Monthly Archives: November 2023

Uncategorized

311 Fan Spotlight #412 – 11/20/23 – David Tucker!

Welcome back Excitable nation! Shall we get to the newest edition of the 311 Fan Spotlight? This week we. meet the other half of last week’s spotlight – David Tucker!

When David first started dating his wife Ammi in 2000, she was always listening to 311. “I think she was probably the biggest fan in our area. I was more into hip hop / rock / rap music. She introduced me to 311 music. I didn’t get into them at first. But the more I listened to them, the more I realized they were mixing in some of my favorite music genres. I then became a fan. After my first show, I was hooked.”

Show count for David is at 18, that includes four 311 Day events and the last cruise. First show for him was June 24, 2000, at the Mud island Amphitheatre in Memphis, Tennessee. “It was the Summer Tour that had Incubus as their opening act. Side note: I was really looking forward to the 20-year reunion tour in 2020. Stupid Covid got in the way. I’m hoping that reunion still happens.”

Picking a favorite show was tough for David as he said every show is electric. “311 Day and the Cruise are both experiences that every fan must have at some point. But, I would say that my favorite show has to be the Transistor Album show in Chicago on October 23, 2022. When Omaha Stylee was played, everyone in the place rocked in unison. I will forever remember that moment. It was amazing.”

Picking a song that means the most to him was also difficult for David. “I think every 311 fan has been attached to a different song at different moments of their lives. I have several that have gotten me through good and bad times. I think lately I can relate to “Don’t Stay Home” the most. Growing up, I chose to stay home many times. It was my comfort zone. Looking back, I realize that I missed a lot of things going on around me. Then, during my early career and when my first 2 boys were little, we had no choice but to stay home. Now, in this season of my life, I want to experience everything that I can experience. Life is too short to miss the little things. I would tell anyone that is in that situation, go enjoy life. You have your entire life to make money. Trust me, I get it. I rode the struggle bus for many years. I know budgets are tight. But, 5 years from now, which is more important, $50 or a night of memories that you will have forever.”

A lyric that has stuck with David since this last cruise is from the song “My Stoney Baby” – “I want your fish right by me, that’s how it has to be.” “My wife made a pretty cool sticker and shirt with that lyric on it. But I also have so many other ones that I love as well.”

Northeast Arkansas, in a small town, is where David grew up. He’s been there his entire life. “We didn’t have a lot growing up, but our needs were met. We had a close knit family. As a kid, I always loved art and music. My tastes changed many times, but those two things remained. I was a band kid. I played the alto saxophone and was the drum major in my senior year of high school. I played in a local college band before deciding that path wasn’t for me at that time.”

A few years later David found his calling as a funeral director and he’s been in that profession since 2004. “It feels good to help people make their final decisions to respectfully honor their loved ones. I decided a couple years ago to continue my education by graduating with my bachelor’s degree in December and entering the MBA program in January. My wife and I have four boys. They are 16, 14, and two are 6-year-old twins. The oldest two are band kids that both play saxophone. They are way better than I have ever thought about being. All four have been exposed to 311 and other bands that we like. We are hoping to one day take them to a 311 concert. We are trying to open every door possible for our children to experience things that we didn’t and give them options for their own lives. I am happy to be where I am today in my life.”

Interesting fact about David is that he didn’t learn how to swim until he was 16 years old. “I always had a fear of water. I still have a healthy fear. I still remember the day I decided that I was going to either learn how to swim or die trying. We had a local hotel with a pool. During the summer, for $5, they would let you swim all day. Living in Northeast Arkansas, there wasn’t much else to do. So, one thing that I always noticed while being in the shallow end of the pool was that I was always surrounded by little kids. The deep end was where my friends and the pretty girls were. One summer day at that hotel pool, I told my brothers that I was jumping in the deep end and to come get me if I don’t come up. Before they realized what I just told them, I jumped into the deep end. As expected, I went to the bottom but then came up out of the water. I was swimming. It was doggy pedaling, but it was still swimming. I didn’t drown. When I opened my eyes, I realized that my brothers were on each side of me. They were ready to save me. I got better at swimming that summer. I got to talk to more of my friends and the pretty girls instead of the little kids too.”

