Hello friends out there in 311 nation! A new week is upon us and that means we have the newest addition to the 311 fan spotlight. Let’s meet another friend from Australia – Mathew Spicer!

1995 was the year that “Down” came on the radio and it traveled to Mathews’s ears. He instantly became a huge fan. The music just connected with him.

First show for Matt was in 1998 at the Warped Tour in Manly Australia and then he watched them the next day in Ulladulla. “23 shows all up with 2 in Australia and the rest in the states.” As for favorite show, Matt chose the first 311 Day he attended in 2010.

For favorite songs. Mathew said his top 3 are “Hive,” “Offbeat Bare Ass,” and “Visit.” As for favorite lyrics, he chose ones from the song “Hive.” “Being an Aussie fan and travelling overseas for them, my favorite line is ‘I represent the traveller, him he’s a shredder.”

As Mathew has mentioned, he’s from Australia! He grew up skateboarding. He spent 18 years on the deck, started when he was just 12 years old and went well into his 30’s. Fun fact about him – his birthday is on 311 Day! He also said that in this stage of his life, in his late 40’s, he needs to see 311 at least once a year. “My outlet in life.”

For other music that Mathew loves, it includes artists such as Unwritten Law, Papa Roach, Opm, Pulley, Bliss N Eso, The Vandals and No Fun At All.

To 311, Mathew has this question: “Why haven’t you returned since 1998 to our beautiful country to tour again?”

Now here is his message to all the other 311 fans out there:

“To my 311 crew I hang with at every show that always organize Airbnbs , tixs and rides to and from airports and shows to make this Aussie have a epic experience ..thank you so much you know who you are … big shout out to my best mate Chris Brauner from St. Louis bloody champion mate ….cheers. Last words See ya OTMFB in March!”

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Thank you so much Mathew for being a part of this and sharing your story with us all. As always, much gratitude to all the readers and support each post. Hope you all have an amazing week. Sending out lots of positive vibes to you all.

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back 311 nation! I hope you all had an excellent Thanksgiving (those who celebrate it). It’s time for the new fan spotlight – let’s meet Jacob Ruhmann!

311 found their way into Jacob’s world through the song “Beautiful Disaster.” When he heard it on the radio the first time he thought it was the coolest song. “Then at work one day in the kitchen, I heard my friend playing it on the radio. I told him I love that song and found it recently. He told me to go home and listen to the blue album. That changed my life. I had heard Down before but as soon as Random came on, as a drummer for 11 years, I was hooked. Then I get back to work and tell him how awesome that was and I had never heard anything like it, well then he tells me to go listen to Transistor. Keep in mind I’m only 22, so I had all of this music at my disposal. So after these albums I got to listen to all 12 at the time! But going from Blue to Transistor is what really sold it for me, Transistor still is my favorite album and my mind was blown. What really drew me to their music was the mix of different genres, it was something I had never heard before. And I was a fan of the Offspring at the time, so my first show was in 2018 seeing them play with The Offspring and seeing them live, as you all know is what really made me fall in love for life.”

As Jacob mentioned, he’s only 22 and has only been following 311 since 2019. So show count for him is sitting at 15. “I wish I could’ve seen more, but I’m grateful to have even seen them at all. My first show was in St. Louis in 2018, when the played with The Offspring.” As for favorite show or event, Jacob said it’s hard because there are many contenders. He said this years 311 Day, his first Red Rocks show (where he asked them to play ‘Get Down’ and they did), or seeing them a couple of days before his birthday with his twin brother and they met everyone except Chad. However he said his number one show has to be the recent Chicago albu shows. “The Urge is the band I’ve seen live the most after 311, being from St. Louis I go see them every year and love it, so having them open was amazing. And as I stated how I got into 311, blue album and especially Transistor really hold a special place in my heart, I never thought I’d be able to hear it front to back since I was 11 when the pow wow happened haha. And I went with just the greatest group of people, and I actually organized the post show party with some good friends also. We played at the same venue as 311 in the VIP room at the house of blues, and played right after 311 and are actually on the day’s schedule for the venue! It was my first time playing guitar in front of other people, and there was a line to get in and everything, it was just so cool. We were all total strangers and have never played together, and we rocked it for 2 and half hours of 311 covers. It even got promoted by 311 on their social media! So that whole weekend was just unbeatable.”

For songs that mean a lot to Jacob, he had to pick a couple. The first one is “Beautiful Disaster.” “Not only the first song I heard and fell in love with by them, but it was the first song I learned on guitar, and as hopefully most of you know Tim Mahoney is my hero and the reason I picked up a guitar, and I now know 100+ 311 songs on guitar, and it all started with Beautiful Disaster, my 311 journey and guitar journey.” Another song that means a lot to him is “Sever.” “As a young chap trying to figure out life, dating has been such a struggle and I find myself getting heartbroken time after time, and I always lean on Sever to make me feel better. Woah getting personal there haha, although it also helps that Sever is a ton of fun to play on guitar and drums.”

As for favorite lyrics, there are quite a few that strike a chord with Jacob. They include: “Just sever that leash and release, your freedom of speech, you just have to believe, your deed will be received, somehow somewhere, you won’t be repaid with a blank stare, let me know if you dare,” “Not an even field, to be on, feels like standing still, for eons and eons,” “If you don’t have, someone to, do it with it’s not worth doing. To all my friends, it’s not the end, the earth has not swallowed me yet,”
“This moment is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present,” “You can’t be let down if you don’t expect the world,” and “Sometimes the only thing that saves you, think of bad things luck never gave you, and although your true love has just left you, well at least your mother kept you.”

