Hello again my beautiful excitable readers! Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Let’s meet the latest edition of the fan spotlight – Matt Evans! 

Like many, MTV was the reason Matt found 311 because they were playing their videos off the blue album. He doesn’t remember them getting much radio airplay where he was in New York City in 1995. Then his family moved from northern New Jersey to Atlanta that same year. “Many of the friends that I met were into the band from older siblings. I was introduced to Music (still my favorite) and Grassroots.” 

46 is the magic number for seeing 311 live for Matt. “I was bored at work a few years back and made a google sheet to keep track of my adventures and shenanigans with the band. I have seen them in 3 countries, International Waters, and 11 states in the gold old USA. My first show was in 1997 in Atlanta, GA.” 

Favorite event for Matt was 311 Day 2006 in Memphis. “It was my first 311 Day Experience and the three sets were bangers. I always think about the stilt dancers every time I hear Light Years. I was part of a crew of 20 that drove out from Atlanta, GA.”

“Eons” is the song that means the most to Matt. “It is extremely powerful and beautiful. It has always been one of those songs that reminds me of the 11 years of nearly annual shows at the Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta, GA. We started going in the summer of 1997 (my first 311 show). In the early 2000s our crew was close to 30 folks between my high school and college friends. We would always exchange hugs during eons and really appreciate the love and our mutual friendship. It has always been a song that my brother Paul and I would get a few tears flowing. I remember getting him allowed by his wife, thanks Tracey, to go on the 2019 with me. We knew right away when the song started and found each other up on the upper deck to share the song.”

For lyrics though, Matt says he’s usually partial more to the bangers than the slower or more pop style songs. “I would have to quote unity especially ’It Runs In My Family’. I have put this quote on a few of my 311 All Star Jerseys. My crew in Georgia was dubbed The Family by many of our peers. We had a crew with multiple sets of brothers, cousins, and many of us were not from Georgia but merged quickly for our love of fellowship, music, and shenanigans. It reminds of me of my Mother telling my siblings growing up to make family, not friends. This is something that I endeavor in all of my familiar, social, and professional interactions.”

Matt is New Jersey “bred and born, loud and proud.” He was raised by his amazing family and they had weekly Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house with all of the aunts and cousins. “My parents, aunts, uncles, and their friends had a huge crew that did everything from weekend cookouts, to camping, beach, and ski trips. I loved playing Football, Skateboarding, biking, and especially music.”  His family moved to the Atlanta suburbs right before his freshman year of high school. He stayed in Atlanta through high school and college, then in 2006 he got an itch and moved back up to New Jersey, landing his first big sales job in 2007, which was in New York state. “The Hudson Valley Area of New York State is amazing. I love the people in Georgia but the weather is hot AF and the lack of seasonal snow was something that I longed for. It was great to be close to the Catskill and Adirondack mountain ranges and have easy access to snowboarding.”

Flash forward to 2009 and Matt moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, due to the company he was working for being sold. “I missed my brother greatly and was able to move down to his guest room. 2012, I moved back to the East Atlanta Burbs. I was there until Fourth of July weekend this year when I finally moved up to the Northern Atlanta Burbs. I should be above the snow line this winter which is exciting. I am far from sales and was able to ditch that career 5 years back and got into surface mining (Think Fred Flintstone at the Rock Quarry). I am in mining health and safety and I love my company and position. I still get to do a lot of new hire training and work on safety projects at my sites in North Georgia.” 

Matt has never been married and has no kids, something he is completely content with. “I do my best to live a life of balance and can do whatever I want. Which pre-covid was to travel the country to see concerts and sporting events. I have met so many great people through 311 and made so many lifelong friends from all over the country and some of the world travelers that show up for the special event shows.”

Fun fact about Matt, he was once the 26th caller on the radio station 99X in Atlanta, which won him a trip to Paris to spend a week and see the band The Offspring! “My brother Paul and I had an amazing time wandering the streets, legally drinking at 18 and 20 years old, finding party supplies, and getting to hang out backstage with The Offspring, Lit, and some of the members of Silver Chair.”

Unique trait for Matt is that he is an empath and he said that random strangers will approach him frequently for life advice. “I carry myself with a generally pleasant disposition and do my best to make eye contact and smile at everybody. I try my best to not be an asshole and appreciate the interactions that I have with family, friends, coworkers, and the general public at large.” 

