Welcome back my friends of 311 nation! Time to meet the next fan spotlight. This week let’s learn all about Mike Vicious!

So Mike had heard of 311 before he actually heard their music and that’s because he’s from Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is part of the Omaha metro area. He said there was a lot of buzz around town when the blue album dropped and “Down” started being played on the radio. “I was just 14 when I first saw them on Letterman in 1996. So, I missed their local come-up; but a lot of my friends had older siblings who saw them live locally way before they were famous, and I was interested before I ever even heard a note. I’m a musician myself, having played instruments and being involved in musical things since I was little. At that age I was discovering what I personally liked… you know, “my music”. Although at that time I played classical, I was into hip hop and rap, and then was most definitely turned on by the whole 90’s alternative scene that was thriving. Witnessing the airing of “Down” on mainstream TV was so crazy… I had no idea what I was listening to, but I was hooked. And to think, these dudes were from my own stomping grounds! I subconsciously thought, if they could do it, I could do it! I quickly became obsessed… ASAP. I got the Blue Album (on CD, of course), followed by retrofitting Music & Grassroots, plus any bootlegs of their “Omaha Stuff” I could get my hands on. I played ETSD of VHS constantly during the summer of ’97. Transistor dropped before my freshman year of high school. It was revolutionary. I loved everything about them and still do. It’s all my favorite things: hip hop, rock ‘n roll, reggae, jazz, and sweet, sweet love songs & lullabies. Plus, they’re always my hometown heroes. So much love.”

For show count, Mike decided to go back and tally it up and he landed at 32. He said he would have gone to more if he could have and that 17 of the shows were from 1997-2017. His first 311 show was his first ever “real” concert and he was lucky that it was in his backyard at the Westfair Amphitheater on September 21, 1997. “I was only 15 years old at the time and already a ginormous fan. That night changed my life forever, and they’ve only continued to do so time and time again over the years.”

Like many, Mike says it’s impossible to narrow down his favorite show or event, but there are a few that really stand out to him. One is the very first time he saw them. Then the second time he saw them in 1999 at Sokol a week after Soundsystem was released. “CD intro, that’s all I’m gonna say.  Having a 1-on-1 moment w/ Nick & SA after the Des Moines show in 2002.. I have a tattoo of the signed ticket to commemorate the event (life changing).  Seeing Nick & Zack Hexum play a small acoustic set at Homer’s before the Memorial Park Show in 2004… OMG so much… the 25^thanniversary show… SA coming to my restaurant.. Lincoln in 2021… everything 311 Day 2022… the 2023 Cruise!!!! Most recently, the dinner here in Omaha this past September.  Hard to describe, but it was freaking cool.”

As for favorite song, Mike chose two: “Places that the Mind Goes” and “Inner Light Spectrum.” Favorite lyric comes from the song “Two Drops in the Ocean:” “The love we have is the only real thing.”

As mentioned, Mike grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and is now currently residing in Omaha. He also lived in Iowa City for about 15 years. “So I am a Midwest boy with mad love for Phoenix, LA, Miami, Portland, NY and Chi-town!  To fund my “311 Habit” LOL, I approach it the same way I do all expenses: tap into the entrepreneurial spirit! Besides being a musician, I’m a chef by trade and work with a lot of food service programs, grocery stores, and restaurants. I also cashed out a sum of retirement funds in order to build my home studio and, yes, my voyages to Excitable Reunions all over the country and beyond.  My only regret is not saving up more to spend more.”

Fun fact about Mike, not only does he make music, he’s an artist too. “That is, I paint and draw and stuff.. also, I write! Oh and I went to college for photography and cinematography. And I speak Italian.” Something you may not know or have been wondering – his real name is Mike Vicious. “Also, I do SA things in 311 cover bands (Don’t sleep on Brodels! Tune into “Off-Beat Podcast” for more info on that…). I’ve also performed on some important stages that 311 has also performed on:  The Ranch Bowl, Omaha (RIP), Westfair Amphitheater, yes the same!…and the Metro in Chicago!”

Guilty pleasure for Mike, he loves to binge watch high-quality shows like Stranger Things, Suits, and Breaking Bad. “And drinking White Russians. Delicious.” When not listening to 311, there are a ton of bands that Mike can be found jamming out to. Some that made the list are A.V.Collective, K-Os, Zebrahead, Z Effective, The Urge, Cardboard & Tape, Beastie Boys, Massive Attack, N.E.R.D., King Iso, Tech N9ne, ILLTH, Run The Jewels The Refreshments, RATM, RHCP, Radiohead, Macklemore, 2 Skinnee J’s, Dr. Octagon, Cloud 9 Vibes, 9CN, ICP, Kottonmouth Kings, OutKasts, Richard Warner, Otis Julius, Tropidelic, Ballyhoo, Cypress Hill, Connor Price, Taylor Swift, Corporate Avenger, Too Rude, The Fugees, The Roots,  Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, The Beatles, B.O.B, Los Stellarians, and The Nick Hexum Quintet.

