Hello again friends & excitables! It’s that time where we introduce the latest 311 fan spotlight. Here we have the story of Kyle Perman!

Growing up in the 90’s, Kyle heard 311 on the radio and instantly fell in love with their sound. He loved the energy of their songs and thought it was just different and amazing!

For show count, Kyle is somewhere in the 30’s. “I wish it could be way more but my job sometimes does not give me the luxury of going to as many shows as I would like.” One of the best experiences he had was going on the 311 cruise. “It was the time of my life meeting all the amazing people discovering new favorite bands and of course 311 I was freaking out when I did meet and greet picture.” He said other than this, one of his other favorites was when he was stationed in Guam and they performed a show over there.

While obviously Kyle loves the entire 311 catalog, he said one of his favorite songs to listen to is the live version of “Paradise.” “It just makes me think of going to paradise and listening to my favorite band with a drink in my hand.”

One of Kyle’s favorite lyrics is the ever popular, “Stay positive and love your life.” “I honestly believe that I struggle with anxiety and depression and living by this quote along with 311’s positive music gets me through my day.” He also really likes the lyric, “From chaos comes clarity.” “With all the negative things going on in the world, people need to live by these quotes.”

Allen, Texas is where Kyle was born and raised. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and has been serving for 14 years. “I have been all over the world I’ve been stationed in Delaware, Guam, Texas, and currently Oklahoma city.  So I use the military to fund my 311 addiction lol. I try to go to every show that I can if I’m not out on duty somewhere in the world.”

Interesting fact about Kyle is that aside from being in the military, he also teaches golf lessons and plays in professional mini tours. He said he probably should have gone full time pro but it just wasn’t in the cards for him since he is married and has a child. He loves his family and needed a stable job to be able to provide for them. He said that golf can also be considered one of his guilty pleasures!

Kyle said that while he mostly listens to 311, he has found some other great artists because of them. Some of his other faves include The Norm, Tropidelic, The Interrupters, and The Skints. He also loves I Prevail, A Day to Remember, and he said since he’s from Texas, he does enjoy some country music!

Kyle has these words for the band: “Thank you for always putting on outstanding shows and continuing to put out great music 28 years later, I hope you never stop.”

Here is his message to all the fellow fans:

“Thank you for being my second family I love all you guys I can’t wait to see y’all at shows and OTMFB! Stay positive love your life!”

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That’s the story of Kyle Perman my friends! Hope you enjoyed the read! Have the best week you can and always stay positive and spread the vibes around!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome all to the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight! It’s time to read all about Carly Schramm!

It was Carly’s best friend in high school, Jay (who is also her current roommate), who got her hooked on 311. She said one day it just clicked! “I remember going to Homers in downtown Omaha and buying every 311 cd they had. I was hooked in the best kind of way!”

Show count for Carly is currently at 55. Her first show was in 204 at Omaha’s 150th birthday. “It was a free show in memorial park with over 40,000 people. 311 shows instantly became home for me.” While it’s hard to pick just one show as a favorite, Carly said that it’s a tie between New Orleans 311 Day 2014 and the cruise to Jamaica in 2015 since both of those events are what brought she and Mike (Taylor) together.

There are many songs that Carly connects to, but one in particular that she loves is “Tune In.” “My sister and I used to sing it to each other all the time and it got her coming to 311 shows with me!” One of her favorite lyrics comes from “Life’s Not A Race”: “The world whirls around your mind in a golden spiral, The natural way that things organize. You can’t stop entropy so why even try, Observe the conscious flow and don’t mystify. Life’s not a race.”

Omaha, Nebraska, is where Carly was born and raised. “I think I connected with the band a lot because of that.” In 2011 she moved to Orlando, Florida, and lived there for 5 years, making tons of connections with some of her closest friends in the 311 community. She moved up to Rochester, New York, in 2016 before venturing to where she is now in Evergreen, Colorado. “Who knows where I’ll land next!” Carly is a bartender and has been working in the service industry her whole life. “I have always had a passion for cooking and feeding delicious food and drinks to my friends and family. I’ve been vegan for six years now and It’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done.”

Interesting fact about Carly is that she took guitar lessons for 5 years but said she can’t play guitar! “I really want to get back into it though. My attention span is a lot better now.” What makes her unique is that she’s a total goofball! “I like to think my greatest talent is making my friends laugh. What do you call a hippies wife? Mississippi.”

Guilty pleasure for Carly is that she turns on music and gets lost in painting or drawing. “It’s like I can shut the world off when I’m letting go in my creations.” Other music she loves aside from 311 include many artists, although one of her favorites right now is a reggae band called The Late Ones.

Carly’s words to 311 are: “Thank you for saving my life countless times. Thank you for leading me to my favorite people I’ve ever met. Thank you For everything!!”

Her words to the rest of the 311 fan base:

“I’ve grown up with you guys. It’s hard to believe I’ve known some of you for almost 15 years! Thank you all for helping me become the person I am today. “I’ve got a clique but it’s more like a family!!” 

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There you have the tale of Carly Schramm! Thanks you to Carly for sharing and to all the readers each week. Have the best week you can have and continue to be amazing!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello my friends! Welcome again to the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight. This week let us meet Daniel Schrader!

A random set of events is how Daniel found the tunes of 311. First off, he actually first saw them on February 1, 1992. “I went to Wayne State College in Wayne, NE and friends of mine that I met at Wayne had a band and some of the band members were from Omaha. A bunch of us piled into a few cars one day and drove down to Omaha that Saturday to go see some of their friends play in a band at Peony Park (it was 311!) I dug the sound and had a blast (at least from what I can remember) but didn’t ever see or hear anything about them again until 1993.” At that time Daniel was working in Des Moines, Iowa, on a construction crew. One of the guys on the crew showed him a tape that was 311 and asked if he knew the band since Daniel is from Nebraska. “I didn’t put 2 and 2 together until I listened to it. It was Music and I was hooked for life.”

For show count, Daniel’s exact number is uncertain. We know his first show was in 1992 at Peony Park, but he didn’t really keep count after that. He believes is somewhere between 30-40. Favorite of those though is 311 Day 2018. “That was my 1st 311 day and when I actually connected with the 311 community. I had been wandering around for my whole 311 experience basically by myself. Once I connected with the community, it opened up the world for me.”

While it’s hard to pick just one song that means the most to him, Daniels has a list of favorites that really stand out to him. “Paradise is always in my top 5, usually #1, Beyond the Grey Sky honestly has saved me more than once. Too Late hit me hard at just the right time in my life. Honestly, in my opinion, Voyager is one of 311’s best albums lyrically. Not their best, but that album is so well written and the lyrics so poignant, many tracks have moved into my rolling top 10. With Stainless being one of my favorites.”

