Hello all excitable friends! It’s time we meet the latest 311 fan spotlight. This week we meet the other half of last week’s spotlight – Joe Waltermann!

The year was 2005 and Joe and his wife had just moved into a new home. He had just set up his man cave and was going to take a nap.  “My wife decided to sit in the room and watch a concert on TV. Of course I did not sleep as it was 311. It rocked and I was hooked.”

First show for Joe was in 2007 in Indianapolis. He took his wife and kids to it. His show count is now at 35. They’ve been to four 311 Day events, and five out of the six cruises. “Would have been all 6 but it was moved back to May and we had a son graduating High School.”

Favorite show for him was the sail away show on the first cruise. “That was the most exciting and coolest thing to see 2500 people getting ready to set sail. The energy was intense. And this was the start of a lot of great friendships.”

Joe said that he’s not really a lyric guy, that’s Julie. “I am the guy that can’t hear the words and sings the wrong lyrics. But love the music. How does a guy that has been to 35 shows not know any lyrics??  I write my own lyrics for my life and have loved every moment.” Joe is however, all about the energy of the crowd and the rhythm. “I just love to rock to the sound.  It takes me to a place all my own. There are so many great songs. One that gets me chill in my head and then jumping would have to be Creatures.”

Richmond, Indiana, is where Joe is from and the farthest he’s moved is about 90 miles away to a suburb of Indianapolis called Greenwood. Julie and Joe have lived there for 30 years and have 3 kids. For 25 years he’s been a banker and financial advisor. He also loves to volunteer in his community. “People see me as pretty conservative and good person. I do have that dark crazy side that most people don’t see. The positivity of the 311 family allows me to let loose and enjoy the fun in life. Work hard, play hard. I like to spend as much time as I can with the love of my life and best friend, Julie Waltermann. She brings out the best in me. The best 30 years of my life. We love doing as much as we can with our 3 kids even today as they are getting older and have their own lives. We travel together and play in numerous tennis leagues together. My family is the most important part of my life.”

Joe said he is a true introvert. “Someone once called me a Social Introvert. Most people think I am an extrovert  as I am always talking. This is an introverted awkward reaction to silence in a room. It tends to work great in my work life but I am very quiet at home.”

There is a rule Joe created called “my rule of 50” that he goes by. “Not very original but totally effective. Anytime I was going to pass on an adventure because i was an introvert, I would think whether or not I would regret it when I was 50. I almost passed on going on the first cruise due to many issues, family, cost, and am I too old for this. Guess what? Look at the fun I would have missed and the friends I wouldn’t have. This has worked wonders in missing nothing in life with family and friends. I had zero regrets when I turned 50.  OMG!!! I am over 50. Thanks to the music, my heart, body and mind are still in my 30’s.”

Other musicians that Joe loves includes Dirty Heads, Stick Figure, and Rebelution, which he discovered thanks to 311. “I am still a rocker at heart and love the 80’s and 90’s hair bands. We try to catch any of them touring through Indy. I was too quiet when I was younger and never went to concerts. I am making up for it. Use my “rule of 50”.  Can’t forget Evanescence. Love me some Amy Lee.” Guilty pleasure for Joe is any and all action movies. “Gets the adrenaline pumping.”

To 311, Joe’s message is this: “Thank you for giving me this incredible family.”

Words for all the other fans:

“Go to the shows. Love the music and lyrics(those that can hear the words or google them) and meet as many wonderful people as you can. You will love that these are the friends that will always have your back and make some of your best memories.”

————

Thanks Joe for sharing your story! Keep on rocking everyone  – have a kick ass week!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome friends! It’s time we meet another awesome 311 fan. This week I introduce you to Julie Waltermann!

A complete accident is how Julie was introduced to 311. She belonged to the CD club Columbia House and if you didn’t send back the card saying you don’t want the CD of the month, they send it to you. The CD for that month was Soundsystem.“Of course, I forgot to send the damn card! I decided to pop it open and give it a chance as I had heard Come Original on the radio and from then on I was hooked! That CD was on repeat for months in my car! Their music was so unique and combined so many genres that I enjoyed that it was instant fandom.”