Jacob grew up in St. Louis and has 4 siblings, including a twin. He went to college just south of his hometown and graduated this year. Then he moved to Kansas City, which is still where he currently resides. “I’ve been working in restaurants, primarily front of house for 6 years now, and been bartending since I turned 21. Honestly for part time work getting me through school, it was really good money, and that’s how I was able to afford all my 311 trips, it’s slowed down now a little, and I’m still looking for a career job, but serving and bartending is still great money, my rent is just way more being in a city compared to a college town so I haven’t had as many trips. What fuels me though is my passion for playing music. I’ve been playing drums since I was 11 and picked up guitar during quarantine times and have really really put my all into it, it’s my favorite thing to do and pretty much how I exclusively spend my free time.”

Interesting fact about Jacob is that he has a fraternal twin brother, which he thinks is pretty cool. He’s also been playing drums for 11 years. “It doesn’t show since I don’t play as much as I used to, but I’ll never lose that, just might not be as good as I was. People are always super interested when they find out how young I am too, I think I am definitely the youngest super fan, and that’s awesome to me. Also I have 2 311 tattoos, and love them.”

As for something that makes him unique, Jacob said his musicianship is it because music has been such a huge part of his life as long as he can remember. “

I was raised on it. And I’ve been playing an instrument since I was little too. It’s how I spend all my free time, and there’s just so much more to learn and it really excites me. I think another great quality I have is how much of a people person/extrovert I am. I’ve pretty much been conditioned to it, since I’ve been serving tables for 6 years, but I just can never get enough of meeting interesting people and getting to know them. I see all walks of life when I’m working and I really love it. Hopefully those who have met me can agree, as I always try and put good out into the world and be a listening ear for people. The attention I’ve gotten in the 311 community has seriously changed my life in the best way possible and have made me a better person. I’ve met so many incredible loving people, who approach me as “the guitar guy” for all the 311 covers I put out on Facebook, or after running the event in Chicago, and just being the young super fan, I always have people coming up to me at shows and saying hi and it’s just been such a blessing making all these connections and making great friends, so thank you everyone.”

Guilty pleasure for Jacob is singing in the car. “Even though I can’t sing well at all, and even if people are in the car I just can’t help myself haha. This might be due to my age but I also tend to eat out way too much and sleep in way too much. And you know, now that I think of it, a band I would consider being a guilty pleasure who I follow is Styx. I grew up on classic rock and they’re one of those bands who tour all the time and I just always go see and always have a great time, but their fanbase isn’t really who I want to represent haha. I also got to meet Todd Sucherman, their drummer, at a drum expo, and his style of playing is super cool, so that’s always worth seeing.”

While Jacob said he’s really guilty of pretty much only really listening to 311. “Most of my time listening to music is while I’m playing guitar or in the car, and both of which are usually on 311, my friends and family give me trouble for it but I still just never get sick of it.” With that being said, there are other bands he likes including 311, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Incubus, The Urge, Goldfinger, Turnstile, blink 182, Collective Soul, The Offspring, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Primus, Rush, Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Sublime.

For message to the band or a specific member, Jacob would like to send out these words to Tim since he’s his hero: “Tim, you’re the reason I picked up a guitar. Your blend of styles into your own unique way of playing is truly special, and I look up to you not just as a guitar player, but as a great person to be around with such a warm and welcoming presence.”

Now here are his words to all the other 311 fans out there:

“I just have one thing to say, thank you thank you thank you. To my close 311 friends, you all know who you are. You guys truly mean the world to me and I am forever thankful for our experiences we’ve shared, and for the ones we will share in the future, it isn’t over yet. You guys are some of the nicest people I know and I know you are always there for me, and it truly means the world, I don’t know what I’d do without you. To the rest of the 311 excitable crew all over the world, I want to say thank you for giving me, some lost 22 year old, a place to call home. Even though most of you are old enough to be my parents, no offense haha, you all have been so welcoming and I am seriously so grateful, nothing makes me feel as good as 311 shows, meeting new people, people recognizing me and saying hi. You guys have dug me out of some dark places and I can’t thank you enough. And of course thank you for your support for my guitar endeavors, I never thought I’d get recognized this much, but you all are the reason I keep playing everyday, in hopes that I can play for you live some time, I gotta be prepared haha. This isn’t the end everybody, until next time, looking forward to seeing you all again. In the meantime, keep doing what you do best, stay positive, love your life. Put nothing but good out into the world. It goes on and on.

Shoutout to Zach, Aymee, Ricky, Brian, Tracey, Courtney, Vanessa, Frankie, Chris, DW, Mike, Justin, Heather, Kyle, Tyler, Tim, Brian, Taylor, Tisha, Mike, Jeff, Tember, Adrian, Ben, Sara, Todd, Daniel, Brian, Dakota, Steve, Jared, Brian, Bruce, Breigh, Chris, Kevin, Anita, Patrick, Ryan, and I’m sure I missed plenty more.”

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Thank you so much Jacob for sharing your tale with everyone! Of course, a huge THANK YOU to all the readers and supporters each week. Have the most amazing week my friends. Keep spreading the love & positivity.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello everyone out there in 311 nation! It’s that time again, let’s read the story of another awesome fan. This week we meet Eric Midgett!

