Hello again excitable friends! Happy Thanksgiving week to all my U.S. peeps! Let’s kick this day off the right way with our next fan spotlight. Let’s meet Alison Haertjens!

The year was 1993 and a friend of Alison’s, who has gotten her into metal back in 1990, put on the Music album for her. “I was instantly hooked! I could never put my finger on what I liked about it. I just knew I loved the sound.”

Alison just hit her 40th show back in August in Chula Vista. Her very first show was February 23, 1996, at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. “My ex-husband wasn’t a 311 fan and going to shows just wasn’t a priority for me when my kids were little, and I didn’t go to another 311 show until 2011!  I didn’t even go to a single concert from 2001 until then.  I have been making up for lost time over the last few years.”

Favorite show was hard for Alison to decide because like many, she’s had amazing experiences at multiple shows like 311 Day, the cruise, Red Rocks, and club shows at House of Blues or The Roxy. “One of the best experiences was at the Stone Pony in 2015 – I had my first 311 photo pass, for a show in my home state, where I first fell in love with them, despite living almost 3000 miles away in San Diego.  P-Nut used one of the photos I took of him as his Twitter profile pic for a long time, and it made me so happy!  But this last cruise was nearly perfection in so many ways.  I am really fortunate to have had these experiences.”

Song that means the most to her was another hard choice, but if forced to chose she would pick “FTBS.” “The story is far too long and boring to get into here, but it involves 2 people I care about very much and singing it in a motel parking lot at 3am after my 40^th birthday party.”

One of her favorite lyrics is “You’re all up in my mix like fuckin’ Betty Crocker.”

Readington, New Jersey, is where Alison grew up. She also lived in Raleigh, North Carolina, for 2 years. She attended The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also lived in Houston for 3 years before finally ending up in San Diego in 2001. “I was a stay at home mom for 13 years, but am finishing a degree in Library and Information Technology in May and have worked part-time in a college library for almost a year.  I also have a temporary job doing data management at a small company.”

Alison has a 14 year old son and a 10 year old daughter. “They are truly awesome kids.” Her daughter has attended four 311 shows and was able to shake Tim’s hand briefly after her second show. “My son is not at all interested in anything I listen to, but I kind of like that he is following his own lead on that.  Hopefully he will come around to 311 some day, but I can’t make him!”

While Alison said she is pretty much an open book, it might surprise some people to know that she was a cheerleader from 8th to 10th grade, plus she was in a sorority in college. Another fun fact is that she was a concert photographer for awhile and was lucky enough to have met and photographed many of her longtime favorite bands and artists. “I honed my concert photography skills at Brick By Brick, a metal club in San Diego, and after photographing shows there for almost a year, became friends with the co-owner who books the bands – who happens to be a longtime excitable.  I have rocked out beside her at metal shows and 311 (including night 2 of 311 Day 2018).  And the way I started photographing live music was because of a friend I met through the 311 Familia who invited me to a local Pantera tribute show, which I photographed, and everything kind of took off from there.  That was 5 years ago and my life has been transformed for the better because of these music families.  I have met the most amazing people through our mutual love of music, and I am infinitely grateful.”

Alison has been a metalhead for almost 30 years and she said her top 5 favorite bands have been the same since high school: 311, Pantera, Slayer, Prong, and Pro-Pain. “The rest of what I listen to tends to be pretty random and mostly rock or pop of the 70s-90s, but 90% of the time I am listening to 311 or metal.”

As for guilty pleasures, Alison said she really doesn’t feel guilt over harmless things that make life fun. “I will sing along just as loudly to Hall and Oates as I will to 311 or Pantera.  My kids hate grocery shopping with me because I cannot refrain from singing along to the Muzak sometimes.  Foreigner?  Whitney Houston?  Billy Joel?  DON’T MIND IF I DO!”

Alison has these words for 311: “Thank you for this beautiful thing you have given so many of us that transcends music.” She also said, “I honestly don’t know what my life would be like without my 311 family and the incredible experiences we share.”

Here is her message to all her fellow 311 fans:

“This 311 thing we have is so unique and special, but it is what you make of it.  Enjoy it!”

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There you have it my friends, the story of Alison Haertjens! Thank you so much Alison for sharing your story and many, many thanks to those who read each week. During this week of gratitude, I’m thankful for being a part of this amazing, positive community! Until next time, keep being awesome!

Much Love – The Runt

Hey hey excitable peeps! It’s about time for the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight. Remember meeting Alison Winzenread last week? Well this week we learn all about her love, Mike Winzenread!

Growing up, Mike listened to a lot of punk rock, ska, and rap. Then one day, listening to the radio, he heard the sounds of 311 and was immediately hooked. “They had this sound that was completely different than all the standard alternative rock that was getting all the radio time.”

Show count for Mike is sitting at 46. First show for him was July 1, 2000, at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater, where Incubus opened for 311. While Mike picked the cruise as his number one, won’t forget ever experience, he does have another show he holds high up in the ranks of favorites. “There was one show on March 18, 2017, House of Blues Anaheim. They jammed so hard everyone in the crowd was going nuts.  I guarantee anyone who was at that show would definitely say the same thing.”

Song that Mike says means the most to him is “Tranquility.” One of his favorite lyrics is “From chaos comes clarity.”