Julie’s show count is now at 35, which includes four 311 Day events and five cruises. First show for her was in 2007 in Indianapolis. “Their energy during that first live experience made me want more!” Favorite of the 35 is hard to choose for her. “My first 311 Day in 2010 was only my third live show and was such an epic experience, seeing it was a 6 hour show! It was also my first time being with so many Excitables. The first 311 Cruise always stands out as a favorite as well because the vibe of being with so many fans for all the best reasons was amazing! I met some of my best friends that trip. 2016 at Red Rocks was my absolute favorite venue of all time and I can’t believe I waited so long to visit such an iconic music venue!”

The song that grabbed Julie when she first listened to Soundsystem was “Eons.” It remains her favorite to this day. “That miT riff at the beginning gives me goosebumps every time!” She loves all the words in “Paradise” but the lyrics she chose as favorites are, “Everything you do it comes back to you, whatever it may be. What you did as a devil or did as an angel. The favor returns itself somehow.” She also loves the lyrics, “Life’s a bowl of punch, go ahead and spike it,” and, “You’re all up in my mix like fuckin’ Betty Crocker.”

Richmond, Indiana, is where Julie was born and raised. She now lives in Greenwood and has been there for 25 years with her husband Joe. She and Joe have been married for 30 years and have 3 kids together – Tony, 25; Drew, 22; and Erin, 18. “All three of my kids inherited my love of music and concerts!”

Profession for Julie is dental hygienist, which has also been constant in her life for 30 years! “My boss is great to let me take time off each time I ask for 311 events! Joe and I love to workout, play tennis, travel, and spending time with our kids and friends.”

Joe and Julie met on a blind date when she was a senior in high school. Last March, when in Las Vegas for 311 Day, she surprised Joe with a vow renewal in front of 26 of their excitable friends! “It is literally the ONLY time I have pulled off a surprise on him!!”

Julie says her musical interests are all over the map and are very eclectic. She loves the reggae genre including Stick Figure, Rebelution, and Iration. She also loves some pop such as Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars. She said after 311, Prince and then Dave Matthews Band make up the 2nd and 3rd most songs in her Spotify playlist. “Others on heavy rotation are Dirty Heads, RDGLDGRN, David Bowie, The Police, and recently The Skints. My best friend in the world LOVES country and it is still the one thing we can’t agree on!”

Guilty pleasure for Julie is anything related to “The Real Housewives” on Bravo T.V. “And it drives my husband crazy!”

These are the words Julie has for 311: “Thanks for leading me through the good, the bad, and the ugly that life has thrown at me and giving some amazing friends along the way!”

Now her words to her 311 family:

“Every moment with 311 fans has been a privilege and adventure feeding my soul through life!”

————

That’s Julie Waltermann’s story friends! Thanks for sharing Julie and to all who read the posts! Have the best week and see you next time!

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello and welcome back to another awesome 311 fan spotlight. It’s time we meet the lovely Carrie Butler!

It wasn’t that long ago that Carrie got hooked on the music of 311. She and her best friend went to see the 311 & Cypress Hill show in Mansfield, Massachusetts. She’s been hooked ever since!

Since that first show Carrie has seen them 25 times total. Her favorite event so far was this years cruise because it was also she and her husband Paul’s honeymoon.

The song, “Don’t Stay Home” means a lot to Carrie. “I was a single mother that missed out on the concert life to raise my daughter.” Another thing that 311 does that Carrie loves is the drum solo during “Applied Science”.  As soon as she hears the words “Not your head to this,” she knows it’s time to rock out!

Needham, Massachusetts, is where Carrie grew up. She spent a few years in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, but then finally landed in Maine to be closer to family. For 13 years she worked as a caregiver while also working cleaning a bar/restaurant. Currently she works at Bates College. She and her husband save all of their change to help fund 311 fun!

Carrie is very thankful for having 311 come into her life. “I was in a very abusive relationship with my daughters father and 311 helped me get out and meet so many beautiful people, which one is my husband. I had a lot of anxiety that made me stay home and miss out. When I heard Don’t Stay Home I immediately connected with the lyrics.”

Some things that Carrie is really great at include gardening and pottery, which she vended at her local farmers market for 4 years. Guilty pleasures for her include chocolate and whiskey.

When not jamming out to 311, Carrie can be found playing music from Cypress Hill, Stick Figure, Pearl Jam, Bumpin Uglies, Pink Floyd, and Janis Joplin.