Something that David has always loved to do is make parody music. “I’ve never recorded anything or even have any written down. But it’s just one of those things that got me through boredom while growing up. Sometimes I’ll make up goofy songs as jingles for local companies. I don’t know if that’s a talent, but it is usually a fun time with my wife and kids.” Guilty pleasure for him is playing video games. “Mainly MLB the Show while watching The Office at night after everyone goes to bed. It seems to remove a lot of stress from the day.”

Other bands that David loves, he says they change all the time. Or more so that he adds to the list as the years go on. “Now I mainly listen to bands I’ve heard on tour with 311 or one of the many Spotify playlists that includes them mixed with some of my old favorites.” Some of the bands he can be found listening to include Ballyhoo!, Little Stranger, Ries Brothers, Bumpin Uglies, Dirty Heads, Incubus, Weezer, Green Day, Cake, The Offspring, Tropidelic, Sublime, and Iya Terra.

To 311, David would like to say these words: “Thank you for continuing to make and perform music that gets me through life daily.”

Now here is his message to all the other fans out there:

“I have a career that experiences a lot of sadness. But in that sadness, there is often joy as well. Whatever you are going through, remember that there are better days ahead. It’s easy to consume ourselves with sadness and negativity, but I also believe it’s just as easy to consume ourselves with joy and positivity. You matter to someone. Always remember that. And it’s been fun celebrating 311 music with everyone. This community had brought me many friends that I would otherwise never have had the pleasure to meet. Keep rocking on! I’ll see you in Vegas!”

Many thanks to David for sharing his story with us all! As always, my eternal gratitude to all the readers each post. Have an amazing week and Happy Thanksgiving to all my USA friends!

Much Love,

The Runt

311 Fan Spotlights, Tales from a 311 addict

311 Fan Spotlight #411 – 11/13/23 – Ammi Tucker!

Welcome again my Excitable friends to the latest edition of the 311 Fan Spotlight! This week let’s meet the lovely Ammi Tucker!

Ammi said she will always remember the first day that she heard the sweet sounds of 311. “I was 12 and in 7th grade, still making it through the first few months after losing my mom in a car accident, and trying to find a new normal but struggling with lots of emotions. I came home after school one afternoon and popped on TRL for noise when Down came on. I stopped everything that I was doing and just watched. I’d never heard anything like that, and it immediately called to me. Just everything about it, the music, the aggression balanced with the singing, the beat and hooks. I knew I had to get their album and I went to Sam Goody as soon as I could and got it. I was hooked. Then I immediately went backwards and bought Music, Grassroots, and every bootleg (Teenie Weenie, Omaha Sessions, etc) or anything else I could find lol.”

Show count for Ammi is at 18 (she said it’s partly due to her location and not having access to as many shows). She met her husband David when she was 16 and only 2 shows in, so they’ve gotten to experience most of the shows together. “I’ve lived my whole life in northeast Arkansas, so we were frequent Memphis showgoers. Then, we had a big gap where we were busy raising kids and working all the time like young families do. Now, we’ve gotten to a better place and have started making road trips / mini vacations out of 311 concerts.”

First show for Ammi was September 9, 1997, when they played with Goldfinger at the Mud Island Amphitheater in Memphis. “I was 13 and had been listening for about a year at that time and the show was captivating for me. Being a teenager living in a very small town, it was so awesome to see other Excitables coming together to enjoy their music. Definitely happy it opened my eyes that the world was a lot bigger than my little bubble.”

As for favorite show or event, Ammi said for a long time it was a small venue tour show that she caught in 1999. “I snagged a spot on the rail at the New Daisy Theater in Memphis (where the Fan Party was in 311 day ‘06), Omaha Stylee opener, the whole show was insane.” Another great show she attended was the Chicago album shows in 2022. “Though Transistor was the tour of my first show, the energy at the Transistor night in Chicago was unforgettable. First time seeing Omaha Stylee as a closer, and it’s now my favorite way to end the show!”