La Habra, California, is where Mike grew up. He loved playing sports and was lucky enough to be able to play all the way through college. His parents were teachers, which gave him the opportunity to travel during the summers. “They took me all over the world. I feel like that is something that has stuck with me. I love getting away places with my wife and kids. That’s another reason I love this band so much. They give me and my wife the perfect excuse to travel together and hang out with great people.”

Mike says he has no musical skills, so he thinks that’s why he is so blown away by live music. When not listening to 311 he can be found listening to musicians such as Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, Iration, Tribal Seeds, Fortunate Youth, Passafire, Stick Figure, and The Movement.

Something Mike says he’s pretty famous for are his chocolate chip cookies and homemade chicken pot pie. He’s been told he’s a great cook! He’s also a certified scuba diver. Something Mike is really excited and proud of is that he’s a brand new grandpa to a precious grandson! (Congrats to Mike & Alison!)

Guilty pleasure for Mike? “I have to admit. I like watching MTV’s The Challenge and of course some Jersey Shore.”

Mike would like to say to 311: “Thanks for creating this great familia that I have so many great memories with.”

These are Mike’s words to all his fellow fans:

“In the words of Nick Hexum, stay positive and love your life.”

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Awesome story Mike Winzenread! Thanks for sharing, and again congrats to you and Alison on your precious new grandson! Much thanks as always to the readers. Have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Hey all excitable people! Welcome again to our latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight. This week we dive into the tale of Alison Winzenread!

Back in 1990, Alison was listening to a radio station called Pirate Radio, and that is where she discovered the sounds of 311. “From the get go, their sound was what I had to hear!”

It wasn’t until 2006 that Alison was able to see 311 live for the first time. Her first show was at the Greek Theater. She just hit show number 46 when she saw them perform at the Grammy Museum back in August.

As for favorite show or event, she chose the cruise over everything else she’s attended. “I would have to say that being on that ship, surrounded by every single person who loves this band as much as I do was THE BEST thing EVER!!!” She did say that Red, White & Boom was also fantastic, as were the 311 Day shows she’s been to.

Song that means the most to her is “I Told Myself.” One of her favorite lyrics from a 311 song is: “I love it when the only sound I hear is your infectious laughter. I will hear you again in 800 years if I’m still lucky.”

Alison grew up in Southern California and is the middle child out of five. She feels like she has always had a love for music. “I can remember loving Duran Duran so much in the 5th grade. I had their pictures all over my walls! I would watch VH1 with Richard Blade every day at 5:00 pm in the hopes of seeing Duran Duran. I guess I have my oldest brother to thank for introducing me to so many great bands back in the early 80’s.”

Fun fact about Alison is that she’s terrified of sharks…yet she tortures herself by watching every show during Shark Week! Another interesting tidbit about her is that she can make her tongue into the shape of a flower!

Guilty pleasure for Alison? “The Jersey Shore baby!” Some other artists that she enjoys listening to include Chevelle, Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Iration, Slightly Stoopid and Rebelution.

Alison’s message to 311 is: “Thank you guys so much for your music. Your lyrics have walked this path of life with me, and it has been a beautiful ride. and……. can you please play I Told Myself at 311 Day?!? :)”

Her words to all her fellow 311 fans:

“I feel so lucky that my husband loves this band as much as I do. We have enjoyed so many rad shows together and  have  met some pretty amazing people because of this band. Its been a complete pleasure to travel the world with these beautiful people who share the same love for these five guys who have changed so many lives.. PLUR<3”

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Thanks for sharing your excellent story Alison! Gratitude as always to the readers each week as well. May you have the best week ever and don’t forget to spread the positive vibes to everyone you meet!

Much Love – The Runt

Why hello there my excitable friends! New month…another Monday is upon us…and that means it’s time for the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight. This week let’s learn the story of Christina Long!

Intro to 311 came through a childhood friend for Christina. She was just a casual fan until her friend bought her a ticket to see them live as her college graduation present. This show was in Jones Beach, New York, on July 9, 2010. “The energy of the show was breath taking, and I easily lost myself in the music. From that day on I was hooked, and haven’t regretted a minute of the journey since.” It was about a month after this show that the first cruise was announced. “When I saw the email I called up my bff and told him that we had to go. My second 311 show was the sail away show on the 2011 cruise.”

Show count for Christina is now at 74, which she hit this past summer. Show 75 will be night one of 311 Day 2020. As for her favorite show, she chose the sail away show on the first cruise.  “The feeling of being on a ship for the first time, watching 311 perform as we leave the port, not knowing what the next few days will be like. It’s an experience you can never really have again. Now when we go on the cruise, we know what an amazing time we’re going to have, but during that first one, the sense of the unknown made everything far more intense.”

Song that means a lot to Christina was hard to choose as many songs have meant different things to her over the years. She says “Dodging Raindrops” is toward the top of the list currently. “Speak Easy” is also up there because of “the feeling of freedom that song inspires.. Especially when played on the cruise.  I actually have lyrics from Speak Easy tattooed on me. :)”

There are a few lyrics that stand out to Christina as favorites including: “If there’s a shadow in your life, Then there’s sunshine, Things turning inside out, All the time, Just rewind, It’s all in your mind”; “Hey you, what would the world be like, Ahh, without you around, Music you’re my constant companion, ahh”; “Let the cards fall where they may, All I can do, all I can say, Gotta move to trust my instinct, And surrender, let my song sing itself”; and “But if you’re feeling locked up and you wanna get free, Cuz you’re always on the hunt looking for serenity, Some of the times are gonna be rough but no matter what it brings Just lean into it, yeah lean into it.”