Eric went to boarding school during high school and his roommate would occasionally play the albums Grassroots, Music, and the blue album. “Grassroots really resonated with me. I was into grunge at the time, so I think the guitar tone of the dirty stuff pulled me in. I bought Grassroots first that Fall and have been hooked ever since. I’ve always been into guitar and think the different styles and tones drew me to their music. You can listen to a song with 3-4 genres influencing it and it just works!”

Show count for Eric is at 32, he uses Setlist.fm to track them. First show for him was at the 1996 H.O.R.D.E Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “While my first show was a festival set and short, it was memorable because I remember Nick wearing a leg cast.  That said, he was full of energy and still moved around quite well.  My first 311 headliner show was about a month later in Richmond, VA, and had the Urge and Deftones open.”

Picking a favorite show or event was tough for Eric, but he chose the first show he saw with two of his best friends Keith and John (both are pictured above). “On a whim, we decided to drive from Virginia Beach to Charlottesville to see 311 play at a small club called Trax (where Dave Matthews got his start).  While the three of us were friends, this was our first time really all hanging out together and our first road trip. We got there very early and were surprised to see a couple of people already in line. We were maybe the 3rd or 4th group of people in line and had Papa Johns delivered to the curb at one point. 🙂  We were able to get on the rail in front of miT the whole time.  This show was before Soundsystem was released, so we heard “Life’s Not a Race,” “Eons,” and “Freeze Time” before most people. To top off a great day, I got a guitar pick personally handed to me by miT and his setlist after the show (attached). I think Keith ended up catching 2 drumsticks.  Another interesting part of this show was that besides 311 Day, this was the only time I recall seeing 311 without an opener.”

Picking a favorite song was also hard for Eric. He said while it’s not his favorite album, Evolver got him through some tough times in life. ” It kind of came out at a perfect time and really seemed to speak directly to me with “Reconsider Everything,” “Seems Uncertain,” and “Don’t Dwell” specifically.  Without the changes I made at that time of my life listening to that album, I would not be where I am today with the amazing family and friends I am surrounded by.”

For favorite lyrics, Eric said the song “It’s Alright” really resonates strongly with him. “It’s alright, wherever you are right now. I tell you it’s alright, that’s where you’re supposed to be now.”

Virginia Beach is where Eric grew up, and he’s also lived in Central Florida and the Atlanta area. His first concert was Weezer. Then behind 311 the next band he’s seen the most is Dave Matthews Band. After high school he worked retail which is where he met his two best friends, Keith and John. “Kmart funded many of our concert road trips between 1999 and 2003.  I am an Atlanta Braves fan and like a lot of their fans, I started watching them on TBS in the 90’s.  That said, I am a baseball fan first and a Braves fan second.  I just love the game and unlike a lot of fans of specific teams, I do not hate other teams’ players, but rather just focus on my team’s success and great play.”

Fun fact about Eric is that he enjoys woodworking and has built a couple of guitars. He also wants to get into home brewing but needs to find the time. ” If I won the lottery, I think I would want to have a brewery and guitar workshop on a beach somewhere.”

When asked what makes him unique, Eric said that over the years he has become very understanding of different perspectives and really tries to avoid judging people. “Social Media has made that challenging but at the same time has helped me train and grow that ability.  I generally give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove me otherwise.”

Guilty pleasure for Eric is that he loves watching pro wrestling. ” A lot of people “grow” out of it, but I am still intrigued and fascinated by it as an art form. While I do not watch every show, it’s one of those things I can miss for a while and then pick right back into without missing a beat.”

As for other musicians that Eric loves, the list includes The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, The Clash, Metallica, Joe Bonamassa, Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, Muse, Dirty Heads, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and the Strokes. “I’ve been fortunate to follow some great people on Twitter that have introduced me to other stuff as well like Royal Blood, Mariachi El Brox, Animals As Leaders, Mastadon, Rebelution, Grateful Dead, and many more others.”

To 311, Eric has this message: “I appreciate everything you have given so much to us over the past 30+ years and no matter what the future brings, those memories will remain. Please continue to take care of yourselves. Cheers and I hope I can have a beer (or 3) with Pnut and SA one day!”

Now here are his words to all the other 311 fans out there:

“Thank you for every random chat and conversation over the last 25 years of shows. Continue to stay true to yourself and don’t waste your energy on those that want to bring you down.”

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Many thanks to Eric for sharing his story with us all! Of course, much gratitude to all the readers out there. Thank you for the support. Hope you all have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my friends out there in Excitable nation! It’s about time for a new 311 fan spotlight. Let’s read the story of Tim Zinkan!

For Tim, his love started when he was 13 years old and saw the video for “Down” on MTV. “I think what drew me to it the most besides the video itself was the blending of rap and rock sounds which at the time was foreign to me and I was into both of those genres at the time. Once I got my hands on the ‘Blue Album’ the hook was set big time. Their positive messages about persistence and believing in yourself have kept me coming back to their music again and again over the years. I love how they have evolved their sound over the last 30+ years but remain the same at their core. Each of their albums takes me back to memories from my life in the era the album was released.”