A couple of lyrics that stand out to Daniel as favorites include: “”A shortcut’s a self-defeating means. If you cannot do it clean, you’ll never reach your reward.”; “Not for the faint of heart. It will not be painless. You’ll take your licks and you’ll never come out stainless.”

Daniel grew up in “The Middle of Nowhere” Nebraska. He’s an only child. His parents were always listening to music, including artists like The Beach Boys, The Ventures, and Dick Dale. “Some of my earliest memories were when they took me to concerts at the Nebraska State Fair every year as far back as I can remember. I’m sure that’s where my love for music came from.” Daniel stayed in Nebraska until his early 20’s and then found himself doing construction work for a few years. Then in 1996 he went to work for a door to door sales company on the west coast. “We lived in shady ass hotels and basically traveled up and down the West Coast. I lived in Palm Springs, Anaheim, L.A., San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Spokane. It was a legit company and taught me so much about myself and was actually the 1st time in my life that I was exposed to personal development. Something that would set my life in motion in a way that I never even imagined.”

In 1998 Daniel moved to Colorado, where he lived in Vail for about 4 years and was a ski bum. “I was a snowmaker and drove snowcats. In the summer I worked on the mountain building trails and operating heavy equipment on various projects.” Then in 2002 he moved to Denver, which is where he would meet his wife. “We’ve been together for almost 16 years (our 11 year anniversary is actually on September 20th). We have two children. Our 1st son Felix would be 9 this year. He was only with us for six days due to some very unfortunate, and completely unnecessary complications at his birth. This was my “Master Reset” and was the darkest time in my life. I’m fully convinced that without 311, I might not have made it through. When I was having a super shitty day, the perfect 311 song would always come on my iPod and lift me back up. Sometimes, just enough to get through that day. Fast forward 15 months after we lost Felix and our 2nd son, Simon was born. He’s in 2nd grade and will be 8 this year and keeps us very, very busy. He’s starting to really enjoy, appreciate, and understand 311 and that makes my heart sing! He actually asked me a month or so ago when we could go see a 311 show together. Queue heart melt.”

For work, Daniel owns a couple of businesses. The first is one in the tech space with a software company for real estate. The second is an entrepreneurial coaching space. “Both are just slightly past start-up and are taking up a lot of my time (and money) right now. I’ve been an entrepreneur my whole life and with the exception of a few different periods in my life I’ve mostly been responsible for my own well-being with my own businesses. I love this lifestyle and wouldn’t be able to make it any other way. My soul is too free. And, I just can’t do the 9-5 grind.”

Interesting fact about Daniel is that he wanted to join the military, for as far back as he can remember. “Both of my grandfathers served, my Dad served and almost all of the men in my extended family have served or continue to serve. When I was in high school I was already well on my way to going active duty basically the day that I graduated but I broke my ankle skateboarding. I broke it in such a way that it permanently disqualified me from being able to fly helicopters, specifically the AH-64 Apache, which is what I had all of my hopes and dreams in the military set on. It still bothers me to this day that I didn’t get to serve but at the same time, I’m grateful for being right here, right now. There is no other place I want to be (obscure 90’s one-hit-wonder reference).”

Unique attribute for Daniel is that he’s a beast on the racetrack! “I’m talking road racing not Nascar or drag racing. I started auto racing about 6 years ago and immediately was very, very good at it. Maybe it was all of those years of go-kart tracks and playing Gran Turismo on Play Station? The 1st race that I drove in I had the fastest lap on our team, having never competed in a wheel to wheel race before or driven that car before. Most races since that I’ve raced in I’ve had our teams’ fastest lap or damn close to it. I love racing and love that community. Such amazing people with pure passion. Much like another group of people that I know!”

Guilty pleasure for Daniel is the 311 merch exchange, or the MX and waffles. “I LOVE me a good waffle and absolutely love collecting 311 stuff. Prints, hats, stickers, picks, whatever! I’ve got well over a hundred prints (I don’t really know how many) and want them ALL!!!” When not listening to 311, other artists he loves include: Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Jurassic 5, Old school West Coast Gangster Rap, old Metal, etc. “I’m loving all of the new music that I’ve been exposed to from 311 over the years with RDGLDGRN, Iration, and Bumpin’ Uglies at the top of that list. My approach with music is that if it’s done well, with great musicians (not just performers), then I’ll add it to my playlist.”

Daniel has these words for the guys in 311: “Thank you! Thank you for never giving up and for always continuing to explore yourselves to give us this amazing gift of MUSIC!!!”

Now his message to all the other fans out there:

“Embrace the community. Embrace every bit of it! Share the music with everyone that you meet. You never know who needs to hear that one song, that one lyric, that one note. You just might change the world! And, seriously Fuck the Naysayers, cuz they don’t mean a thing! We live our lives worrying so damn much about what other people think and quite frankly, that’s none of our business! Stay POSITIVE and Love YOUR Life!!!”

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Thank you Daniel for sharing your story of your love for 311! All my friends who read each week, many thanks to you as well for the continued support. Until next time, have an amazing week & go spread the positivity!

Much love – The Runt

Welcome back friends! We are back with a fresh new fan spotlight. Let’s kick the week off and learn the story of Adrian Lopez!

When Adrian was a teenager, he and his father had a ritual of cruising around San Diego on the weekends, hitting every comic book store that they came across. “I always had my head in comic books as a kid and that passion has continued to this very day. But in those days, it was our way of bonding. We would drive everywhere while rocking out to our favorite local radio station, 91x.” In late 1999, the station started playing songs from Soundsystem. “I remember the day my dad and I were heading around town looking for a particular issue of the X-Men when I heard the beautiful echoing sound of the Flowing intro for the first time and my jaw dropped. That sound followed by the explosion of guitar, bass, and drums that came after hooked me instantly. I remember looking at my dad saying, who was that?!”

Adrian was still in high school at the time and wasn’t working, so he didn’t have a ton of extra money to go buy 311 albums. “But it was the good ole days when the Wherehouse still existed and they accepted trade in CDs for store credit. I took some of the old pop CDs I had that I wasn’t listening to anymore and traded them in to grab my first 311 CD, Soundsystem. To this day, it holds the biggest place in my heart. I wore the hell out of that CD to the point where it developed so many holes it couldn’t be played anymore.” What really attracted him to the band was their ability to weave in and out of different genres of music. “I love that they can make some harder songs, yet they still maintain the positive demeanor and chill sound. They are versatile musicians and songwriters who have an innate ability to compose songs that appeal to many people. Within their catalog, there is something for every kind of music listener. And I love their energy!! They are capable of helping me to unwind, but they can simultaneously get me pumped and ready to dance and jump.”