Christina grew up in New York City, in the urban borough of Queens. She spent a short time in upstate New York for college, but other than that she’s been in Queens her whole life. “ I don’t plan on staying here forever though, and I use my 311 travels as opportunities to check out other states/cities I’d want to live in. So far the PNW has really captured my heart, and I’m seriously debating heading out there.” For the past 10 years she’s worked for the NYC government. First it was for an elected official and now she works for a local agency that addresses quality of life issues within a small part of Queens. “Not the most glamorous work by any means, but I’m trying to do my part to help improve the neighborhood that I call home.”

Fun facts about Christina are that she has 8 tattoos, 6 of which are 311 or music related. “I’m hoping to add a few more soon.” Also, when she was in her 20’s, she was offered a modeling contract but turned it down. Something that makes her unique she wasn’t quite sure how to answer, so she had her bestie answer it- “Your infinite compassion and empathy, even for those whom you don’t actually like.”

Guilty pleasure? Christina said she doesn’t really have one. “ I fully embrace all of my weird likes and hobbies, and put them on display for the world to see. I mean if I’m not afraid to publicly post about meeting the actors from the original Power Rangers show in the early 90s, then what could I possibly want to hide?”

Other artists Christina enjoys include Passafire, Ballyhoo, Coheed and Cambria, Backstreet Boys (yeah I know, but I was a teen in the 90s lol), Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Iration, and Mike Shinoda.

To 311, Christina would like to say: “Thank you, I know you’ve probably heard this a thousand times, but your music has without a doubt changed my life.”

Christina has this message for all her fellow fans:

“Thank you for all of the amazing times these last 10 years, and I’m looking forward to the next 10!”

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Thank you Christina for sharing your 311 story! Much gratitude to all the readers out there as usual! I can’t thank you all enough for the continued support. Until next time, have an amazing week!

Much love – The Runt

Hello again my excitable friends! The new 311 fan spotlight has arrived. This week let us meet Jason & Shay Perlman!

Jason is the one who found 311 first thanks to his older brother. “My brother gave me a toboggan he got from a show so I wanted to check them out and was hooked.” Shay became a fan thanks to Jason and she tagged along to a couple of shows with him and listened to them in the car. It wasn’t until her first cruise in 2015 that she was fully hooked.

Show count for Jason is somewhere between 50-60. First show for him was July 26, 2001, in Charlotte, North Carolina. For Shay, she believes she’s in the 20’s for show count. “I have a horrible memory and wasn’t really into them the first 4 or 5 shows I went to (and when I looked back, those set lists were fire and I got so mad at myself). My first show was summer of 2006 in Virginia Beach, VA.”

As far as favorite shows, for Jason he chose the beach show during the second cruise. “Floating in the ocean during the show was awesome.” Shay chose the 2017 cruise as her favorite event. “Every time Jason and I got separated on the boat, the best and most random things would happen so I had a ton of fun stories.  And of course Jason passing out drunk at Mr. Sanchez is one of my favorite stores to tell.”

Favorite song for Jason is “It’s Getting OK Now.” “Helps me get through, it’s like a shot of adrenaline for me.” Shay said at the risk of sounding cheesy, she picked “Amber” as her favorite song. “That was one of the first songs my son sang along with and his “Whoa-oh”‘s were really cute! So it means the most I think on a personal level.  But Wildfire gives me chills every time I hear it.”

One of Jason’s favorite lyrics is “The only thing I can prove is there is no proof.” Shay chose the lyric “You can pray to your god but your god can’t fix.” “Sorry not sorry if it’s controversial lol but I just feel it’s captures the times we live in – It’s up to us to fix what’s wrong with our world. I hear that line as a call to action.”

Jason was born in Lake Ronkonkoma, New York. He moved to North Carolina when he was 10 years old. Shay is an original North Carolina girl and she grew up around Hickory. They now live in Kernersville. Jason works in the catering industry and Shay writes root cause analysis document bulletins for a financial services company.

Some other bands that Jason loves include Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Tool, Rancid, Weezer, Sublime, Rage Against the Machine, Incubus, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Shay said that RDGLDGRN, Ballyhoo!, and Dirty Heads are the only recent artists that she listens to on a regular basis. She typically listens to artists from the 90’s such as Yellowcard, My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, Britney Spears, NSYNC, HIM and CKY.

Interesting fact about Jason is that he fell off a 20 foot cliff when he was 14. He fell right beside jagged rocks and didn’t get hurt! Shay said her interesting fact is that she was on TRL and met Carson Daly when she was 15!

Something that makes Jason unique is that he’s played and beaten approximately 5000 video games, many of which he still owns. Shay’s talent comes in being able to make anyone like Brussel sprouts! “Everyone who has ever tried them hated them before but loved mine. It’s a requested side every holiday dinner now.”

Guilty pleasure for Jason is a unique one – he loves going to the dentist! “Even with all the scraping and poking. No pain, no gain!” Shay’s guilty pleasure is “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

They each have their own messages to the band. Jason would like to say, “Bring 311 Day back to Nola, there is more magic there.” Shay would like to say to Tim, “Sorry I awkwardly screamed in your ear after our group photo last cruise; I was not at my personal best in that moment and I’m sorry if that hurt your ear or startled you!”