Show count, well Tim has lost count at this point, but he estimates it’s somewhere between 40 and 50. First show for him was at The Lawn at White River in Indianapolis, Indiana, back in 2007. As for favorite show, it was the 2017 cruise to Cozumel that takes top prize. “While all of the Cruises and 311 Days I’ve been fortunate enough to attend have all been special in their own right, the 2017 Cruise was when I got to share the experience with my now wife instead of just telling her about all of the great people and stories from the previous ones I attended before I met her. She, without a doubt, completely understood everything I had been trying to tell her since we started dating after living the experience herself. I would like to think we came out of it understanding each other better as well. We got married the following Fall so something must have clicked on that magical ocean faring vessel.”

When asked what song means the most to Tim, he asked, “Is the whole discography an acceptable answer?” Many of us fans feel the same way! He did pick one song that has special meaning, and it’s “Don’t Dwell.” A few of his favorite lines from songs include: “You think they’ll probably find you, well then you’re probably right,” and “The river cuts its way through stone, not through shear force but persistence. At the end of the day the relentless always win.”

Tim grew up in the middle of a cornfield in Washington, Indiana. He studied robotics at Vincennes University and has worked in various fields of manufacturing since he graduated in 2007. Once graduated, he moved to Indianapolis and then 7 years later moved to Louisville, Kentucky for work. “While in Indianapolis I spent a couple years working as a traveling Field Service Engineer and during that time have worked everywhere from a margarine & Redi Whip factory, to bottling water, bottling beer, bottling Coke products, building shocks and struts for cars, and currently work for the Ford Motor Company as an Automation Engineer building the best trucks on the planet!”

Tim met his wife in September 2015. They married in November 2017 and they have 3 children: Emma, Hadley, and Bennett. They also are fur parents to a cat named Luna and a dog named Boomer. “We bought our forever home out in the countryside in the middle of a 86 acre cow farm in April 2020 and enjoy the quietness and slow pace of country living when we aren’t rocking out with 311 and all of our 311 friends we have made from the shows.”

Interesting fact about Tim is that he has built and driven 2 demolition derby cars! As for unique attribute, Tim can talk to robots and they talk back! “In my line of work I get involved with writing code for manufacturing robots and various other types of automated equipment.”

For other musicians Tim can be found listening to, the list includes Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Stick Figure, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, Rebelution, Alice in Chains, Pink Floyd, and Avenged Sevenfold.

Guilty pleasure for Tim, he said he’s a gear head at heart. “I really enjoy all forms of motorsports, especially NASCAR and dirt track sprint car racing.  I have been to 14 of the NASCAR tracks as well as dozens of NASCAR races from Michigan to Las Vegas to Miami and nearly everywhere in between.  Being born a Hoosier and having lived in Indianapolis there is also a special place in my heart for the Indy 500, Indiana University basketball, and Indianapolis Colts football.  I also enjoy camping and piloting drones when time allows.”

To 311, Tim has these words: “I give you every ounce of my gratitude for playing a major role in helping me keep perspective through all the rough spots in life, celebrating the great times, the abundance of special memories, and for taking me along on so many epic travels with the greatest of people!”

Now Tim’s message to all his fellow fans:

“We have all been through a lot over the last 12+ months.  Use the 311 positive energy to be an ‘Uplifter’ to those around you and enjoy the brighter days ahead.  See you out on the road at shows soon!”

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Thanks Tim for sharing your story and love for 311! Much gratitude to all the readers as usual! I hope you all have an amazing week my friends!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends! It’s time for a new 311 fan spotlight! Let’s read the story of Ziva Narendra!

Ziva said he considers himself a late bloomer as far as becoming a 311 fan, because is wasn’t until “Transistor” came out and a metalhead buddy that he went to pilot school with got him tuned into the 1997 MTV Sports and Music Festival, which is where he saw 311 play on his T.V. “I was blown away by their energy and music which was unlike anything I had heard before my entire life (or “weird” as I first described them upon my first time listening to “Down” back in ’95). It wasn’t long until I got Transistor on cassette only to miss that awesome hidden intro only available through CD. One funny story with that particular album and that one buddy of mine, we were making our way moving from Brownsville to Dallas in my old busted Ford Escort, TX, which is about an 8 hour drive. We put Transistor on back to back throughout the entire trip. It was either that or Aqua. 😁”

As for show count, Ziva has lived outside the U.S. for most of his life, so he’s only been able to see them live when visiting the U.S. He’s logged 19 shows so far, including 311 Day events and cruises. Very first show for him was in Gainesville, Florida, October 16, 2001. “With my good friend Darren who went to UF. “From Chaos” had just been released that summer and despite the not so large crowd I was completely mesmerized for seeing my boys live for the first time. ONESIDEDZERO opened for them and SA was still heavy into sporting track pants.”

As for favorite show/event, Ziva chose 311 Day 2014 as one of the best experiences in his life. “Not only because it was my first 311 Day, but that was the event that truly exposed me to the 311 universe – the fans, the random encounters, tiny moments leading to the show, the merch trades (including the leather wristbands I got made and became favorite among many fans – a yearly tradition since then), the setlist, the release of Stereolithic…it was completely beyond belief for me to actually be there.”

