Hello again excitable nation! Time to kick the week off with the next edition of the fan spotlight. Let’s meet Jesse Sorley!

The age of 11-12 is when Jesse became a fan of 311. It was his cousin who introduced him to their sounds just shortly after the greatest hits album came out. “I’ve always been drawn to the badass funk guitar and sick bass lines but later in life I really started loving the slower jams. Also the positivity in 311’s music is contagious.”

For show count Jesse is at a total of 8. He first saw 311 at a festival a few years ago in Orlando. “Before seeing them I didn’t really go to concerts and I’ve since turned into a concert junkie.” He said picking a favorite is hard. It’s a toss up between the first set on the cruise in 2017 or in Austin 2018 when he was on the rail for the first time.

There are many songs that mean a lot to Jesse but if he had to choose just one, he’d pick “Beyond The Grey Sky.” “It has dug me out of quite a few seemingly endless holes in life.” For lyrics, he said pretty much the entire song “Seems Uncertain.” “No one’s excited, unless they are divided.”

Jesse was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. He grew up close to a lot of his family and was always hanging out with his cousins. Of course he went to Disney a ton. Then in 2007 his dad got a job in Houston and moved the family out there. It was during his 8th grade year and was a culture shock for him. After graduation he worked at the Houston airport for a bit and then decided he wanted to move out to California. “I literally dropped everything and drove all my belongings and myself 27 hours to Cali to live with a friend of mine for a while and then found myself back in Houston without that sick job so I moved back to Orlando to work as a fire sprinkler installer. It was here I saw 311 live for the first time in and fell even deeper in love with music.”

Last February Jesse’s dad passed away suddenly which caused him to move back to Texas to be there for his mom and sister. “After my dad passed last year one of his work associates stood up at his memorial and gave me a letter from Nick Hexum saying that there is life beyond the gray. I will never forget it and it’s very special to me.” It was in Texas though that he found the love of his life who also happens to be a concert junkie and he’s turned her into a huge 311 fan. “She just went on the cruise for the first time and lost her mind! Now I am living life with positivity as much as possible and spending every extra penny I have to see 311 as much as I possibly can.”

Other music that Jesse loves includes Avenged Sevenfold, Brockhampton, Kendrick Lamar, and Incubus. “After this latest cruise I’m super into RDGLDGRN.” Jesse is a travel junkie and said he literally spends every cent he can going places and experiencing new things. “If I had a million dollars I would go everywhere I could. If I had a billion I would go to the moon 😂” Guilty pleasure for him is that he said he probably listens to the Hamilton soundtrack a little too much. “Also I’m a sucker for binge watching whole series of tv shows on Netflix, even better if I can get my girlfriend to like the shows.”

To 311, Jesse has this message: “The positive vibe your music gives off is so important and I think we all could use a little more unity. Thank you so much for everything ! Also Tim is a beautiful soul and I could really use a hug “

To all the fellow 311 fans:

“To everyone I’ve met via the cruise or at shows thank you so much for being a part of the best environment a guy could ask for. I love each and every one of you and I can’t wait to come back home for another show with you all.”

—————

There you have the story of Jesse Sorley! Thank you for sharing Jesse. Thank you amazing peeps for reading! Now kick this weeks ass and go be awesome!

Much Love – The Runt

Hey there 311 fans – Happy 311 Day! In honor of 311 Day 2019, the fan spotlight would like to pay tribute to the beautiful soul of Amanda Elaine Baker. With the help of her husband Alex and a few close friends – lets take a moment to celebrate Amanda’s life and the light that she shared with the fan community.

———————

Amanda heard 311 on the radio but then saw them open for the band Sugar Ray and that completely hooked her. That first show for her was on 12/3/1997 in Tallahassee. Show count was somewhere in the 60’s. Alex said since they started dating 12 years ago Amanda went to every 311 Day and all the cruises. Alex said one example of how much she loved 311 was that she had just finished a 46 hour chemo pump back in September and right as she got it disconnected they drove 3 hours to Chicago from Indy to see them.