Their combined message to all the other fans is this:

“We’ve met so many amazing people thanks to this band and community. We’ve made so many amazing memories and friends that we’re so thankful for and we love you guys!”

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There you have the story of Jason & Shay Perlman! Much thanks to them for sharing their story and to all the readers out there! May you have a fantastic week! Go kick some butt!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends out in 311 nation! Who’s ready for the new fan spotlight? Let’s read all about Randall Pink a.k.a. 311 Jesus!

Randall always enjoyed 311 but he was what he called a fair-weather fan. He liked what he heard on the radio and he would see them when they performed at local festivals, but he didn’t buy into them fully until he was older. “When I consider what drew me to their music I would have to say the Fans/People/Family that follow the band so  closely we have so much fun and I don’t know what I would do if I hadn’t went on the 2017 311 cruise!  It is also just such a positive and cool message in most of their music.”

Keeping track of his show count hasn’t been top priority for Randall, but he believes he’s somewhere around the 30 mark. His first show was at Edgefest #19 back in 2009. He was really there to see Korn but knew some of the hits that 311 had.

Favorite events or shows so far he said it’s a tie between two. The first is the 2017 cruise. “It was so special in so many ways. I met so many people who have since become my family and also that was the start of 311 Jesus!” His second pick was the Weenie Roast this year. He took his daughter to Los Angeles and as they landed they lucked into tickets to the show so he was able to take her to her first 311 show!

One song that Randall really loves is “Good Feeling.” “I had a really cool moment with my daughter at that festival I took her to this summer.” He also loves a ton of lyrics, as most fans do, but one of his favorites is simply, “Don’t stay home.” It’s also another one of his favorite songs.

Bedford, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas/Fort Worth area, is where Randall grew up. He said his parents sent him to private school to “keep him out of trouble.” He went to Harvest Christian Academy from 7th through 12th grade and played football, basketball, and was also on the track team. After high school he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do so he started taking random classes at his local college, Tarrant County College. Then life drastically changed for him at the age of 20-21. “I had my daughter Haley 2 months after turning 21.  Her mom and I got married and gave it a try for about 5 years but we realized we it wasn’t working and that we could still be great parents to Haley even if we weren’t together, fast forward 15 years and wow I have  a sophomore cheerleader FML!!”

Randall’s journey into the 311 world came later in life and he said it was super random. “My best friend Jordan Fain had an extra ticket for the Tribal Seeds and Slightly Stoopid Concert and my eyes were opened I fell headfirst into the music going to as many shows as I could.  That next year went to Cali Roots and saw 311 in 2014 Amazing, jumping to 2016-17 I always had a good group of friends (Banana Brigade) who would always talk about this “311 Cruise” and how it was life changing well I was finally financially stable and made it happen and that is where 311 Jesus began and my life was changed, made so many friends who have become family and we visit each other around the country.  We are now One Big Family!” As far as funding his 311 addiction, he was working as a server and bartender when he got a tremendous opportunity. “Eventually got lucky and took a chance at a new craft brewery that was hiring I fell in love with beer and worked my way up to taproom manager.  Little did I know that one of my regulars had his own brewery and two years into my craft beer he recruited me to be AGM/Event Manager of his new location, and now I have been working for Four Corners Brewing Company in Dallas for 2 years on October 2nd and absolutely love what I do!”

Something people don’t know is that before he worked at the brewery he obtained a degree in radio, T.V., and film as he was hoping to be an actor or work in sports radio. Right out of college he got a cool job helping run live sports for a small T.V. station. “However the only catch was it was overnights and most of the broadcasts were from the other side of the world!  Lots of Table Tennis, Badminton, and Soccer although it was cool doing some of the World Cup Qualifiers for the men and Women.”

Aside from being the 311 Jesus, Randall said he has other talents. “Got some pretty sweet dance moves and can sing a bit as well!!” Guilty pleasures for him are poker, the show” American Dad,” and he loves video games. “PS4 gamer tag BuddyChrist_311.” When not listening to 311 he likes the tunes of Rebelution, Stick Figure, Fortunate youth, Ballyhoo, Passafire, Iya Terra, Dubbest, Slightly Stoopid, Tropidelic, Leon Bridges, The Bones of JR Jones and Ries Brothers.

Randall’s message to 311 is this: “Keep going down the path you are on, the direction you are taking the music is amazing and so incredibly positive and uplifting.”

Randall’s message to all the fans:

“I love you all and if you see me at a show in my robes come on over and let’s take a photo and become family!!”

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What a fun story from Mr. Randall/311 Jesus! Check out his Instagram account jesus_randallpink and he also has a Spotify playlist called 311 Jesus Guides You! Now go have a blessed week and continue to be amazing!

Much love – The Runt

Hello again friends & excitables! It’s that time where we introduce the latest 311 fan spotlight. Here we have the story of Kyle Perman!

Growing up in the 90’s, Kyle heard 311 on the radio and instantly fell in love with their sound. He loved the energy of their songs and thought it was just different and amazing!

For show count, Kyle is somewhere in the 30’s. “I wish it could be way more but my job sometimes does not give me the luxury of going to as many shows as I would like.” One of the best experiences he had was going on the 311 cruise. “It was the time of my life meeting all the amazing people discovering new favorite bands and of course 311 I was freaking out when I did meet and greet picture.” He said other than this, one of his other favorites was when he was stationed in Guam and they performed a show over there.

