Hello again my dear friends out there in 311 nation! Let’s start this new week properly and say hello to a new fan spotlight. This week we meet Ryan Reali!
An older student was listening to 311 during Italian class when Ryan was a freshman in high school. That’s the first time he heard their magical sounds. “I was intrigued, picked up Transistor, and have been hooked ever since. The heavier sound of their earlier albums hooked me at first.”
As for show count, Ryan lost count years ago. “Being an hour from NYC and Philly I catch em at least twice year on top of 311 Day/the cruise. My first show was somewhere in the tri-state area, senior year of high school or sometime in college. So sometime between 2000 and 2005.”
As for favorite show, Ryan said it was almost 311 Day at sea on this past cruise, but instead he chose when they played on his birthday in December at a small venue in Atlantic City. “Pretty sure that casino doesn’t exist anymore though.”
For song that means the most to him, Ryan said it’s “8:16AM.” “Had an emotional moment on the boat wishing dad could of been there to hear it, looked up and saw the Orion constellation, the hunter, which was dad to a T.” A lyric that Ryan loves is , “And fuck the naysayers cause they don’t mean a thing. Cause this is what style we bring.”
Ryan hasn’t gone far from where he grew up in New Jersey – there is only one neighbor in between the home he lives in now and the house he grew up in. The house he has now he said was a 3 bedroom, but he turned it into 2 bedrooms and a library. He heads down the shore on weekdays because his weekends, thanks to mom, are reserved for hunting at yard sales, estate sales, and flea markets. “Winter thanks to dad is for hunting for meat in the woods. Also a lil spring fishing. And thanks to both I do it all from woods, to freezer, to steaming hot and delicious on a plate. The only people from high school I still talk to went through Boy Scouts with me. A bunch of us got Eagle Scout.”
Civil engineering on highway projects is what pays for Ryan’s 311 addiction. Fun fact about Ryan is that he’s had sideburns since 7th grade. “And have progressed to full on civil war mutton chops.” Another fun fact – Ryan caught a pair of deer horns with his forehead!
Something unique about Ryan is that he collects the old, odd and unusual. “Such as an entire 5 drawer filing cabinet full of license plates. The oldest being a 1910 Ohio plate.” Guilty pleasure for him is watching the show “Big Brother” every summer. When not listening to 311, Ryan can be found jamming the tunes of Frank Zappa, Monster Magnet, Metallica, Halestorm, Alestorm, No Doubt, Black Sabbath, and The Urge.
To 311, Ryan has this message: “Thank you for creating this amazing community of people with your musical message of unity.”
Now here is his message to all the other 311 fans:
“Be kind, let each groove as they groove, and see y’all back OTMFB!!!”
Many thanks to Ryan for sharing his 311 story! Per the usual, my love & gratitude to all the supporters/readers of this little project. Hope you all have the best week possible! Until next time.
Much Love – The Runt