As for a non-special event, Ziva said the show on August 1, 2004, in Tampa was amazing. “I went alone and had just collected my ticket halfway between Orlando and Tampa from a dude who sold it through eBay. The Roots opened with a bang and got me hyped up because I was so (and still am) into their music. 311 came out with a setlist of 28 songs and I got to hear “Gap” live for the first time (jumped like crazy with a random dude standing in front of me who sang “Eat smoked fish” as loud as I was).” One more show that he holds dear was the time 311 went to Indonesia (where he was born & raised) in 2010. It was a historical moment not just for the band, but also for the fans. “We ‘abused’ 311 Mgmt’s Twitter so hard to the point where we caught their attention and were able to connect them with a local promoter. One of the most awesome things about that one show – the floor tickets were sold at an even Rp.311.000 (around $28.00). This was also the first time I got to meet Gustavo “Guslifter” Chavez and his wife Cindy who had followed the band throughout their 2010 Asia tour. To meet a fellow 311 fan who’s also an aviator and into basketball? Instant connection!”

As for favorite song, Ziva said “Use of Time” has always been his #1 and he believes it will stay that way. “Beautifully-composed, solid, somewhat eerie in a spacey-rockin’ kind of way, penetrates the soul.” As for a favorite lyric, he always goes back to the chorus from the song “1,2,3:” “The deepest dreams we have could be tomorrow’s song.” Lately, he’s also been drawn to words from “Don’t You Worry” which is the simple message of “Everything that has a beginning, has an end.”

Jakarta, Indonesia, is where Ziva was born and raised in a working class family. His parents were married very young, at the ages of 22 and 20, which was common in his country during those times. “My dad worked hard to provide for his family while my mom, despite having to sacrifice her dream career as a stewardess, kept everything at home intact. They were both children of the ’60s so music has always been part of our daily lives – with The Beatles being a strong foundation among others. I have an older brother who grew up with pretty much the same musical influence as mine (New Wave n’ all) and a sister who’s 8 years younger than me and grew up with the likes of Spice Girls and early emo/screamo bands.”

School was generally normal for Ziva and his siblings, despite having to move several times because of his fathers work and studies. They lived in Ireland and the Netherlands for a while. “Gotta say those were some of the times of our lives – especially being able to tune in to music channels on television (SKY Channel was the prominent one in Europe in those days – I don’t think they had MTV yet back in ’86).” Ziva says he considers his parents to have been quite fair in he and his siblings upbringing, emphasizing the importance of old eastern traditions (religion, norms, and values) while not imposing them too much. “They encouraged their children to explore passion and talents, from sports to music. I guess that kind of got me going in the first place to really get into performing music and got into a band in high school.”

First time living on his own overseas was in 1997 during his pilot training days in Texas. Then in 1999 he moved to Florida to pursue his degree and it’s when he was able to see his first few 311 shows. As for Ziva’s career, he’s always been in aviation. “I started out with taking part time jobs throughout my days in college – to as many as four jobs between classes (including one at a local restaurant). My true professional career started back home in ’05 – flying for one of the leading air charter companies. I started my own aviation consulting business in 2014, which I still run to this day. My love for aviation, as much as my love for music, roots back to my childhood days and to have both in my life in harmony is a beautiful thing.”

Fun fact about Ziva is that he said he’s currently learning how to cook properly at home! He also said he’s always considered himself a jack of all trades, never really mastering one thing but always dabbling a little in everything. “Keeps things flowing and unpredictable. Or maybe it’s just an excuse for being so easily distracted. I do make a helluva Old Fashioned, though.” As for guilty pleasure, Ziva said the show “The Wonder Years” is his and he still likes to watch it on DVD.

As for music that Ziva loves aside from 311, his early years were heavily influenced by sounds of The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, A-Ha, and countless other 80’s legends. “Being a teen in the ’90s and wanting so hard to play in a band would find me infused by alt-rock, hip hop/R’n’B, and smooth jazz scenes at the time – from Stone Temple Pilots to Sting, Incognito to Dada, Soundgarden to De La Soul, and much much more. Was fortunate to have a girlfriend who made me countless mixtapes of different kinds of music including little-known as well as indie artists.”

To 311, Ziva has this message: “For your consistency…thank you.”

Now to all the other 311 fans out there, here are his words:

“Let’s always celebrate peace and unity through diversity!”

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Many thanks to Ziva for sharing his story! Of course, much gratitude to all of the supporters of this project. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Sending you all so much light & love. Have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back folks! Here we go, another week, a new fan spotlight! This week let’s hear the story of Adam Fey!

The year was 1991-1992, and Adam can recall being in the 6th grade and being woken up at 7AM by his older brother who was getting ready for school. His brother would listen to music, sometimes Beastie Boys, Living Colour, or R.E.M., but mostly Adam remembers hearing 311’s Unity. “I remember yelling at him to turn it off so I can sleep.  But I remember feeling the energy of that record.  Being 12, I didn’t really recognize what that energy was, but I was hooked.  Fast forward to my junior year of high school, cruising around with a friend of mine’s brother, listening to “Music,” shortly after they released the blue album.  He had never heard 311 before.  I found myself singing along to “Feels So Good” and the next thing I knew, he invited me to join his band and we did a cover.  We ended up playing together for a few years, and although we never achieved greatness, it was the greatest time.  311 inspired all of that, all those years later.”

Show count for Adam he believes is somewhere around 15 and all of them have been in the Omaha area. “My first show was in ’97 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Fishbone opened.  It was my first experience in the pit and it was insane.  Buried my front teeth in some guy’s shoulder, by accident.  Jumped, moshed, surfed.  It was magic.”

