Hey there my friends in 311 nation! A new fan spotlight has arrived…the last one of 2021! Cheers to another year friends and let’s meet Ashley Remington!
First introduction to 311 came from Ashley’s cousins in California. She said they were the cool, older crowd and she was always absorbing whatever they were into growing up. “The first song they ever showed me was “Do You Right” and I remember instantly wanting to dance around. The happy slam dance does that kind of thing to you, still to this day. It’s still my go to song that I show people who don’t know 311, I feel like it captures a little bit of everything 311 is in a four minute summary.”
Exact number of shows Ashley has seen is unknown, but she believes it’s somewhere in the 50’s. First show was in January 2000 at the old House of Blues in Los Angeles with her cousin Kris. “He didn’t want to take me, but did anyway with some persistent nagging from my aunt. I had no idea what I was in store for, and definitely don’t feel like I appreciated that moment like I should have at the time. I didn’t see 311 live again until August 2005 in Salt Lake City.”
As for favorite show or event, Ashley said it’s a toss up between her first cruise in 2019 and the Stanley Hotel Halloween show this year. “The cruise is an unforgettable experience, if you know you know, there just isn’t anything else out there like it. In the year leading up to my first cruise I made some amazing friendships that still carry me through today. It’s amazing how two perfect strangers sharing a groove transforms into bonds with people I now consider family, all over the world, it really is special. The Stanley Hotel show was off the charts between the set list and the whole vibe. I was honored I got to experience it with some of my favorite people by my side. Plus we got to dress up, and I am here for all the costume parties!”
The song “Do You Right” is always Ashley’s #1 jam, but there are many others that hold a special place in her heart. “I find that as I go through life, depending on my current head space different songs speak to me in different ways. Existential Hero, Made in the Shade, Flowing, Unity, and No Control have been in heavy rotation lately. I think that is what has always been special about 311s music for me, its ability to reach me in different stages, almost like a message from the universe when I need it the most.”
As for lyrics, there are a couple that mean a lot to Ashley. She said that depending on where you are in life, the lyrics will speak to you in different frequencies. “That is something that has always drawn me into 311 was the hidden messages. Some of them I didn’t catch until much later, and others have changed over time.” One of her faves is from “Made in the Shade:” “You gotta keep on climbing the hill, ’cause if you think you’ll make it you will.” “This is a constant reminder to myself that mindset is everything. You are what you consume, and your mind is a powerful thing. Whatever ideas you feed it with it will become. It’s okay to not be okay, feel what you need to feel, but you can’t unpack and live there.”
Another favorite lyric for Ashley is “It’s alright, wherever you are right now. Tell you it’s alright, that’s who you’re supposed to be now.” She uses this as a reminder to reside in the moment. “There are no timelines, there are no cards that have to be punched by a certain date, there are no rules to how you live your life. We all have been guilty of falling into the trap of thinking we need to be at a certain destination in life at a particular time, and I am here to remind you all that shit is made up. Life is short, and you aren’t guaranteed a moment more than the one you are currently in, so don’t waste it stressing about these imaginary timelines.”
Ashley has spent most of her life in Utah, dipping her toes in different places throughout her life including Idaho, California, and Arizona. “Growing up in Utah was an experience in itself, especially when you don’t fit into the standard mold of a culture that dominates the state. It made it hard to not only find who you are, but be comfortable with who you are when you feel a constant pressure to fit in. I feel like in some ways I was forced to grow up very quickly so I could feel like I had the freedom to be me. When I realized that there was more to the world than just what was at eye level, and knew I had the choice to follow whatever path I wanted, without needing the approval of anyone else and make it my own a lot of doors into growth and discovery opened for me.”
Ashley is currently raising two beautiful humans, whom she said she is raising them to be and embrace everything that makes them, them. “I help fund my passion for music and following five guys in a band with my friends around the world by helping companies spend and budget their money. I found myself in the world of finance when I was 19. I slowly fought and climbed up the ladder in a male dominated corporate world to land where I am today in an accounting analyst position. I found my soulmate through my adventures in 311ing. Eddie Bratke and I met at a Los Stellarians show in Salt Lake City in January 2019. His brother, Preston, introduced us formally that night and that started the formation of a friendship that grew into something so much more over the following months. We are now engaged and navigating this crazy life together. Falling in love with your best friend is pretty special, and I am thankful that our shared love for music helped us cross paths when it did.”
Interesting fact about Ashley is that she grew up in a family of all boys. “I was the only girl in the family between siblings, and cousins. This definitely helped mold the “tom boy” in me. I am thankful I am able to switch it up between looking like a smoke show, and rocking the baseball cap and t-shirt flawlessly. Life is all about balance. Growing up in a family full of boys you were submerged into sports. I fell in love with the game of baseball, and have been letting it break my heart year after year since I was a little girl. Go Dodgers!”
Something Ashley loves is writing. “Stories, poems, essays, letters, anything and everything! It’s something I have enjoyed from the time I could put sentences together on paper. I have won several awards and been recognized throughout my life for different things I have written. I am constantly jotting down lines here and there as I think of them. I feel like I can express myself best with a good pen and a sheet of paper.”
Guilty pleasure for Ashley is bubble baths! She says they are her ultimate self-care and escape from reality. ” Give me the mountains of bubbles, I don’t care if you are 4 or 34, nothing sucks while you are in the bathtub.”
As for other musicians that she loves, Ashley said that she LOVES music and it has always been a big part of her life. “I have a jukebox tattooed on me to represent that part of me. Some of my favorite bands/artist off the top of my head are, RDGLDGRN, Tropidelic, Katastro, Chuck Ragan, Lucero, Rancid, Mos Def, Red City Radio, Rebelution, Dirty Heads, Kid Cudi, J. Cole, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Against Me!, The Menzingers, Johnny Cash, Atmosphere, Alkaline Trio, Incubus… I could go on forever, but you get the idea. I love hearing new music, so if you got something you think I should check out, please share!”
To 311, Ashley would like to send this message: “Thank you for creating a space for some beautiful friendships to flourish through a shared love of music and unity.”
Now here is her message to all the other fans out there:
“Life is hard all on its own… don’t actively participate in being an obstacle by creating difficulty in others’ lives. You can demonstrate compassion and kindness to everyone without the requirement to form a friendship. Do good things with kind hearts, and the universe will share that same energy back with you. Much love.”
Thank you so much to Ashley for sharing her 311 story! I hope everyone enjoyed it and as always, thanks to all who read every week. I wish you all a very happy New Year and can’t wait to see everyone in 2022!
Much Love – The Runt