Showing Promise

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Brook Munro. Brook and I met back in the early 00's, just as our local punk and hardcore scene was on the rise.

Over the years, Brook has played in numerous bands, evolving as both a musician and a songwriter. Brook shares his personal journey through music — from punk rock gigs to the more intentional artistry of his current projects. And, of course, we also take the occasional side que...

Holy crap! It's episode 30! I can hardly believe we've made it this far. To say I’m grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it. Thank you so much to every guest who’s joined me on this journey, and to every listener who’s tuned in. Your support means everything.

For this special milestone episode, I’m thrilled to welcome back my dear friend Bill. Nearly two years after our original conversation, we’ve finally reunited for the...

This is the second and final episode recapping my recent trip to Japan. In April 2025, I spent a week exploring the vibrant city of Tokyo — a highlight of which was an entire day at Tokyo Disneyland. As a lifelong Disneyland enthusiast, I’ve always been excited by the idea of visiting the international parks, and the chance to experience Tokyo Disneyland was truly irresistible.

In this episode, I’m taking you through my full Disney ...

Konnichiwa, friends! I have recently returned from my latest international travel adventure, and it was a sick one. I went to Tokyo, Japan! It has been a long time since I've set foot in a new country, and while I was slightly nervous about the trip, it ended up being an awesome experience. 

Inspired by this year's Star Wars Celebration, I spent a week exploring the streets, sights, and shrines of Tokyo. Oh yeah, and hit u...

For this episode, I am joined by my friend Ben Fowers, guitarist for the straight edge hardcore band Embrace Today. We discuss Ben's life in Boston, how he got into punk and hardcore music, and what it was like growing up in a city with serious hardcore history. We dive into his early days of picking up the guitar, starting his own bands, and eventually joining Embrace Today.

Ben shares his experiences of performing and recordi...

Lunch break is over and we are back in session, so don't be tardy! That's right, people, I haven't dropped out yet. Thanks for hanging in there with me! In this episode, I am joined by my friend and fellow SLO High alumni, Diego Castañeda. Diego and I were classmates at San Luis Obispo High School, and this year (2024) marks our 20 year graduation anniversary. Talk about hardcore! We may have gone our separate ways a...

Earlier this year, I had the chance to see Poison The Well on their anniversary tour celebrating 20 years of You Come Before You—and the show was nothing short of epic. Poison The Well was one of the first hardcore bands I ever got into, and just hearing their name instantly takes me back to a pivotal time in my life, when I was first discovering heavy music. But they weren’t the first, and they definitely weren’t the only band in ...

Happy New Year!! That's right, people, it's 2024 and we are coming in hot. For my first episode of the new year, I am catching up with the incomparable Tennisen Deakman. Tennisen and I spent the better part of a day hanging out, prattling on about pretty much everything there is. We may have actually said too much but, we had fun. And isn't that what is important. Thanks to Tennisen for joining me on this and thank y...

Before we close out 2023, I just want to say thank you so very much for listening to the podcast this year. It has been such a fun and fulfilling project, and I'm looking forward to continuing in 2024. And finally, another big thank you to my guests for spending time and talking with me. Which actually makes a great segue...

In this episode I am joined by my friend Bill, given name William. Bill and I go way back at t...

Mom, this was never a phase! I'm back from fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada after attending the second annual When We Were Young Festival. WWWYF is the ultimate emo celebration, bringing together sensitive millennials from all over the world to sing our favorite songs and relive our teen-angst glory days. But how did the second year compare to the first? I'm here to tell you all about it, in what might be my most grand soliloqu...

September has come to and end, but October is about to start! And I've got just the person to help get us in the "spirit" of things. I'm thrilled to welcome back my friend Crystal Saenz, and once again morbid curiosity has gotten the best of us. It doesn't take long for us to descend in to darkness, as we discuss the more macabre side of life. Plus, Crystal shares more supernatural encounters she has experi...

Fall is here! Which means it's time for hoodies and hauntings. And what better way to kick off the spooky season than having monsters scream at you all night! Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights has become one of my favorite annual traditions, and the 2023 event did not disappoint. Through the mazes, scare zones, and Terror Tram, Universal puts on a frightening, yet fun experience. I also share my thoughts on a few films...

It's my birthday! So you know what that means, another year older and another year wiser... or something like that! And for this special occasion I've got a special birthday guest, my bff, Stu. Stuart helped me start this madness almost two years ago as my very first guest, and now fate and friendship has brought us here together once again. Stuart and I revisit some of our most cherished adolescent memories, from backyar...

Work sucks, I know! On this episode I'm hanging out with my friend and former boss, Brendan Klein. Brendan and I met in 2011 when I was hired at Really Likeable People (RLP), a distribution company founded by Tom DeLonge. This company housed various brands such as Macbeth Footwear, LoserKids.Com, The Keep A Breast Foundation, Modlife, Atticus Clothing and more. RLP was a unique work environment, and we made some lasting memori...

Oh my god, we're back again. Brothers, sisters, everybody sing. That's right, people, it's episode 16! In this episode I am joined by my friend Anna Miller to talk about...well, everything. Anna and I revisit some of our fondest memories, reminiscing about shows, bands, venues, and navigating adolescence within the hardcore music scene. Anna also shares her experience and perspective as a female in this male-dominate...

You say goodbye, and I say hello! In this episode I’m diving headfirst into the world of Beatlemania. I’ve been a devoted Beatles fan for as long as I can remember, always dreaming about seeing the Fab Four live in concert. But let’s be real—that was never going to happen across this universe. So, if I couldn’t see them together, I would have to see them individually. After all, they’re still Beatles, right?

I was lucky enough to ca...

It has been a wild week, but we are back in action! I have recently returned from a trip across the pond for this years Star Wars Celebration. Star Wars Celebration is the ultimate Star Wars convention, and changes location every year it's held. For 2023, SWC went international to jolly old London, England. Over the course of 4 days, ExCel London was completely taken over by Star Wars fandom. Like most pop-culture conventions,...

Episode 13 is here — and we're talking tats! For this lucky number 13, I’m joined by my friend and talented tattoo artist, Jake Emery of the award-winning Port Side Tattoo here in San Diego.

In this episode, Jake shares his journey from curious beginner to professional artist, opening up about what it really takes to break into the tattoo industry. We dig into the creative process, shop culture, misconceptions, and what makes t...