As far as his favorite show, he said nothing will top seeing them at Sokol Auditorium. “They played clubs during the Soundsystem tour around ’99-’00 and seeing them with Grasshopper Takeover and Hoobastank, in that kind of atmosphere, was indescribable.  Talked with Tim for a little bit after the show as their buses were parked on the street right next to the hall.  The intimacy of that venue, seeing your favorite band, you just can’t beat it.  Then in 2015 for their 25th anniversary show, again at Sokol, they turned back the clock and played a set mostly from Unity and Music.  Also taking my oldest son to his first 311 show, also in Council Bluffs, IA, when they played Grassroots beginning to end, was a very special time for me.  And he’s been hooked ever since.”

The song that means the most to Adam is a tough question to answer. He said being first exposed to songs like “Rollin’,” “C.U.T.M.,” and “Damn” that those will always be his favorites. “But what they did with Mosaic, at that time, was an inspiration.  So, short answer long, “Wildfire.”

As for lyrics, these are some of Adam’s favorites:

“Truth I hid the truth I hid from me, hit the skids I hit the skids only to find the light to light my way home, sun come through.”
“Anytime you will ignore your heart it will come back twice more, never deny your own instinct, reconsider everything.”
“Nod your head to this.”

Adam was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and still calls it home. He went to the same high school as Nick, Tim and Chad, plus his kids now attend it as well. “I had the interesting experience of being there while the farce of a t-shirt ban was going on.  Thankfully, it didn’t last long, 311 shirts were half my wardrobe.  The following year I wore my 311 Music shirt the first day of school, directly in front of the dean so they had come to their senses.”

The grass industry is where Adam has worked for the last 15 years, and he said no not that type of grass! ” I’ve worked at golf courses and sports fields, with most the appeal being that I can throw in the ear buds and rock out 8 hours a day.” Adam has 3 amazing children, the oldest one being in a band called 622. “He’s the skinny dark haired kid on vocals/guitar.  I brought 311 to him, he brought them to his friends.  It’s such an amazing thing to be able to share music, especially my favorite band, with him.  The other two are a little younger, but I’m working on ’em!” Here is the link to the YouTube video of his sons band:

As previously mentioned, Adam was in a band in high school. What you may not know is that they recorded an album in the same studio were 311 recorded Unity. A talent that Adam has is that he can quote a ton of movie lines. “A blessing and a curse.” Guilty pleasure for him is the 90’s sitcom “Wings.” “It’s pretty bad.  And the cheesy ones, Saved By the Bell for instance.  Ya, Saved By the Bell.”

When not listening to 311, Adam loves the sounds of other artists such as Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park, Beastie Boys, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Who, Van Halen, The Police, and Billy Joel. “Over the last few years my kids got me into Twenty One Pilots as well.”

Adam would like to send this message to 311: “Thank you for being an inspiration to so many through your lyrics, melodies and rhythms.  Chad, send my Chad some sticks.”

Now here are Adam’s words to all his fellow fans:

“I believe it was P-Nut that said in an interview that the band has evolved into something more of a living, breathing organism.  It’s a privilege to be a cell in the soundsystem with you all!  Catch you at the next show!”

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There you have the story of Adam Fey! Thanks Adam for sharing it with us all. Of course, much gratitude to all the readers! Thanks for all of the support, have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Alright here we go, welcome back my friends in 311 nation to the fan spotlight! Here we are at number 300 – I’m so thankful to have been able to interview so many wonderful souls! Let’s get to it shall we? Meet Rick Louis!

Like many, Rick saw the video for “Down” on MTV and that’s how he first heard of 311. However, it was the album “Transistor” that really made him a fan.

For show count, Rick has attended 27, with his first show being at the TLA in Philadelphia, November 10, 1999. “I won tickets from the ticket fairy (ticket raid from Y100 and the fairy was Casey Boy. Yes he was wearing a pink tutu with wings and a wand) at the old Langhorne ski shop. I also won  the top raffle prize from the store, which was a snowboard.  I still have it in my closet. Never used.”

As far as favorite show, Rick said it’s a toss up between his first show and his sons first show back in 2017 at Asbury Park, New Jersey. “He was just 3.5 years old at the time.”

Favorite song for Rick, well there are a couple for different reasons. “Tranquility” is one of them, because the song was released almost a year after his father died from cancer. ” I had missed the 2013 Philly show (was also the first show missed dating back to 1999 and was on my birthday). That song helped me heal, but hearing live for the first time and my first show back in 2014 really hit me.  I’m not an overly  emotional guy, but I was crying during the song.”

The other song he loves is “Creatures (For A While).” When his oldest son was still in the womb, he played that track for him holding headphones over his wife’s belly. “He started moving around in there as if he were going crazy :). The idea of passing the 311 torch to him had me smiling. I couldn’t wait to take him to his first show.” For favorite lyrics, Rick said that pretty much the entire song of “Peaceful Revolution” speak to him. “I’ve always loved this track (my unicorn to hear live one day).  Released in 1990, those lyrics still hold true today. “

Rick was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is a suburb of Philadelphia. He also lived in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, but now calls Mercer County, New Jersey, his home. “Happily married for 11 years with 2 amazing boys (7 y/o and 18 months).  I was working in the tech sector for almost 20 years, but due to a layoff and then covid, I’m currently unemployed.”