While obviously Kyle loves the entire 311 catalog, he said one of his favorite songs to listen to is the live version of “Paradise.” “It just makes me think of going to paradise and listening to my favorite band with a drink in my hand.”

One of Kyle’s favorite lyrics is the ever popular, “Stay positive and love your life.” “I honestly believe that I struggle with anxiety and depression and living by this quote along with 311’s positive music gets me through my day.” He also really likes the lyric, “From chaos comes clarity.” “With all the negative things going on in the world, people need to live by these quotes.”

Allen, Texas is where Kyle was born and raised. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and has been serving for 14 years. “I have been all over the world I’ve been stationed in Delaware, Guam, Texas, and currently Oklahoma city.  So I use the military to fund my 311 addiction lol. I try to go to every show that I can if I’m not out on duty somewhere in the world.”

Interesting fact about Kyle is that aside from being in the military, he also teaches golf lessons and plays in professional mini tours. He said he probably should have gone full time pro but it just wasn’t in the cards for him since he is married and has a child. He loves his family and needed a stable job to be able to provide for them. He said that golf can also be considered one of his guilty pleasures!

Kyle said that while he mostly listens to 311, he has found some other great artists because of them. Some of his other faves include The Norm, Tropidelic, The Interrupters, and The Skints. He also loves I Prevail, A Day to Remember, and he said since he’s from Texas, he does enjoy some country music!

Kyle has these words for the band: “Thank you for always putting on outstanding shows and continuing to put out great music 28 years later, I hope you never stop.”

Here is his message to all the fellow fans:

“Thank you for being my second family I love all you guys I can’t wait to see y’all at shows and OTMFB! Stay positive love your life!”

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That’s the story of Kyle Perman my friends! Hope you enjoyed the read! Have the best week you can and always stay positive and spread the vibes around!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome all to the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight! It’s time to read all about Carly Schramm!

It was Carly’s best friend in high school, Jay (who is also her current roommate), who got her hooked on 311. She said one day it just clicked! “I remember going to Homers in downtown Omaha and buying every 311 cd they had. I was hooked in the best kind of way!”

Show count for Carly is currently at 55. Her first show was in 204 at Omaha’s 150th birthday. “It was a free show in memorial park with over 40,000 people. 311 shows instantly became home for me.” While it’s hard to pick just one show as a favorite, Carly said that it’s a tie between New Orleans 311 Day 2014 and the cruise to Jamaica in 2015 since both of those events are what brought she and Mike (Taylor) together.

There are many songs that Carly connects to, but one in particular that she loves is “Tune In.” “My sister and I used to sing it to each other all the time and it got her coming to 311 shows with me!” One of her favorite lyrics comes from “Life’s Not A Race”: “The world whirls around your mind in a golden spiral, The natural way that things organize. You can’t stop entropy so why even try, Observe the conscious flow and don’t mystify. Life’s not a race.”

Omaha, Nebraska, is where Carly was born and raised. “I think I connected with the band a lot because of that.” In 2011 she moved to Orlando, Florida, and lived there for 5 years, making tons of connections with some of her closest friends in the 311 community. She moved up to Rochester, New York, in 2016 before venturing to where she is now in Evergreen, Colorado. “Who knows where I’ll land next!” Carly is a bartender and has been working in the service industry her whole life. “I have always had a passion for cooking and feeding delicious food and drinks to my friends and family. I’ve been vegan for six years now and It’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done.”

Interesting fact about Carly is that she took guitar lessons for 5 years but said she can’t play guitar! “I really want to get back into it though. My attention span is a lot better now.” What makes her unique is that she’s a total goofball! “I like to think my greatest talent is making my friends laugh. What do you call a hippies wife? Mississippi.”

Guilty pleasure for Carly is that she turns on music and gets lost in painting or drawing. “It’s like I can shut the world off when I’m letting go in my creations.” Other music she loves aside from 311 include many artists, although one of her favorites right now is a reggae band called The Late Ones.

Carly’s words to 311 are: “Thank you for saving my life countless times. Thank you for leading me to my favorite people I’ve ever met. Thank you For everything!!”

Her words to the rest of the 311 fan base:

“I’ve grown up with you guys. It’s hard to believe I’ve known some of you for almost 15 years! Thank you all for helping me become the person I am today. “I’ve got a clique but it’s more like a family!!” 

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There you have the tale of Carly Schramm! Thanks you to Carly for sharing and to all the readers each week. Have the best week you can have and continue to be amazing!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello my friends! Welcome again to the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight. This week let us meet Daniel Schrader!

A random set of events is how Daniel found the tunes of 311. First off, he actually first saw them on February 1, 1992. “I went to Wayne State College in Wayne, NE and friends of mine that I met at Wayne had a band and some of the band members were from Omaha. A bunch of us piled into a few cars one day and drove down to Omaha that Saturday to go see some of their friends play in a band at Peony Park (it was 311!) I dug the sound and had a blast (at least from what I can remember) but didn’t ever see or hear anything about them again until 1993.” At that time Daniel was working in Des Moines, Iowa, on a construction crew. One of the guys on the crew showed him a tape that was 311 and asked if he knew the band since Daniel is from Nebraska. “I didn’t put 2 and 2 together until I listened to it. It was Music and I was hooked for life.”