However her most favorite show was her first 311 Day in 2006. “Despite only being 8 hours away, I’d never considered traveling to NOLA for the event, just thought it was something out of my reach (and budget, we were still newlyweds). Tragically, August of ‘05 was Hurricane Katrina, and once the immediate shock and emergency management subsided, it became apparent that 311 Day would have to cancel or move. Then, the stars aligned and they moved it to MEMPHIS. At that time, that was the only city I could see them in, and it was like Christmas. I called into a radio station and begged on air for tickets and won lol. So also, at that time, the 311BB was still alive and thriving, and I was somewhat active there, making signature banners and such for fellow BBers. As you all probably remember, P-Nut’s mom Joan was a mod and frequented the board as well. Well, I decided to shoot my shot and made this giant PDF of area points of interest and stuff, welcoming them to the area and offering to help in any way. I emailed it off to management and everyone’s email I could find, and about choked when I got an email back. VERY long story short, I ended up picking a crew up at the airport, helping get them around Memphis, meeting the band for the first time, and getting a peek at rehearsal. It was the absolute coolest day of my life, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it.”

There are several songs that have a special place in Ammi’s heart. “Eons when facing delayed grief over my mother’s passing, and Don’t Worry when going through a cancer scare (thankfully was all clear). Don’t Dwell got in heavy rotation when choosing to let go of past pain and move forward with life. BUT the one that always has hung through it all is Jupiter. It’s such a simple song, but just a good reminder that regardless of the curveballs that come your way, always try to look on the bright side.”

One of Ammi’s favorite lyrics is “You can’t be let down if you don’t expect the world.” She also loves this line from Don’t Tread On Me: “In the shadow of those looming battleships, I love our canoe.” “To me, it always made (and still makes) me think of my husband and how no matter what happens around us, we’re in it together.”

Northeast Arkansas is where Ammi has lived all her life and she started going to concerts in Memphis with her aunts when she was very young. “I think my first was Motley Crue and Whitesnake when I was 3 years old lol.” She has a background in marketing and communications, and now works at a local community college that she loves and feels very passionate about their mission. “I’ve always tried to be a positive force wherever I am, and through faith and music have rebounded from some pretty hard knocks. Thankful for all the trials, as it made me appreciate everything in life so much more.”

As Ammi mentioned, she met her husband David when she was just 16 years old. They’ve been together ever since then. “He was my version of a high school sweetheart, and though we’ve each changed tremendously since then, we’ve continued to grow together and still enjoy each other’s company. Now we’ve got a houseful of boys, two teenagers and 1st grade twins, and are loving life :)”

Another fun fact is that they are a house of band kids! “David and I both received the John Phillip Sousa awards our senior years, and we’ve got two boys in the band now. We’re very active with the band boosters at our school and help raise money however we can to support the music program. I’m passionate about the interdisciplinary impact and value of music education, and do whatever I can to help spread the word and enable more students to pursue performance and learning.”

Guilty pleasure for Ammi she said is The Sims. ” I’m an OG player that took a long break of about 10 years but recently got back into it, and I’ve been obsessed with the new building options. I’m also really into genetic genealogy and exploring family trees and stuff.”

When not listening to 311, Ammi said her playlist is a jumbled collection of artists and genres and what she is listening to really depends on her mood, activity, or the weather. “Spotify cannot keep up with recommendations for me lol. In one area, I’ve got Sublime, Everclear, Weezer, Cake, No Doubt, Bush, The Strokes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse, and lots of stuff that was on heavy rotation in the mid-late 90’s and 2000’s. Then in another corner, you’ll find George Clinton & P Funk, Booker T & The MG’s, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, Tower of Power, etc. Then you’ll find bands I’ve learned about through 311, like Goldfinger, Little Stranger, Jungle Fire, Los Stellarians, The Urge, Tropidelic, Ballyhoo, Bumpin Uglies, etc. Dig around some more and you’ll find grandson, Daft Punk, Fastball, Limp Bizkit, The Cure, Living Colour, Weird Al, KISS, and a whole menagerie of random artists. I’m a walking jukebox lol.”

For a message to 311, Ammi has these words: “Thank you guys for staying real and genuine even with your successes. You’ve all been so nice and humble every time I’ve met you, and it’s refreshing that you are all so down to earth and kind. Even at your shows, it’s evident that you’re all grateful and appreciative of those there. Also, it’s been fun “growing up” with y’all and seeing you all with families and stuff now that we’re parents, too.”

Now here is her message to all the other fans out there:

“Fellow 311 fans are some of my favorite people. Some I met decades ago, others only recently, but I love the kinship and vibe that you all bring. Thank you for showing a young girl from a little Arkansas town that she had her place with some awesome people outside the bubble. Keep staying positive!”

