Welcome friends to the next edition of the 311 Fan Spotlight! This week, let’s hear the story of Greg Greco!

During high school Greg was listening to all sorts of music and was having trouble figuring out exactly what he liked. Then a friend of his threw the “Music” album on to his Napster account. “The first song I listened to was “Unity”. I jammed so hard to that song on repeat over and over again. I think what drew me to the album was not only the tunes themselves but the lyrics showing how positive and how much fun they have being a group of friends. #goals”

Exact number of shows Greg has attended is unknown, but he believes he is around 45. First show was the Sprite Liquid Mix Tour at the Jones Beach Theatre in New York on August 20th, 2002. “A good lineup that show. Nappy Roots, NERD, Hoobastank, 311, Jay-Z all on the main stage.”

As with most fans, picking a favorite show or event is difficult for Greg. He said it’s sort of a toss up between seeing them at Hammerstein Ballroom, when he first got to meet them after the show. Or his first 311 Day or first 311 cruise. “I really don’t know. The anxiety of not knowing what the set will be, because i never looked beforehand, was what made every show somewhat unique.”

Right now the song that is really connecting with Greg is “Dodging Raindrops.” “I have been going through tough times and it really resonates with where I want to be in life right now. I do believe that Beyond The Grey Sky saved my life, it came out at the height of a depressive state of mine and it helped me get my head right.” Some lyrics that really stick with Greg are as follow: “”Stay positive and love your life,” “Life’s a bowl of punch, Go ahead and spike it,” and “You’re all up in my mix like fucking Betty Crocker.”

Greg was born into a large Irish Catholic family – he is one of seven children and has five sisters and one brother. “Growing up, I made a lot of friends and had I guess your stereotypical childhood. Riding bikes, playing sports, going to school etc… I am, however, the black sheep of my family and have become that in my world as well. My parents are good, hardworking people but I don’t conform to what they feel people should be doing. I am distant from my siblings. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a relationship with them but it’s not your leave it to beaver type situation at all. After years of having a lot of friends, I kept a very small group of them in my adult life. Now I am in the process of getting divorced so most of the friends left, have stopped reaching out to me as well. If this were 20 years ago, I’d be in my room crying. I stay positive. I live for the moment and don’t let the small things get to me anymore.”

Greg has two beautiful daughters who he said are a true blessing for him. “They are kind, intelligent, funny and love listening to 311 with me. My oldest is Skylar and my baby is Amber (yes named after the song). Their favorite 311 songs are Don’t Stay Home, Amber, Til the City’s on Fire. I am just your average Blue Collar guy that does the best with the cards he is dealt.” Greg was born and raised on Long Island and is currently trying to become a professional bowler. He likes to play ice hockey as a hobby. “I have a beautiful girlfriend (no I did not leave my wife for her). I just try to keep to myself. Obviously my kids come first but outside of that, for the first time in my life, I am taking care of me and making sure I’m in a good place physically and mentally.”

Interesting fact about Greg is that he’s a good singer. “In high school, I was selected to be in the National Catholic Youth Choir (kinda corny i know). I was one of 50 teenagers selected and we spent a month traveling the Midwest. That’s right. We even got Omaha, Nebraska for a concert.” Something unique about him also is vocal – he likes to impersonate people or make up voices. “I am very critical of myself so wouldn’t say I’m great at it but a lot of people tell me I should be a cartoon voice over. My girlfriend finds a lot of my impressions scary accurate such as Kermit the Frog. I have that down pat.”

Guilty pleasures, Greg said he has a few, but one big one is being a movie buff. “Not just comedy’s or thrillers. I like the “chick flick” movies too. I’m not afraid to cry from a well written, well acted movie. It’s the “chick flick” part that is the guilty pleasure.”

There are many artists that Greg is into aside from 311. Some of them include Linkin Park, Slipknot, Billy Joel, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Blink 182, Dave Matthews Band, Chevelle, Red Jumpsuit Aparatus, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Metallica, Korn, Dirty Heads, Sublime, Don McLean, NWA, Eminem, Biggie, Bronx Slang, G-Love and Special Sauce, Barenaked Ladies, and Blues Traveler. “The list goes on. My music taste is very versatile.”

As for words Greg would like to say to the band, he said he was lucky enough on the last cruise to say to P-Nut something he had been wanting to relay which was this: “When we took our photo with the band, I put my arm around P-Nut and I said, “I am really glad you’re here and decided to stay.” Relating to his announcement that he was gonna go on a little hiatus. He side eyed me and said “I am too.” That was great to hear and a special moment for me.”

Now here is Greg’s message to all his fellow 311 fans in the universe:

“In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Spread the joy to others that 311 spreads to us. Don’t let the little things get you down. Live your life the way you see yourself doing it and “fuck the naysayers”. Come find me at a show! Love to all!”