For show count, Daniel’s exact number is uncertain. We know his first show was in 1992 at Peony Park, but he didn’t really keep count after that. He believes is somewhere between 30-40. Favorite of those though is 311 Day 2018. “That was my 1st 311 day and when I actually connected with the 311 community. I had been wandering around for my whole 311 experience basically by myself. Once I connected with the community, it opened up the world for me.”

While it’s hard to pick just one song that means the most to him, Daniels has a list of favorites that really stand out to him. “Paradise is always in my top 5, usually #1, Beyond the Grey Sky honestly has saved me more than once. Too Late hit me hard at just the right time in my life. Honestly, in my opinion, Voyager is one of 311’s best albums lyrically. Not their best, but that album is so well written and the lyrics so poignant, many tracks have moved into my rolling top 10. With Stainless being one of my favorites.”

A couple of lyrics that stand out to Daniel as favorites include: “”A shortcut’s a self-defeating means. If you cannot do it clean, you’ll never reach your reward.”; “Not for the faint of heart. It will not be painless. You’ll take your licks and you’ll never come out stainless.”

Daniel grew up in “The Middle of Nowhere” Nebraska. He’s an only child. His parents were always listening to music, including artists like The Beach Boys, The Ventures, and Dick Dale. “Some of my earliest memories were when they took me to concerts at the Nebraska State Fair every year as far back as I can remember. I’m sure that’s where my love for music came from.” Daniel stayed in Nebraska until his early 20’s and then found himself doing construction work for a few years. Then in 1996 he went to work for a door to door sales company on the west coast. “We lived in shady ass hotels and basically traveled up and down the West Coast. I lived in Palm Springs, Anaheim, L.A., San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Spokane. It was a legit company and taught me so much about myself and was actually the 1st time in my life that I was exposed to personal development. Something that would set my life in motion in a way that I never even imagined.”

In 1998 Daniel moved to Colorado, where he lived in Vail for about 4 years and was a ski bum. “I was a snowmaker and drove snowcats. In the summer I worked on the mountain building trails and operating heavy equipment on various projects.” Then in 2002 he moved to Denver, which is where he would meet his wife. “We’ve been together for almost 16 years (our 11 year anniversary is actually on September 20th). We have two children. Our 1st son Felix would be 9 this year. He was only with us for six days due to some very unfortunate, and completely unnecessary complications at his birth. This was my “Master Reset” and was the darkest time in my life. I’m fully convinced that without 311, I might not have made it through. When I was having a super shitty day, the perfect 311 song would always come on my iPod and lift me back up. Sometimes, just enough to get through that day. Fast forward 15 months after we lost Felix and our 2nd son, Simon was born. He’s in 2nd grade and will be 8 this year and keeps us very, very busy. He’s starting to really enjoy, appreciate, and understand 311 and that makes my heart sing! He actually asked me a month or so ago when we could go see a 311 show together. Queue heart melt.”

For work, Daniel owns a couple of businesses. The first is one in the tech space with a software company for real estate. The second is an entrepreneurial coaching space. “Both are just slightly past start-up and are taking up a lot of my time (and money) right now. I’ve been an entrepreneur my whole life and with the exception of a few different periods in my life I’ve mostly been responsible for my own well-being with my own businesses. I love this lifestyle and wouldn’t be able to make it any other way. My soul is too free. And, I just can’t do the 9-5 grind.”

Interesting fact about Daniel is that he wanted to join the military, for as far back as he can remember. “Both of my grandfathers served, my Dad served and almost all of the men in my extended family have served or continue to serve. When I was in high school I was already well on my way to going active duty basically the day that I graduated but I broke my ankle skateboarding. I broke it in such a way that it permanently disqualified me from being able to fly helicopters, specifically the AH-64 Apache, which is what I had all of my hopes and dreams in the military set on. It still bothers me to this day that I didn’t get to serve but at the same time, I’m grateful for being right here, right now. There is no other place I want to be (obscure 90’s one-hit-wonder reference).”

Unique attribute for Daniel is that he’s a beast on the racetrack! “I’m talking road racing not Nascar or drag racing. I started auto racing about 6 years ago and immediately was very, very good at it. Maybe it was all of those years of go-kart tracks and playing Gran Turismo on Play Station? The 1st race that I drove in I had the fastest lap on our team, having never competed in a wheel to wheel race before or driven that car before. Most races since that I’ve raced in I’ve had our teams’ fastest lap or damn close to it. I love racing and love that community. Such amazing people with pure passion. Much like another group of people that I know!”

Guilty pleasure for Daniel is the 311 merch exchange, or the MX and waffles. “I LOVE me a good waffle and absolutely love collecting 311 stuff. Prints, hats, stickers, picks, whatever! I’ve got well over a hundred prints (I don’t really know how many) and want them ALL!!!” When not listening to 311, other artists he loves include: Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Jurassic 5, Old school West Coast Gangster Rap, old Metal, etc. “I’m loving all of the new music that I’ve been exposed to from 311 over the years with RDGLDGRN, Iration, and Bumpin’ Uglies at the top of that list. My approach with music is that if it’s done well, with great musicians (not just performers), then I’ll add it to my playlist.”