Current show count for Adrian stands at 40. He just hit this number at the Salt Lake City show. “I had the chance to spend time with some of my absolute favorite people in the world. It was such a great time and a fantastic experience for my 40th show.” Between 2004 and 2015, he had seen 311 occasionally, when they played in or near San Diego. His first show was in 2004 at the RIMAC Arena at UCSD. “The first show was mind-blowing! I reflect on that setlist sometimes and realize how incredible of a first show it was and how happy I was to finally see them.” His love for them was growing so much though that he started traveling to see them so he could see new places, meet new people, and stretch out beyond his comfort zone. “A very big moment came when I decided to travel to Chicago in 2017 and ended up at a barbecue thrown by some amazing friends whom I had never met in person. I walked out of that night forging lifelong friendships. As I have met more and more people, my love and fandom of the band have only intensified.”

Choosing a favorite event or show was a tough question to answer because Adrian said he has been to some amazing events.  He loved 311 Day 2016 in New Orleans because it’s where he got to meet the band for the first time. Then he also loved this year’s cruise, even though he suffered a broken foot on day 3 and had to power through the rest of the trip on it! His absolute favorite event though, he chose Red, White & Boom in Las Vegas in 2016. “I almost didn’t go because I’m an introverted person and a little shy, so I didn’t meet a lot of people in New Orleans that same year, so I was hesitant to make the trek to Vegas. But I am very glad I did! It led me to meeting one of my best friends and it became the first real event where I made many new friends and truly felt the love and unity. Not to mention, I fell in love with the Mandalay Bay Beach venue. It is very much one of my all-time favorite places to see 311. Those two shows were so much fun!!!”

A song that means a lot to Adrian is “Flowing,” as it’s the reason he was introduced to 311. “If I had never heard that song play on that fateful day, who knows if I ever would have gotten into them? That one song caused a domino effect that would change my life forever.” He also feels a very strong connection to “Beyond the Grey Sky.” “It is a song that means quite a bit to me having been through some tough times both in my own personal life, battling depression and anxiety along with having seen friends attempt to take their own lives.”  He also really loves “Use of Time” because he loves the guitar solos the Tim Mahoney does in that song. “I feel those in my soul.” New song that he fell in love with is “Born to Live.”

As far as lyrics, he loves this one from the song “Don’t Dwell” – “Set you free, break the shell, to your demons farewell, I tell you, don’t dwell.” Another one is from “Strong All Along”: “You could make a mean hand out of what you’re being dealt.” A couple other lines he loves from other songs include, “This moment is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present,” and “No I’ll not renounce my views do what others do, I’d rather drink the hemlock than be like you, to my soul untrue.”

San Diego, California, is where Adrian was born, and he was raised in the Chula Vista area. He has lived there most of his life but also briefly lived in Wisconsin and Colorado. He’s lived in San Diego for 36 out of the 37 years of his life and he grew up in the same house for 23 of those years. “My family has always been a very musical family, so I had the pleasure of growing up in a house where great music was often being played particularly classic rock of the 60s and 70s. My parents raised me on a steady diet of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Rush, Blue Oyster Cult, Boston, and so on. And this love of music from my parents manifested in both of them playing instruments. My father played the guitar and my mom played the piano so I would say music is in my genetics as I myself learned to play the violin at a young age as well as the cello and the drums.”

Adrian had a lot of hobbies growing up including playing football, baseball and hockey. He was also a member of the drama club because of his love for movies. Then he began playing drums in high school as a reserve member of the marching band. “I have been actively playing drums for about 19 years.”

Over the years, Adrian has had quite a few jobs in both telemarketing and retail. “I have worked for a research company called Luth Research, Longs Drugs Stores, a few gas station attendant jobs, as a Department Manager for Target, as a Manager for Hollywood Video, and most recently as a Manager for Walgreens. Out of High School, I enrolled in Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista and was going to school for Film-Making. It was always my fondest dream to become a great Film Director, but I ended up dropping out of college in 2004 and just decided to work. I got laid off from my job in 2010 and took the opportunity to return to school and re-enrolled in that same college where I would graduate with honors with an Associate’s Degree in Philosophy and would transfer to San Diego State University where I would graduate Summa Cum Laude in 2016 and earn my Bachelor’s in Philosophy with a minor in Religious Studies. While I have not gone on to teach as I had wanted, graduating from college is something I am immensely proud of as I did it more for myself. To say that I finished something.”

Something cool that Adrian enjoys doing and provides him some extra funds for 311 fun is putting his skills in graphic design to good use. “I self-taught myself Adobe Photoshop many years ago, having had the privilege of designing a campaign poster for the local offices of the second Obama campaign. I now use them to design and create custom merchandise such as wristbands, shirts, and stickers. It is a lot of fun for me to do as I love showing off my creativity and it makes people happy which is something I love doing. I have created 11 wristbands and plan on doing more as they are so much fun to pass out at shows or send to people online. The designs get people excited and they tend to be really good icebreakers for meeting new people. I love that my wristbands were recently worn on stage by Nick’s daughters during their performance on the cruise.” When Adrian has some free time, he loves to spend it volunteering in his community for various causes such as homelessness, animal care, and domestic abuse/violence. “I had the privilege of being a volunteer for the San Diego Humane Society for a year where I had the chance to feed and wash so many animals. I got to feed cats, dogs, and they even had a piglet that I got to take care of. It was one of the best experiences of my life as I am a huge lover of animals. Animals are one of my favorite things about being alive.”

Fun fact about Adrian is he’s a former 6^th grade California state spelling bee champion! “I began competing in local spelling competitions when I was in 6th grade and found out I have a talent for it, particularly the memorization. I was gifted with a near photographic memory so spelling came easy to me. I went on to compete on a national level and placed in the top 10 spellers in the country.” Another talent that Adrian has is his gift for writing poetry. He’s been published in numerous poetry anthologies across the country and won three amateur poet of the year awards. “It comes natural to me to transfer what I feel onto paper. And it goes hand-in-hand with another talent I have actually become quite known for throughout the 311 community, which is my talent for handwriting. If you ask anyone who has received Excitable Mail from me, they would say that the handwriting is gorgeous. Some of my friends find themselves unable to throw away the envelope! Ha-ha! That is a talent that was cultivated at an early age by my mother, who herself has beautiful handwriting, and was furthered developed by my interest and study of Calligraphy.”

Aside from 311, Adrian is also into music genres such as punk rock, ska, reggae, hard rock and some metal. He loves most music with the exception of country and most current popular music. “I can actually handle some old school country like Johnny Cash or Patsy Cline as my parents listened to it.” Some other bands he loves include The Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, Save Ferris, Bad Religion, Stick Figure, and Papa Roach. Lately he’s really been listening to an old favorite metal band of his called Nonpoint. “I have been listening to them almost as long as I have 311 and they are among my top 3 favorite acts.” A guilty pleasure for Adrian is also a band – he loves The Spice Girls! “I can’t help it! I have just always found their songs so damn catchy and fun! I know the lyrics to many of their songs and can actually be seen singing along in bars. I always had a crush on Baby Spice!” Another guilty pleasure for him is the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. He also is a huge fan of karaoke! “This is no secret to some of my friends as I often post karaoke videos of me singing along to 311 songs. I am super passionate about my karaoke! I even had the chance to perform live band karaoke with the Unity All-Stars on the last cruise, which was so much fun!”