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Many thanks to Greg Greco for sharing his story with us all! My eternal gratitude as well to those who keep reading and supporting this little blog. Hope you are all having a great summer and keep on being awesome!

Much Love – The Runt

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Welcome again friends to the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight! This week let’s meet Victor Hsiao!

First exposure to 311 was when Victor was 12 and in middle school. He had moved from to Fairfax, Virginia to Loudoun County, Virginia. It was there that he saw some students with the blue album and then eventually saw the video for “Down” on MTV in early 1997. “The funky heavy riffs of “Down”, the raps/rhymes over these guitar riffs, then the chorus of thanking others and gratitude; I kept thinking this is like all my favorite types of music rolled into one with lyrics/messages I can support. Several weeks later, I’m at the Target and convinced my parents to buy me the blue album. Then Transistor came out late summer 1997 which I nabbed after seeing the “Transistor” music video. I found the spacy groves and guitar riffs to be unique and reminding me a bit of Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ as having this unique sound. By my sophomore year of college, I found myself pulled further to 311 when some of us were riding home from the bar and ‘Hostile Apostile’ came on. I knew immediately it was 311 due to Nick’s voice and grooves. After hearing that, I purchased their remaining cd’s on amazon (CDNow back then) and the rest is history. Their ‘Music’ and ‘From Chaos’ albums are my top 2 with MOSAIC being #3.”

Victor just hit show number 45 last month at the Houston House of Blues. His first show was in 2008 at the Nissan Pavillion in Bristow, VA. “I hadn’t thought about seeing them until graduated college in 2008 when I was really into the band. After seeing them live the first time, I made it a point to see them at least once every year when they toured. I haven’t stopped since.”

As for favorite show or event, Victor of course said it was hard to choose. “2023 311 Cruise ranks up there since it was my first 311 cruise and I got to watch their performance with other fans and in the hottub of all places. Hard to beat that setting! As for venue concerts, the one that sticks in my mind the most is July, 2017 when I saw them on the Pier landing in Philly. They played a lot of their MOSAIC album which had some of my favorite live tracks (Face in the Wind, Extension, Perfect Mistake, Days’ of 88′, Till’ the City’s on fire) plus other live favorites of mine (Brodels, Hydroponic, Unity).”

Favorite song for Victor changes based on the timing, different styles, and lyrics. “So it depends what mood I’m in and what I’m going through. “Electricity” from Transistor means a lot to me due to lyrics about hate and people believing things about others before getting to know them. When I first heard the Transistor album, the music and lyrics spoke volumes to me due to being a new kid in a new environment and gave me a sense of comfort because of what they were preaching. The line about we’re all from the same lucy despite differences people would see; we’d be a more unifying world if we’d stop and acknowledge that. “Speak Easy” from their DTOM album is another one recently. Since my profession involves a lot of public speaking and presentations, I listen to that track every time before I’m about to start a meeting or do a presentation and it always calms my nerves. “Just speak easy, and say what’s on your mind”, couldn’t be more simple but more true. Other ones include Simplify due to the calming melody, and Full Ride and From Chaos due to the raps mixed with the riffs.”

Some lyrics that resonate with Victor include the following:

“I’m in disbelief at what people will believe. All along I thought we had our hearts on our shirtsleeve. If one thing I can say as a piece of advice. Don’t believe it till you see it and then see it twice” – Electricity

“This moment is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.” – Simplify

“The question I’m observing is am I really deserving.” – No Control

“You get back what you give, and I was born to live.” – Born to Live

“From chaos come clarity.” – From Chaos

Victor spent most of his life in Virginia until 2019 when he moved to Houston, Texas, which is where he still currently resides. When he was young and moved to a new town in Virginia, it was challenging leaving all his friends behind and he said at the time there weren’t a lot of people there that looked like him. “During that period, we got exposed to MTV for the first time (thank you mom and dad for finally let us have cable) which is how we started to develop our love for music. Music, for me, became my shield from my troubles and anxiety as I started with grunge/alternative bands (Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Foo Fighters, RCHP, Third Eye Blind, etc.) and the 90’s rap/R&B scene (Biggie, Nas, 2pac, Wu-Tang, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, etc.). 311 jumped on my radar which mixed these genres and spoke about things I found myself longing for as a someone searching for belonging in a new place. Things such as gratitude, unity, kindness, perseverance, antiracism, dealing with anxiety, staying positive; those really spoke to me and I tried to emulate that as best I could.”

Current profession for Victor is bank examiner/regulator. “I never thought I’d ever get into my current profession but I’m thankful it’s provided me direction and purpose. Since the job has a lot of traveling involved, it’s also allowed me to follow my favorite band more frequently and regularly than I ever could have imagined.”

