Welcome back again excitable nation! Let’s get this party started and read the story of David Elrod!
The year was 1996 and David moved from San Francisco to Alaska. He played baseball and got to ride to an indoor practice one day with a senior player. In the car the guy was playing the Grassroots album, the song “Silver” to be exact. “I asked “Is this the Chili Peppers?” (was a huge fan). He said “naa man, 311.” David said he didn’t think much about them again until it was 4th of July later that same year. “I befriended these amazing sisters who’s dad had a fishing boat. He took a few friends out for the fireworks display in Juneau. One of the sisters boyfriends put Grassroots in the entirety. I went out and purchased that album and “Blue” (which had just been released) and never looked back.”
Show count for David is around 15, with his first show being back in 1999 is Seattle. “It was a private show that only Hive fan club members and radio winners were allowed in. 400 cap club. Stage was 2ft off the ground. What a night.” David wasn’t able to see 311 from 2003 until 2013. It was at the 2013 Warfield show in San Francisco that he knew he could never miss them again. Favorite event for him so far though was 311 Day 2016. “I’ve been on the edges of becoming a true super-fan. 311 day set if off. I made so many lifelong friends and gave fully into the “Excitable Lifestyle.” Special thank you to Leo Saucedo, Ryan Ellison and Jessica Pursley especially making me feel at home.”
“Transistor” is the song that musically means the most to David. Chad Sexton did an interview in Modern Drummer and he had transcribed that song. “I spent every waking hour for months learning to play it.” Lyrically his favorite songs are either “Eons” or “Reconsider Everything.” One of his favorite quotes is this: “What if the truth is there is no truth? The only thing I can tell is there is no proof.”
San Francisco, California, is where David was born and raised. His parents were both professional musicians and also bike messengers. “My father’s band did pretty well in the 80’s. They were considered “SF’s answer to REM” label before label and personal issues did the band in. That meant I grew up in the full on Bay Area Punk scene in the 80’s-90’s.” It was after the house they lived in was sold and they were evicted that they ended up moving to Alaska. David has lived in many places including Juneau, Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and currently Berkeley, California.
David has worked in the music industry since the age of 19, first at a drum shop in Seattle and then a drum manufacturer. He was also able to take live and studio production gigs during those years. “I was able to connect with some amazing artists and eventually worked as a drum tech for people like Vinny Appice, Simon Wright, and many more. I’ve also tour managed many bands. I’ve played in several bands as well and still work on friends drums.”
Currently David works as the Sales Manager for Bandago, a specialty van/bus rental company. Their primary clients are in the music business and he’s worked with many artists including Snoop Dogg, Steven Tyler, and many of the bands that have opened for 311. David has also played in several bands including venerable punk rock act Agent 86, post rock group The Union Trade and Pop-Rock band Mammoth Life.
Interesting fact about David is that he is an avid cyclist. “I bike almost 20 miles a day to work and back. Even more on weekends depending on scheduling.” David was also a two time all-state percussionist in high school. “I can play any classical or modern percussion instrument with varying amounts of success.” Guilty pleasure for David? “I love 70’s “Adult Oriented Rock” (Yaught rock) Steely Dan, Kenny Loggins, Styx etc.. Love that stuff.” Other artists he loves are Helmet, Suicidal Tendencies, Candiria, and Soundgarden. “Anthrax when I was young. Now days it’s lot’s of Steely Dan. Always listening to the Bay Area greats like Faith No More, Camper Van Beethoven, Exodus, etc…”
To 311, David’s message is this: “My life has not had a lot of constant. 311 has been one of them. Now I feel like The Familia is going to be one as well. I cherish that I’ve had a band that has meant so much to me be so consistent and so fun. I remember as a teenager having anxiety about the future of 311. Worrying about them some day breaking up. It’s amazing that I can look back and not only say those fears were unfounded, but 311 has been killing it all that time. So thank you gentleman for being a constant source of positivism in my life.”
To all the other fans:
“Y’all have helped me make myself feel more comfortable just having fun. Thank you to my new family who accepted me as I have accepted you. As equals, best friends and the family some of us really needed.”
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That was the story of David Elrod friends! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for being part of this awesome community my friends! Until we meet again…
Much Love – The Runt