Guilty pleasure for Matt, he said he gets some shit from people for being a Weezer fan. “ I would gladly tell them to fuck off ha ha. I love the Blue Album. It is such a great album and songs like In The Garage is a go to at karaoke for me. Only In Dreams is a Masterpiece, My Name is Jonas. Undone, The Sweater Song. The whole album rocks. The Pinkerton Album is also phenomenal. Plus they have plenty of other good ones. They always kick ass life and I sing my heart out.” 

Weezer isn’t the only other band that Matt loves. He grew up on Pink Floyd and classic rock and says that Floyd is still his favorite band. “As a kid my folks had Columbia House music and would give all the 80s hair metal to my brother and I. Bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, Warrant, and Def Leppard. They fucked up one day and gave us Appetite For Destruction by Guns and Roses and that was a life changer. We soon got into Metallica which is my favorite metal band. I got into Pantera, Danzig, Megadeth, Corrosion of Conformity, Tool, Type O Negative, Slayer, and Sepultura (Seen all of them play). But I was also a huge fan of Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Radiohead, The Offspring and Weezer.” In high school he got into Sublime, plus progressive trance like Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, and Sasha. Then in college he added Deftones and System of a Down to his list. He later realized that like 311, all of his favorite bands are unique. The ones that mean the most to him are Pink Floyd, Metallica, Alice In Chains, Deftones, Radiohead, Muse, Baroness, Opeth, Soulfly, 311, Weezer, Tropidelic (Thanks Tony G from Buffalo), and Bumpin Uglies. 

Matt has been lucky enough to say his words to 311 in person. “Thank you. I do not get into the details as I don’t want to tie the guys up in forced conversations. They are just people and I would never want to get to the skinny of the thank you unless in a genuine conversation with them. But for you Chrissy, I will elaborate…

Thank you for being the background music to so many of the best moments of my life. The live show. The energy. The fellowship with family and friends that I made and grew up with. I would love to have the whole crew back together and on the lawn at Lakewood once again. 311 is not my favorite band. I do not love all of the songs and some albums are way better than others. But I do respect the show. And they are fucking magical on stage. And their longevity, friendship, love, and unity with each other. And then there is us, dancing and having the time of our lives. Thank you for that 311. Also, they should always close with Fat Chance into Fuck The Bullshit.”

Now Matt’s message to the other fans out there:

“RIP Chris the Fish. Love you Paulie and Tido, Dwadd, Cari, Aragorn, Kimmy, Bozwald Stormin Norman, Christy Doc Martins, Johno, Adam, Dave and Jen, Brad, Gary and Amanda, Sam and Margarita, Mutt and Nikki, Dip and Jen, Dirty, Flipper, Cam and Grace, Drew Rubbers (Jammin Soundsystem), Hannah H Tata, LeBron, Skeet, Glenn, Jean Girl and Tara, Jack, Dirty Jim, Dave Corless, Kathleen Corless…My Favorite Jamie Norton in the world, Terri and Erica the Pandas, Nate and Lindsey Bigg Daddys.. The whole ATL crew, the Smiths, the Waldmans, the Wilsons, the Scales, the Hoglunds, Amanda H, Julia, Beth, Terri, Elicia K my E, BB, Benee¦ My girl Ashley Tucker from Texas and Her Bestie Karen from Jersey (South Jersey HaHa) Dave and Gabe… The Buffalo New York crew Tony G, Jami, Eric and Angela¦ The Chicago Crew like the Belmonts, the Campabellos, the Kokos, The Ambergs, Mark, and Doncat… Julie 311 Shows her husband David and her California Crew¦ Sam Fuckin Conner¦ Jem from Canada…The Lessors of Geer (formerly Wisconsin)… Marino and Company from Charlotte…Kmac from Maine¦ The Dominican Republic Crew like Ismar, Jaun Carlos, and Luijo¦ Tayler from the Tropidelic Freak Drop New Year 2020¦ Adam West  Ham Fan (Glad you made it through that recent health scare mate)… Erik W the original All Star¦ The Unity Allstars (Kevin you are the man)… And of course Cristina DO from Charlotte I know I missed a bunch here… Much love and many blessing to you all¦ #ItRunsInMyFamily #GeniusRunsTheWorld”

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Great story Matt! Thanks for sharing it with us all! To all my readers, thank you thank you thank you! Go have an amazing week. Stay positive & love your life! 

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my excitable friends!  Hope you are all staying well. Shall we get to the next fan spotlight? Let’s meet Danielle Woods! 

Anyone remember the show on MTV “120 Minutes?” It was 1996 and Danielle used to stay up late to watch it. “I would have a VHS tape ready in the VCR to tape my favorite music videos, when 311 came on with Down, I immediately fell in love with them and their unique sound. I also had a teenage crush on all of them! When Transistor came out, I was blown away by the futuristic sound in their songs and I loved that they believed in aliens!”