Carrie would like to tell the band: “Thank you for changing my life. For bringing us on the most amazing vacation and making so many memories I will cherish in my heart for eons!”

This is her message to all fellow fans:

“I want to thank all the lovely family I’ve met. I also want to thank Chrissy for taking the time to do the runt rant. Stay positive and love your life.”

——————

Aww thanks Carrie for the kind words & sharing your story! It’s my pleasure to share the stories of the excitables week after week. Thank you to each and every person who reads about their fellow fans.

Until we meet again my friends, keep being amazing.

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello again my friends out there in 311 nation! New fan spotlight time! Who’s excited? Let’s read the story of Chris Childress!

Chris first discovered 311 in 1995 when he was 8 years old. After playing outside and finishing homework, he and his younger sister were usually allowed to enjoy music videos on MTV and “The Box.” When the video for “Down” crossed their family room TV screen for the first time, Chris felt an instant attraction to the music. He had previously spotted 311’s logo in his cousin’s CD collection and a Grassroots album at a family friend’s house before, but upon hearing their music for himself, Chris begged his dad to buy him 311, which he would later come to know as “The Blue Album.”  He recalls regularly listening to the whole album from front to back and then starting from the top again. “What really drew me in back then was that I had never heard anything like 311 before. The songs absolutely rocked, and I could feel the music even if I didn’t understand everything they were saying at the time. I still don’t understand everything they’re saying.”

Eleven years later in 2006, in his freshman year of college, Chris was killing time at the mall during spring break when he picked up the 311 Day 2004 Live in New Orleans DVD. “The first time watching that DVD blew my mind and essentially ‘woke my mind up’ to what a phenomenal live show and crowd 311 had been cultivating for many years unbeknownst to me.  I didn’t even know they had that many songs, and never heard of a band playing a 5-hour long show before. It was incredible to me.” Captivated by what he saw and heard on the DVD, it was that summer when Chris bought a ticket to see 311 perform live for the first time at Festival Pier in Philadelphia. “I hit their Philly shows every summer after that, then started driving to Atlantic City for Fall Tour shows, which snowballed into my first 311 Day (2012), my first 311 Cruise (2013), my first Red Rocks show (2013), 311 Day 2014, meeting my girlfriend, Kama Star, moving to Vegas, cruising again, joining as a guitarist for the Unity All Stars, etc., etc., etc.”  While he has lost track of exactly how many 311 shows he’s attended in all, he estimates it to be in the 40-50 range.

Chris’s favorite 311 show is a toss-up between Festival Pier in July 2011 or Red Rocks in July 2013. “Both of these shows were extra special in their own unique way and each experience really cemented 311 shows and the 311 community as a big part of my life and my future.” Another show that was special to him was in Atlantic City in 2010. Chris drove to the show alone but was immediately befriended by a long-time fan who parked next to him. “I ended up watching the show by myself that night, but noticed some people in the crowd really vibing together and I remember saying to myself, ‘I need THAT in my life.’ Then my friend from before the show found me afterwards and encouraged me to stick around for a couple more hours. I took his advice and we were rewarded when Nick Hexum came off the tour bus to meet with a small group of us, so I had my first experience meeting a member of the band.”

The entire “Blue Album” really resonates with Chris because it was what originally got him hooked on 311, but if he had to name one track that means the most to him, he would choose “Random.” “That one automatically gives me ‘that feeling.’ There’s a certain nostalgia factor when I hear it that brings me back to my childhood days.”  While just about every 311 song has a lyric that he loves, there are a few that really stand out in Chris’s mind: “It’s alright to feel good, it’s alright for nothing to be wrong. The deepest dream that we have, could be tomorrow’s song”; “Slow slow lover, rub you down, we don’t want no one hurting don’t make a sound. Oh living is a journey, waking, believing, running for shelter now.”; “Give thanks and praise for good things you found, humble people not ashamed nor proud. And always try to keep your feet on the ground, and love yourself.” “You’ve got to trust your instinct and let go of regret. You’ve got to bet on yourself now, star, cause that’s your best bet.”