Favorite shows & events varied for Amanda because she just enjoyed being at each one she went to so much. Alex said that she was always wanting to take someone to their first 311 show and that is was an outstandingly important thing to her. “She loved being around “her people” – people who got it. Who enjoyed life & music. People who were just there to live.”

There were many favorite songs and lyrics that Amanda loved. Alex said she was always referred to as “Slinky Girl” when they first started dating. Then they danced their first dance as husband and wife to “Love Song.” Amanda’s motto was, “Stay positive and love your life,” from the song “Jupiter.” Then as she was diagnosed and fought cancer her battlecry became the song, “Strong All Along.” (311 just played this and dedicated it to Amanda on the most recent 311 Cruise.) Alex said that they often danced with their son to “Til the City’s on Fire” which is one of his favorite memories. During her final hours Alex would often play “Tranquility” and their wedding song for her. “The night before she passed we listened to 311 on Spotify for four hours and the play list ended on Love Song. In her final hours some of her closest 311 friends helped me build a Spotify playlist with some of her favorites and we listened to them until she passed. The music helped calm her a lot.”

Amanda loved arts and all sorts of music. Alex stated that he doesn’t know if she was ever presented with an artist that she didn’t like. Other band favorites included Dirty Heads, RDGLDGRN, Childish Gambino, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, and Sugar Ray. She also loved Broadway musicals such as Hamilton and Rent.

Amanda lived a life full of activity and she loved being involved in various hobbies. She loved Harry Potter fan fiction. She was a member of Phi Mu Fraternity and spent time volunteering for them. Amanda loved connecting with people and was good at helping suggest shows or music that they would like. Per Alex, “She cared about people finding happiness even if it was in unlikely places for them.”

The following are words from friends of Amanda. I left them in their true form, as I don’t believe I could have worded it any better than they did.

——— Elizabeth———

“It’s hard to find the words to explain how special Amanda Elaine Baker was. She was one of those people who you only meet a few times in a lifetime who has that intangible ability to bring out the best in everyone around her.

I became friends with Amanda at one of the lowest points in my life. I had such self loathing, I had hidden who I was from the world for a decade, only allowing people to see a fraction of the real me. When I became friends with Amanda, we had so much in common, we called ourselves “twitter BFFs.” The first time we met in person was one of the first times I ever met an online friend in real life and I was terrified. I was not used to being accepted for who I am, much less loved and celebrated for it. Amanda came to Houston to see Childish Gambino just before my first 311 day in 2014. We met at House of Blues and I was trembling as I approached the table. We adored each other online but at that point in my life I didn’t believe that anyone could ever accept and love the real me. Those fears dissolved away the moment I got to know Amanda.

See, the really special thing about Amanda was the fact that she embodied something that took me 40 years to learn. Amanda understood that the things that make us different, the things that would cause people to label us as weird, nerd, reject, freak, those little differences are the things that make each of us amazing. Being a member of many fandoms, Amanda embraced the various differences in the people around her and she loved with a love and acceptance so unconditional, you couldn’t help but catch some of that contagious love and acceptance and pass it on to yourself. To know Amanda was to know true acceptance and unconditional love. To know Amanda was to never be alone no matter what you were facing. There are numerous times of my life that I look back on and think, “I don’t know how I would have gotten through that without Amanda.” She was always there for anyone who needed her. She radiated sunshine, laughter and passion. She was a member of many different fandoms, but she was never more of a fan than she was of the friends and family around her. She was a cheerleader, an encourager, a hilarious sass master, and the most loving wife and mother I’ve ever had the honor to witness.”

———Amber & Daniel———

“The very first time we meet Amanda was on the 2nd 311 cruise. I had just started using twitter and had thrown out that my husband, Daniel and I would make a great addition to someone’s flip cup team! Ryan caught the tweet and was quick to invite us to a team made up of his wife, Timea, Amanda, and her husband Alex. We chatted endlessly about our hours of practice, our shirt designs for our team ,Team Beard Love, and how even we Ladies would be rocking fashionable beards! Finally the day came to meet in person, we gathered in the port of Miami before boarding the ship and nervously introduced ourselves in person. We ate dinner with one another, talked about anything and everything, I think before the day was over we had at least half a dozen inside jokes. Day two brought the big flip cup tournament, nerves got the better of me, I lost it for our team, but it didn’t matter at all, we had a ridiculous amount of fun!