Total show count for Danielle is somewhere between 50 and 60. First show was in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium on November 15, 1997. “My best friend and I were waiting to get into the venue and it was 20 degrees out so it was COLD!!! We met some of the guys from Incubus who let us in early and gave us passes. I couldn’t believe I would soon meet everyone from 311, my dream come true!” 

Favorite show so far was the sail away show on cruise number 6. “Between sailing off into the sunset and them playing all my favorites (a lot of heavy ones), it was just an unbelievable experience!” Another one that is memorable for her is partying one last time with fellow fan Jake Smith at Red Rocks in April 2019, plus this years 311 Day. “The energy all 3 nights was something that will keep me smiling through all these unpredictable and scary times.”

Many songs brighten Danielle’s day when she hears them, but the ones that mean the most are the ones she listens to with her kids. “There’s nothing better than dancing around, holding my 4-year-old, listening to him say to me “My heart sings when I think of you” …UGGHHH, I couldn’t feel more loved than I do at that moment! My favorite song changes monthly but currently I would say I get most excited to play “Livin’ and Rockin.” Her most favorite lyric comes from the end of “Wildfire” – “And when the morning comes, you know I’ll still be here, one thing you should not fear, whatever things that come. Through the rain, and the sunshine and the pain, we’ll look back and smile, when all is said and been done, when the song is sung.” She said the lyrics are calming and help leave all anxieties behind. 

Danielle grew up in a small town called Wahpeton in southeast North Dakota, population 7500. “I was a complete nerd growing up, which I think shaped me into the caring person I am today. I always had 1 friend from each of the “groups” in high school so I got a nice perspective of how to mesh with everyone’s unique personalities. Music helped me get through tough times like bullying and not feeling cool enough.” She was a cross country and track runner throughout high school and spent a lot of time training for her next big race. 

Twenty years ago Danielle moved to Fargo, North Dakota. “I HATE the winters but realized it’s a good place to raise kids and my family is close by. I’m pretty much a stay at home mom right now, trying to raise our 4, 6, and 8-year-old without a daycare bill. I squeeze in two days a week as an operating room nurse. My hubby funds our 311 obsession by staying busy selling various types of insurance. I’m shy when meeting new people, but find conversation flows effortlessly with other 311 fans. I’ve met some of the kindest, most non-judgmental friends at the shows. I look forward to seeing 311 at the shows, but even more, the friends I meet up with that I’ve met over the years. I think it’s so cool that if we travel to another state, I could call up a 311 friend to go have some drinks with.”

Fun fact about Danielle? All three of her kids birthdays land on the 18th of their birth month! Talent for her is that she can guess the artist of a song within the first 10 seconds of hearing their voice. “It’s won me a lot of prizes on music trivia nights!” Guilty pleasures, she said she has a lot. “Hobby-wise would be playing bingo and scrapbooking, movie-wise would be Labyrinth, TV show would be Vanderpump Rules, and band-wise would be late 80’s early 90’s rock ballads.” 

Other artists that Danielle loves include Deftones, Finch, Kottonmouth Kings, The Used, Breaking Benjamin, The Movement, Slipknot, Orgy, and anything 90’s alternative. “I like chill bands but also need a little heavy screaming music when I’m working out or on a long drive.”

To 311, Danielle would like to say: “Thank you for giving up so much of your personal and family life to keep entertaining us over all these years, and making us all feel like you truly care about us.”

Her final words to all her fellow 311 fans:

“I love meeting you all and I’m proud to be involved in a group with such positive people. I can’t wait until we can all see each other again at the shows!”

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That’s Danielle’s story my friends! Many thanks to her for sharing it and to all the readers each week! Go be well, stay safe, and keep being positive! 

Much Love – The Runt 

Hey there my excitable friends! I hope you are all safe, well, and kicking off your July in a positive way. Shall we get to the latest fan spotlight? Let’s hear the story of Stacy Walker! 

Stacy’s best friend is Kelli Stephens, who was the last fan spotlight, so we’ve already heard the story of how they found 311. They were in the living room and “Down” came on MTV and they were instantly in awe. “They became a huge part of our lives after that. The positivity, the beats, Nick <3 All of them. It just became a lifestyle.”

Show count Stacy stopped keeping track of after number 50 and that was a few years ago. Her very first show was in August 2006 in Indy at White River. “It was life changing! The tickets were a birthday present from Kelli!” 