Chris was born in Philadelphia, PA, and was raised in a suburban town called Media. His parents were both musicians so he was raised listening to a wide variety of music and was introduced to the piano and bass guitar at around 3 years old.  He began taking piano lessons, played the trumpet in the school band, the bass in jazz band, and by the age of 12, he convinced his parents to let him start playing the guitar. “By [age] 14, I was extremely focused on music and learning to be guitarist.  I became deeply infatuated with my dad’s vinyl record and CD collection, consisting of classic rock, folk, blues, jazz, prog rock, funk, and fusion, all of which really broadened my range in terms of what I was listening to and trying to emulate.  I began taking private lessons in jazz harmony and improvisation with a jazz piano player named Jimmy Amadie, who remains one of my greatest influences not just in music, but in my life.”

In 2005, Chris graduated from high school and went on to study English with a concentration in writing at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. It was there in his freshman year of college that he really started to catch up on 311’s entire musical catalogue and, as previously mentioned, he started attending their live shows. After graduating college in 2009, Chris briefly joined a band called Soraia while applying to law school, but neither pursuit panned out.  In need of a career path and a steady income, Chris took a job at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in 2011. “During that time my attendance of 311 shows and events started to ramp up significantly since I finally had a little bit of money coming in and some paid vacation time to use.”

After attending 311 Cruise #3 and Red Rocks in 2013, Chris became good friends with Kama Star and they gradually started dating.  She lived in Vegas, and after 6 months or so they decided they wanted their relationship to continue, which prompted Chris to pick up and move in with Kama in June 2014.  “Little by little, I established myself in Vegas and the new location brought me even closer to the 311 community.”

Chris had become friends with a couple members of the Unity All Stars between Red Rocks 2013 and 311 Day 2014, and after a few times hanging out, they were asking why he hadn’t played any songs with them yet.  He remembers telling Kevin, “As soon as you tell me what songs to learn and when to bring my gear, I’ll be up there with you.”  By the time 311 announced Red, White, and Boom Weekend in Vegas in 2016, Kevin needed Chris to fill in on guitar for their lead guitarist, Brian Sweeney, and Chris joined the band.  “We all live in different states and have jobs outside of music, so we don’t go on tour or play as often as we would like, in fact we never get to rehearse as a band before gigs.  But that approach hasn’t stopped us from playing the past three 311 cruises, 311 Days, and a solid number of fan-party gigs over the years.  We have a great group of people and we are all extremely invested and connected to the music that we cover.  We aren’t the most polished, rehearsed band out there, but we thrive on each others’ energy, and most importantly, the energy of our audience.  Kevin does a great job pushing us all to challenge ourselves, to play as many different songs as we possibly can, and putting together sets that our crowd will be excited to hear. We practice our asses off to be able to perform in the manner that we do, without a single group rehearsal, but let me be the first to say that we would be nothing without 311 and our audience, the 311 fan community.  Getting to experience even just a sliver of the crowd energy that 311 feels playing for everyone is an incredible experience and something that I’m thankful for every day.”

Chris currently works in the Las Vegas cannabis industry as a Lab Testing Coordinator which helps to fund both his 311 habit and playing with the Unity All Stars. “My ultimate goal is to keep doing all of the above while also writing and recording music of my own and continuing to develop and grow as a musician and just to be a better person.” What you may not have known about Chris is that he is a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and was his chapter’s president during his senior year of college. He also has a strange capability to be able to read people. “I feel things acutely and have a certain sense of empathy and intuition, sometimes to the point that I freak myself out with thoughts or feelings that end up coming true.” Chris has a passion for food and loves cooking, especially sharing home cooked meals with others. He also has a couple guilty pleasures – playing video games and being a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan. “I watch every single Flyers game unless I absolutely have a conflict, and I still play my Xbox 360, keeping NHL ’14, Skyrim, The Sims 3, GTA V, Fallout New Vegas, and a few others in steady rotation.”

In addition to 311, some of Chris’s favorite musicians and bands are Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa, Yes/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Bill Bruford, Scott Henderson/Gary Willis/Tribal Tech, the Grateful Dead, the Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse, and Steve Gadd. “That’s just to scratch the surface…there are many, many more.”

If he could pass a message along to the band, Chris explains: “I always want to express to them infinitely how much gratitude I feel for them, their music, and their persistence in following their dreams, in turn providing inspiration for hundreds of thousands if not millions of people including myself. But if I really had one sentence right now, it’d probably be like, ‘Hey guys, let’s hang out at my place, I’ll grab some beers and grill up some dinner. We can smoke, laugh, and listen to music, whatever you guys want, stay as long as you like!’”