Growing up Rick was exposed to a variety of music thanks to his dad, aunt, and uncle. “Some of my fondest memories was going with my dad to the tower records once a month to pick up vinyl’s and these new things (at the time) called cd’s.  My dad had a system in his old car and we’d just blast music on the way home . We could go from Springsteen to NWA, to The Clash and Yanni in one trip lol.  I remember having my mind blown when I first heard NWA and Public Enemy.” Thanks to his diverse musical upbringing, Rick loves a variety of musicians besides 311, including RDGLDGRN, Oxymorrons, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Bad Religion, Pennywise, Pulley, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Rancid, 2 Skinnee J’s, Zebrahead, The Urge, Springsteen, Hendrix, and The Doors.

Rick currently loves spending time with his family and friends. His favorite thing is taking his oldest to shows with him. “I love watching him experience all those firsts like I did when I was younger.  Although my first show was David Bowie when I was 8.  His was RdGldGrn at 3.5.”

Rick said he was a pretty average kid growing up, but at 16 he followed in his dads footsteps and became a volunteer firefighter. “Did that for almost 4.5-5 years and one of my only regrets was not making that a career.” Interesting fact about Rick, his father was the first person in Bucks County to be granted joint custody. “Back in the 80’s it was unheard of that a father would be given joint custody.  My dad fought for me and won.”

Something that makes Rick unique is his love for helping others. Back in 2010 he found a way to take his hobby of playing poker and was able to raise money for some charities and foundations. ” I’m proud to say that these efforts have helped raise over $56k in 10 years.” Rick said he also likes to beatbox and has been doing it since he was little. Guilty pleasure for him is Sheryl Crow. “It’s a running joke between my wife and I.  During our dating years, she was going through my iPod and saw Sheryl Crow’s “All I wanna do” on there and I “jokingly” said she was my guilty pleasure.  Not gonna lie,  I have turned it up and belted it out in my car from time to time lol.”

Back in 2012, Rick’s wife bought him meet & greet tickets so he would be able to meet the band. “The morning of the show, I must have rehearsed what I was gonna say to each of the guys . When it was time to “perform” all I was able to muster up was “I like your t-shirt” to P-nut. He told me he had gotten it in Japan.  Waited 12 years (up to that point) and I completely blew it.  Still was a cool experience and the show was amazing (had front row seats on P-nut’s side).”

We close with Rick’s message to all the other 311 fans out there:

“Can’t wait to see y’all at live shows again.  Don’t be shy if you see my fam and I.  We love  high fives and fist bumps!”

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Thank you so much Rick for sharing your story about your love for 311! That wraps up fan spotlight #300. I want to really thank everyone who has participated in this journey and to all the amazing readers of my little project! Sending so much love to you all, stay well, and thanks for being there as we continue on this journey!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome again friends in 311 nation! Who’s ready for fan spotlight #298? I know I am! Let’s meet Keith Soljacich! 

Between Keith’s freshman and sophomore year of high school, the year was 1994, was when he discovered the sounds of 311 because his musical tastes began to change. “My eyes and ears were opened wide after going to my first Nine Inch Nails concert and I quickly left behind pop music and formed my musical tastes from a combination of hard rock and hip-hop.  I started leaning in to more Pearl Jam and Nirvana, but eventually making my way to bands like 311, Sublime, Primus, The Urge and Incubus.   311 always stood out amongst the mid-90’s bands though with their blend of musical styles.  Listening to 311 in the mid-90’s was like having my own personal Spotify.  If I wanted a hard rock song I had Unity, if I wanted a Hip-Hop song I had Lucky or if I wanted to chill out I had Lose or Nix Hex.  Back then I got everything I needed out of music from 311.”

Keith didn’t keep track of shows attended when he started out, but he believes his number is somewhere between 70-80. “ In the early 2000’s my friends and I didn’t miss a single show that was within 100 miles of Chicago.  We’d hit Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago on every Summer and Fall tour.  If they were playing, we were there.” First show for him was at the Metro in Chicago, on October 22, 1994. “ Back then my friends and I would go to The Metro almost weekly to see bands like Hole, Ween & Primus.  It didn’t matter who was playing, it was what we did, and we ended up seeing some of the biggest acts in the world before they got famous on that stage.” 

There have been many memorable moments for Keith over the years at the shows he’s attended. He filled his bucket list by going to 311 Day 2016 in New Orleans. He said though that without a doubt that being part of the “Creatures (For A While)” video shoot was his favorite experience. “I actually lied on my casting application and told them I lived in LA and once I got cast, jumped on a plane to fly out there.  I was cast as an extra, but that wasn’t going to stop me from making sure I made it in to the video!  I jumped in to the basketball scene with P-Nut when they called for extras and squeezed myself in to those tight old-school basketball uniforms.  Then, when we were filming the mosh pit solo scene, I leapt my way in to the pit with holding my video camera, recording the SMASH through the wall!  Afterward, I got to hang out a bit with the directing team, Nick and Nicole and Chad to talk about the filming experience.  Afterward, I made a mini-documentary that was featured on the old 311 site called Creatures (Behind The Scenes).  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m so glad I took it!”

For song that means the most to Keith, he said for the longest time it was “Stealing Happy Hours.” However, the first time he listened to “Space & Time” off the Voyager album, he cried. “That song has the easiest groove from miT, a nuanced bass line from Nut and a fill-heavy drum track from Chad that is so soothing.  But, Nick’s vocals in that song along with SA’s light harmonizing just hit so nicely.  Listening to that song always gets me to pause and look inward and find some zen and peace in my own life.  Plus those miT solos are so sweet!”