Choosing a favorite show proved difficult as Stacy loved them all for many different reasons. She wanted to choose the first cruise because well, it was the first. However, she was torn because the beach show on cruise number two was so incredible. Plus the cruise where the 5-timers got a special party and then there was Pow Wow. “I’ll just say all of them have been my favorite so far!” 

For the song that means the most to Stacy, she chose “Do You Right.” “It’s always been my favorite, but I used to have this mixtape (yes, actually a cassette tape my friend made) that had do you right, then when you hit the flip button it would be Apache rose peacock from the Chili peppers… I spent an entire summer driving only listening to those two songs! (Until the cassette player ate it.)”

Lyrics that resonate with her, well she has them tattooed on her forearms and it’s from “Speakeasy.” “If there’s a shadow in your life then there’s sunshine,” and “Just rewind, it’s all in your mind.” Then there is the lyric “The Earth has not swallowed me yet” that also stays with her. “ Like, I still have time cause I’m not in the ground. Really all of them hold a special place in my heart at different times of my life.”

Stacy grew up in the township of Tonkel, Indiana until she was 7. “No, not a town, a cluster of farm houses and a church.” Then she moved to the “big city” (population 8000 or so) and stayed there until she was 20. “Surrounded by rebel flags, farmers and misfits (I was a misfit), then I got a job where I traveled the country which had me in a different city every week. I lived out of a suitcase, saw the ocean for the first time ever, expanded my horizons! It was AWESOME and eye opening!!!” After a few years of that she moved back home for some personal reasons and then she moved to Fort Wayne with Kelli. “I’ve been here ever since! Now I just work and go to school to get my Masters of Communications (After being a high school dropout) I teach public speaking as a GTA (Graduate teaching assistant, not stealing cars) and I fund most of my adventures with student loans. I’m gonna pay them for the rest of my life anyway, I may as well have some good memories and not just crying over monster energy drinks at 4 am fearing finals.”

If you’ve been on the cruises, you may have received a necklace from Stacy! “I make necklaces to pass out on the boat every year. The first five cruises I was really drunk so I probably didn’t introduce myself. So I’m that frizzy haired drunk girl that handed you a ball of hemp necklaces and then danced away.” She claims she has no talents (hello, she makes necklaces!), but she has been told that she’s really easy to talk to. “I think that’s really important for someone who needs someone to listen to them.” 

While Stacy doesn’t feel guilty about anything that gives her pleasure, she said the one thing she gets ridicule from friends about is her love for teen drama shows. “Like One Tree Hill or The OC. I JUST LOVE THEM!!!!” 

Other artists that Stacy can be found listening to include Prince, Dirty Heads, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Simon and Garfunkel, Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies, Allen Stone, Lil’ Dickie, Childish Gambino, Sublime, Alabama Shakes, TOOL, NIN, Blind Melon, Lake street dive,  and Al Green. She really just loves music and could go on for days. “So many bands that i met on the cruise for the first time, like RDGLDGRN, PROF, etc…..  I could keep going forever. Pretty much anything that grabs my soul I’m down with.”

To the band, Stacy would like to send out these words: “Thank you for providing the soundtrack to this awesome life, and for providing places to go enjoy it!”

Her message to all the other 311 fans out there:

“Hey guys! What a year!  I miss seeing all of you at shows, and hope we can dance together very soon! Hopefully on cruise 7! (Please let there be a cruise seven!!!!)”

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Thank you Stacy for sharing your story! Virtual hugs to all the readers out there. I miss seeing you all too and can’t wait until we can gather together again. Until next time, go be awesome and spread the good vibes! 

Much Love – The Runt 

Welcome one and all to the the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight! As always, I hope you are staying healthy and well friends. Let’s get to it and read the story of Pat White! 

The year was 1995 when Pat first heard of 311. He was sitting in a car with his sister at the age of 14. “She was the coolest person I knew to that point in my life. Used to take me and my friends skateboarding. Had a real solid relationship. ‘Don’t Stay Home’ came on in that car and she asked me, do you listen to 311?… that was the song that started it all. Got the blue album the next week.” 

Pat has been to over 35 shows. First show for him was in 1996 at the new Daisy Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. “Snuck out and got in with my friends ticket. Was just gonna look for my sister. All the sudden intro to Omaha Stylee came on. Was supposed to go return the ticket. But I couldn’t leave. That was my first concert ever. My mother had just died..That show changed life absolutely.” His favorite event so far was this years 311 Day. 