To 311, Adrian has these words: “We love you guys so much for all the great vibes you have brought to our lives and for the unity you have achieved through the message in your music. Thank you for bringing us all together!”

Now his message to all his fellow 311 fans:

“I could have never imagined that I would know so many wonderful people that I now call family. I would have to say thank you to all the friends I have made in the 311 community. Many of you have helped me through rough times, when I felt the world crumbling around me. You have helped pull me from the brink time and time again. And for that, I can never thank you enough. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to know every single one of you. In the moments that I have spent with you guys, please know that my heart has never been happier. Go out into the world and change it for the better. Live with integrity, strength, love in your heart, and no regrets!

“Be excellent to each other… and… PARTY ON, DUDES!”

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There you have the awesome story of Adrian Lopez! I hope you all enjoyed his words and I can’t thank you all enough for supporting the blog! Thank you to Adrian for sharing his story to the world. Now go have an awesome week and don’t forget to keep being amazing!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends to the newest edition of the 311 fan spotlight! Take a break and let’s read the story of Anthony DiDomenico!

Anthony said that becoming a 311 fan is a multi-layered story. The year was 1996 and he was just 10 years old when he started watching MTV and seeing the music video for “All Mixed Up.”  “Up to that point I listened to what records my parents had. Billy Joel, Elton John, The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Michael Jackson, and Tower of Power. I gathered up my money from mowing neighbors lawns and bought three albums; 311-Blue Album,  Sublime-40oz to Freedom, and No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom.” He listened to the blue album over and over. Even as his music library grew, he always would go back to the blue album. “I wore that CD out so much that I knew when the skips would come and sing it with the skips.”

A couple of years later Anthony’s best friend, Anthony Daratany, had an older sister Nicole who got them even more into 311 and the culture around it. He said it was like discovering them all over again. “Diving into the their first four albums, the lyrics, their message and figuring out what all that means to me. I started learning to play guitar and of course the first riff I learned was “All Mixed Up”! Then six years later, the most important thing to any concert addict happened. I got a car and could drive me and my friends to concerts!” Seeing 311 live added another layer of fandom for him. “What has always drawn me to 311 and their music is the people who listen to it with me. The friends I had in 5th grade that listened to 311 with me, to this day, still listen to 311 with me. That crowd has grown with every show, more and more every year. Especially within the past ten years and social media bringing us together. From the parking lot to the pit, the connection that we all have because of our love for 311, the music, and the unity…IS INTOXICATING. Every show is like a recharge of positivity flowing through my veins.”

Show count for Anthony is at 32, which includes Pow Wow, two 311 Day events in New Orleans, and 5 out of the 6 cruises. “Missed the last one because I’m a new daddy and homeowner.” He’s kept every ticket stub of every concert he’s attended and they go into a Star Wars lunch box. First show for him was July 25, 2004, at Jones Beach in New York. “I came back from a family vacation (a cruise, which are the worst when its not 311!) and an awesome Slinky bought me tickets to my first show!” Favorite show for him was the beach show on the second cruise. “The clouds were grey and we were worried we were gonna get a rain out/wind/ cancellation of the show, then literally 311 forced the sun out with the words “Sunshine! Are you Outside?”!!!!  The splash pit was epic! And the experience of seeing a show in the water…the groovy island setlist made it the best 311 show and the best concert experience I have EVER had!”

Two songs of the 311 catalog mean a lot to Anthony and they are “Purpose” and “Livin’ & Rockin’.” “Purpose” was the first love song that he truly felt. “”They say love is a stream that will find its own course’ – those words still resonate with me to this day. It might have made its way to a couple of mix tapes.” Then there is the song “Livin’ & Rockin’.” “I wrote a script about 311 fans going to see a summer show and figuring out the problems of their lives. Taking years to complete (still trying to fund it!). When it came down to pick a title I thought about every single song in the 311 library. I needed a title that not only is catchy and exciting but explains what life is as a 311 fan, a title that personifies youthful exuberance, and provides an answer to life’s questions….the answer LIVIN AND ROCKIN!!!!!”

Lyrics that Anthony loves include ” You’ve got to trust your instinct and let go of regret. You’ve got to bet on yourself now star. ‘Cause thats your best bet.” “As recent as two months ago I needed these words in my life. I went through a dry spell with work, a business venture didn’t happen quickly enough for me and I was hemorrhaging funds.  I contemplated quitting my career as a filmmaker and have a normal steady job. I was applying to anything and everything; carpenter jobs, marketing jobs, even working at an Amazon warehouse.  The world LITERALLY told me no, you shouldn’t do this or that job. I hustled to make ends meet taking film jobs I shouldn’t be doing at this stage in my career, I doubled down, and bet on myself. Putting my ideas to pen and with the help of a friend, we are in discussions about developing a show with a new online network!” He also loves the line, “” What if it were true, that you weren’t so blue. And you felt like you could just do anything. But we’re facing the sunset and for a moment it looks like it’s rising. And we are on the other side of things.” “When I hear this song, the heavy chords, Nicks rap, analyzing society, educational system, and ones self…I get lost in thought, and I start contemplating on some topic. It’s like a mental spark to me.”

Born in College Point, Queens, Anthony moved out to Levittown, Long Island, New York, when he was 5 years old. After he graduated high school, he went upstate to Utica College where he played football. After graduating with a degree in Business Marketing, he decided that a cubicle in an office was not where he belonged. He cashed in a bond that his Cuban grandfather gave him when he was born and the attended New York Film Academy to learn filmmaking. “  I’ve been making movies and television since fall 2009. I’ve worked on close to 50 projects some not so note worthy but some ABSOLUTELY. AMAZING. I got to travel the country working on America’s Got Talent (the Howard Stern years), I got to work (very intimately) with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their “Go Robot” music video, the Daily Show, day played on Gotham over four years, and the MTV VMA’s. I’ve worked on over 30 movies with some really great actors; Chris Evans, Keanu Reeves, Ray Liotta,  Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Alice Eve,  Rachel Brosnahan, Jesse Eisenberg, Olivia Wilde, Vincent Piazza,  and THE MAN John Leguizamo.  And of course, being one of the additional fan footage contributors on ENLARGED TO SHOW DETAIL 3! Thanks for using my footage B Love!!!! I produced my first concert film for Ballyhoo! called Ballyhoo! Live in NYC. If you didn’t buy it in their PledgeMusic Campaign, its all good! We’re in discussion to release it on Youtube for free! You’re welcome everybody.”