In his younger days, Victor was heavily into musical instruments. “I played piano for 12 years, violin for 3 years, and guitar for 6. That’s helped me develop an appreciation for all genres of music. I’m hoping to get back into playing an instrument again; maybe the saxophone or keyboard.”

As for special talent, Victor’s friends tell him he is a wizard in the kitchen. “I developed it during my server/bartender days in the restaurant industry and also from cooking with my mom during the holidays and family gatherings. Get me in the kitchen and give me some ingredients, I can whip up something tasty/delicious whether it’s a dish or some sort of tasty adult beverage.” Guilty pleasure comes in the form of the show “Succession.” “It’s already on my mt rushmore of best TV shows ever. Other areas of interest include NBA, Formula 1, concerts/live music shows, traveling, golf, and tennis.”

When not cranking the tunes of 311, other artists Victor loves recently include Tropidelic, Dirty Heads, Iya Terra, Bronx Slang, Logic, Gareth Emery, Alison Goldfrapp, Clutch, RDGLDGRN, the Band CAMINO, Incubus, Paris Jackson, Deftones, Iration, Rihanna, Metallica, Young the Giant, and SOFI TUKKER.

Victor would like to send this message to 311: “”Thank you for what you do, for being who you are, and for helping myself and others during those times we needed it.” (He also wanted to note: “The band and members have had a huge influence on my life and how I wish to interact and behave with others. Through all the positive/negative moments in my life, they’ve always been a constant that has helped me navigate and reflect.”)

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

“Stay positive, love your life, and stay true to who you are.”

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Many thanks to Victor for sharing your 311 story! Sending out so much gratitude to all those reading this today and any other day. Wishing you all good vibes and an amazing week.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my friends out there in Excitable nation! It’s that time again – it’s the 311 Fan Spotlight! This week we meet Jason “Jake” Jacobs!

Jason found out about 311 because he saw the Music CD on his drummers night stand. He instantly thought, what is this? For show count, he believes he is around 50. First show for him was in Atlanta at a festival in 1993.

As for favorite show or event that he attended, it was definitely 311 Day 2008. Chad gave him and his 6 friends all access passes. “Free Everything! LOL.”

As for his favorite song, Jason chose “Visit” from the Music album. As for favorite lyrics, he chose “Do what thought wilt should be the whole of the law.” ” Pnut wrote it in my lyric book right before he held my hair while I puked outside their tour bus! Lol .”

Youngstown, Ohio, is where Jason grew up. He then moved to Orlando and while he was attending 311 shows he got very lucky and met Chad early on. “I bought him a bag of weed and that sparked a friendship that still is solid. Fortunately I have not had to pay for any show since! I actually was also the DJ at his wedding in 2016. Funny story, I got too drunk with his relatives, and after the wedding I fell down the mountain that he lived at in Fillmore California. I got whiplash and they did not find me for about an hour and a half.”

Fun fact about Jason – he plays Simon LeBon in a Duran Duran tribute band called Rio. He is also a Karaoke host and is the host of a show called “Do You Hear What I Hear?” “It’s in preproduction right now, but it highlights crazy, delusional, karaoke people and I interview them and find out their story.”

As for guilty pleasure – I’ll let Jason tell you in his own words: “I’m a Superman, so my guilty pleasure is fucking ice cream, salt and straw to be exact! That place rules.”

Other artists that Jason is into include Rage Against the Machine, Nothing But Thieves, MISSIO, Muse, and The Neighborhood.

As for his message to 311, his words go out to Chad: “I’d often think I can’t believe that we’re still friends after all these years. I’ll believe because I brought you guys a bag of weed at the Sapphire supper club in Orlando! It was 1994 and my band Shock Lizard was supposed to open for them, but they were running late so we got bumped. I still gave them the weed!”

To all the other 311 fans – Jason’s message is this:

“I’ll see you in my one piece bathing suit on the motherfucking Boat!”

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Thank you Jason for sharing your story with everyone! And of course, many thanks to all the readers. You all rock and I hope everyone has the best week they can. Sending out love & light.

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello again my friends in Excitable nation! Here we are with the next edition of the fan spotlight. Let’s meet Toban Crosby!

Toban was in the 6th grade in the 90’s when he first discovered 311, thanks to his friend Chad Denton. He loved the beat and the bass. “SA rapping and just their rock – they covered all the spectrums.”

First show for Toban was in Burlington, Vermont, at the Memorial Auditorium in October 2001. Since then, he believes he’s seen them about a total of 30 times, although he really doesn’t keep track.

As for favorite show, he said while nothing really beats the first time, he gave any one of 311’s performances at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in New Hampshire as a close second. “They just sound so good at that venue, and the energy is unreal.” He also mentioned that seeing them on the cruise at sea is also amazing.