As far as favorite song, its “Use of Time,” but he said that “Golden Sunlight” has gotten him through many tough times. Favorite lyrics were harder to choose because there are so many great ones. Ones that stood out to him are as follows: “At the end of the day the relentless always win,” “This moment is a gift, it’s why it’s called the present.” Plus he said pretty much all of “Golden Sunlight.” 

Pat was born in 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee. His mother passed in 1996 and he went on a downward spiral because of it. “Made the lessons of day to day life as a sober person mean that much more. Running from her death for 16 years almost took my life several times. But the recovery, the vigilance and steadfastness is what it takes to push forward.  One day at a time. She taught me all that.  And I had to trust God and instill it in myself in order to learn.”

Pat funds his 311 habit being a chef and kitchen manager at Roma Old Town wood fired pizzeria in Winchester, Virginia. He’s lived all over VA including Newport News, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach. “My addiction took me many places but I found home and sobriety in Winchester.  First place in my adult life I can actually call home.”

Finding something that most people don’t know is hard for Pat because he lives his life pretty much like an open book. Unique attribute for him is his work ethic and stamina. “I’m 38 years old and I can go harder than kids 20 years younger than me. On 4-5 hours of sleep lol. Running a kitchen even with a co kitchen manager is hard work. My passion and drive keep me alive and well.”

What really makes Pat tick is his daughter. “She makes my whole world. She is every dream I’ve ever had come true. She loves 311 and loves her Life. I had to save myself from myself.  Couldn’t get sober for her but I have to include her all over this thing, she is My Story. She is my legacy. She is all my reasons.” 

Some other artists that Pat loves include Sublime (which got him started on his reggae journey), Bob Marley, Stick Figure, Tool, Deftones, The Movement, Chris Cornell, System of a Down, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Iya Terra, and many more. Guilty pleasure? It’s John Mayer! 

Pat’s words to the members of 311 are: “Thank you for always being there. With so much fakeness in the music biz, chaos In the world, they’ve always been an Uplifting constant.  No matter what. Thank you for always staying true.”

To all the other 311 fans out there: 

“This life is what we make of it. Hold yourself accountable and be there for your brothers and sisters.  It’s more than blind positivity.  Gratitude is an action word.  We must live it everyday…love yourself and love your life and above all, To Thine Own self Be true.”

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Thank you Pat for sharing your story! Another great fan spotlight in the books. Muchas Gracias to all the readers each week as well. Go have an amazing week and please stay safe & well! 

Much Love – The Runt 

Welcome my friends in 311 nation! Hope everyone is staying healthy and well. Shall we start the week off properly with a new fan spotlight? I say yes! Let’s kick things into gear here, time to meet Tim Fisher! 

Tim was working at a pizza shop where a coworker of his was really into 311 and got Tim listening to the band. He didn’t fully become a fan until years later when a friend convinced him to go see them live and that hooked him! “The energy in that first show really opened me up to wanting to listen to all of their albums, and I started to go see them whenever they were in town.  The energy of the band mixed with the energy of the crowd, really reminded me of the Grateful Dead and their following (Which I had been a HUGE fan of for years) and it really got me to check out all of 311’s older albums and other recorded live shows.”

Show count for Tim is at 43, he and his wife just went through the show archive to calculate the number. They’ve been to 40 shows together and 3 apart. “I’ve been to four 311 days, and four cruises so far, and have traveled to multiple cities to see them play.  My first show was at The Woodlands Pavilion, September 9, 2005. They played with Papa Roach and Unwritten Law and it was the show that really got my into the band. I had heard their music before, but the live show really made me get into them.”

To pick a favorite show or event is hard for most fans, so it was no different for Tim because a lot of the shows he’s attended have big significance to his life. “My favorite event overall are the cruises, as being on a large boat with so many excitables all there for the same reason is really hard to explain to other people without sounding like I’m in a cult, haha. I proposed to my girlfriend on the 2015 cruise trip, and we got married in New Orleans for 311 day 2016 which was an extra special trip for us.  It was perfect getting to marry my beautiful wife, and then go see my favorite band 3 hours later with 15 of my friends/family from the wedding and all my 311 excitable friends.  I CAN say my favorite set list so far has to be the first set on the 2019 Cruise.  I lost my voice for 2 days after from screaming and jamming out that night.”

As for songs that Tim loves, his favorite jamming out song is “Homebrew.” “It always reminds me what it’s like to be young again. I sometimes get carried away rocking out to it that I forget I’m not 20 anymore but it’s just one of those songs you can’t help it.” Regarding song lyrics, Tim says there is one line in every song that is a favorite of his. The one he chose to share is this: “Shit like that now scares me, but I’d like to do it again.” “Now that I’m older that definitely resonates with me.  I can’t party or rock out as hard as I used to no matter how much I would like to, but the memories are always a fun thing to think about.”