The main thing I remember from that trip, is we had split nights for one of the shows in the theatre. Amanda, Daniel, Billy (@311Phillies), and myself all were on the pool deck watching 311 on the large screen, dancing and singing, and as “Homebrew” was being played and Amanda and I were rapping along with SA, my brain just hit a thought I will never forget… “This is friendship. It’s natural and organic in growth, it’s not forced. It’s being yourself and not putting up a front, or trying to be something you are not just to impress. It’s embracing each other weirdness and uniqueness and just loving the hell out of one another”. Amanda embodied that to her very core. She made friends with everyone, because she was so passionate about the things she loved in her life. She invested in everything, her whole heart. A great example of this, was that on later cruises, when Alex was not able to join, she’d lovingly search for souvenirs with lobsters, claiming that she bought him these cheesy things because he was her lobster. Her one true love, her heart. I admired this so much about her and Alex!

Later her and I would bond over Harry Potter, Childish Gambino, Community, and eventually we bonded over being moms. She started my sons personal library with a huge stash of her favorite books to share with Riley. We both became a part of our self made group of the Strong All Along Tattoo sisterhood. We became “pit buddies” and traveled to ATL rocking a shirt “Clean Midwest in the Dirty South”.  She was just a glowing light, and will be so sorely missed. She was the epitome of Stay Positive and Love your life, it was engrained in her very being.”

———Tessa———

“I’ve never known anyone that could make friends as quickly as Amanda. When I look at the group of friends I met through 311 I really met most of them because of Amanda. We called each other our 311 Soulmates, but I’m sure other people felt that way about her too.

She was small, but never missed the opportunity to be in the pit (with zero tolerance for crowd surfers). She told the best stories, but always listened to others intently. She was sincere, but could knock you over with a viciously sarcastic comment. She was diagnosed with cancer, but kept fighting and living life with a fervor we should all hope to match.

She kept going to shows and traveling when she could. She was trying to decide what excursions to go on on the cruise just before she passed. She never gave up. Amanda was a warrior, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. She was Strong All Along.”

———Suzanne & Brett———

“Brett and I met Amanda on Twitter around 2009-2010 and were in the RV space next to her for the Pow Wow in 2011 and met several times at various shows.  When we moved to the Indianapolis area in 2013, she was among the first to welcome us to the Indy Crew.  We bonded not only over 311 but also over Harry Potter and occasionally had weeks where we would watch one movie per week.  Amanda was a loyal and fierce friend, a true inspiration to all who knew her on how to live and love.   “The ones who love us never really leave us, you can always find them in here.” – Sirius Black, Prisoner of Azkaban”

———Kim———

“I first started talking to Amanda on twitter, we bonded over our mutual love of 311 and all things nerdy. We met a few years later for the first time at none other than a 311 show, I want to say it was in Atlanta when 311 played the Tabernacle. I wandered onto the floor and i heard someone scream KIMBO! and there she was barreling towards me. Amanda was always so kind and managed to find the positive in even the most negative situations. She made me laugh, she was always there for me when I needed kind words. After my dad passed away, I found a passion for photography and she was always so supportive of my pictures. I miss her kind words so much. I remember at 311 day 2018 my husband dressed up as a cowboy and she just thought it was so funny, I’ll never forget her face we he walked up lol. She was one of a kind, that sounds so cliche but it’s the truth.”

———Tara———

“Amanda was truly a wonderful human. Positive, inspiring, loving and always full of humor and light.  She defined being a wife, mother and friend.

We were very different in many ways. However, this never mattered to Amanda. Never did I feel judged. We had healthy and respectful discussions and she truly listened. I so loved and appreciated that about her.

We shared many passions in common and bonded over them often.  I am thankful that my recent memories of her include experiencing these passions with each other. Seeing HP and the Cursed Child, a Dirty Heads concert where we ended up in their fan video together and also the simple things that meant so much to her – exchanging funny memes and completely rambling Marco Polos.  There was still not enough time with her, but I am so grateful to have had these.  I will tell you all this right now – don’t put off making memories with the people in your life. We will all miss you so very, very much, love.”