Before he bought his house, Anthony had the greatest apartment in Brooklyn with his “heterosexual life mate” Shawn Van Houten. “My brother and I hosted everyone in the familia that visited NYC, from Bobby Jones to J Randy! Cooking food, playing tunes, and feeling good! Thats what the familia apartment was all about!” For funding his 311 habit, Anthony has these words: “It’s all about allocating your money for what’s important to you so this is how I explain it. I got to personally meet 311 on the fourth cruise, the fan film crew got invited to their suite and we met them while grooving to The Green rocking the boat.  When Nick and I greeted each other before I say anything, Raspler said “This guy never misses anything”. Nick laughingly thanked me for my hardcore fandom and I said…”The Cruise is the greatest experience of my life, I’ll never miss one…Conedison is gonna have to wait to get paid because the cruise payment comes first!” Everyone laughed because the whole room was listening to me. Great. Moment.”

Fun fact about Anthony: “If you don’t know…now you know…I’m the guy who is always dressed like BATMAN!” Talent that Anthony has is that he’s a really great piano player…except when he’s drunk though! Guilty pleasure for him is fishing and being a suburban dad living on Long Island! “Give me the ocean! Now I just need a boat!” Anthony also loves to cook, especially on the grill. Check  out his families instagram where they share their creations with the world! @didomenicofamilydelicacies

As far as other music that he loves, he said he will fully immerse himself in a band for months at a time. “Right now, I’m all in on Tool, in anticipation of FEAR INNOCULEM. I’m listening to 10,000 Days, Lateralus, and Aenima on loop in my car when I drive to work, I’m reading Maynard’s autobiography, and watching every Youtube video on Tool guitar & bass tutorials.  A couple of months ago I got heavily into The Clash. Spotify ran an AMAZING audio documentary on them; Stay Free : The Story of The Clash narrated by none other than CHUCK D! The documentary stroke a chord with me and I bought their Live at Shea album on vinyl and CD, and trying to start a cover band for the Godfathers of blending musical genres called POLICE & THIEVES! Who’s in?!?! I never miss a Rob Zombie concert and always buy his albums, groovy monster music you can dance too?!?!? I’m in! I have to mention here how special The Beatles are to me. The Beatles One album changed my life, I was thirteen, it is the line of demarcation for me from child to young adult.  I constantly think, listen, talk, and read about the Beatles. I have Beatles paraphernalia everywhere! I have every album on vinyl, books, paintings, posters, I have even have the Monopoly Game, Beatles edition!  I was super excited to see the film Yesterday which was a very cool and interesting film! Hope everyone sees it! And probably the coolest thing is The Beatles are sooooo cross generational. My parents loved it…I love it…even my daughter loves it!  I bought belly buds (headphones for pregnant bellies) so I could play Beatles music while she was in the womb. When Nicole was in labor I wanted the Beatles to play while Isabella was being born. My phone went through all of Abbey Road and then to Sgt. Peppers, when Isabella greeted this world it was to the tune; Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds! We almost changed her name to LUCY!!! Later when the doctor came in and did the auditory test for Isabella, there was a one second moment that breaks my heart to this day. I imagined a world that Isabella would grow up never hearing The Beatles. Never knowing what their music means to the world.  Never sharing their music with me….But as quickly as that thought entered it quickly was gone because the doctor said her hearing is perfect. And I’ve been playing her the Beatles everyday since! Her favorite song is Twist and Shout! One of her favorite shows to watch is Beat Bugs. For those without children, this is a kids program on Netflix where each episode is a Beatles song, and the story ties in/involves the song in some way.  She loves the show AND the music…and when you see her dance to it. You wish that you enjoyed ANYTHING the way Izzy loves to dance to The Beatles.”

To 311, Anthony has these words: “Stay true to yourselves…and we’ll always be here.”

To his fellow 311 fans:

“To everyone out there saying P.L.U.R….don’t just say it…live it. Put down the phones, get off social media, be in the moment! How can you enjoy anything in life if your concentration is on a phone?! Take care of your bodies, minds, and souls….and I’ll see you at the next show, in the parking lot with a beer and a hug waiting for you. Thank you for giving me life long friendships, hilarious stories, and moments I’ll never forget.  I love the Familia and everyone in it!”

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Thank you Anthony for sharing your awesome story! Much love to you and to everyone for reading this edition of the fan spotlight. Have the best week you can! Until next time!

Much love – The Runt

Welcome back my friends out there in 311 nation! It’s that time…we are about to learn all about another awesome fan! And today is his birthday! So give him a big shout out as it’s time to meet Ryan Boozer!

It was summer of 1996 and Ryan was on a church youth trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A friend of his saw his Rage Against the Machine shirt and said he had a band for him to listen to. “He then proceeded to let me borrow a copy of the blue album. Popped it in, miT starts the opening riff of Down and by the time the whole band drops in, I was hooked & finally had found my all-time favorite band.” Ryan then went home and got his own copy of the album, and shortly thereafter picked up Grassroots and Music, as well as some live bootlegs. He wanted to listen to everything he could get his hands on.

The music of 311 was so unique to Ryan and different than most everything else he heard, which is what attracted him to it. “I really liked the hybrid sound/blending of different musical styles. It immediately grabbed me like nothing else to that point, and only a handful of other groups/acts have come close since then.”

Number of shows is at 92 for Ryan. His first show was in Charlotte, North Carolina, on 8/31/97 during the Transistor tour. “De La Soul opened up for them & I was 9 rows dead center behind the pit.” Out of the 92 shows, the cruises are the shows that stand out to him as favorites. “It’s very magical to me to have that many other hardcore fans from all around the globe to come together & see the music we love on a boat for a few days. I feel lucky that 311 does them.”  A close second for him would be 311 Day events or Pow Wow.

Favorite song for Ryan is “Time is Precious” and he has a good reason – he proposed to his wife during it at 311 Day 2018! “I was able to ask a close source to the band if they had plans on playing it and got confirmation the day before we left that it was going to be played and when I needed to be ready. 311 means a lot to me and my wife (she has been to 41 shows with me & saw them a few times before we were together) so it was amazing to have that special moment to hold onto. Nick also says ‘These memories will last forever because time is precious’ before they play it. To most that’s just another line of the show but warms my heart to have that as part of MY 311 history.” A favorite lyric of his is from “Offbeat Bare Ass” – “Do what thou wilt.”

Ryan has spent most of his life in Charlotte, N.C, at least 34 out of his 36 years. He was born in Tampa, Florida, and also lived in Atlanta, Georgia; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Dallas, Texas, for short periods of time. Over the years he’s been employed at a video game store, a few pizza places, a mail/packaging store, and a head shop. He currently owns his own business with his wife called GB Unique Creations. “We help other people/bands/companies make merchandise & sell our own products online. We also set up merchandise booths at different EDM shows. We are lucky enough to be able to work in town as well as other cities in the Southeast. Anything within a 4-hour radius of us we try & hit if we can. It’s a lot more work than we both thought but we love it. I’m going to do it as long as I can.”