And in closing, Chris has a message of positivity to his fellow 311 fans:

“Just like 311 has shown us the way, don’t be afraid to chase your dreams and passions in life, don’t let anyone except for yourself tell you who you’re supposed to be in this world; be thoughtful, caring, respectful, and kind to each other.  There’s nothing more important to humanity than our individuality and how we accept one another.”

—————

 

 

Hello all and welcome back for another 311 fan spotlight. This week let’s learn the story of Daryell “Scooby” Royer!

During middle school Daryell was really into the music scene. Every shirt he owned had a band logo or their artwork on it. “I grew my hair long, drew on my jeans, and I was always tethered to my Sony Disc-man with giant oversized can headphones and my zip up binder of CDs in tow that musta weighed 20 lbs. In that binder was literally labeled “311-Weezer” and contained a little bit of everything from Boyz 2 Men to the Jerky Boys, John Philip Sousa to John Popper, that last one truly responsible for bringing me all the way into the fold.”

Then the summer before he started high school he got tickets to The HORDE Tour, which was put on and headlined by Blues Traveler. “Blues Traveler was my jam back then because as an aspiring musician it gave me hope that a fat guy could make it in this world.” It was at this tour that he saw 311 live for the first time, on September 1, 1996, in West Palm, Florida. “As if I wasn’t already feeling it, having snuck from my lawn seat to the pit for their set, and puffed on a random new friends nazz cigarette during Nix Hex. But then the big man himself came out and blew his harmonica while some dudes from Omaha played Taiyed and that was that, I was hooked.”

Current show count is now at 125. Favorite event so far has been the 2017 cruise, which was Daryell’s first one. “Having schlepped every and all my friends from airport to harbor and back for the previous 4 cruises, I wasn’t gonna to stand on the shore anymore waiving goodbye to my familia as they set sail and committed myself to getting OTMFB. Adulting was hard, but I made it work and won’t ever miss another boat. The second 311 set of that cruise was my 100th show and it’s like I was reborn there, surrounded by love, totally unable to control my emotions. Singing through tears and speaking in tongues, hands in the air waving all around like I just didn’t care. I’ve never been one for church, so that’s as close to a religious experience as I’ve ever had. I stood next to Larry for his son’s solo, watched as he smiled that Larry smile, and then watched as the goosebumps totally enveloped my arms to signify what I had just witnessed. The magic wasn’t done yet though, because as they were closing the set, I suggested that we just be creatures for awhile, and we were.”

Daryell’s answer for favorite song – well he quoted his cousin, thee bearded brodel: “I love 311. They play all my favorite songs.” One of his favorite lyrics is, “The river cuts its way through stone. Not through sheer force, but persistence. At the end of the day the relentless always win.”

Daryell was born and raised in Florida and grew up in his family’s restaurant. “Starting out at the age of 5 as the cutest maitre d on the planet, I quickly moved into the kitchen as soon as I could see over the stove.” He then worked in kitchens over the next 15 years, with a few breaks here and there to work as a tattoo artist, bounty hunter, and a commercial truck driver. Then he discovered his gift of cannabis arts. “I currently work in the seed to sale production and manufacturing of the highest quality medical cannabis in Florida. If you’ve had a Scoob Cube, then you know. I also play my robotic saxophone for a couple different groups including The Unity Allstars and sell my art on Etsy ( https://etsy.me/2G6aifA ) to make a buck and help fund my 311-centric lifestyle.”

Want to know an interesting fact about Daryell? “I’m probably the luckiest unlucky guy around. When I was in elementary i spent over a week in an oxygen tent (boy in a bubble stylee) I’ve also been shot, stabbed, run over, and electrocuted too.” Something that makes him unique is he finds the funny in any situation. “I’m often the “too soon” guy because of my desire to want to make people laugh. The greatest range of emotion one can feel is laughter through the tears.”

Music attraction is all over the map for Daryell with the exception of country. “I love and find I inspiration from all sorts of music. If it’s good, I’ll listen. Subsequently, every band I’m really into now, Ive discovered on a 311 undercard. Slightly Stoopid, Stick Figure, Fortunate Youth, Pepper, Rebelution, The Movement, SOJA… I found them all through opening for 311.”