———Timea———

“My husband Ryan and I met Amanda randomly enough – she use to work at the PNC branch we frequented. One day we stopped by the bank when we were wearing 311 shirts, getting ready to go to a show somewhere nearby. She was so excited to find more local 311 friends. We would ride together to shows, dragging Alex along to a few. (I remember driving to the Louisville show with her and Alex and Ryan and Alex saw a billboard for Steak and Pancakes. The boys wanted to divert for a side trip!

Amanda introduced me to so many 311 friends – Suzanne, Rindy, Brittney. She was probably the most positive person I have ever met. She was so full of energy – I was always amazed at all the activities and functions she attended! Later after we both had kids she was a great sounding board. I knew i could ask her for real advice/opinions without judgement! I don’t have a ton more to add other than I will miss her energy and positivity so much. The world definitely lost a great person.”

———Rhi———

“Amanda and I met on Myspace back in 2005. To me, she was the O.G. slinky girl and has been one of my longest and dearest 311 friends. The only other fan I’ve known longer than her is B Love, lol. When I was going to my first 311 day back on Memphis,  I knew nobody. I just knew I had a ticket to the show and that was that. She offered that o could stay with her and she’d pick me up at the airport. She talked to my dad to ensure she was a real person and wasn’t going to kidnap me. That phone call alone was probably the only reason I got to go. The second I saw her and she hugged me, we were instantly bonded and became amazing friends for life! We always met up for 311 days and we went on the 1st 311 cruise together. Even though we lived in different states, we always remained in touch, keeping our friendship going and it made all the times I did get to see her so much better! She truly was a one of a kind person and there’s a huge hole in my heart without her. She was loved by so many and was so passionate about her love for 311 and turning others onto them. All my best 311 memories include her and she knows that!”

———————-

Alex said that he knows Amanda’s words to 311 would have simply been, “Thank you.”

Alex has these words he’d like to pass on to all the fans in the spirit of Amanda:

“Fuck the naysayers and stay positive and love your life. #StrongAllAlong. Celebrate each day and what she meant to you and the community. Amanda wanted people to be comfortable with themselves and live each day to the fullest.”

——————

Amanda was clearly what we should all strive to be – positive, accepting, and just a light in all of the peoples lives that she touched. Stop for a moment today and be thankful that you are here and be grateful for all that you have in your life. Do something today that would have made Amanda proud. Celebrate 311 Day to honor her life, whether you knew her or not. Sending much love to all of Amanda’s family and friends, and to all of the fan community. Remember to love one another…stay positive…and love your life.

Much Love – The Runt

Hey there 311 nation! Who’s ready for the new fan spotlight? Take a break to read all about Joe Young!

It was on a local radio station in Denver, Colorado, where Joe first heard the sounds of 311. They were playing the song “Homebrew” and it instantly caught his attention, so much that the next day he went out and purchased Grassroots and was hooked from there. “It was a few days later when I was filling out my birth date on a form that I made the connection that my new favorite band had the same name as my birthday March 11th. I knew it was meant to be!”

As far as show count, Joe really hasn’t kept track but knows he is somewhere in the 50-60 range. First show was in 1999 at the Ogden Theater in Denver. “After seeing their energy on-stage, I knew it wouldn’t be my last show. Seeing “Freeze Time” played live blew my mind at the time.”

While there are several events that Joe has attended and that are all unique, he said one that stands out to him is 311 Day 2016. It was there that he met his now fiancé and they spent the show together. Since then they’ve seen 311 together 15 times. “Now not only is 311 Day extra special to me because it’s my birthday, but it’s also our anniversary as well.”

Picking a song that means the most is tricky for Joe because he said they are always rotating. A few that stand out to him though are “Homebrew,” “Eons,” “Welcome,” “Light Years,” and “Uncalm.” As far as a lyric that stands out to him, one of his favorites is, “The songs I sing, they don’t mean a thing if you’re not there to hear it. But then soon is the time, you’ll be by my side.”

Estes Park, Colorado, is where Joe was born and he’s lived in various places throughout the state all of his life. He says he really couldn’t imagine living anywhere else and currently lives in Aurora. He works as a produce clerk at King Soopers.