Favorite song, Toban said he couldn’t pick just one. “Grassroots and the blue album have so many good songs.” Favorite lyric he chose this: “Think of all the good times, instead of wish we could times. So much better that way.”

Toban grew up in Rutland, Vermont, and playing hockey was an enormous part of his life. He still loves going to games and wouldn’t mind lacing up some skates! He also loves to play golf now and enjoys going to the beautiful courses where he lives. “I lived in Vermont pretty much my entire life until moving to Florida with my girlfriend – now my wife – in 2017. We briefly moved to Seattle for 9 months in 2018, and we now reside back in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. We love it here. I work at a restaurant on a marina and I love that I get to meet new people every day. It also allows me to meet a lot of celebrities! Through my work I’ve been fortunate enough to meet my childhood idols Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky among several other old timer hockey players as well as Bill Belichick, Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan and pretty much every professional golfer that lives in Jupiter – Justin Thomas, Keegan Bradley, Rickey Fowler, Brooks Koepka, & Dustin Johnson.”

Toban and Angela have two dogs who are like their kids – Penny and Winston. “We enjoy taking them to the beach when we get a chance and to parks or open fields to run and play. We still try to get back to New England to see family and for the epic Hampton Beach and Portland shows as often as we can!”

Unique attribute for Toban is that he can remember names and faces of everyone he meets. “I have a great photographic memory. It’s always come in handy with meeting new people in general and making friends with the regulars at my job!” Guilty pleasure for him? “Ben & Jerry’s 😛 …I have also been known to watch those cheesy real estate shows or Grey’s Anatomy with my wife from time to time.”

When not jamming out to 311, Toban listens to the sounds of The Beastie Boys, Def Tones, Dirty Heads, Rebelution, and Ballyhoo! “I also like some classic rock sometimes like the band Boston, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson… I’ve got a wide variety.”

To 311, Toban would like to say these words: “You guys have been my favorite band since 6th grade; I never thought I would have a favorite band and I am so grateful for the journey I’ve been on with you through the years – thank you.”

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

“Stay positive & Love Your Life – see ya, bye!”

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Thank you Toban for being a part of the fan spotlight! Of course, my sincere thanks to the readers each time, as always. Hope you all have an amazing week my friends!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again Excitable nation! Welcome to another edition of the 311 fan spotlight. This week let’s meet Jerad Davis!

It was when Jerad first got his drivers permit and he drove to Best Buy with a friend who proceeded to tell him to buy the blue album. “Their unique sound and live shows are what really turned me on to them.”

For show count, Jerad went back and added them up and surprised himself by finding out he’s only been to 41. However 22 of them have been since 2020 when he really started to travel to shows. “My first show was 2/24/1996 at Roy Wikins Hall in St. Paul, MN.  Had gone to see Cypress Hill.  The Pharcyde and 311 opened for them.  311 opened with Homebrew and the crowd rushed the stage.  I lost a shoe and ended up going up to the balcony as I was just blown away by the energy.  Watching the crowd bounce up and down as one organism was absolutely amazing! This is when I fell in love with 311!”

Jerad said it’s too tough to pick just one favorite show or event. He obviously loved his first show…but he also mentioned 311 Day 2020 being incredible for so many reasons. “I met in person for the first time some of my best friends to this day and the fact the band played half of their catalogue over 3 days and 6 sets.  So eerie leaving Vegas because the world had just shut down from COVID.  Then Red Rocks 2021 was a blast! I was there with so many close friends and made new ones.  The venue alone is worth it.  The Halloween show at The Stanley Hotel in 2021 where they filmed parts of The Shining was memorable.  Dressed as Alice from Alice in Wonderland that night! The album shows in Chicago and L.A. were epic as well.  Watching the Transistor set with my friends and the energy of the Blue album show is something I’ll never forget! Lastly, my first 311 Cruise this year was incredible. The sail away show was probably my favorite! Hearing Visit on the boat was magical!”

One of Jerad’s favorite songs is “Born to Live” because it has a very personal meaning to him. “It’s a miracle that I’m alive. I was diagnosed with liver and kidney failure.   I was in the ICU for 60 days and was told I probably wouldn’t make it out.  I have since had both transplants.”

Some lyrics that resonate with Jerad include: “About time to give up on the same old stuff I’m stuck on. And just say that it went wrong and move along,” “You got to keep on climbing the hill. Cause if you think you’ll make it you will’,’ and “It’s been a wild ride, I wouldn’t change a minute.”