Thank you so much Ammi for sharing your story with us all! Also a huge thank you to all the readers & supporters of this little blog each week. It truly brings me joy to share your stories. Hope you all have the best week possible!

Much Love – The Runt

311 Fan Spotlights, Tales from a 311 addict

311 Fan Spotlight #410 – 11/6/23 – Alicia Sastamoine-Rackley!

Well hello again Excitable nation! A new week is upon us and that means time for a new 311 fan spotlight. This week let’s meet Alicia Sastamoine-Rackley!

It was the age of 16 when Alicia was celebrating her birthday with some friends, and her bestie put on “Fuck the Bullshit.” “I instantly was drawn to the energy of the song. As a teenager, I was living with my functioning alcoholic mother. I was severely depressed. I was also deep in the closet. I had zero relationship with my father (still don’t). This music was really a good way to get that anger out but also focus on the good around me. They truly saved my life listening to their music.”

Show count for Alicia is at 70. She’s been to one 311 Day (2022). Her first show was in March of 2000 in Portland, Maine, at the State Theatre. They played with Jimmie’s Chicken Shack. “Absolutely love seeing them play at that venue.”

It was too difficult to pick just one favorite show. Alicia said part of why she loves to see them live is she always ends up with a good story to share afterwards. “I have gotten a flat tire (in a different state) and had to drive home with a donut. I have been kicked out of a venue and had to repurchase a ticket to go back in. Simply for holding a beer for someone! I have been center, front row and fainted when Nick took his shirt off (psssstttt I’m gay). Ive met them just walking around town before a show! There is just always good stories involved when you see a 311 show!”

Song that means the most to Alicia is “Beautiful Disaster” because it hits home for her on a personal level. “The lyrics say it all.” She also really loves “Inside Our Home” because seeing it played live really connects with her. “They played this at 311 Day in 2022. Everything was just starting to lift and slowly return back to normal. When this song came home it was very subliminal. Everyone in that venue was moving, smiling, and cherishing the fact that we were there… finally enjoying live music. It just felt very comforting. I will never forget that moment. I straight up cried.”

As for a favorite lyric, Alicia chose words from “Born to Live:” Everything I need is right in front of me, I wanna bridge the gap & feel the unity. Yeah, everything I need is in the air I breathe. You get back what you give, and I was born to live, born to live.”

A small town in Maine is where Alicia grew up. At the age of 15 she moved in with her older brother. Once she graduated high school she went off to college. It was during this time that her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and she passed away just 6 months later. “I was pregnant 2 years later. And came out when my son was 2 ( I was 25). I got married at 30 & started a business. I turn 40 next year! As you can tell, my life was chaotic but I wouldn’t be who I am without any of that chaos. And I am forever grateful I came out of the chaos with a positive mindset. I love uplifting people around me. I love complimenting strangers. I love to give back when I can.”

Fun fact about Alicia, she is a burlesque dancer! “I lean more towards loving modern burlesque. It really is so out of my comfort zone but I find it incredibly therapeutic. My stage name is Anna Stay-sha.” She is also really great at photography and was a successful wedding photographer. “I was featured on the Today Show and Business Insider! And even won some pretty prestigious awards. So incredibly grateful for everything.”

Guilty pleasure for Alicia? It’s Phil Collins. “He is the man!” When not listening to Phil Collins or 311, she loves bands like Rage Against the Machine, Tool, State Radio, RHCP, Limp Bizkit, Beastie Boys, Sick of Sarah, Madonna, New Polics, Prodigy, Salt N Pepe, Weezer, Fugees, No Doubt, and Nirvana. “I could go on and on and on and on. Music is therapy to me.”

If allowed to say one thing to 311, Alicia would like to send this message: “Fuck the Naysayers and THANK YOU for being the weird, funky, positive, eclectic guys you are!”

Now here are her words to all her fellow 311 fans:

“Let’s keep spreading the positivity and living your most authentic life. Remember, fuck the naysayers! Thank you for being YOU!”

Huge thank you to Alicia for sharing your story with us all! Of course, always grateful for the readers and supporters each edition of this little blog. Hope you all have an amazing week my friends!

Much Love – The Runt