Joe loves music and seeing live shows. Going to concerts has always been one of his favorite hobbies. “Starting from when I was young, my mom took me to see classic bands like, The Four Tops, Johnny Rivers, and The Beach Boys. Then later, while I was still young, going to see others like MC Hammer, LL Cool J, TLC, and Naughty by Nature. By the time I was a teenager, I was going to a few concerts every month ranging from classics, to metal and hip-hop. By now, I’ve been to quite a few hundred shows, but still have a few bucket listers out there. Other than 311, some of the other memorable bands I’ve seen live are: Muse, Stone Temple Pilots, Pantera, Faith No More, Beck, Beastie Boys, and Redman and Method Man(my 2 favorite MCs).” Joe said he really will listen to just about any type of music and some of his other favorite artists include Run the Jewels, Grouplove, Snot, Gogol Bordello, Duran Duran, Garbage, The Offspring, Weezer, Tool, N.W.A, George Michael, Korn, and Die Antwoord.

Fun fact about Joe – he loves dressing up and making his own costumes whenever he can! “Whether it be for Halloween, Comic-Con or the cruise. One of the most memorable costumes I’ve made is Mugatu from Zoolander. This Halloween, I was The Vision from the Avengers, and my fiancé Mandee, was the Scarlet Witch. It makes it even funner now to have someone who loves making costumes as much as me!”

Joe has a few other hobbies that he loves including sculpture, painting and cooking. For unique talent though, Joe is famous for doing the dance move “The Worm” whenever he’s at an event where the DJ plays “It Takes Two” by Rob Base. “I once got into a “worm-off” in the smoking section at the Salt N Peppa/Vanilla Ice concert and was declared champion by all spectators.” Joe said guilty pleasure is complicated because there’s not much he is ashamed of or gets embarrassed by. He did say that people usually cringe when he mentions that he enjoys trashy VH1 reality shows like “Flavor of Love.” “The trashier, the better.”

To 311, Joe has one request: “Can you guys PLEASE play Reggae Got Soul?”

To all the other fans out there:

“I love that in our Familia we have people from many different backgrounds that love all different types of music but the one thing that brings us together is our love for 311 and that’s what makes us all brothers and sisters. If you ever see me around at a 311 event (or any event) come give this ginger a high-five or hug because I’m always passing them out!”

———————

Thank you to Joe Young for sharing his story! That was a fun one to write and kick off the cruise week with. Much gratitude to all who read each week. Next post will be on the wonderful 311 Day…stay tuned!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again friends in 311 nation! Shall we get right to it? This week the spotlight takes aim at Denise Rattray!

How Denise found 311 was thanks to her listening to Reel Big Fish and Mighty Mighty Bosstones a lot and then discovered 311 somewhere around 1994. “I loved the mix of different beats that they were throwing down and loved them ever since.”

For show count, Denise is somewhere between 70 and 80. Her first show was in Orlando, Florida. As far as favorite show or event, she said hands down it was Pow Wow in Live Oak, Florida back in 2011. “311, camping, DJ’s…these are a few of my favorite things!”

One song that stands out as special to Denise is “Beyond The Grey Sky.” “Reminds me of a dear friend that suffered from depression and eventually took his own life. I tear up every time. The words are just so powerful… as if i wrote the lyrics myself.”

Favorite quote from a song for Denise is “Fuck the naysayers cause they don’t mean a thing.”

Denise was born in White Plains, New York. She also lived in Florida for many years. Then she decided to go against the grain and move to Virginia. She’s been there for a year now and is starting to think about her next place to move. “I LOVE a good adventure!”

Interesting fact about Denise is that she played classical music for 10 years and was in symphonies for 6 years! Something that she loves is any sport that is death-defying. She said you can count her in for those!

Motto for Denise is, “I don’t live to work, I work to live.” So for her, she works, saves money, and attends as many concerts and festivals that she can, and travels as much as possible! “Hey, someone has to do it!”

Other music that Denise loves includes heavy metal. “I’m a true metal head. Metallica is my first metal band love. Any band that is heavy metal is my jam.” She also is Jamaican so she loves reggae and holds it dear to her heart!