Guilty pleasure for Daryell…well it’s “Amber.” “Over the years, I’ve had a love/hate, love to hate, hate to love relationship with this song. I’ll be perfectly honest, I’ve taken my fair share of pee breaks. But, I’ve also taken part in the most amazing arm in arm organically formed dance breaks, smoke circles, and sing alongs too. Me and my cousin Colenzo have Whoa’d like nobody’s ever Whoa’d to that song. Plus, me and some other Allstars who are all about that Unity ska’d up a version on this past cruise that rocked the atrium and allegedly melted 3 faces.”

Daryell’s message to 311 is: “You don’t just make the music that I listen to, you’ve scored the soundtrack to my life.”

His message to all the other fans:

“Fuck the naysayers. Always rock your 311 gear in public. When someone asks “are they still a thing?” you tell them YES!”

——————

Another great story from another awesome fan! Thanks Daryell for being a part of this community and per the usual, thanks to all of the readers out there for supporting your fellow excitables! Have a fantastic week you beautiful souls.

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends & fans of 311! It’s about time for a new fan spotlight. Let’s meet yet another member of the Unity Allstars, Aaron Zuckerman!

The seventh grade was the first time that Aaron heard music from 311. He was in his art class and was instantly hooked. “What continues to draw me to the band is how they evolve their writing styles while staying true to their sound.”

First show for Aaron was in Worcester, MA when he was in his freshman year of college, around 2001-2002. Alien Ant Farm opened for 311. Show count for Aaron he’s unsure of. Favorite event for him was the 2012 cruise. “It wasn’t sold out and felt like private events the whole time.”

Song that Aaron loves is “I’ll Be Here Awhile.” “Brings me back to some good times playing unplugged shows and house parties in college with what turned into the Unity Allstars.” A favorite lyric of his is, “Serendipitous my travels throughout time.”

Aaron grew up in Croton on Hudson in New York. He spent most of his time in the woods, on the river, or playing guitar and bass in his room. He attended college at SUNY in Albany. There he was part of a 4 piece band called Infectious by Nature, which later evolved into the Unity Allstars. Now Aaron and his wife live in Hollywood, South Carolina, where he paints and repairs boats for a living. “I am an avid woodworker, painter and artist.”

The Grateful Dead are a band that Aaron absolutely loves. He’s also into Radiohead, Sublime, Weezer, and Passafire. He loves others too, there’s just too many to list!

Cool fact about Aaron’s family is that his grandfather was a stand up bass player and his father is a drummer, so musical talent runs in his family. He also once lived on a sailboat in Florida for 3 years with a dog and 2 cats! Guilty pleasure for him comes in food form – he loves McDonald’s Egg McMuffins.

Aaron’s message to 311 is sweet & simple: “Thanks for treating the fans like family!”

His message to all of the other fans is just as simple & perfectly worded:

“Stay positive and pass it along!”

—————

There you have the story of Aaron Zuckerman! Thanks for Aaron for sharing his story and to everyone for reading. Go have a kick ass week my friends!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back 311 nation! Are we ready for the next edition of the fan spotlight? Let’s get this party started and meet Mike Sterling!

The year was 1994 when Mike learned about 311 thanks to a friend from work named Scott. Mike was into a huge variety of music at that point and being a trombone player he was all about the Ska music and more specifically the band The Urge. Then in 1996 The Urge were opening for his now other favorite band, 311, at Red Rocks. “Yep the one from the first ETSD video! Every time I watch it I can see the silhouette of my friends and I having the time of our lives in the trees off to the side of the stage( they were small trees back then lol). That group and I attended every Red Rocks show that 311 ever did after that as well as just about every other Colorado date over the next 15 plus years. No social media back then so the group was big, then small, then big, then small… but always I would organize a group of friends to pre-party and attend every show. I would even buy blocks of tickets to ensure everyone could go. We would also go to Independent Records on album release days and party in the parking lot until the midnight release. Then we’d rock on all night listening and breaking down the new masterpiece. Really miss those times! Somehow a download party just isn’t the same… But anything that 311 did in Colorado or nationally for those first 18 years we were there.”