For lyrics, he loves the bridge and chorus from “Homebrew” saying it brings him nostalgia from his youth: “I was 19.  I’d do anything.  Shit like that now scares me but I’d like to do it again!.  It was Independence Day.  I’ve seen the other side and I’d say.  Oh I’ve been insane and I won’t ever be the same.”

Keith grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and has lived in that area his whole life. He attended Michigan State University studying advertising. “I always knew I wanted to work in Advertising to be able to flex my creative side and make an impact artistically there.  As it turns out I’ve had a 20 year career in Advertising, which funds my 311 habit and puts a roof over my family’s head to this day.  I’ve found my niche there and work as a Vice President of Technology at Digitas in Chicago.  I’m happy to say I do get to work on the fun side of advertising and get to make cool and innovative technology-led ad campaigns for some big brands.  I recently worked on a project called JFK Moonshot, where we recreated the Apollo 11 mission as an Augmented Reality app that tracks the entire mission in real-time.  We won several industry awards for that work including a SXSW Innovation award.  I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve done there and am excited for all the future awesome work we’ll get to do!” 

Keith spends most of his time with friends and family, and pre-covid was going to any 311 show that he could. He’s also a huge fan of the NFL, particularly the Chicago Bears and is in a bunch of fantasy football leagues. “ Lately though, I’ve spent a lot of time in my Oculus Quest VR headset.  I love all the immersive VR games like Beat Saber, FitXR and Tower Tag and recently spent a few hours inside Burning Man VR which was a similarly life-changing experience!  In the future we’ll all be attending shows and concerts from the comfort of our own VR headset and I can’t wait.”

Cool fact about Keith? He was one of the first 10,000 people to join Twitter! Something he’s really gotten into, ever since Guitar Hero and Rock Band, are rhythm games and he says he has a sixth sense while playing them. “My new obsession is Beat Saber and I love that one because you get a full-body workout and get to swing lightsabers around in VR.” For a guilty pleasure, Keith said fantasy football takes the spot. “I spend an almost unhealthy amount of time researching and studying NFL players for that competitive edge.  I’ve won more than I’ve paid out so it must be working!”

Some other artists Keith loves include Sublime, Stick Figure, Passafire, Pepper, The Movement, Iration, People Under the Stairs, Outkast, Jurassic 5, Wu-Tang, and Pharcyde.

To 311, Keith would like to share these words: “Thank you 311 for instilling the sense of unity and positivity in me as a youth as it has carried me through good times and bad and set me up to have an incredibly fulfilling life that I love!”

To all the other fans out there:

“I can’t wait to see all the Excitables at the shows in 2021!” 

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There you have the story of Keith Soljacich! Thanks to Keith for sharing his story. Muchos Gracias to each and every reader out there! Sending so many good vibes to you all. Keep on being amazing! 

Much Love – The Runt 

Welcome back my excitable friends! It’s that time, we get to learn the story of a new fan. Let’s get to know Brian Hollar! 

The year was 1996 and it was when Brian heard “Down” and “All Mixed Up” that he discovered 311. Then when he met his wife who was super into them, he became an even bigger fan. She took him to his first show and he was hooked! 

For show count he is somewhere in the 50 range. First show was 311 Day 2006 in Memphis. “That show was fucking epic.” Favorite event? The 2012 cruise. “That was our first cruise, first 311 cruise and that island show gahhhhhh!!!!”

Song that means the most to Brian is “Hive.” “I just love everything about that song.” For favorite lyric, he chose: “I’d like to stay here just like this, it’s just a momentary bliss.” 

Roanoke, Virginia, is where Brian grew up until he was 16. Then he moved to Alabama, with some summers spent in Panama City Beach. At 19 he moved to South Carolina and then a year later headed to North Carolina. “Live in Charlotte still to this day.” He played football from pee wee to his junior year in high school as a running back. “Loved playing football and was very good and it consumed so much of my life but just got burned out from all the years.” 

Brian also played soccer, basketball, golf, track, swim, and wresting during his school years. “Sports and the brotherhood that came with it was a very large part of my upbringing in life. Love any type of competitive sport and still a very competitive person to this day which drives me in many avenues. Sometimes I’m just competing with myself lol.” To fund his 311 addiction, he is in sales for a HVAC company. “Love to travel with my wife and be on the water as much as I can. Ohh and I love to party as well. I’ll drink your shot lol.”

Interesting fact about Brian – he has a peanut butter obsession! “Literally ordered a whole case on Amazon and it didn’t last long.” For talent, he said he’s really good at voice impressions. Guilty pleasure for him is on T.V. – he loves Jersey Shore and Grey’s Anatomy. 

Other artists that Brian loves include Dirty Heads, Rebelution,  Slightly Stoopid, Foo Fighters, Rdgldgrn, Incubus, Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Bassnectar, and Above & Beyond. “The list could go on very far. I’ll listen to Jazz, Motown you name it but nooooo country. I just can’t.”

His words to 311 are actually a question: “So 20 more years?”

To the other fans out there, his message is simple:

“FUCK COVID. I miss your faces.” 

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Thank you Brian for sharing your story! As always a big hug of gratitude to all the readers each week. I know times are weird, but with strength and support for each other we will get through it! 

Much Love – The Runt