A hobby for Ryan is that he’s an avid CD collector. “I have over 500 CD’s total. For 311 alone, I have 47.” Fun fact about Ryan is that he’s had the opportunity two times to make merchandise for 311. “The first time I helped them make the 311 Day 2016 wings pins (1^st official lapel pins). The 2^nd time I helped them make the official pin & patch for 311 Day 2018 (2^nd ever official lapel pins).  I feel very honored to be able to say this. When I started my company, I said I wanted to help them make their 1^st ever official pin so to turn that into a reality was pretty surreal.”

As far as uniqueness for Ryan, he has an interesting story. “So, it’s well known that the guys are into aliens (especially SA). I had a session with a sound/energy healer a little while back where she told me that she had never felt a vibration like mine & then proceeded to tell me that this was my 1st time in a human body. According to her I had several other life’s & have been to several different galaxies beyond our own. It was a very cool experience. My wife Grace wasn’t surprised at all when she heard this.”

As far as guilty pleasures, Ryan is a die-hard sports fan. “Love me some Carolina Panthers football & Charlotte Hornets/UNC Tar Heels basketball. Was able to see the Tar Heels win a Championship LIVE in 2009 in Detroit, MI.” Other music he loves includes Story Of The Year, Bassnectar, Pendulum, Funeral For A Friend, Tauk, Atmosphere, Grieves, Adair, Disturbing The Peace, STS9, and The Police (just to name a few).

To 311, these are Ryan’s words: “You guys are my version of The Beatles/Kiss/James Brown/Grateful Dead (that’s what you mean to me compared to other legendary artists thru time).  You will always be my favorite band, thanks for affecting my life the way you have. I know I’d be on a very different path without it.”

To Ryan’s fellow 311 fans:

“Go see as much live events (whatever you are into-music, comedy, sports, theater, etc.) as you can. 311 is my favorite so they get the most of my time/$/energy, but I also go see other music (as well as comedians & sporting events) on a regular basis. At this point I have been to a bunch of very special shows (some 311 some not) & some of those if I hadn’t gone, I might not have ever been able to see that act/band/performer ever (or at least that line up/version of the band). A lot of these shows were out of town, but had I not made the effort then I would have missed out. I’ve also been able to meet a bunch of these artists because of going to the show & even hung out with a few. It’s pretty cool when you get to tell any performer (musician, comedian, athlete) what they mean to you. Life is short, buy the tickets!”

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That my friends is Ryan Boozer’s story! I hope you enjoyed the read this week and thanks Ryan for being a part of this project. Of course, all who keep reading, you absolutely rock! Go have an amazing week, stay positive & love your life!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome again to all the peeps out in 311 nation! New week means we get to meet a new fan! Let’s all give a big warm welcome to the one & only Steve Faust!

It was thanks to the Hoax 2 skate video that Steve first heard the sweet sounds of 311 and it was the song “All Mixed Up.” It was back in 1995 or 1996. Then he attended his first show in September 1996. “That show is not in their archives. The Urge opened and 311 opened with what they now call the transistor intro into Homebrew but it was just a kick ass intro way before that album. Hex and Chad rocking the blonde hair and I had the ball chain necklace like Nick rocked.”

Total show count for Steve is at 133. He’s attended all the 311 Day events since 2002. He’s also been on all of the cruises. Two of his favorites are the second cruise and 311 Day 2004, because himself and two of his friends got to watch the show from the side of the stage. Another one he loved was the Atlantic City show when they performed two sets. And finally, there was the very first cruise. “Oh but the feeling of that first cruise set one was right up there also when the boys walked out was electric!!”

Songs Steve loves include “Summer of Love” and “Sometimes Jacks Rule the Realm.” “Jacks in 04 311 day the lights panned up towards the end of the song just when kicks back in the rock and I remember looking up at all the fans and thinking to myself wow this is amazing everyone here for love and unity of the band.  Almost a feeling of reaching nirvana, got a little emotional to be honest.”

The northern suburbs of Chicago is where Steve grew up. He now lives in Baltimore and has been there for the last 10 years. Steve got to see 311 about 40 or so times for free because he knew a guy that did the lighting, who would hook him up with tickets and backstage passes. This is how he ended up on the side stage for 311 Day in 2004. “Funny story about that 311 day, we had tickets then sold them cause my friend got us on the list and we walked up and were directed to go around the venue and we walked through the back of the venue where the buses are.  So we were running late and inside the arena not knowing where to go.  Finally ran into a guy who asked us what are you guys doing back here and showed him the pass and he then directed us to the side of the stage Pnuts side.  2 minutes later 311 comes on stage imagine if we had been just a little later we would’ve run into the guys. Oh and Nicole Scherzinger was there also rocking lol.  On the dvd at the end of freeze time and Nick is asking the how is everyone doing out there people in back and then how you over here meaning left side crowd and at the right time as the camera pans up if you hit pause you can see me and my friends holding our hands up.”

Fun fact about Steve, you can actually look him up on IMDB. “I was in my friends movie back in 07.” Steve can be found constantly quoting movies. He’ll be hanging out with friends and someone will say something or do something and he can instantly relate it to a movie scene or quote. 

Guilty pleasure for Steve is that he loves watching movies or T.V. shows like Ozark, Shameless, Suits or Sons of Anarchy. He said he’s even been known to get sucked into Vanderpump Rules sometimes! He also enjoys playing video games.

Other musicians that he loves include Ballyhoo!, Passafire, Dirty Heads, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Stick Figure, Phish, and Umphrey’s McGee.

Steve’s words to 311 are as follows: “Thank you for the music and all the great friends I’ve met because of your music and “good talk Russ and don’t let your mom smell that beer on your breath”🤣😂 ‘national lampoons vacation’.”

Now his message to all the other fans out there:

“Well it’s been a wild ride especially since social media! Been able to keep in touch and grow so many friendships.  “I mean just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on grandest ship in the world smoking pot and doing shots with you fine people” 🤣🍾 Titanic.”

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See, Steve really does remember a lot of movie quotes! Thanks Steve for being a part of the fan spotlight. Much gratitude to all the readers out there as well! Now go have a rocking week!

Much Love – The Runt

Oh hey there 311 nation! Who’s ready to read the next fan spotlight? Ok then, without further ado, let’s meet Ashley Thomas!

Ashley’s 311 journey began when her best friend in high school became a huge 311 fan, and Ashley was really into AFI. It wasn’t until she saw 311 live that she really fell in love. “We went to the Vans Warped Tour on 6/29/2001 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. AFI came on first and I waited for AFI to start for the 30 minutes while Alien Ant Farm performed in a crowd of so many people I could barely move. As soon as AFI started I thought I was going to die and I had to crowd surf out of there for the first time. As soon as 311 came on stage I was in love. The vibe of the crowd was 1000 times better and I immediately started jumping up and down. I probably crowd surfed at least 5 times during their set. The people around me were amazing and kept helping me up to crowd surf. I had a blast and I was hooked.”