Jerad grew up in Apple Valley, Minnesota, about 15 minutes south of Minneapolis. He has lived in and around this area his entire life and attended the University of Minnesota. He first really started getting into music by listening to what his father was listening to. “Started out with The Doors, Led Zepplin, and Pink Floyd.  What can I say, my dad has great taste in music.  My first concert was Tom Petty with one of my sisters the summer of 1995 when I was 15.  It was the start of my concert addiction.  In high school my friends and I went to many shows.  Some memorable ones were Rage against the Machine, Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Fugees, Cypress Hill, and of course 311! My favorite part of going to shows (especially traveling) is all the friends I get to meet up with.  It’s become more about the friendships and hanging out then the shows themselves.  They are just an added bonus.”

Fun fact about Jerad is that he checked himself out of the ICU to go see 311 one time. “It was against doctors orders.  I went back to the hospital after the show.  I was told that I might not have much longer to live and if I was going to die, I wanted to see my favorite band one last time.”

Jerad has a very unique relationship with his dad and it’s more of a friendship rather than a father/son bond. “He is one of my best friends.  We spend a lot of time together and I am able to share anything with him.  We go to a lot of sporting events together and watch a lot of movies and shows.  All my friends get along with my dad.  He can talk to them for hours while I don’t say too much.  Lol.  He understands my love for 311 and traveling to shows.”

Guilty pleasure for Jerad is custom framing artwork. “I have over 40 custom framed concert posters and art prints.  I think the frames are art into and of themselves.  I feel they greatly add the overall aesthetic of the piece of art. Most of them are concert attended posters. I’ve definitely slowed down on collecting over the last year as it’s not a cheap hobby and I only have so much wall space!”

Another band that is at the top of Jerad’s playlist right now is Slightly Stoopid. “They are so much fun to see live!  I’ll be seeing them in August at Red Rocks where they’re playing two nights in a row.  Also, a big Stick Figure and Dirty Heads fan.  I’ll be seeing them at Fiddlers Green in Denver next month.”

To 311, Jerad would like to send this message: ” Thank you for all the music, live shows, and the friendships I’ve made because of you guys”

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

“Slow down, life’s not a race.  Don’t take everything so seriously. Quality over quantity.”

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Thank you Jerad for sharing your 311 story with us all! And of course, my sincere gratitude to all the readers of this little blog. Now go have an amazing week. Sending good vibes to you all!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my friends in 311 nation! Welcome to the latest edition of the 311 fan spotlight. Let’s meet Matthew Wissman!

Matthew grew up in the middle of nowhere in Kansas, without access to cable and MTV. However his best friend in middle school circa 1996 saw the video for “Down” and bought the blue album on CD. “He was always hearing stuff before I could so I should really thank him for introducing me to this incredible band (and Sublime, RHCP, 2Pac, so much more). I bought the Blue Album shortly after and bumped it for a few years.”

Matthew said he stopped listening to 311 as he got into heavier music. Then in 2005-2006 he started again while trying to earn the affections of a girl who was super into 311. “She let me borrow her 311 Day 2004 DVD and I was automatically hooked all over again. I owned their Greatest Hits album and always enjoyed 311, but I was totally blown away by that live DVD and the rest of their catalog. I got kinda played by the girl, but it’s okay, because she re-introduced me to the greatest band in the land and I’ve got zero regrets about that!  I think we’ve all heard somebody say, “oh wow!  311 is way more metal than I ever thought!” and I am definitely one of those metal heads who got hooked on 311 and their infectious grooves, and they’ve been my favorite band in the world ever since. I listen to everything now, but 311 is and always will have the music and the lyrics that speak to me beyond anything else.”

Show count for Matthew just hit 30 on this years 311 Cruise. His first show was June 29, 2007, on a day that he said would change his life forever. It was in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Westport Block Party. “Matisyahu was the opener that tour and it was an AWESOME SHOW!!  They played What Was I Thinking?, Random, Wake Your Mind Up, Purpose, Silver, Freeze Time, Tribute, Nix Hex, Omaha Stylee, Who’s Got the Herb?, and Feels So Good at my first show!!  Wish I could go back and do it again! Now I kick myself for all those years where I said “311 isn’t metal enough for me.”  What a dumb ass!!”

As for favorite event, Matt chose the 311 cruise of 2019 as one of the highlights of his entire life. “I got on with the help of fellow Kansan and current Vegas resident, Chris Binder.  I met him at a Wichita show in 2018, mentioned how badly I wanted to get on the boat, and he set me up with a few others who were looking for a third roomie. I roomed with my now spirit brother and sister, Maurice Kemp and Gretchen Brock, and it truly was one of the most magical, spiritual, emotional weeks of my entire life. I love those two with every bit of my being and we are forever friends for life. This last cruise was special as I got to be the one to bring a 1^st Timer on the boat, and my week with roomie Joshua Zeck and friends was awesome. Being able to see others experience the boat magic as I have is an unforgettable experience. Nothing beats Costume Night!! Finally, 311 Day 2020 Night 2 was unforgettable. It was my only night on the floor, and I completely lost my mind. Everything from the stage to the lights to the Freeze Time alien was just incredible. I remember walking out to the casino floor wondering WTF just happened. I was in awe.”