Denise has this to say to the band: “311, I’m a ride or die. There til the very end.”

To all the other 311 fans:

“It doesn’t matter how untraditional you want to live your life, always live your true self.”

———————

There you have the story of Denise Rattray! Thanks to Denise for sharing her tale. Of course, thanks for reading the fan spotlight! Have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome one and all to the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight! Let’s kick off February 2019 properly and read all about Mike Maurice!

The time was the mid 1990’s and Mike’s ex-wife took him to his first 311 show, she was already a huge fan. “311’s sound & vibe was so infectious, I could just not turn back and have never stopped grooving and following them since.” He said he’s now a much bigger fan than she ever was and he doesn’t see that ending any time soon. “311 Life!”

Show count for Mike he isn’t quite sure on, but it’s somewhere above 100. His very first show was in Long Beach, California at The Long Beach Arena. He’s been to every 311 Day since 2010, as well as all of the cruises. He’s about to embark on his 6th cruise in less than a month! Mike said that by far his favorite events have been the cruises.

The song “Creatures (For A While)” is one that connects with Mike on many levels. As far as lyrics, he said there are many that he loves. However, one in particular that stands out to him is, “Emotions are elastic, they stretch out and back. Sometimes, they just snap.”

It was the Lakewood/Long Beach area of California that Mike grew up in. He lived in a middle income home that his almost 91 year old father still lives in. He was fortunate enough to go to school with Snoop Dogg and Bradley Nowell, way before they became famous. “I attended many backyard kegger parties as Sublime jammed…nobody had any idea how epic they would become! We just wanted to party and enjoy the music!”

After school, Mike went through the pipe fitters apprenticeship and he is now a construction project manager for an energy company. “I get to travel around a lot with a lot of flexibility. Love my job!” Aside from working, Mike was blessed with four children-a 25 year old daughter, a 14 year old daughter, and twin sons that are 13. He said they all LOVE 311!

Mike loves to travel. He has a second home on the Colorado River, south of Las Vegas. He also loves to go to concerts for various types of music. He’s a big hockey and football fan, loves the Rams and the Kings. He also enjoys boating and off-roading. “My river house is by far my happy place. Everybody that knows me, knows this!” Guilty pleasure for Mike is the movie The Sound of Music. “It’s the only movie I can watch time & time again.”

311 is by far Mike’s favorite band and he has one arm that is sleeved with all 311 ink. Some other artists Mike enjoys include The Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Stick Figure, and Iration. He said in high school he jammed out to The Who.

Mike’s message to 311 is this: “You have brought so, so, so much joy/emotions/good times/incredible & amazing people into my life! You have no idea! To this day they are my real/true friends! They get me!”

Now his message to all fellow fans:

“I just want to say that I’ve been blessed in my life to do many things, go to many places and have many experiences but have never met so many positive and amazing people in so many places as I have since following 311. It’s more than a clique, it’s a Familia! Time of my life! Long time friends! Never too old to stay positive & love your life.”

——————

Well friends, now you know the story of Mike Maurice! Thanks for sharing Mike and much gratitude to all continuing to read each week. Love all of your beautiful souls!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back 311 nation! I hope you all are having a great day so far, and let’s make it better with our next excitable story. It’s time to meet Brian Stazel!

While Brian always enjoyed listening to the blue album and Transistor, he said 311 wasn’t his favorite band during that time. It wasn’t until 2005 when his roommate at the time Seth got him back into the band. They’ve been his favorite band ever since! “The musical diversity this band has is 2nd to none and that combined with their message of unity and positivity got me hooked!”

Show count for Brian – he’s been to 34 regular shows and 5 311 Day shows (2006, 2008, 2012, 2014 & 2018). He’s getting ready to embark on his first cruise coming up very shortly! First show for him was in Hawaii in 1998, when he was there visiting his sister and he attended the VANS Warped Tour. “Unfortunately 311 wasn’t the headliner (Mighty Mighty Bosstones were) but it was still an awesome experience!”