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Tim has always had a love for baseball and all things regarding the Chicago Cubs. Music was also a big influence in his life as his parents were passionate about their music. “You would wake up EVERY Saturday morning to some Janis on the stereo while my mom cleaned house. Whether you wanted to sleep in or not.” Tim learned to be a mechanic in high school and loves working on anything with an engine. “Chicago is infamous for its awful winters so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one day it took me 2 hours to dig a piece of equipment out of the snow, and I said screw It, i’m going somewhere warm.  So I ended up transferring to Houston Texas which is where I live today.” He’s been in the Houston area for the last 16 years. “Really enjoying living farther out in the country where I can jam some tunes and not have to worry about the neighbors.”

Being really into sports since he was young, Tim has collected a lot of unique items from the teams he loves. “My favorite thing I have in my collection is a metal printing sheet from the Chicago Tribune that was used to print all the newspapers announcing the Cubs winning the world series in 2016.” We know he became a mechanic, but Tim has loved taking things apart and putting them back together since he was a child. “When I was 2 I got a hold of a screwdriver and took all the cabinet doors off the kitchen cabinets.  I had taken everything apart so much, they had to hire someone to come and replace everything back to how it was. I love to build lego sets, especially the Star Wars themed ones, and tinkering around on all my garage toys.  I have a 2011 z06 Corvette that is my baby, and I love to take her out on the weekends for a drive and take care of all the maintenance on it.”

When not listening to the tunes of 311, Tim can be found listening to The Grateful Dead as they were one of his favorite bands since he was younger. “I got to see them once before Jerry died, and have had the chance to see the Dead and Company  a couple times over the years.  I love to go to live music shows, and some of my other favorites are The Dirty Heads, Passafire, Chevelle, Guns n Roses, Motley Crue, and all the old 70’s and 80’s artists I can still get a chance to go see.” Guilty pleasure for Tim is Taylor Swift. “My wife has dragged me out to 3 Taylor Swift shows, and I surprisingly had a really good time.  She puts on a really good show, and she’s very talented-not to mention nice to look at (it’s my eye candy vs my wife’s pleasure to yell at Nick to take his shirt off).”

Words Tim would like to say to 311: “Thank you for the awesome music for the last 30 years! Your music can always put me in a good mood, and I love the fan base y’all have created!  It has brought me so many good friends, and memories over the years and I hope to have many more in the future!”

Words for all his fellow 311 fans:

“Right now with everything going on in the world, music and unity is what we really need to get through this.  Like the band says “stay positive and love your life” is a phrase that can really help us when the world is looking so bleak. I look forward to the future shows where we can all rock out to our favorite tunes and have a great time together again.”

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Great story Tim! Thanks for sharing it with everyone. Lots of love going out to all the fans who read this each week. Tim is right, music and unity are what we need right now to get through these crazy times. Stay positive, love each other, and when we all gather together again it’s going to be one hell of a party! Keep smiling all! 

Much Love – The Runt 

Hello again everyone out there in the 311 fan universe! I hope this week finds you safe & healthy still. Take a moment to read the story of our latest fan spotlight, Jana Kossow! 

In 1995, Jana moved back to Los Angeles, California, just before her 10th birthday. She heard the song “Down” and was instantly hooked. “The music was just something that hit me like no other band, my brothers had talked my dad into buying their CD for my birthday that year & from then on I waited for the next album to come out, I saved up my allowance just to buy the new CD’s.”

Show count for Jana is 6 and she said obviously she would have liked to have attended more shows at this point but she’s ok with her number. First show for her was in Irvine, California, on August 2, 2013 when G. Love and Cypress Hill opened for 311. Her favorite shows she has attended so far is her first show ever and then 311 Day 2018. 

There are many songs that mean a lot to Jana such as “Today My Love,” “What Was I Thinking,” “Homebrew,” “Use of Time,” “Hydroponic,” “Sever,” “Jupiter,” and “Beyond the Gray Sky.” 

Jana has a few lyrics that really connect with her and they are as follows:

“It’s been a wild ride, I wouldn’t change a minute. I can’t slow down inside, I guess that’s why I live it!” 

“Death I just say fuck you, the void unknown we’re thrown through, while lost in life’s psychedelic trip we take, there’s a more bizarre we have to make, world we have, nowhere beyond, take out the earth, the bass is gone, at life’s end we’ll feel the calm, how strange we should be here at all.” 

