Hello again my friends in 311 nation! Welcome to the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight. Let’s meet Matthew Wissman!
Matthew grew up in the middle of nowhere in Kansas, without access to cable and MTV. However his best friend in middle school circa 1996 saw the video for “Down” and bought the blue album on CD. “He was always hearing stuff before I could so I should really thank him for introducing me to this incredible band (and Sublime, RHCP, 2Pac, so much more). I bought the Blue Album shortly after and bumped it for a few years.”
Matthew said he stopped listening to 311 as he got into heavier music. Then in 2005-2006 he started again while trying to earn the affections of a girl who was super into 311. “She let me borrow her 311 Day 2004 DVD and I was automatically hooked all over again. I owned their Greatest Hits album and always enjoyed 311, but I was totally blown away by that live DVD and the rest of their catalog. I got kinda played by the girl, but it’s okay, because she re-introduced me to the greatest band in the land and I’ve got zero regrets about that! I think we’ve all heard somebody say, “oh wow! 311 is way more metal than I ever thought!” and I am definitely one of those metal heads who got hooked on 311 and their infectious grooves, and they’ve been my favorite band in the world ever since. I listen to everything now, but 311 is and always will have the music and the lyrics that speak to me beyond anything else.”
Show count for Matthew just hit 30 on this years 311 Cruise. His first show was June 29, 2007, on a day that he said would change his life forever. It was in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Westport Block Party. “Matisyahu was the opener that tour and it was an AWESOME SHOW!! They played What Was I Thinking?, Random, Wake Your Mind Up, Purpose, Silver, Freeze Time, Tribute, Nix Hex, Omaha Stylee, Who’s Got the Herb?, and Feels So Good at my first show!! Wish I could go back and do it again! Now I kick myself for all those years where I said “311 isn’t metal enough for me.” What a dumb ass!!”
As for favorite event, Matt chose the 311 cruise of 2019 as one of the highlights of his entire life. “I got on with the help of fellow Kansan and current Vegas resident, Chris Binder. I met him at a Wichita show in 2018, mentioned how badly I wanted to get on the boat, and he set me up with a few others who were looking for a third roomie. I roomed with my now spirit brother and sister, Maurice Kemp and Gretchen Brock, and it truly was one of the most magical, spiritual, emotional weeks of my entire life. I love those two with every bit of my being and we are forever friends for life. This last cruise was special as I got to be the one to bring a 1st Timer on the boat, and my week with roomie Joshua Zeck and friends was awesome. Being able to see others experience the boat magic as I have is an unforgettable experience. Nothing beats Costume Night!! Finally, 311 Day 2020 Night 2 was unforgettable. It was my only night on the floor, and I completely lost my mind. Everything from the stage to the lights to the Freeze Time alien was just incredible. I remember walking out to the casino floor wondering WTF just happened. I was in awe.”
As for song that means the most to him, Matthew said it’s hard to really choose just one. However “Golden Sunlight” is one that came to mind. “Lyrically, I always thought it was the best song on Uplifter, but now that I have my own 18-month old daughter it really, really hits home. I can remember seeing it at 311 Day 2020 on the floor and just bawling my eyes out because my wife and I had just found out we were pregnant after trying for a long time. It’s a special song for sure.”
Of course, some of his favorite lyrics also come from that song: “Sweetheart, I’ve been bothered, A golden sun lit path I’ve been after, Grass hills, wild flowers, Sharp road trails for a daughter, I want to be her father, I want to hear her laughter, Under meteor showers the dogs will howl at the midnight hour.” He also love these lyrics: “Don’t you know that the devil he’s in me and God she is too. My yin hates my yang but what the hell ya gonna do? I choose a rocky ass path but that’s how I like it. Life’s a bowl of punch go ahead and spike it!”