Favorite show for Brian was tough to pick because they are all unique in their own way. He chose 311 Day 2018 as the top for special events and the Sokal show in 2015 was his favorite regular show. “It was beyond epic!”

One of Brians favorite songs is “Boom Shanka.” So naturally one of his favorite lyrics comes from it: “Now I’m ready to turn the page on yesterdays and forgive them. Now I’m willing to disengage , to seize the day and move on.” A song that hits close to home for him lyrically is “Beyond the Grey Sky.” “lost my adopted mom to suicide when I was 21, and the lyrics perfectly captured how I felt during that time.”

Brian is a Colorado native and he’s lived in various parts of the state throughout his life. He was adopted when he was just 8 months old and grew up with his adopted mom, dad, and sister. When he was 7 years old, his parents divorced and his dad ended up remarrying a few years later. Thanks to this Brian gained two stepsisters. He’s a proud uncle of 5 nephews and 1 niece!

Brian adopted a German Shepherd puppy back in November of 2017 and his name is Guinness. Current employment is at a satellite internet company called Viasat. They will be the first global ISP in the near future. “I have been with the company for 13 years and really enjoy working there and don’t see myself leaving anytime soon.” Brian was married previously but is now divorced and has been single since then.

In 2017 his life took a turn for the better because Colorado unsealed adoption records and he was able to get a copy of his original birth certificate. “Within 3 days of submitting my request I had the copy in my hand and was able to find out my birth mom’s name.  I looked her up (on FB of course) but wasn’t able to find her, so I had a co-worker help me and we were able to locate an email address.  I sent out the email that I’d be wanting to send out for 40 years and anxiously awaited a response.  The day before Thanksgiving I received a letter from my birth mom, and the tone was that of surprise as something she never expected to happen had happened.  I received another letter before Christmas which had a much more open and inviting tone and we were actually able to meet in January of 2018!  Over the past year we’ve been able to connect and establish a relationship which is more than I ever hoped would happen!”

Something most people don’t know about Brian is that he has a fake tooth! Special talent for him is that he can juggle. “Only 3 things at a time but I’ve been able to juggle watermelons before!” Guilty pleasure for Brian, he said he knows he’ll get grief for it, but it’s the band Coldplay. “I saw them the 2nd night of their 2 night stint at Red Rocks in 2003 and they were amazing!”

Aside from 311 and Coldplay, Brian can also be found jamming out to artists like Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Metallica, O.A.R., Rebelution, Chevelle, Flogging Molly, Jack Johnson, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Jimmy Buffett, John Butler Trio, Korn, and System Of A Down. “I pretty much enjoy every music genre but these are some of my favorites!”

Brian has this message for 311: “Simply put, THANK YOU guys for sharing your gift of music, positivity and love with all of us.  There are so many people that wouldn’t have met, or formed the bonds or relationships that they have if it weren’t for you guys, so thank you for everything that you do!”

Now his message to all his fellow fans:

“I can’t wait to meet anyone and everyone at a future cruise, show, or 311 day!  I have been known to give out a high five or 100 post show, so just look for the Broncos, Rockies, Avalanche or Nuggets jersey and get your free high 5!”

————————

That was the story of Brian Stazel! Thanks to him for sharing and as always, to all who read each week! Now go have an amazing week and spread the positivity to each person you meet.

Much Love – The Runt

Here we are again excitable nation! Another 311 fan spotlight has arrived. Let’s meet Chris Binder!

It was Chris’ best friend Brandon who introduced him to the wondrous sounds of 311. It was 1996 and he was playing it in his car and mentioned that 311 was playing a show that weekend in Kansas City. They went to the show on June 8, 1996 at the Sandstone Amphitheater, and Chris has been a fan ever since!

Show count for Chris he believes is around 75. Favorite show for him so far was the third show on the Soundsystem cruise in 2015. “They opened with the old school “Are You Ready Intro” into the extended opening of welcome to S.a. alternate welcome opening! 

One of the greatest 311 concert moments, I could have floated away at that point and be just fine.”

The song “Nix Hex” means the most to Chris. “Smooth yet psychedelic it’s called the Nix Hex. I pray for the day I get to hear the end part live. 311 2012 on the Rhodes piano was a pretty memorable.” As far as a favorite quote, he loves the lyric, “Music is what I need to keep my sanity.”