To 311, Mike would like to send these words: “We’ll keep going if you will.”

Now here are his words to all his fellow fans:

“I love you all!!!!”

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Huge thanks to Mike Vicious for sharing his story with us all! My eternal gratitude as always to the supporters of this blog each time as well. Now go have the best week you can. Sending you all the light & positivity.

Much Love – The Runt

Hey there 311 nation! A new week is here and that means it’s time for a new fan spotlight. Let’s meet Seth Mansell!

It was around 1994-95 and Seth’s cousin was driving him around, and he was flipping through his CD binder. He saw a CD with just numbers on it and asked his cousin what it was. “He put it in his CD player and the rest is history. It was the blue album that was burned on an old circuit city cd-r (don’t tell the band 🙂). I was immediately hooked and later that day I bought Grassroots and Music from our local record store.”

It was around the time that Transistor came out that Seth started going to see 311 live. First show for him was in 1999 in Cleveland. “There have only been a few summers since then I have missed a concert when they come to my area which is Cleveland, Ohio. I’ve been to 50+ shows since then and attended 311 Day 2016.”

As for favorite show or shows, Seth said the ones he saw on the 2007 tour really stand out to him. “I ended up going to several tours that year with a great group of friends and met the band after the show in Columbus that year. There was a lot of energy on that tour and it is the tour where I also discovered The Dirty Heads who are another favorite band of mine. I also enjoyed the 2010 tour a lot because that’s the first tour me and my wife went together (one of our first dates).”

While there are a lot of songs that stand out to Seth as meaningful, he said the one that really strikes him is “Eons.” “That song always puts me in a good mood, I believe the song means that sometimes you need to face the negativity and conquer it.”

One of Seth’s favorite lyrics comes from the song “Flowing:” “You can’t be let down if you don’t expect the world.” “Life likes to throw curveballs and we expect too much from others, ourselves and other things and we need to sometimes take a back seat and let life figure itself out.”

Warren, Ohio, is where Seth grew up and he now lives in Kent, Ohio. He also spent 5 years in Cleveland. He’s a high school teacher and his career is close to being halfway over already. “Life goes fast! Throughout the year I always stash some cash away for a summer tour, I have not been on a cruise yet, but it is on my bucket list!”

Seth’s biggest hobby is his 311 media collection. “I have nearly every single piece of official 311 media the band has ever produced, even the elusive Omaha cassette tapes. I have been collecting 311 media from all over the globe since 1999-2000, I like to think I have the biggest/most complete 311 media collection in the world! I’m not sure what sparked my interest in collecting everything, but I know that it has been a guilty pleasure of mine for about 25 years.”

Fun fact about Seth? Elvis Presley is in his family tree! Something that makes him unique is that he builds arcade machines and has a full size arcade room in his basement. “I love retro arcade games, especially Mortal Kombat!” Guilty pleasure for him is the movie Encino Man. “I have probably watched it 500 times. I also am a huge Big Lebowski fan!” When not listening to 311, some other artists that Seth loves include Dirty Heads, Incubus, O.A.R., Tropidelic, and Less Than Jake.

To 311, Seth has this message: “Please let me show off my 311 media collection on ESTD4!!”

Now here are his words to all the other fans out there:

“To all the 311 fans out there, new and old, keep rocking out. The 311 community has been amazing to me and I have met some lifelong friends and made memories that I will never forget!”

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Huge thanks to Seth for sharing your story! Always my eternal gratitude to the readers each post. Hope you all have a great week friends.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my friends in 311 nation! Here we go with the latest edition of the fan spotlight. This week let’s learn the story of Josh Perry!

Josh remembers the first time he heard 311 like it was yesterday. “I was with my mom coming back from the mall on a hot summer afternoon listening to the radio and what I didn’t know at the time was that it was 311. It was instant love for such a unique sound.”

For show count, Joshua is unsure of the exact number but believes it’s around 60. This includes three 311 Day events, and Pow Wow. First show for him was in 2005 in Saint Louis, at the 105.7 The Point Ho Ho Show. “Alien Ant Farm opened for them.” As for favorite event, Josh said it’s probably Pow Wow. Or as a close runner up, 311 Day 2010, when he was able to sneak into soundcheck and heard “Rub-A-Dub,” “1,2,3,” and “Jackpot.”