Daniel has these words for the guys in 311: “Thank you! Thank you for never giving up and for always continuing to explore yourselves to give us this amazing gift of MUSIC!!!”

Now his message to all the other fans out there:

“Embrace the community. Embrace every bit of it! Share the music with everyone that you meet. You never know who needs to hear that one song, that one lyric, that one note. You just might change the world! And, seriously Fuck the Naysayers, cuz they don’t mean a thing! We live our lives worrying so damn much about what other people think and quite frankly, that’s none of our business! Stay POSITIVE and Love YOUR Life!!!”

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Thank you Daniel for sharing your story of your love for 311! All my friends who read each week, many thanks to you as well for the continued support. Until next time, have an amazing week & go spread the positivity!

Much love – The Runt

Welcome back friends! We are back with a fresh new fan spotlight. Let’s kick the week off and learn the story of Adrian Lopez!

When Adrian was a teenager, he and his father had a ritual of cruising around San Diego on the weekends, hitting every comic book store that they came across. “I always had my head in comic books as a kid and that passion has continued to this very day. But in those days, it was our way of bonding. We would drive everywhere while rocking out to our favorite local radio station, 91x.” In late 1999, the station started playing songs from Soundsystem. “I remember the day my dad and I were heading around town looking for a particular issue of the X-Men when I heard the beautiful echoing sound of the Flowing intro for the first time and my jaw dropped. That sound followed by the explosion of guitar, bass, and drums that came after hooked me instantly. I remember looking at my dad saying, who was that?!”

Adrian was still in high school at the time and wasn’t working, so he didn’t have a ton of extra money to go buy 311 albums. “But it was the good ole days when the Wherehouse still existed and they accepted trade in CDs for store credit. I took some of the old pop CDs I had that I wasn’t listening to anymore and traded them in to grab my first 311 CD, Soundsystem. To this day, it holds the biggest place in my heart. I wore the hell out of that CD to the point where it developed so many holes it couldn’t be played anymore.” What really attracted him to the band was their ability to weave in and out of different genres of music. “I love that they can make some harder songs, yet they still maintain the positive demeanor and chill sound. They are versatile musicians and songwriters who have an innate ability to compose songs that appeal to many people. Within their catalog, there is something for every kind of music listener. And I love their energy!! They are capable of helping me to unwind, but they can simultaneously get me pumped and ready to dance and jump.”

Current show count for Adrian stands at 40. He just hit this number at the Salt Lake City show. “I had the chance to spend time with some of my absolute favorite people in the world. It was such a great time and a fantastic experience for my 40th show.” Between 2004 and 2015, he had seen 311 occasionally, when they played in or near San Diego. His first show was in 2004 at the RIMAC Arena at UCSD. “The first show was mind-blowing! I reflect on that setlist sometimes and realize how incredible of a first show it was and how happy I was to finally see them.” His love for them was growing so much though that he started traveling to see them so he could see new places, meet new people, and stretch out beyond his comfort zone. “A very big moment came when I decided to travel to Chicago in 2017 and ended up at a barbecue thrown by some amazing friends whom I had never met in person. I walked out of that night forging lifelong friendships. As I have met more and more people, my love and fandom of the band have only intensified.”

Choosing a favorite event or show was a tough question to answer because Adrian said he has been to some amazing events.  He loved 311 Day 2016 in New Orleans because it’s where he got to meet the band for the first time. Then he also loved this year’s cruise, even though he suffered a broken foot on day 3 and had to power through the rest of the trip on it! His absolute favorite event though, he chose Red, White & Boom in Las Vegas in 2016. “I almost didn’t go because I’m an introverted person and a little shy, so I didn’t meet a lot of people in New Orleans that same year, so I was hesitant to make the trek to Vegas. But I am very glad I did! It led me to meeting one of my best friends and it became the first real event where I made many new friends and truly felt the love and unity. Not to mention, I fell in love with the Mandalay Bay Beach venue. It is very much one of my all-time favorite places to see 311. Those two shows were so much fun!!!”

A song that means a lot to Adrian is “Flowing,” as it’s the reason he was introduced to 311. “If I had never heard that song play on that fateful day, who knows if I ever would have gotten into them? That one song caused a domino effect that would change my life forever.” He also feels a very strong connection to “Beyond the Grey Sky.” “It is a song that means quite a bit to me having been through some tough times both in my own personal life, battling depression and anxiety along with having seen friends attempt to take their own lives.”  He also really loves “Use of Time” because he loves the guitar solos the Tim Mahoney does in that song. “I feel those in my soul.” New song that he fell in love with is “Born to Live.”

As far as lyrics, he loves this one from the song “Don’t Dwell” – “Set you free, break the shell, to your demons farewell, I tell you, don’t dwell.” Another one is from “Strong All Along”: “You could make a mean hand out of what you’re being dealt.” A couple other lines he loves from other songs include, “This moment is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present,” and “No I’ll not renounce my views do what others do, I’d rather drink the hemlock than be like you, to my soul untrue.”

San Diego, California, is where Adrian was born, and he was raised in the Chula Vista area. He has lived there most of his life but also briefly lived in Wisconsin and Colorado. He’s lived in San Diego for 36 out of the 37 years of his life and he grew up in the same house for 23 of those years. “My family has always been a very musical family, so I had the pleasure of growing up in a house where great music was often being played particularly classic rock of the 60s and 70s. My parents raised me on a steady diet of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Rush, Blue Oyster Cult, Boston, and so on. And this love of music from my parents manifested in both of them playing instruments. My father played the guitar and my mom played the piano so I would say music is in my genetics as I myself learned to play the violin at a young age as well as the cello and the drums.”