The 1996 show was the first for Mike and he’s sort of lost count of how many it’s been since then. He knows show #100 was on the Jamaica cruise so he believes he’s somewhere around 120. For him, the second cruise (his first) was his favorite event so far. “After retiring from my job of 21 years my wife Cassie and I decided to embark on a 17 day musical journey across the country. My hope was to rediscover my love for playing music again and maybe re-visit being a musician again someday. We started in New Orleans for Jazz fest with Petty and Springsteen among others. We discovered a variety of new artists like Gary Clark Jr along the way. Then we drove up to Memphis for Beale Street music festival and saw more amazing bands and more Gary Clark Jr.! lol  The exciting conclusion of the trip was for us to fly to Miami and jump aboard the 2nd 311 cruise. I had heard that the first one was pretty fun and since nobody was a 311 super fan like me (I thought), it should be a pretty nice time… The rest is history! It was the time of my life and changed everything for me moving forward.”

One of Mike’s favorite songs is “Stealing Happy Hours” or he said really anything from Transistor. One of his favorite lines from a song is, “At the end of the day the relentless always win.” “Every album is a memory and chapter of my life through those years. Like listening to Transistor for the first time after quitting my job or playing football in the parking lot at midnight waiting for Soundsystem to be released. I cherish those memories and times.”

Syracuse, New York, is where Mike comes from but he’s lived in Denver, Colorado for over 30 years. He worked his way up in his first job to owning his own Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. He had a long, successful career with his company Harman Management but then after 21 years decided he needed to move on from the corporate world, so he retired.

It was in Denver that Mike met his soon to be brother, Kevin Labella. He was walking around a Ballyhoo show and that’s where their relationship began. “Even though we’d cruised together twice and danced on the same stages we had never met. A conversation about horns and The Unity All Stars occurred and the flood gates opened for me as a musician. It had been basically 20 years since I had last played on stage but began practicing for the 2015 Las Vegas Red, White and Boom 311 afterparty. It went great! I have now been with The Unity All Stars for nearly 4 years. We’ve played 3 311 cruises and dozens of shows for 311 events. Such an honor. The connection with the hundreds off friends and 311 fans Ive made is beyond something I can describe. I literally have family everywhere I go. All of these friendships and connections Ive made in the 311 community have led me to hundreds off musicians, professional connections and opened doors for me that I never would of had a chance to pass through. Kevin and I have done multiple guest appearances with bands like Ballyhoo, Bumpin’ Uglies, Krooked Trees and many others. Currently, I play Trombone and sing for a touring band out of Atlanta, GA called The Bastard Suns. They were also one of my favorite bands back in the day and because of my connection to 311 and their fans I not only ended meeting them but then I joined the band! This is no fluke! Dozens and dozens of 311 fans have stayed at my home with my wife Cassie and I since the second cruise and the connections we’ve made grow stronger and stronger. The web grows larger and tighter everyday and it couldn’t be a greater joy than to be on this journey with all of my fellow 311 Fans.  There is no community like ours and I feel nothing but pride to be a part of it!”

Mike said that 311 and his community connections are his true guilty pleasure. “I spend more time and money on 311 and 311 related events than any other thing in my life.” We know he loves a variety of music and some of his other favorite artists include The Urge, Streetlight Manifesto, The Mad Caddies, The Interrupters, Reel Big Fish, and Less Than Jake. Something you may not know about Mike though is that he was born with a condition called ABS (Amniotic Band Syndrome). “It is the cause of some of the physical problems I have with my hands and feet. If you know me you know lol.”

To 311, his message is this: “Thanks for writing the soundtrack to the chapters of my life. Somebody had to do it! The story would be far more boring without the incredible music… So Thanks!”

To his fellow fans, he has this message:

“The positivity and love from this community comes from all of us. Its not something we can teach but we can protect it. Truth is that its not something that can be given, its something thats inside of us and comes from within. We owe it to each other to share that gift just like 311 has done for us. Each of us carry the torch and responsibly to protect our community and philosophies. Stay positive and love everyones lives!”

—————

What a story Mike Sterling! Thanks so much for sharing this with the community. Of course, much gratitude goes out to all the readers each week. The electricity from you all is outstanding and I’m so proud to be a part of this fan community. Until we meet again…go be amazing!

Much Love – The Runt

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