“To all my friends, it’s not the end, the earth has not swallowed me yet.” 

“My vibe is holy, my eyes closed, either I’m asleep or what I’m thinking is deep.”

Jana grew up a Navy brat with 2 older brothers. Before she was 5 years old she had already been to 26 different states. Then her parents divorced and she went with her father, having very few visits with her mom (although now there are best friends). The only states she truly remembers are Colorado because she had a lot of surgeries there, and then Minnesota, because her family is there. She now lives in L.A., but really misses Minnesota. 

Jana said she was accident prone as a child and was in the hospital often. “Starting at the age of 3 that I can remember, from my face being mangled by a dog, to my appendix bursting on my 5th birthday, to my 1st motorcycle accident with my left foot (which needed skin grafts), to my skull shattering, to breaking ribs, to my heart stopping, to my last motorcycle accident which again my heart stopped, I lost my helmet before hitting my head on asphalt, I now suffer from severe nerve damage, bone issues, fibromyalgia & trigeminal neuralgia. I also currently get steroid injections in my spine as well as my hip every 6 months due to my motorcycle accident. Though with all the downfalls in my life I refuse to give up despite all the pain. I’m allergic to opiates so can’t take anything but medical marijuana (I work in the business as well).”

Jana has a daughter Molly, who’s birthday happens to be today, May 4th! “She’s my inspiration for everything.” Jana was in the acting business for a few years before her illnesses got worse, but you will see my face on T.V., movies, and commercials every once in a while. She is now in the cannabis industry and enjoys it since it’s not strenuous on her. Jana has a surgical steel plate in her head and is also allergic to the sun. Aside from this, as she mentioned, her heart has stopped two times and she’s been declared legally dead. “Technically I’m a zombie, lol.” She has a talent for handling pain. “When I was acting I definitely had to hide the pain.” 

Interesting fact about Jana, she was supposed to get married on 311 Day 2018. “Peter Raspler sent me their camera crew to film it right before the show, until I was left at the altar, even after being left at the altar I went to the show & had an amazing time thanks to people in the familia who made sure I was okay. There’s nothing like having something that brings people together like 311 does. Since the age of 9, 311 has helped me cope with A LOT of things, their music has helped me through depression & suicide, among other things. Since the death of my father, they’ve helped with a lot of emotions. They’ve given me strength, just like my father has. I’ve come a long way & I’m still staying positive & (trying to) love my life.”

Other artists that Jana loves include Atmosphere, Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins, Pink Floyd, Phil Collins, Tupac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marilyn Manson, Rolling Stones and Journey. Guilty pleasure for her she said was that she loved acting but really wanted to direct. She also collects glass pieces such as bongs, pipes, rigs, pendants, and other 420 accessories. 

To 311, Jana has these words: “I personally want to meet you all, but especially Pnut. He’s my idol, the way he plays bass is just so tranquil to me.” 

To all the other fans, here is her message:

“I may not know a lot of the fans but everyone I have met through 311 I consider family, it’s all about unity & staying positive. Special shout outs to Adrian Lopez, Jessica & Sean Pursley, JR & Casey Barnett & Shannon Conley.”

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Thanks for sharing your story Jana and a very happy birthday to your daughter Molly! Much gratitude to all the readers as well. Stay safe, stay healthy, love your life my friends! Until next time. 

Much Love – The Runt 

Welcome my friends in 311 nation! I hope you are all staying healthy and safe during this crazy time. Are we ready for this weeks fan spotlight? Let me introduce you to the amazing drummer of Ballyhoo! – Donald Spangler! 

Like many, Donald saw the video for “All Mixed Up” on MTV and that’s how he was introduced to 311. “Can you remember those days, videos on MTV. I remember liking the groove of it.” 

Number of shows he’s attended eludes him because he’s been to A LOT of shows, not to mention played a lot with 311. “I think the first time I saw them was back in ’03. I had been listening to them for years and never saw them, I was super excited.” 

Favorite event for Donald was the Pow Wow Festival. “That was the best time. It was probably one of the best sets I’ve seen by them, not to mention our set was pretty good too, haha! I’m just hoping they do something like that again.”

For song that means the most to him, Donald chose “I Told Myself.” “I was going through a self-inflicted misery at the time and that song really pulled me through.” One of his favorite lyrics comes from the song “From Chaos” – “Everyone tends to forget upon reentry, orbiting space quantum saints we’re the only.” 