Yankton, South Dakota, is where Chris was born. “Hometown of Adam Vinatieri!” He was raised in Kansas and is a professional chef. “I live by a simple philosophy – Good food, good people, good music, is all you need in life.” He loves to cook obviously and likes to cater parties on the side to help fund his 311 adventures. He’s even catered weddings for some excitables!

Chris also worked in Las Vegas at one point and had the honor of cooking for some amazing people including some members of Nirvana and Maynard from the band Tool. “Life goal would be to cook dinner for 311.” Chris also wants to start his own business and create a meals on wheels type of organization.

Chris said he’s considered himself a lucky man but that someone told him luck is earned. “So many good people have helped me in my life I want to be able to repay them and pay it forward.” He also really loves to dance. “Would have loved to be a backup dancer for Madonna or Janet Jackson.”

Guilty pleasure for Chris he said is Funko Pops. “Looking for ones that reference 311.” Other than 311, Chris can be found listening to Tool, A Perfect Circle, Incubus, Primus, and Jack White.

To 311, his message is this: “They say in addiction that you lose what matters to you most. I was a pill addict for many years and during that time I didn’t listen to 311. I just simply want to say thank you for your craft and keep kicking out the jams because music is what I need to keep my sanity.”

To all of the other fans out there:

“Thank you all for making this the best group of people to be a part of. Much love.”

———————

Well that was Chris’ story! Thank you all for reading and thanks Chris for being a part of the spotlight. Time to go kick butt this week and be the amazing people you are.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello 311 nation! Last day of 2018 and it’s time for the next edition of the fan spotlight. Without further ado, let’s meet Jason Cori!

Jason’s story starts out like his brother Bryan’s, with his love of the band The Urge. He was going to their shows every other weekend from 1993 to 1995 and The Urge would play with 311. That’s where his love of 311 was born.

Show count for Jason is at 134. Favorite of those he said is this years 311 Day and for many reasons. “It was me and my wife’s first 311 Day together and I was blown away that they get better and better. My favorite regular shows were Kansas City on 6/8/1996 (they played an extra long set and I remember exactly how I felt. The weather was excellent and vibe was amazing.”

Song that means that most to Jason is “Two Drops in the Ocean” because it’s he and his wife’s song. He also loves “Livin’ and Rockin’,” “Existential Hero,” “Brodels,” “Plain,” and “ “Extension.” 

Some of his favorite lyrics are: “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate freedom than to make up a set of goals and cold beat ‘em,” and “Stuck in circles.” He said that the last lyric helps him when he gets in a mind funk. “I think of that so I can get out of the circle.”

Back in 2010, Jason unfortunately had a traumatic brain injury. It caused him to miss 311 shows from that year up until 2016. However he said that their music is what helped him get through the rough patches. Seeing 311 live is a priority for him because it’s his therapy session and an excuse to “Visit” the world.

The Urge and 311 are really the only bands that Jason listens to. He has an Urge inspired tattoo on his left arm and a 311 one on his right.

Jason just married his beautiful wife Theresa in Vegas. He said she is 55 and can rock out with the best of them! “She walked down the aisle to the Transistor Intro and Two Drops in the Ocean.” Jason also said that a little over a year ago he saw his wife sitting in the driveway beating on the steering wheel to Chad’s “Applied Science” drum solo and that the next day he went out and bought her an engagement ring!

Something unique about Jason is that he knows how to juggle! Guilty pleasures for him include basing work around the Unity Tour dates and smoking a little herb to help center himself when he needs it.

To 311, Jason has this to say: “You guys have been the most consistent, brilliant teachers and your shows are my church.”

To all the other fans out there:

“You are in good hands, old and new fans alike. You chose the right band to fall in love with. They will do what they say and say what they do. There is nothing better in this world, so Don’t Stay Home!”

————————

Ladies & gentleman, the wonderful story of Jason Cori! Thank’s Jason sharing your love of 311 with all your fellow fans. Of course, a big thank you to everyone for reading this weeks edition! Happy New Year my friends, see you all in 2019!

Much Love – The Runt