Hey there 311 Excitables! It’s time for the latest edition of the fan spotlight. This week we meet Colin Murray!
It was the song “Don’t Stay Home” that was the first 311 tune Colin heard and he was immediately hooked. “I remember the chorus and the last verse always being so fun to sing along to and just had my head bopping. I liked that their sound was a little different than what had been on the radio, and for the first time actually paying attention to lyrics and understanding the meaning to or behind a song.”
For show count, Colin is sitting at 61 but will add one more by the end of the year when he attends Richmond in September. “I’ve done five 311 days (’04, ’10, ’12, ’16, ’18), and two cruises (V, VI). My first show was 8/29/1997 at Nissan Pavilion (now called Jiffy Lube Live) in Virginia. I still have the ticket stub, signed by Pnut. One of these days I hope to get the whole band to sign it.”
As for favorite show, Colin said it was hard to choose since there were so many great ones. His first 311 Day in 2004 helped him understand just how magical and special the band is, for being able to have fans travel across the country for this amazing show. Then he also mentioned the cruise in 2019. “That was one of the first events I did without any friends from home and planned only with my 311 crew I had met thru different fan groups. Seeing them at Red Rocks in 2019 was also really amazing.”
The song “Use of Time” has been one of Colin’s favorite songs since it came out. “Hard to even put it into words but there’s just something about that rock ballad and Tim’s solos that make you get lost. I often close my eyes and just soak those moments in. Other favorites include Plain (just a fun jam), and Don’t Stay Home (for nostalgia).”
Answering another tough question, Colin had to choose some favorite lyrics and said there are so many it’s hard to narrow it down. He said all the typical positive ones stand out. The ones he quoted include: “Can’t fade me, still in the same ol trade of positivity,” “The jaded ones will wither while we optimistic grow,” and “We spend our lives, learning, if you like learning, life is large…it could never be only the ups, the downs will always come around.” Colin also said he loves pretty much every line of SA’s in “Offbeat Bare Ass.” “Just so funny.”
Colin grew up around Northern Virginia and is still living in that area, about 20 minutes west of where he went to high school, in Loudon County. He graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in business. He has three sisters – one blood and two step-sisters – with 2 1/2 years separating them all.
For work, Colin currently is managing the band Of Good Nature on the day-to-day operations and he tours with them as the tour manager. “When I’m not traveling with OGN I have been known to work merch for Ballyhoo! (I’m also an admin for their fan group). I also help book and coordinate shows for Hill Country Barbeque in DC, which has a 260-cap concert room on the lower level, and support a couple of other bands on an admin level with my business partner.”
Interesting fact about Colin is that for most of his life, he only went to concerts at big arena’s and pavilions. He also only went if friends were going. “In 2018 I changed that, and went by myself to see Tunnel Vision, Kash’d Out, and Seranation at Jammin Java, a small local venue, and while the crowd was quite small (barely 50 people), I reveled in the smaller nature of that scene, especially the interaction with the artists hanging out at the merch tables. I decided I was not going to miss another show like that just because friends couldn’t/didn’t want to go, plus I found something freeing about going to a show by myself. I quickly found multiple fan groups online and started seeing the same people at shows, so made a bunch of new friends; a music family across different bands and people. I went to 30 shows in 2018, and 62 in 2019!”
It was in July of 2019 that Colin first helped out Of Good Nature with merch at Jammin’ Java, He absolutely loved it and felt like that was what he needed to be doing. “I spent the next six months trying to learn more about the industry, volunteering with local bands to help with merch and other things. I reconnected with OGN in January 2020 and did my first road trip, a three-show run with Badfish and Ballyhoo!. We immediately knew we had a team and a good thing going, and was eventually offered and accepted a Tour Manager position with them for their six-week tour with The Expendables that kicked off in March 2020…well, we know what happened next. Thankfully I could stay at my regular job and just pulled double duty helping them on the few “socially distant”/”limited capacity” shows and basically interning as a manager. OGN signed on with Fatback Artist Management in spring of 2021, and I was brought on to maintain and expand my role as manager.”
Something fun people may not know about Colin is that he’s only had 3 jobs in his life. “13 years with Best Buy, 13 years in a basic corporate type job, and now with OGN for a year. Not many my age have had such few jobs!” Guilty pleasure for Colin is the show “America’s Got Talent.” “I’m a total nerd for magicians and mentalists and love seeing those types of acts. They usually have decent comedians too and I love good stand up.”
The other two bands that are long-standing favorites of Colin’s are Incubus and Chevelle. He’s also big in to Ballyhoo!, Passafire, The Movement, Joey Harkum, Bumpin’ Uglies, Little Stranger, The Elovaters, and of course, Of Good Nature.
To 311, Colin would like to send this message:
“Thank you for creating such good, positive lyrics and beautiful music, and for sticking together for so long. 30 years takes an incredible amount of dedication and selflessness, and we the fans are incredibly lucky to have this from our favorite band.”
Now here are his words to the other 311 fans out there:
“I’m humbled by all the friendships and relationships I’ve made from being a fan of the band, and you all have become some of my closest friends over the years. Thank you for bringing me into your worlds! I miss all of you and hope to see you soon, at a 311 show, or on the road!”
Thanks Colin for being a part of the 311 Fan Spotlight! Many, many thanks to the readers and supporters also. Sending you all so much positive vibes and hope you have an amazing week.
Much Love – The Runt