As for song that means the most to him, Matthew said it’s hard to really choose just one. However “Golden Sunlight” is one that came to mind. “Lyrically, I always thought it was the best song on Uplifter, but now that I have my own 18-month old daughter it really, really hits home.  I can remember seeing it at 311 Day 2020 on the floor and just bawling my eyes out because my wife and I had just found out we were pregnant after trying for a long time.  It’s a special song for sure.”

Of course, some of his favorite lyrics also come from that song: “Sweetheart, I’ve been bothered, A golden sun lit path I’ve been after, Grass hills, wild flowers, Sharp road trails for a daughter, I want to be her father, I want to hear her laughter, Under meteor showers the dogs will howl at the midnight hour.” He also love these lyrics: “Don’t you know that the devil he’s in me and God she is too. My yin hates my yang but what the hell ya gonna do? I choose a rocky ass path but that’s how I like it. Life’s a bowl of punch go ahead and spike it!”

Matthew was born and has lived most of his life in Topeka, Kansas. He grew up in a musical household and while his mom grew up in a very religious household, she never pushed religion on them. “She was a choir singer through college and loved to sing with us kiddos in the car. My dad was an old-school hippie who got drafted in ’69 and held a deep hatred for the government and authoritative peoples thereafter (HA!). Music from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s were very popular in my home. I can recall my dad blasting psychedelic rock like Country Joe & the Fish and just wondering who this crazy man was that I called ‘Dad’. My mom was into bands like Fleetwood Mac, the Carpenters, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, folk music, stuff like that.”

Matt had an uncle who passed away when he was hitting a pivotal point in his life where music was becoming very important, and he inherited his CD collection of over 300 albums, spanning every decade and music genre. “He was the kind of guy who would go to Hastings and just buy ten random cds at a time because he loved music.  That was the first time I ever listened to bands like Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd. But he also had an incredible collection of 90’s alternative albums and that just expanded my mind even further.”

When Matthew was just 14, his parents split up and he lived with his dad. “Rebellion and teenage angst were major themes in my household, so it was only natural that I would do my best to find that kind of music.  Ska, punk, metal, thrash, death — if it was heavy enough to let me blow off some steam, I was listening. By the time I was 16, a great friend of mine was working for Pipeline Productions out of Lawrence, KS, and we were going to all the free shows we wanted.  System of a Down & Clutch on the Toxicity tour.  FREE.  Slayer & Hatebreed.  FREE.  Robert Plant and .moe.  FREE.  We were going to a show every week and it was truly the beginning of my musical adventures. To be 16 and have that kind of access to music is something I’ll always appreciate. I was living the young, wild, and free lifestyle and it was fantastic.”

As an adult, Matthew said he funds his 311 habit through a government job. “It pays the bills and allows me to travel enough to make it worth it. I train judges, clerks, and other court staff how to use their case management system and work Help Desk.  Nothing too exciting, but I’ve received an excellent view of how the entire court system in Kansas works, so I guess that’s cool. Not as cool as talking about 311 though.  Back to that!”

Guilty pleasure for Matt is 80’s synth-pop. “I love it.  It’s fun to dance and sing to with lots of catchy licks and rhythms.  Bands like Erasure, ABBA, Flock of Seagulls, etc.” As for other music, Matthew said he tries to give everything a chance and expand his musical horizons as much as possible. “With that said, the bands/artists I’m into change with the wind. Right now, I’m really into triphop and lowfi hip hop music.  Bands or artists that have been around for quite awhile that I’m only now discovering, like Thievery Corporation, Zero 6, Dope Lemon, Massive Attack, Groove Armada, Lemon Jelly, Nightmares on Wax, etc. I am really enjoying music without lyrics. I also like to tap into the roots of other popular bands that I enjoy.  Nick Hexum was greatly inspired by the Clash, and I realized one day that outside of their popular songs, I really didn’t know much from the Clash’s catalog.  I dove in and can now say the Clash is one of my all-time favorite bands. My favorite album is Sandinista! They are incredible!  The English Beat is another band I never checked out and now I’m a huge fan. Other bands I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lately include Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Spoon, Khruangbin, Father John Misty, the Olympians, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Leon Bridges, Chris Stapleton, Thundercat, Lake Street Dive, Trip the Witch, Little Feat, Perpetual Groove, the Wood Brothers, North Mississippi Allstars, FKJ….the list goes on and on and on.  I LOVE MUSIC!!”

Matthew said every time he gets in front of 311 he tends to freeze up and the only words he really can ever get out are “Thank you for everything.” “That’s good enough for me.”

