Oh hey there 311 nation! What is up? Are we ready for the next fan spotlight? Let’s meet Steve Kostecki!
For Steve, he remembers the day very clearly when he became a 311 fan. Or when they blew his mind – it was July 30, 1997, “I was driving westbound on McLeod Road in Niagara Falls Canada. I was in my 1987 Ford Ranger XLT pick up truck with a brand new candy apple red paint job. I was listening to 103.3 the edge out of Buffalo. They declared a new 311 song titled Transistor, and from the third or second note I was instantly hooked, the tone and the changes of the song blew my mind. The sound of Chad’s snare was epic, and unlike anything I’ve ever heard and then the melodies and harmonies of SA together truly beautiful. I’ve never heard anything like that like that. And, to this day, I’ve not heard anyone else in any musical group who can harmonize as good as them. The song blew my mind. It sounded completely different than anything I’ve ever heard and the constant changes were exactly what I needed.”
For show count, Steve stopped counting at 20 but he believes the most recent show in Niagara Falls was number 25. As for a favorite, he finally made it to a 311 Day back in 2022. “It blew my mind and was so much fun. I have to do another one sometime soon.”
While Steve didn’t want to pick just one song that means the most to him, he landed on “Stealing Happy Hours.” “The song just hits me differently and has such a real good tone. Brings back many great memories for me.” For lyrics, Steve chose ones from “Space & Time” – “I think you’re more damned if you don’t, I figured that out long ago, truly. But I’m on a one way highway out of town, I got to get away or I might have a breakdown. So break it down, so long to this kind of worry and the doubt. I roll the window down and give myself a way out, a way out.” Steve said this part of that song is almost biblical to him. “It’s a constant reminder for me to take breaks. I’m busy .. a teacher, business owner and I have 6 children. If I overload my plate … I pretty much fuck myself and my family, still crash n burn. This song is special that way for me. I also use this with my wife to make an excuse why I need another 311 show! 😆”
Steve grew up in Niagara Falls, Canada and he has several college and university diplomas. He’s lived in London, Ontario Canada, Ridgeway Ontario Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts for about 3 years. He funds his 311 habit by working his ass off and never stopping. “Except of course when I need some Space & Time, wink wink, nudge nudge.”
Steve has had a lot of run in’s with celebrities over his lifetime. “I’ve met Britney Spears. I played pool with Jessica Beal and I even met Julia Roberts. All of these meetings with celebrities have all just been chance, kind of strange. Most people never meet anyone famous.” Steve also has a cousin who won the Stanley Cup playing with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. He loves to work out, doing Crossfit, running and lifting weights. He also loves skiing but says his true love in life is golf. “I have a plan to golf in Scotland in about 2 years for 2 weeks. I’m going to travel to Scotland and meet some cousins I’ve never met and golf at some of the best courses.”
As for something that makes him unique, Steve said that it’s a really tough question to answer. However, he said if his wife answered the question, she would say that he has tremendous ideas and business ideas. “I have a great way of creating these ideas from my mind to reality.”
Guilty pleasure for Steve, he said isn’t really a guilty one at all, maybe just a little nerdy – he enjoys collecting coins, American and Canadien. “My other guilty pleasure is probably that I review restaurants online. I’m super critical and professional and take it super seriously.”
For other music Steve loves, he has a wide range of musical interests. He also plays bass. “And I like to play jazz and really old jazz, like the 30’s and 40’s kind of stuff. I really love Oasis, The Beastie Boys, reggae and Christian worship music.”
For his message to 311, Steve has these words: “Thank you so much for creating the music that you continuously do. Please, don’t ever stop but if you ever do, I understand. Your music has helped me more than I ever thought and I just recently came upon this discovery. It’s so important to me and thousands of people we are eternally thankful.”
Now here’s his message to all the other fans out there:
“Thank you for being like me. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. “
Many thanks to Steve for sharing his story with us all! And as always, my eternal gratitude to the readers each week. Hope you all have an awesome week! Go be amazing!
Much Love – The Runt