The next show Ashley attended was the Halloween show at Universal Amphitheater in Hollywood. “My best friend and I were on the floor right in front and this show definitely sealed the deal for me as being a major fan. I bought every CD that came out after that and saw them for a total of 5 times from 2001-2003. Unfortunately, when I went away to college I no longer had my bestie to go to shows with and did not see them again live until I finally found some people to go with on the 2017 Caribbean Cruise. The cruise was completely life changing for me. I fell back in love with 311 even more and discovered the 311 community aka familia. I met so many amazing friends which have now become family. I realized how close everyone was and loved how everyone I met on the ship was family from the beginning.”

After the cruise, Ashley decided to travel to Chicago to see 311, and she ended up at a barbecue that some fellow excitables were throwing, even though she didn’t know the couple throwing the BBQ! “Family and friends did not understand how I was going to someone’s house that I did not know. I said their family and sure enough everyone at the BBQ was family. I met so many more amazing people and that show was definitely one of my favorites. I was on the rail and there were about 30 of us familia all together loving the show together.” Total show count for Ashley is now at 24.

Favorite events for Ashley have been the cruises in 2017 and 2019. “I would have to say that although the 2017 Caribbean Cruise got me back into 311 and was super live changing the 2019 Caribbean Cruise would definitely have to my favorite for sure because of my amazing roommates and how many of my favorite people were on it.” One of her favorite memories comes from another event, and is as follows: “I went to the Manhattan Beach DirectTV taping while I was still recuperating from ankle surgery. I went on my Knee scooter and I had a crutch. I danced the entire show on one foot right up front with a crutch. After the show Pnut saw me and realized that I was there still rocking out with a crutch. His face was classic I wish I could have taken a picture. He looked at me with the biggest sad puppy dog look, jumped off the stage and gave me the biggest hug.  I will never forget that day. I saw so frustrated that my ankle was still a mess, but I went to the show anyways and I made the best of it. Pnut made it completely worth it.”

A song that is a favorite of Ashley’s is “All Mixed Up.” But then after her life changing 311 cruise experience, “Island Sun” is now one that means the most to her. Some lyrics she loves include, “Every day there are mountains, and some times the ocean,” “You’ve got to trust your instincts, and let go of regret,” and “Cuz there’s a better place to be and it’s one you need to see in this lifetime, so get on board and be on your way.”

Van Nuys, California, is where Ashley was born. Her parents divorced when she was just 1 and she moved to Culver City to live with her grandparents. In the summer before she went into first grade she moved to Manhattan Beach. “I grew up with a single mom who sacrificed everything for me to be in a good school district. In third grade I suffered from a brain aneurysm that burst and I was paralyzed on my whole right side. I was hospitalized for the first month of third grade and had to learn how to do everything again learning to walk to learning to read and write again. When I returned to school I had to transfer schools in order to placed in all day special education class, because my school that I had attended since 1st grade did not offer the class until 4th grade. I attended this new school for the rest of the school year and then we able to return to my home school with all of my friends the following year which I was back in general education classes with just pull-out special education support.  Although I still struggle with reading and writing I was able to go off to college and get all A’s and B’s with a lot of work. I would never be where I am today if it was not for all of the help from my resources specialist teacher; therefore, I decided to a resources specialist myself.”

Ashley attended Fresno State where she got her bachelors degree and teaching credentials. She had chosen Fresno State because of the small class sizes and there was snowboarding. “There was a mountain that was only an hour and a half away. While I was in school I was able to go snowboarding like every weekend during the winter.” When she graduated she moved back home and started teaching. She continued snowboarding but had to drive 6 hours to Mammoth to do it. She is currently a middle school special education teacher but has also taught kindergarten through 12th grade.

Every summer, Ashley volunteers for a week at a YMCA resident camp. “I have been going to camp since I was in the 5th grade.” We’ve already learned that she loves snowboarding, but Ashley said that she gets in about 30 plus snowboarding days each season. Guilty pleasure for her is that she watches all episodes of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

For other bands, Ashley said she really enjoys all music except country. “Punk has definitely always been one of my top music genres, but I also really like Ska, Reggae and Alternative.” Musicians that she loves include  NOFX, Pennywise, Bad Religion, The Vandals, Reel Big Fish, Too Rude, Rebelution, Stick Figure, and Slightly Stoopid.

To 311, Ashley has these words: “ Thank you for always putting on amazing shows and bringing us fans together. The positive energy you guys put out is what keeps us fans together.”

And to all the other fans out there:

“Thank you to all of the family I have met. I love spending time with all of you and sharing our love for 311. Thank you for always being there for me. I can always count on you guys to be there. Stay positive and love your life!”

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That is the story of Ashley Thomas! Thanks for sharing your tale and as always, much gratitude goes out to all the readers. Have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello out there my friends in 311 nation! The time has arrived to learn all about another fan. This week we meet Andrea McIrvin!

For Andrea, 311 came into her life when she was working at a rock radio station KRRO in Sioux  Falls, South Dakota. “All Mixed Up” and “Down” were in rotation at the time. “  Our salesman brought some tickets in to giveaway for a show in Sioux City (an hour down the road on I29), for 311 and Shootyz Groove. It was 1996.  (I think!? Hazy on this.) I gave a bunch of tickets away on air, and kept a pair for myself, and I had the best time!  I bought the Blue CD, and then started listening to the entire album on repeat. And put my first 311 sticker on my car in 1997.”

Count for shows she never really tracked until she met people in the Familia who kept tabs on their shows. She believes it’s somewhere around 25 shows, over 23 years. Her favorite event was 311 Day 2018, which was her first. “It was a dream-come true, after being a fan for so long and never getting a chance to attend.  I went by myself, and stayed in Las Vegas for 4 days.  Made new friends on the 311 Facebook pages before I went, so I had people to connect with once I got there.  And the person sitting next to me both nights of the shows was a total stranger, but totally cool and we are still friends to this day!”

One of her favorite songs is “I’ll Be Here Awhile” and has been the one she turns to when she needs to remind herself “living is a worthwhile thing.” She loves the harmonies and upbeat vibe, the lyrics, and when Andrea sings it out loud in her car, she knows she can make it another day. She also really loves the song “Get Down.” “I made an effort to get in shape after one particular 311 show (and I was dying from exhaustion.)  I listen to that song to begin every walk I take, and I have logged thousands of miles now, with 311 as my soundtrack.” She loves the line, “It’s time to get down, boots to the ground, you know I won’t stop until I hear the bell sound.”