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

“I’ve met the best friends in the world through this band and their music. I truly appreciate anybody and everybody who’s given me the time of day at a show or online. Your friendships are near and dear to my heart.  Thank you for reading about me!”

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Big thanks to Matthew for sharing his 311 story! Of course, kudos as always to the supporters of this blog each week. Have an amazing week and sending you all positive vibes.

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back my friends in 311 nation! A new week is upon us and that means it’s time for the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight. This week, let’s get introduced to Joshua Zeck!

According to Joshua, the nineties were the best time for live music and in Lawrence, Kansas, they had a radio station called The Lazer (105.9 KLZR) that broke a ton of bands from that decade. “The live music scene in Lawrence, back then was absolutely insane, everyone from that era, big and small, came through. 311 used to travel to all the college towns all over the Midwest, repeatedly in the early 90’s, and had a lot of love for Lawrence and KC. At the Lawrence NHQ show at the Granada in January of 2014, Nick told us that if it were not for KU, that 311 would have never happened, as his parents met in Lawrence in the 1960’s. Nicks dad Terry earned his Ph.D in from KU in 1968. After my first two live shows, I was hooked! I was astonished at how many people, mainly girls, knew all the lyrics! The energy, the style of music, how fucking cool they all looked on stage rocking out!”

The next time Joshua sees 311 live, he will be at show number 50. His first was in Lawrence, Kansas, in August of 1995. “

Jayhawk Music Festival at Clinton Lake. It was so damn hot and humid. The Urge opened, Tripping Daisy and Rev Horton Heat were there with some local bands as well. 311 was the headliner as Blue had just been released a little of a month before, and KLZR had been playing Down, Don’t Stay Home, and All Mixed Up for months. By the time 311 came on the sun had gone down, and I can remember Nick climbing up a giant lighting truss and doing a Nestea plunge into the crowd! When I did the meet & great at the KC show in 2014, I brought my ticket stub from that show, and they all signed it. A few of them remembered it well; Chad says “Wasn’t that in a big field and hot as fuck?” I mentioned Nick’s Nestea plunge, and Nick replies,” I was so high that day!” Mama Joan, P-Nut’s Mom, has as story about this day. She says she showed up with a lawn chair, to which they were not going to let her in as they were not allowed. She tells them, “If this chair doesn’t come with me, 311 doesn’t play.” We all know how that ended up! After a few more years, The Jayhawk Music Festival turned into the Wakarusa Festival, and was eventually moved to Arkansas.  My second show was the last show of the 95’ tour in Kansas City, Kansas at Memorial Hall, an absolutely insane set-list. The 3^rd show was June 6^th, 1996, at Sandstone Amphitheatre where parts of ETSD were filmed. 4^th was the 1997 “Transistour” at Sandstone.”

In 2015 Joshua started traveling outside of Lawrence and Kansas City to see 311. Of all the shows he has seen, it was tough to pick a favorite. Some that really stood out to him were the 25th anniversary show at Sokul in Omaha, Ogden onm 4/20/18, Red Rocks 2021, and his first cruise in March of this year. However as for the one that took the top spot, it was his first 311 Day in Vegas 2020. “I embarked on this journey with by close friends Cory Johnson and Nathan Araujo. It is a whole other story on how we even decided to go as none of us were supposed to have made the trip.  Cory met his eventual bride-to-be, Laura, the first night in Vegas, and I had the privilege of being a groomsman in their wedding in November 2022 in Long Beach. I also got to meet some very close virtual friends in person for the first time and put faces with FB names! Watching Vegas shut down day by day was interesting as well.”

There are many songs that mean a great deal to Joshua. While not his favorite song of all time, “Too Much Too Fast” means the most to him. “Uplifter was released at a time in my life where so many of the tracks resonated with my current situation. Another reason to rate 311 Day 2020 as #1 since this was the only time I have heard it live.”

As with most fans, there are many lyrics that resonate with Joshua. Some of these are: “Fending off the foes that try to shut us down, Like the warrior souls we are we never give in. We spend our lives learning, if you like learning, life is large,” “Always know that you gotta grow, so honestly, it’s best that you know, Who you are as you go rolling through,” and “Now I’m ready to turn the page on yesterdays and forgive them now I’m willing to disengage to seize the day and move on.”

Dodge City, Kansas, is where Joshua was born in 1976 and then in 1982 he moved to Greensburg. He graduated high school in 1994 and moved to Lawrence the day after graduation. Aside from a few years in Missouri while working for Wal-Mart, he has lived in Wellsville, Kansas, just south of Lawrence for 23 years. “I have four daughters, my oldest is 25, and my youngest is about to turn 17. I have a grandson, Emmett, who is almost a year and a half, and I cannot wait to watch and help him grow. I have been with my wife Jessica for 21 years. I have 5 indoor cats, 3 girls and 2 brothers, they are my loves! For just over three years, I have been working for the State of Kansas as a Food Safety Inspector for all kinds of food establishments. I get to work in Lawrence, my favorite city in the world! Prior to this, I spent 30 years working in retail, food service and restaurants.”

