Welcome back friends to the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight! Let’s kick this thing off and meet Nick Greenwall!
1995 was the year and Nick was in high school when first introduced to 311, via the blue album of course and the radio airplay of “Down.” It was the combination of styles that attracted Nick and he said it was a refreshing change from everything else out there. “They had a special energy that drew me to them.” Nick said it’s great to discover a band that already has a few albums because then you can go back and listen to their previous work. After listening to Grassroots and Music he was completely hooked. As Nick put it, “311 has been positively influencing my life since 1995.”
This August, at Red Rocks in Colorado, will mark Nick’s 19th show, and his 8th at Red Rocks. “If you have never experienced the power that is Red Rocks, then you are missing out! It will change your life!” His first show was in 1995 at the KTCL Big Adventure Festival at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater. “It was a special experience as my two older brother’s band at the time was playing the 2nd or 3rd stage so I got to be their roadie.”
While Nick has had many memorable experiences over the last 21 years, there are a few that stand out over the rest. One lucky thing he got to do was Skype with P-Nut for an hour a couple of years ago. He got to actually have an intellectual conversation, get introduced to his family and P-Nut was introduced to Nick’s. “ He is a down to earth human and a genuine family man. We had a lot in common.” The cruise is another great memory for Nick, and he said if you can afford it to find your way there. “It’s the ultimate 311 experience!” Then there’s the time he stood outside, almost freezing to death, to get into the Fox Theatre in Boulder to see 311 on a frigid day in October 1999. “311 put on an incredible and intimate show for a small crowd and Nick did his signature stage dive.” Finally there was the first time he met the band as a whole back at Red Rocks in 2011. “I was blown away by how appreciative and sincere the guys were towards their fans. That experienced reinforced everything my heart had told me about these guys all those years…that they were the real deal.”
There are too many to choose from for Nick to narrow down his favorite song. However he said there are certain albums as a whole that can always bring him back to a certain place or memory in his life, which brings him great joy. “Make it Rough” from Stereolithic stands out to him and he said makes him realize that you can’t get too caught up in the future that you forget to live for today. As far as lyrics, on of his favorites is from “1,2,3” – “It’s alright to feel good. It’s alright for nothing to be wrong. The deepest dream that we have could….be tomorrow’s song.”
Nick was born in Minnesota but grew up in a small farming community about thirty minutes north of Denver, Colorado. He bleeds purple as he is a diehard Minnesota Vikings fan. He is a husband and dad, and really enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter exploring their beautiful state. His daughter’s favorite 311 song is “Never Ending Summer.” “She always does the, ‘3! 11! 3! 3! 11!’ chant at the beginning with a huge smile on her face.” Nick works at a local credit union in Denver for “many moons” and he loves having the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives by helping them to learn and grow financially.
A little fact about Nick most don’t know is that he loves learning about anything to do with World War II. “What an amazing time in history. Ever since Band of Brothers came out that gave me an entirely new perspective on some of the battles fought in Europe and what the soldiers had to fight through and endure. If you know one, thank a veteran! If you are a veteran, thank you for your service!” When asked what makes him unique, he said there are many things! “Get to know me. If you see me at a show, say hello!”
An eclectic taste in music is what Nick says he has. Some of his staples aside from 311 include Deftones, Rebelution, Shiny Toy Guns, The Bravery, The Cure, Bob Marley, Dave Matthews Band, Grateful Dead, Tool, Hall & Oates, The Doors, Duran Duran, Elvis, Fleetwood Mac, Sublime, Pink Floyd, Erykah Badu, MNDR, Metallica, and Type O Negative. He also has really enjoyed the 311 side projects NHQ, Los Stellarians and Ghostwolf.
Main hobby right now is collecting and trading 311 posters and merch. He says the most enjoyable part of it is the negotiations and conversations that happen during the process. “It’s not actually getting the poster in the end. I’ve met a lot of great people from simply sparking up conversations over potential trades.”
Nick’s message to 311 is this:
“Thank you for continually striving to progress both musically and as people and for giving back so much to the fans who are truly inspired by you.”
Now his message to all the awesome fellow fans:
“I have met some exceptionally remarkable people within our group. People who inspire me to be a better person and live life to the fullest. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet so many of you up to this point and look forward to meeting more of you in the future. Our experiences in life and the people we meet shape us into who we are today or who we will become. My advice to all would be to get out there and live life, experience new things, make new memories, continually broaden your perspective, and most importantly…have fun in the process. Life is grand!”
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That’s the story of Nick Greenwall my friends! I hope you enjoyed reading it and learning more about him. Thank you as always for reading and being the amazing community of fans that you are. Until we meet again…keep on loving and spreading the positivity!
Much love – The Runt