm, How did this get made, Office Ladies, Your own backyard, Bright Sessions, Wolf 359, and The real Jaws.

To 311, Crystal would like to say these words: “Thank you for touring every year and bringing joy to thousands with your energy and awesome tunes! You’ve helped me stay positive in some really tough times, and I’m really thankful for all the events y’all put on each year, and I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for your hard work and dedication. THANK YOU!”

Now here is her message to all the other fans out there:

“Hey Everyone!  If it wasn’t for the awesome positivity and energy of the fans, I don’t know who I’d be today!  I love all of you, and can’t wait to meet more of y’all at all the future shows, cruises, and events to come! If you see me at a show, please feel free to come up and give a high five or a hug!  Do as you will, do as you wish, follow your bliss!”

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Thank you Crystal for sharing your story! As always, so much gratitude to the readers each week. Have an amazing week! Sending you all so many good vibes.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again all of you excitable peeps! The latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight is here. Let’s meet Joshua Newton!

Initially Joshua was a fan when the blue album came out. However after that he didn’t really listen to 311 for about 20 years. ” In 2017 my ex-girlfriend introduced me to 311 again and I went to 2018 311 day…been hooked since.”

First time Joshua saw 311 live was in a bar in Atlanta before the blue album became a huge hit. Then since 2018 he’s seen them about 10 times. Favorite event for him was the 2019 cruise. “Specifically the sail away show. Stealing happy hours.”

One of Joshua’s favorite songs is “Golden Sunlight.” “I was going through a breakup and it reached me.” As for lyrics, he loves anytime 311 says down with the unity. He also loves “Stay positive and love your life.”

Joshua is originally from Wisconsin, but he’s lived in New Jersey since 1998. Currently he works for Verizon Wireless data centers. He goes to every show that 311 plays in the area. “I have familia that are down in the Philly area and then I have familia that are closer to North Jersey…. They’re an amazing group people to watch shows with including quite a few other bands in the same 311 genre.”

Some fun facts about Joshua are that he was a non-roster invitee to the Pittsburg Pirates spring training camp. “Unfortunately I got cut.” He was also an airborne air assault in the U.S. Army.

Talent for Joshua is that he can be good at almost any task or activity really fast. “When I’m interested, I’m a natural jack of all trades.” His guilty pleasure is sports. “I love watching just about any sport on TV and going to live sporting events. I coached quite a few sports and I’m a huge fan of all Wisconsin teams and the Rangers.”

Other music that Joshua can be found jamming out to include The Movement, Stick Figure, Rebelution, Tropidelic, Bumpin Uglies, and Little Stranger, just to name a few.

To 311, Joshua has this message: “I appreciate how hard you all have worked to throw down music for all of us to jam to over the years.”

Now here is his message to all the fellow 311 fans out there:

“Everyone just remember that life and the world is a better place when we all get together as a familia and rock it!! All we want is just beyond.”

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Thank you Joshua Newton for sharing your story and love for this amazing band. As always, a heartfelt thank you to those who read each week. I hope you all have an amazing week. Keep on spreading the positivity and love.

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back to the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight? Are you ready to meet another awesome person? Let’s learn the story of Nikki Harrison!

It was Nikki’s ex-boyfriend that introduced her to the magic of 311. They went to 311 Day together twice, then one of the cruises. It was 311 Day 2010 that sparked her interest in the band but it was the 2013 cruise that made her a true fan. “That ex and I had a very messy break up and I found that I gravitated toward 311’s music to help me through that time. 311 Day 2014 was my first 311 Day after my ex and I broke up. I had decided not to go when the break up happened. But I stayed active on Facebook and “met” a bunch of people. I met Jennifer (Williams) Tucker in person for the first time when she came to my home 12 hours before we embarked on a road trip to NOLA. I met so many people on that trip that I now call my 311 family. That trip was a turning point in my life. It was 6 months after my break up and the point where I decided to push forward and not look back. I actually call the time before 311 Day 2014 my old life and the time since, my new life.”

As for show tally, Nikki lost count somewhere in her mid 30’s. She believes she is well over 50 at this point. First show for her she believes was during the summer tour of 2009 in St. Louis. “I was a casual fan then, so I’m not 100% sure which show was my first.” As for her favorite events, it was the four cruises she went on. “Especially the 2015 Jamaica cruise.”

The song that Nikki said means the most to her is “Golden Sunlight.” “I am a creature of habit and don’t like change. I’m hesitant to take chances. I’m a very guarded person. I have to remind myself sometimes to “go beyond in the great unknown.”

Some of her favorite lyrics also come from her favorite song: “What if I could just let my guard down, what if I could live wide open, yeah. What if I could just let my guard down, and go beyond into the great unknown.” Another one of Nikki’s favorite lyrics comes from “Beyond the Grey Sky:” “Don’t give up the fight to stay alive and even if you have to, find the reason of another’s pain if they lose you. If not for yourself then those around who care like I do, one day you’ll see the clear blue.”

Nikki grew up less than an hour outside of St. Louis, Missouri, in a small community. When it was time for college she moved to St. Louis where she stayed until about 3 years ago, when she moved into her grandmother’s house a little closer to her hometown. “I’ve been renovating for the past 7 years. At 30 years old I decided working in advertising wasn’t fulfilling. I was part of a massive layoff when the company I worked for went bankrupt. Two months later I started my pre-reqs for nursing school. I’ve been a nurse for over 7 years now and I love it. I am a critical care cardiac surgery and pulmonary nurse. Cardiac surgery is definitely my calling. I’ve been an intermediate level COVID nurse for the better part of the past 2 years. My unit is cross trained for the ICU so we got a lot of ICU overflow. It has definitely changed who I am as a nurse. I’ve seen things no one should ever see, more death and sadness than one lifetime should experience. But it gave me a new appreciation of family, life. It taught me a lot about myself. I’m a healer, a problem solver. The hardest thing for me to accept is when I can no longer find the answer, when I can’t fix the problem. It also made me realize unhealthy habits, like how I channel stress, anxiety, and sadness.”

Fun fact you may not know about Nikki is that she was named after a cartoon character! “My real name is Nichol and my dad got the name and unique spelling from a comic strip.” Unique attribute for her is that she has an empathetic and caring nature. “According to a close knit group of girlfriends, I have a “willingness to go the extra mile for others.”

Guilty pleasure for Nikki is that she loves the oldies. “I was raised on music out of the 50s and 60s. The Beach Boys are my favorite band.” When not listening to 311 or The Beach Boys, she can be found listening to  Disturbed, Korn, Breaking Benjamin, Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach, Halestorm, he Urge, Stick Figure, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid, The Offspring, and Real Big Fish, just to name a few.

To 311, Nikki would like to send this meaningful message: “Thank you for helping me put my life back together.”

For her message to all the other 311 fans out there, Nikki chose to quote 311:

“It’s been a wild ride, I wouldn’t change a minute. I can’t slow down inside, guess that’s why I live it!”

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Many thanks to Nikki for sharing her story! As always, so much gratitude going out to all who read each week. Until next time, go be awesome!

Much Love – The Runt