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11 years with 311
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For eleven years, beginning in October of 1995, I worked for the American rock band 311. For the first few of those years, I was on tour with them, and I drove their back line equipment, merchandise truck, and handled the sales of their concert merchandising. When the band took a break in 1998, my wife and I built their first e-commerce site, loaded it with leftover tour merchandise, and linked it to their official website.
In 1997 we visited the Phish Dry Goods warehouse and archive center, which at the time was in Burlington Vermont, to get a crash course and ideas about how to setup and reach out to 311's fans. Early the 2000's we still traveled with the band on tour, but as the web store grew we also began hiring a crew for the road.
In 2007 311 has taken another "break". Since the income generated by the the website is not sufficient to support the type of business that I believe that 311's fans deserve, as well as a living wage for me, I have moved on.
I remain an avid fan of the music and message that 311 put forth as a group. They as musicians, together, were truly magicians. As individuals, they are as flawed as the rest of us. They struggle with the lessons they know best, and try to stay high in life. Ive taken to writing about experiences on the road with 311 and some of the many other great bands I was privileged enough to work with over the years. I post these ramblings at www.311merch.com . From time to time, I am also auctioning my memorabilia. Over the years I was given a bunch of tour jackets, crew shirts, Gold and Platinum RIAA awards, laminated passes, tour books and itineraries, promo and bootleg CD's, and tapes, and other one of a KIND sort of stuff.
I hope you will keep an eye on these pages. If you like 311, I am sure you will find this space most enlightening.
PEACE, Erik
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