Donald was introduced to music at a very early age, he said probably around the age of 4. His father was really into the bands Ratt and Poison and took him and his brother Howi to their first concert. “I just remember thinking, that’s what I want to do. The whole spectacle of the thing, the lights, the loudness, it was entertaining to say the least. We used to “play band” instead of riding our bikes with the other kids or watching cartoons. I would use unsharpened pencils as drumsticks, they had to be unsharpened, haha. We also had some neighbors once that had a band. They would let me mess around on their drums, I was hooked.” Then when Howi entered high school they started their band Ballyhoo!. “From the basement to the stage, I can say music has defined my life. I don’t know what I would do without it.”

Donald played little league growing up and he was a pitcher. “I was pitching one game and ended up striking out 13 people in a row. That’s one of my Uncle Rico stories for ya.” Something unique about him? He brushes his teeth in the shower! “I know thats probably more gross to some people than unique, haha. It saves time and you can get that shit everywhere.”

Guilty pleasure for Donald? It’s the show Judge Judy! “I like watching some justice in action, she’s also super smart and fucks people up when they get out of line, haha.”

Some other artists that Donald loves include Lamb of God, Deftones, Slipknot, and All That Remains. “I like a lot of metal. I still listen to a lot of old stuff too. Nirvana, STP. I don’t mind putting on some classical music either.”

Donald has these words for 311: “Thank you for bringing a unique style to the forefront. Your music has helped me deal with some shit in my life and I can’t thank you enough. As a drummer I would say to Chad, it’s good to have someone to look up to and to force myself to get better everyday. Much appreciated.”

Now his words to all the other 311 (and Ballyhoo!) fans out there:

“To the fans of Ballyhoo!, the past 25 years in this band has been a wild ride and we wouldn’t be where we are without you! So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. We’ll keep rockin if you keep listenin! More to come in 2020!”

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Thank you so much Donald for being a part of this! I’m sure everyone loved reading your story and are grateful to you for sharing it. To all the readers, keep being awesome! 

Much Love – The Runt

Happy 4/20 my excitable friends! As always, I hope you are staying safe and healthy. Today we have a very special spotlight nominated specifically for this holiday, so let’s read the story of Antonio Roumeliotis! 

It was back in high school that Antonio was introduced to 311 by his friend Mitch Lyons, “over lots and lots of blunts and hits from the bong.” 

Show count for Antonio is at 74 and his first show was when 311 was touring with Snoop Dogg and he saw them in Illinois. “Have every single ticket stub saved and when I reach 100 I plan to have them framed in chronological order!” 

As far as favorite event or show, Antonio said the second cruise wins hands down. “Nothing beats the splash pits at the island show. Bunch of grown ass adults splashing around like children. I’m getting chills just thinking about it!”

Song that means the most to Antonio is “Still Dreaming” and he said it’s his all time favorite song. Naturally, his favorite lyric comes from this song: “”No I’ll not renounce my views and do what others do. I’d rather drink the hemlock than be like you, to my soul untrue.” Antonio said that the Socratic reference speaks a lot to his Greek upbringing. 

Chicago, Illinois, is where Antonio grew up and then in 2012 he moved to Denver, Colorado. He was raised in a traditional Greek family. “If you’ve seen the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, other than the windex, that is spot on how I grew up haha.” Antonio has a son, Aristotelis (Aristotle) who is one and a half years old and a daughter set to arrive in May. His non-Greek wife went to Greek school so she can help teach their kids to speak Greek. 

Antonio speaks fluent Greek and guess what? His name isn’t Antonio. “I just have people call me that because it’s easier than explaining every time I meet someone that my name is Antonios. Pronounced Andonios. In Greek, if there is a T after an N it turns into a D sound. My family calls me Andoni for short.”

Guilty pleasure for Antonio is the show “Ancient Aliens.” “Don’t really believe many conspiracy theories, but love watching anything related.” Other artists that he loves include Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Beastie Boys, and Sublime. 

To 311, Antonio has these words: “There aren’t words to Express the thanks I have for you and this community you have created!”

Now his message to all of the other fans out there:

“I started going to 311 shows because I loved their music, now it’s much more than that, I go just as much for the community. Seeing all the great friends I’ve met throughout the years. (Some even ended up as groomsmen at my wedding) Love you all, and I’ll see you at the next one! And p.s. Shawn Van Houten is a pussy!!!* Haha now 6 year running inside joke…”

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Thank you Antonios for being a part of the fan spotlight and sharing your story! As always a huge thank you to the readers each week. Please stay safe & healthy, support each other. We will get through this! And again, happy 4/20 to all that celebrate it! 

Much Love – The Runt