Matthew was born and has lived most of his life in Topeka, Kansas. He grew up in a musical household and while his mom grew up in a very religious household, she never pushed religion on them. “She was a choir singer through college and loved to sing with us kiddos in the car. My dad was an old-school hippie who got drafted in ’69 and held a deep hatred for the government and authoritative peoples thereafter (HA!). Music from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s were very popular in my home. I can recall my dad blasting psychedelic rock like Country Joe & the Fish and just wondering who this crazy man was that I called ‘Dad’. My mom was into bands like Fleetwood Mac, the Carpenters, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, folk music, stuff like that.”
Matt had an uncle who passed away when he was hitting a pivotal point in his life where music was becoming very important, and he inherited his CD collection of over 300 albums, spanning every decade and music genre. “He was the kind of guy who would go to Hastings and just buy ten random cds at a time because he loved music. That was the first time I ever listened to bands like Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd. But he also had an incredible collection of 90’s alternative albums and that just expanded my mind even further.”
When Matthew was just 14, his parents split up and he lived with his dad. “Rebellion and teenage angst were major themes in my household, so it was only natural that I would do my best to find that kind of music. Ska, punk, metal, thrash, death — if it was heavy enough to let me blow off some steam, I was listening. By the time I was 16, a great friend of mine was working for Pipeline Productions out of Lawrence, KS, and we were going to all the free shows we wanted. System of a Down & Clutch on the Toxicity tour. FREE. Slayer & Hatebreed. FREE. Robert Plant and .moe. FREE. We were going to a show every week and it was truly the beginning of my musical adventures. To be 16 and have that kind of access to music is something I’ll always appreciate. I was living the young, wild, and free lifestyle and it was fantastic.”
As an adult, Matthew said he funds his 311 habit through a government job. “It pays the bills and allows me to travel enough to make it worth it. I train judges, clerks, and other court staff how to use their case management system and work Help Desk. Nothing too exciting, but I’ve received an excellent view of how the entire court system in Kansas works, so I guess that’s cool. Not as cool as talking about 311 though. Back to that!”
Guilty pleasure for Matt is 80’s synth-pop. “I love it. It’s fun to dance and sing to with lots of catchy licks and rhythms. Bands like Erasure, ABBA, Flock of Seagulls, etc.” As for other music, Matthew said he tries to give everything a chance and expand his musical horizons as much as possible. “With that said, the bands/artists I’m into change with the wind. Right now, I’m really into triphop and lowfi hip hop music. Bands or artists that have been around for quite awhile that I’m only now discovering, like Thievery Corporation, Zero 6, Dope Lemon, Massive Attack, Groove Armada, Lemon Jelly, Nightmares on Wax, etc. I am really enjoying music without lyrics. I also like to tap into the roots of other popular bands that I enjoy. Nick Hexum was greatly inspired by the Clash, and I realized one day that outside of their popular songs, I really didn’t know much from the Clash’s catalog. I dove in and can now say the Clash is one of my all-time favorite bands. My favorite album is Sandinista! They are incredible! The English Beat is another band I never checked out and now I’m a huge fan. Other bands I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lately include Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Spoon, Khruangbin, Father John Misty, the Olympians, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Leon Bridges, Chris Stapleton, Thundercat, Lake Street Dive, Trip the Witch, Little Feat, Perpetual Groove, the Wood Brothers, North Mississippi Allstars, FKJ….the list goes on and on and on. I LOVE MUSIC!!”
Matthew said every time he gets in front of 311 he tends to freeze up and the only words he really can ever get out are “Thank you for everything.” “That’s good enough for me.”
Now here are his words to all his fellow 311 fans out there:
“I’ve met the best friends in the world through this band and their music. I truly appreciate anybody and everybody who’s given me the time of day at a show or online. Your friendships are near and dear to my heart. Thank you for reading about me!”
Big thanks to Matthew for sharing his 311 story! Of course, kudos as always to the supporters of this blog each week. Have an amazing week and sending you all positive vibes.
Much Love – The Runt