Welcome back my fellow 311 fans! I trust you are ready to kick this weeks ass so what better way to start it off than with a new 311 fan spotlight! Let me introduce you this week to Kim Neblett James!
Kim discovered 311 way back in 1993 when she went to a local venue in Richmond, VA (which is no longer there…as she said, RIP Flood Zone). The show she attended was two days after her 13th birthday and she figured it would be a cool thing to do since it was all ages. The middle band performing that night was none other than 311 and she fell in love instantly! “I became obsessed and would not stop listening to Music. Twenty one years later and I have the same feelings.”
I’m sure we all feel like we’ve been to so many shows and that you can never get enough. If you think eventually you’ll grow tired of it, think again. For Kim she still can’t get enough of the guys live! She has been to 99 shows and is hitting number 100 this summer! Even cooler than that is she has all but four of her ticket stubs for these shows in her possession. So after seeing 99 shows, how do you narrow it down to your favorite one? “I thought the best lineup was 2 Skinnee J’s and Incubus, but my very first 311 Day in Nola years ago was EPIC! I would have to say though that this past 311 Day was the best! The set list was BANANAS and I was surrounded by my Kind Buds (except for Jill). It was amazing!”
Kim mentioned above her Kind Buds – this is her group of friends that all love 311. She and her friend Jill even have kind bud tattoos! From what Kim told me, this group is precious to her and they support each other everyday. Members Jill and Noel did a cover of “Count Me In” at her wedding reception and Kim said, “Every time I think of it I start tearing up from pure happiness!” The group has also suffered a loss of one of their friends, Janet, last year to a drunk driver. RIP Janet.
Kim said there are a few songs that really mean the world to her, and “Beyond the Gray Sky” is one of them because she has dealt with much loss in her life and it reminds her to be there for all the people in her life, all the time, not just when favorable. “You never know what tomorrow brings.” She also loves the song “Strong All Along” since she can listen to it and know everything is going to be alright. Her number one song though is “Do You Right.” “This is the song that made me fall in LOVE with 311 style, lyrics, and over all feeling! It takes me to my positive place.”
Kim originates from Goochland County, VA. Her family had an enormous musical influence on her – Dad loves rock, blues and Motown, while mom is into everything Motown. Then her sister is into Prince, Beastie Boys, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. As she says, “We love to love music!” Aside from music, Kim loves her husband who she met when she was a mere 19! She said he makes beats for all types of music.
If there is one thing that is certain, Kim is by no means boring! Where do I begin? She has a degree from VCU in dance and is classically trained in ballet, but says that once she found modern dance her life changed! She has the three highest Girl Scouts awards and was one of the ten girls that changed the Gold Award standards. She’s been a vegetarian since she was 19. She has a niece whom she adores. She has travelled to more cities than she can count. Some other obsessions include Edgar Allen Poe, Maya Angelou (RIP), Mustangs, wine, Pinterest, Batman and her veggie garden. Her phone number and address include 311. Oh and she is a self-proclaimed smart ass and fighter for all things equal, “Because injustice is just BS!”
As I mentioned earlier, Kim loves to love music of all kinds. Some of her other favorite musicians include Beastie Boys, RHCP, Bob Marley and the whole Marley family, 2 Skinnee J’s, The Urge, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Stevie Wonder, and Al Green (Her list went on longer, but I think you get the picture – she loves all music!). You already know that she loves seeing 311 live, but what were her first concerts? “My first two concerts were Milli Vanilli and MC Hammer.” I don’t know about anyone else, but I think that rocks!
Kim is a lover of horror movies, something she considers her guilty pleasure. And while you know by now she isn’t boring, you don’t know that something that makes her unique is that she is the youngest person to choreograph at the Concert Ballet of Virginia!
One of Kim’s favorite lyrics from 311 is “Take care of yourself and someone else.” As she says, “I live by that.” If she could only ever say one thing to the band that has influenced her life so much, it would be, “Thank you for saving me from negativity.” (Great choice Kim!)
Kim’s final words are to all of you out there in the world of 311:
“Hey Brodles and Slinks, I hope you enjoyed reading this! I look forward to meeting everyone in the future. To my Kind Buds (Jill, Noel, Janet, John, Crystal, Cat, and Frank) I am so proud to have you all as friends. Much love and take care of yourself and someone else!”
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There you have Kim my friends! She was so fun to interview! I hope you all loved reading her story. Thank you all for reading each week. I can’t begin to tell you all how much fun this is for me and the fact that you read it, well it elates me! Until next week. Much love to you all!
-The Runt