For favorite song, Josh said “Visit” has always spoken to him consistently. “One, that guitar riff dosnt stop and I love it. Second is the simple message of exploring the the vast earth that we live on. The plants, animals, creeks, mountains and oceans. priceless moments… perhaps, Don’t stay home.”

Saint Louis, Missouri, is where Josh grew up, about a 30 minute drive from the arch. He’s a middle child with a younger sister, Olivia, and an older brother, Justin. “My mom had a big influence on me when it came to art and music. My mom always had drawings that she was working on and of course music playing. Always very encouraging of both. She went to concerts very often…oh the stories she could tell.”

Josh has worked in the food industry, retail, on a horse ranch, a wooden watch company and now he’s in manufacturing. “So I’ve seen a lot.” Something that he loves to do is laugh and make others laugh with him, even if it’s at his own expense. “My humor is something that I also get from my mom.” He also said he’s good at imitations and humorous improv.

Josh was fortunate enough to meet the love of his life through 311, Rachelle Calhoun. “She is the best thing that ever came into my life, she is my rock. Nothing is better than being able to rock out in the car and sing together to 311. Going to shows with her, doing life with her. She is what keeps me in line. She makes me a better person and I can’t image life without her! That is the power and stretch that 311 has.”

There is also a close friend that Josh made all thanks to 311 and his name is Craig Leese. “He’s a big part of my life for over 14 years. All because he came into work with a 311 shirt on.”

Fun fact about Josh, he designed a poster for the 2012 Boston 311 show. “I had entered my design into a shirt contest and management felt that it would make a better poster than shirt. They gave me the details on the event and so I just added that in. Side note, it’s the very first paid digital artwork that I had ever done or since. I had no idea what I was doing in Adobe Illustrator. For god sakes I created it in RGB format instead of CMYK, didn’t have bleeds. A lot of rookie mistakes on a paid 311 gig. smh LOL”

When Josh was growing up, he would walk the creeks of his neighborhood with his mother, who taught him about fossils and crystals. “I have one hell of a Crinoid fossil collection that is around 25Lbs. I recently bought a Mosasaur tooth and Trilobite fossil.” The movie “Jurassic Park” is one of his all time favorites. And as for T.V. shows, he said “Seinfeld” and “The Office” are his go to’s.

When not listening to 311, Josh can be found listening to Deftones, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid, Soja, AAF, and Jinjer, just to name a few.

To 311, Josh would like to send this message: “Thank you all for believing in yourselves! The inspiration that the music has created is fractal and will live on generationally. I know this to be true. You all have made a positive impact on the world. You all should be proud of yourselves. I’m proud of you Nick, Tim, SA, Chad and Pnut!”

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

“Dont take life or yourself too seriously. Have fun. get out and enjoy the world!”

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Many thanks to Josh for sharing his story with us all. As always, so much gratitude to the readers each week. Keep smiling and spreading that positivity.

Much Love – The Runt

Happy 2024 my friends out there in 311 nation! Hope you all have had a nice start to the new year. Let’s meet the first fan spotlight of 2024 – Rachelle Calhoun!

It was at the young age of 15 that Rachelle started listening to 311. She grew up with their music always playing in her home. “I am very much a 90’s alternative girl when it comes to music. Their music was unique and not like everything else on the radio, and when you listened to an entire album every song was so good, I didn’t want to skip any songs and then hearing the lyrics… it was deeper and had a real positive message. I love how the albums have grown with the band, because it has grown with me getting older as well.”

For total shows Rachelle has seen, she said she’s never been one to count, but she knows it’s a lot. She has been to four 311 Day events, two cruises, and one year she and her ex picked a show in the north, south, east & west to attend. They went to shows in Connecticut, Texas, California, and Michigan. “My first show I was 15 and I don’t remember if it was in Tulsa or Oklahoma city since I did them both that same year. I remember being blown away by the OKC show so I think it was my first. I thought wow they are incredible, the live show changed everything for me. Seeing 311 live gave me all the feels and I have loved them ever since.”

There are a few really memorable shows for Rachelle, like the one in Cincinnati where she and Parker were on the rail. Or the 311 Day show she was able to be on the rail. Her most favorite though was in Omaha, Nebraska. “Watching the show from the balcony, the songs were perfect, but afterwards going to to the Hive to see the secret show was the most incredible experience. Seeing them in such a small place, I could reach out my arm to touch Nick and the entire place jumping and singing every word. That show was everything.”