Something people may not know about Joshua is that he was raised solely by his mother and didn’t grow up in a musical household. “Music other than religious or some Roy Orbison, it was literally considered the devil! I can remember hiding in my closet with a small transistor radio, trying to find something, anything to listen to! My house was a super strict religious one, and when I became a teenager and got beyond what crappy songs were on the radio in SW Kansas, my life changed immensely. I was introduced to all sorts of albums, artists, songs, and ways of thinking from many sources. My first real musical love was gangster rap, particularly NWA and Eazy (I was giving a copy of a copy of Eazy-Duz-It on cassette in 7^th grade) and others like Too Short. I then fell into KRS-One and BDP, Public Enemy, Tribe Called Quest. I believe that this early love for rap, hip-hop and hard rock (the first cassette I ever bought was Whitesnake S/T) is what primed me for my love of 311. Our saving grace in the small town of 1800 was Randall’s Electronics. They had catalogues of any types of music you could dream of, and they would order us whatever we wanted. As you can imagine, I never put any musical restrictions on any of my daughters.”

Something that makes Joshua unique is that he’s a great storyteller, both written and verbally. “I also have an amazing memory. I am very good with names, faces, and events.” Guilty pleasure for him is collecting 311 memorabilia, focusing mostly on 90’s items and also 90’s platinum and gold records. “I love finding things others need for their collections, like first show posters/flyers, or other things that are special for all sorts of reasons.”

Joshua also has a guilty pleasure band called Carolina Liar. Aside from them and 311, he can be found cranking tunes from Magic City Hippies, Stick Figure, and Alific. “I have also been listening to a lot of heavy 90’s stuff as of late.”

To 311, Joshua would like to say: “When do we get to hear all the music Tim and Chad have stashed somewhere????? I envision vaults of free-style jams somewhere!”

Now here is his message to all the other 311 fans in the universe:

“I encourage everyone to Read the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It was recommended by a high school friend and then gifted to me by Destiny Delgado last September. It has been a life changer for me, chilled me out and has been very enlightening. I have gotten over myself a bit, and that has been a wonderful thing. 

It’s been a wild ride…I have found some of my closest friends thru this band and community. 

Much love to my boys Cory J, Nathan A, Matt W, Maurice K, Jason R, Jerad D.

Much love to all my 311 friends all over Michael & Levi S, Michael S, Jared H, Mars, Brandon S, Ryan S, Brian E, Patrick H, Matt K, Gerald, Mark L, Ryan B, Darin S, Greg R, Todd S, The Aarons, John G, John M, Lauren M, Terri S, Destiny D, Anne E, Emily R, Carolyn U, Selena C, Laura S, Gretchen B., Matt A., and Andrea L.

Peace to all the rest of you! I’m not gonna waste life being hateful!”

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Thank you so much to Joshua for sharing his story with the world! As always, my eternal gratitude for the supporters of this blog each post. Hope you all have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello again my Excitable friends! Welcome back to the latest edition of the fan spotlight. This week let’s meet Marissa Menditto!

It was during her middle school years that Marissa became a fan of 311 by hearing their music on the radio and she immediately started to love it. “The beats and just how the their music flowed. Also the way they are for unity and positivity.”

Show count for Marissa is at 58. Her first show was during her high school years. While she doesn’t remember exactly where it was, she knows it was awesome! As for favorite show/event, she loves the cruises. “The last one I just went on had to be the most favorite so far.”

The song “Tranquility” means a lot to Marissa. “It reminds me of people I knew that have passed on in life.” As for favorite lyric, Marissa loves “Spirit on the run, I’m an alien.”

Central New Jersey is where Marissa was born and raised, and she has stayed in that area most of her life. For work, she’s an administrative assistant at a construction company. She loves going to shows, traveling and going to the beach in the summer.

Fun fact about Marissa is that she took dance lessons for 12 years. She is also very flexible and can still do cartwheels! Guilty pleasure for her is watching the T.V. show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” “I also love to color in my free time.”

When not jamming the tunes of 311, Marissa can be found listening to The Elovators, Rebelution, Pepper, Slightly Stoopid, and The Movement (just to name a few).

Marissa would like to send this message to 311: “Thank you for everything you do for all of us and bringing such great music to our community.”

Now her words to all the other 311 fans out there:

“Always live in the moment.”

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Many thanks to Marissa for sharing her story with us all! Of course, my sincere thanks to the readers each time. Hope you all have an amazing week my friends.

Much Love – The Runt