Andrea, who’s radio name is Audrey and to her friends she goes by Aud, grew up in northwest Iowa. She said she’s just as old as the guys in 311. She attended college in Maryville, Missouri, which is just south of Omaha. After graduation she went into the radio field. “I’ve been moving up and down the dial for 27 years now.” She’s been lucky to have worked at several alternative radio stations in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, so she had lots of access to the new stuff from 311. “The Live Album, and then Soundsystem, and all the goodies that went with it from the record company.  Tickets, backstage passes, headshots signed, etc… I ways considered 311 to be my happy pill….. I can listen to many different artists, but when I wanted to be feel GOOD, I put on 311.”

Now working in her hometown of Cherokee, Iowa, she continues to he in the radio industry. She moved back there when her son turned 3 so she could raise him in a safe environment. Her son Jack is now 13. Andrea said she’s and optimist who is “annoyingly” positive and looks for the good in people.” “I go to concerts as a religion, hobby, escape…. I have seen hundreds, and hundreds of shows of just about every artist in rock or pop.”

With her profession in radio and loving to go to concerts, there are many artists that Andrea loves. She loves Butch Walker, his solo stuff and his bands Floyds Funk Revival, The Floyds, and Marvelous 3. “I have seen Butch in some form over 40 times, since 1994.” Other musicians she loves include Toadies, Madonna, Morphine, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Janet Jackson, Prince, and Deee-Lite.

Interesting fact about Andrea is that she lost 45 pounds in preparation for 311 Day! She did it walking and to be healthier in general. “I  started walking 6-7 miles a day, from August 2017 to March 2018.  Headphones, 311, and good shoes. It helped having a purpose to be in good shape for that long weekend in Vegas.” Guilty pleasure for her? “PBS Masterpiece is my jam!”

To 311, Andrea has these words: “ I would just thank them for taking their fans seriously… for not overlooking the devotion we have.  I appreciate how much they practice, and the attention to details…. the planning they put into everything they do does not go unnoticed by me.  From marketing, to stage design, to light shows/visuals, album covers, interviews, merchandise and special appearances, in-store meet n greets.. they can literally do it all and always with class, humor, and goodness.”

Her message to all her fellow fans:

“I went to a show in Lincoln Nebraska in June 2017, after taking several years off from concerts to raise my son.  After that show, I googled anything 311, and that’s when I discovered The Familia.  I had NO IDEA there was an entire community of weirdos like me.  I literally thought I was the only one!  I engaged with a lot of different people in the Familia, and eventually got invited to join other 311-inspired groups… I have made SO many new friends, and learned so much more about positivity.  The only message I would want other fans to know is to keep on truckin’.”

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Thanks Andrea for sharing your fun story of how you became a 311 fan! Much gratitude for participating and to everyone else for reading. Hope you all have the best week you can have, go spread the good feeling!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends and fans of 311! It’s about that time that we meet a brand new fan spotlight. Let’s meet Jeffry Chambers!

Jeffry’s story starts when he was living in his brothers basement, recovering from his divorce, and his four kids stayed with him every other week. After some time he got his own place again and as he said, “the world began to turn more perfectly on its axis.” Since Jeffry felt a little more secure he began to self medicate but only when the kids weren’t around. “They busted me anyway and let me know by introducing me to this band that openly sang about weed.  It was interesting but not quite like my favorite Steely Dan style.  Christmas they gave me “From Chaos” and my musical world changed forever.  I listened to it every Sunday during what I called “kitchen church”.  Head nodding and solo kitchen mosh pit became a religious experience.”

Jeffry was happy with just that CD for some time until a friend of his, Tim Zinkan, whom he calls the “true master of ceremonies,” told him that there was so much more to 311. “Learned  about iTunes and downloaded 9 of their other albums to my computer in one setting.  I had found my bible.  Was given Stereolithic long cd by my people who went to 311 day 2014.  I have had 311on shuffle exclusively for three trips to Florida and back as well as for my own listening pleasure at home.  The number of plays is amazing as well as the fact they are still fresh and enjoyable.    Would have to say the fact that my kids were so into them was the first draw and then “Champagne” and “I’ll Be Here Awhile” filled me with lyrical and musical joy.”

Show count for Jeffry isn’t the highest but he’s loved every one he’s been to. First show for him was in 2005 in Indianapolis and The Roots opened. “Drove an old motorhome to it.  My youngest son was a senior and wanted to know if he and his friends could go back in the back and burn one on the way?  Youngest daughter was with us so it was kinda uncomfortable.  She said “don’t worry about it Dad it’s all good”.  And it was and is.  Even as a straight designated  driver who was fretting about his kids taking on one of the habits that their mother disapproved of 311 (The Guys) made me want to bounce.  Got bad knees so had to fake bounce.  Sure felt the music.” Jeffry also attended a show in Cincinnati and went on the 2015 cruise, which he said was his absolute favorite. “A highlight of my life.”

Some songs that Jeffry loves are “Beyond the Gray Sky” and “Made In The Shade.” Some lyrics he loves are: ““I got a mind full of weapons in the battle of me versus myself,” “Can you get with a melding of two minds?  What’s the worst thing you could find?  A paper trail that prevails in demystification.  People want to believe in mysteries.  Is the truth so bad?”

About Jeffry, he said like the song “Trouble” again, he’s just a kid from the middle. He had horses growing up so shoveling “natures best” and wanting to be a cowboy is how he spent his formative years. He left town after high school for 10 years to try and be a cowboy. “ Colorado, Wyoming, Lake Tahoe, San Jose, realized the limitations of wrangling came back to Indiana got married had four kids wanted to and still want to be a singer songwriter musician.  Didn’t help my marriage but remain signed on to musical aspirations for life.  My songs are a little too country to fit the 311 but I bet “the guys” would do them proud.”

An interesting fact about Jeffry? “Other than being Dad to some awesome people, I’m just ‘tall that’s all’.” As far as what makes him unique, he said he may be the oldest 311 fan. “I don’t know why anybody wouldn’t want some of that”!  (From an In Living Color episode.)  Some of you may remember it.”

Some other musicians that Jeffry loves include Steely Dan, Here Come The Mummies, The Green, Frank Zappa, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Guilty pleasure for him is playing bass and pretending he’s a non-jumping Pnut to some of the songs on “Don’t Tread On Me.” He also has a Thursday night board meeting with some classmates and has only missed 8 of them. “ All the problems in the world are continually solved and opinions are tolerated while beer remains the binding elixir.  Females and sports are replaced somewhat, by blood pressure, prostate, blood sugar, etc.  Tolerance of our differences and the love for one another make the pleasure stronger than the hangover that grows as the number of barley pops decline.”

To 311, these are Jeffry’s words: “ “I’m not saying you’re greater than Jesus” but your songs help guide my life!”

To all of Jeffry’s fellow fans:

“Just be a good person, follow the “Golden Rule” whether it is reciprocated or not!”

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What an awesome story! Thank you so much Jeffry for sharing your tale of your love for 311. As always, many thanks to everyone for reading. Have an amazing 4th of July week! Summer is here!

Much love – The Runt