While there are many songs that mean a lot to Rachelle, the one that takes her top spot is “Simple True” and she has yet to hear it live. “I was at the 311 day they played it and I was with my boys and Josh Perry we had flown in that day from the snow in Tulsa and the boys were falling asleep so we left the show just a little early so we could get to the hotel and get the boys in bed, but leaving that little bit early made me miss my song and it has plagued me ever since. I feel like it was my only chance to see it and that just kills me.”

As for lyrics, there are also a lot that Rachelle really loves. However there are two that really stand out to her: “I’m looking out for a simple kind of true, don’t know what I am waiting for I’m holding out for a simple kind of true, at least some kind of a metaphor,” and “Do as you will, do as you wish, follow your bliss.”

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is where Rachelle grew up and has pretty much lived her whole life, with the exception of the few years she was in Norman, Oklahoma. She has a very normal family – parents are still together and she has a younger sister Katy, who she said is her complete opposite. “We are all very close and live pretty much all across the street from each other today. I was married for 12 years and had my 2 beautiful boys Jace and Canon. I am divorced for about 10 years and happy as ever.”

Rachelle decided to attend college and will be graduating from the University of Oklahoma this May, then she is going to pursue her masters degree. Her goal so far is to be a high school counselor. She loves dogs and said if she had a house she would have rescued about 5 more by now. “I have 2 Remy and Rufus, they are my babies and 10 years old.They are the most bonded pair you have ever seen.”

As for funding her 311 habit, she said it’s putting it on a credit card and letting future Rachelle figure it out! She also said that the biggest thing 311 has brought her is people. “311 day 2014 changed my life and led me into this group of people that I found to be my soul mates. I met my best friend Parker Buehler. She changed my life and even though our time together was too short, I will cherish the 6 hour phone calls and the shows we saw together. I have so many beautiful souls I have met and will always root for! If it wasn’t for 311 I wouldn’t have Josh Perry, we were just friends on Facebook and starting talking since we were both going through terrible break ups. After clicking immediately and some time he ended up picking up his life in St. Louis to come be with me in Tulsa and has been here for 2 years now. Our love for 311 started our relationship and its crazy to think we wouldn’t have met without 311. I love that when we get in get in the car our Playlist is all 311 and we sing every song together, it’s the best to be with someone who gets it, and some who is “6 foot 3 and like Mohamed Ali, floats like a butterfly and sting like poison ivy” 😉 He is definitely my very sexy brodel.”

Fun facts about Rachelle, she loves hippos and the color blue. “I have a tattoo of the Fantasia hippo on my back and would love to add more and have a whole hippo magical scene. I love that the 311 community knows I love hippos, I get tagged, have gotten gifts, and most recently shout out to Corey Coussens who made sure I had all the bioworkz hippo pins. I don’t think most people know I used to be a dancer and started dancing at the age of 2, I danced all up until I had my boys and didn’t go back to it. I still would love to and hope its not too late!”

Some talents for Rachelle, she is an amazing cook and cooks almost every night for her family. She is also really good with hair and makeup and is a master cosmetology instructor. Another fun fact – she is double jointed in her arms. “My arms always look broken, I can turn them 360 degrees its very creepy.”

Guilty pleasure? Rachelle loves watching murder documentaries with Josh or watching alien documentaries. “I am obsessed with the paranormal as well and will watch anything with that. I just got done with the white princess, the white queen, and the Spanish princess so I really enjoy period shows too. My most guilty pleasure is scrolling through instagram for vintage jewelry. I just bought a Victorian ring, that I call my ghost girl ring.”

As mentioned before, Rachelle is a 90’s alternative girl when it comes to music, but there are other artists she loves too including Dirty Heads, Foo Fighters, Tribal Seeds, Iya Terra, Slightly Stoopid, and Muse. She also said she will forever be a Michael Jackson and Paula Abdul fan “because I gotta have some 80’s in there.”

Message to 311 from Rachelle is this: “Thank you for bringing the most incredible group of people into my life with your music, please keep making new music!”

Now here are her words to all the other 311 fans out there:

“I will leave one of my favorite quotes from Gandalf (Lord of the Rings): “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” time is fleeting and make the best of your time on this earth. I believe there is always time to have your dreams come true.”

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Many thanks to Rachelle for sharing her story with all of us! As always, my eternal gratitude to each of you who continue to read these and support this little blog. Hope you all have an amazing week, sending you all positive vibes.

Much Love – The Runt