Adrian had a lot of hobbies growing up including playing football, baseball and hockey. He was also a member of the drama club because of his love for movies. Then he began playing drums in high school as a reserve member of the marching band. “I have been actively playing drums for about 19 years.”

Over the years, Adrian has had quite a few jobs in both telemarketing and retail. “I have worked for a research company called Luth Research, Longs Drugs Stores, a few gas station attendant jobs, as a Department Manager for Target, as a Manager for Hollywood Video, and most recently as a Manager for Walgreens. Out of High School, I enrolled in Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista and was going to school for Film-Making. It was always my fondest dream to become a great Film Director, but I ended up dropping out of college in 2004 and just decided to work. I got laid off from my job in 2010 and took the opportunity to return to school and re-enrolled in that same college where I would graduate with honors with an Associate’s Degree in Philosophy and would transfer to San Diego State University where I would graduate Summa Cum Laude in 2016 and earn my Bachelor’s in Philosophy with a minor in Religious Studies. While I have not gone on to teach as I had wanted, graduating from college is something I am immensely proud of as I did it more for myself. To say that I finished something.”

Something cool that Adrian enjoys doing and provides him some extra funds for 311 fun is putting his skills in graphic design to good use. “I self-taught myself Adobe Photoshop many years ago, having had the privilege of designing a campaign poster for the local offices of the second Obama campaign. I now use them to design and create custom merchandise such as wristbands, shirts, and stickers. It is a lot of fun for me to do as I love showing off my creativity and it makes people happy which is something I love doing. I have created 11 wristbands and plan on doing more as they are so much fun to pass out at shows or send to people online. The designs get people excited and they tend to be really good icebreakers for meeting new people. I love that my wristbands were recently worn on stage by Nick’s daughters during their performance on the cruise.” When Adrian has some free time, he loves to spend it volunteering in his community for various causes such as homelessness, animal care, and domestic abuse/violence. “I had the privilege of being a volunteer for the San Diego Humane Society for a year where I had the chance to feed and wash so many animals. I got to feed cats, dogs, and they even had a piglet that I got to take care of. It was one of the best experiences of my life as I am a huge lover of animals. Animals are one of my favorite things about being alive.”

Fun fact about Adrian is he’s a former 6^th grade California state spelling bee champion! “I began competing in local spelling competitions when I was in 6th grade and found out I have a talent for it, particularly the memorization. I was gifted with a near photographic memory so spelling came easy to me. I went on to compete on a national level and placed in the top 10 spellers in the country.” Another talent that Adrian has is his gift for writing poetry. He’s been published in numerous poetry anthologies across the country and won three amateur poet of the year awards. “It comes natural to me to transfer what I feel onto paper. And it goes hand-in-hand with another talent I have actually become quite known for throughout the 311 community, which is my talent for handwriting. If you ask anyone who has received Excitable Mail from me, they would say that the handwriting is gorgeous. Some of my friends find themselves unable to throw away the envelope! Ha-ha! That is a talent that was cultivated at an early age by my mother, who herself has beautiful handwriting, and was furthered developed by my interest and study of Calligraphy.”

Aside from 311, Adrian is also into music genres such as punk rock, ska, reggae, hard rock and some metal. He loves most music with the exception of country and most current popular music. “I can actually handle some old school country like Johnny Cash or Patsy Cline as my parents listened to it.” Some other bands he loves include The Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, Save Ferris, Bad Religion, Stick Figure, and Papa Roach. Lately he’s really been listening to an old favorite metal band of his called Nonpoint. “I have been listening to them almost as long as I have 311 and they are among my top 3 favorite acts.” A guilty pleasure for Adrian is also a band – he loves The Spice Girls! “I can’t help it! I have just always found their songs so damn catchy and fun! I know the lyrics to many of their songs and can actually be seen singing along in bars. I always had a crush on Baby Spice!” Another guilty pleasure for him is the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. He also is a huge fan of karaoke! “This is no secret to some of my friends as I often post karaoke videos of me singing along to 311 songs. I am super passionate about my karaoke! I even had the chance to perform live band karaoke with the Unity All-Stars on the last cruise, which was so much fun!”

To 311, Adrian has these words: “We love you guys so much for all the great vibes you have brought to our lives and for the unity you have achieved through the message in your music. Thank you for bringing us all together!”

Now his message to all his fellow 311 fans:

“I could have never imagined that I would know so many wonderful people that I now call family. I would have to say thank you to all the friends I have made in the 311 community. Many of you have helped me through rough times, when I felt the world crumbling around me. You have helped pull me from the brink time and time again. And for that, I can never thank you enough. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to know every single one of you. In the moments that I have spent with you guys, please know that my heart has never been happier. Go out into the world and change it for the better. Live with integrity, strength, love in your heart, and no regrets!

“Be excellent to each other… and… PARTY ON, DUDES!”

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There you have the awesome story of Adrian Lopez! I hope you all enjoyed his words and I can’t thank you all enough for supporting the blog! Thank you to Adrian for sharing his story to the world. Now go have an awesome week and don’t forget to keep being amazing!

Much Love – The Runt