My Warped Life

Kevin sits with Gary Tovar, the founder of Goldenvoice, who shares his memories of producing his first events in Santa Barbara before moving to LA and harnessing the aggressive energy of punk rock. He explains his connection to the hardcore scene and the responsibility he felt for creating a safe space for these young kids to have a good time. Since there were no sponsors, and no alcohol sales, Gary chose to fund his shows with his “other business”. He would eventually be arrested for this “other business” but, not before finding and preparing two young men to carry on the legacy of Goldenvoice (and exploring 30 countries). Kevin also chats with Paul Tollett, the founder of Coachella and the current CEO of Goldenvoice, to hear how Gary’s legacy lives on in the organization.    

Featuring:  

Gary Tovar (@GaryTovar) - Founder of Goldenvoice  

Bryan Meckelborg (@brockradioguy) - Goldenvoice Front Man  

Ann Meckelborg (@annmariemeck40) - Goldenvoice Box Office  

Greg Graffin (@GregGraffin) - Lead Singer of Bad Religion & Evolutionary Biologist   

Paul Tollett - Founder of Coachella, CEO of Goldenvoice

Kevin highlights a few of the charitable events that the Warped Tour contributed to during its traditional “Give Back Days.” Along the way, he catches up with some of the people who cleaned up after Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and more, to hear how these moments of giving back changed their lives. Kevin also catches up with an essential member of his crew, his brand and nonprofit manager, Kate Truscott. Kate explains how she ended up on the road and the transformation she went through after realizing the importance of a work-life balance. Plus, hear from Chris Bullard from Sound Mind Live, who focuses on utilizing live music to better Mental Health.     

Featuring:  

Kate Truscott (@k8dtd) - General Manager/Brand Partnership Manager  

Andy Lee - Set Up Crew, Crew Chief  

Jon “Birdie” Klucharitis (@eaglescoutjon) - Monitor Engineer/Playback Technician  

Kellie McCarthy (@kellie_mccarthy) - Merchandise Manager  

Jim Carroccio (@jimc0325) - Tour Manager (Avenged Sevenfold, Nine Inch Nails, etc)  

Charlie Griggs - Backline Tech/ Stage Tech  

Chris Bullard (@bullofard, @soundmind_live) - Founder of Sound Mind Live

Kevin highlights a long-time member of his crew, Brian Marquis. Brian started in a band, Therefore I Am, before he realized that this Warped community was filled with hard workers who had wanted to achieve the same goals that he did. Brian recalls the exact moment he pitched Kevin the "Acoustic Basement Stage" before eventually managing the Acoustic Basement Tour. This led him down the path of becoming a successful tour manager for Billie Eilish but, not before everything was nearly lost in a tragic storm in Florida. Kevin also catches up with Jai Al-Attas, founder of Creative Futures Collective, whose goal is to empower disenfranchised groups of people with a passion for music. 

Featuring:  

Brian Marquis (@BrianMarquis) - Acoustic Basement Stage/Tour Manager   

Jeff Berman (@DividedHeaven) - Artist - Divided Heaven   

Patrick Kennedy (@patyears, @lightyearsoh) - Vocalist - Light Years   

Rosco Wuestewald (@aagebirch) - Artist - Aage Birch   

Jai Al-Attas (@jaialattas, @creativefuturescollective) - Founder - Creative Futures Collective

Kevin catches up with some amazing Warped families as they recount their favorite and least favorite days from the tour. He interviews the parents to hear about their first impressions of the Warped Tour and how they ultimately decided to support their kids and this wild show. Kevin discusses what led him to allow parents in for free and, why he created the “Reverse Daycare Tent” where parents could chill in the A/C while their kids ran off into the festival. Our nonprofit this week is Charity Bomb, which focuses on arming children with the emotional tools to become confident, empathic, self-aware, and emotionally resilient.  

Featuring:  

Daddy Gerry Gartland (@DadGerry) - Attendee  

Halle Rogers (@badbananaphotography) - Attendee/Photographer  

Ami Rogers (@ami_59x) - Attendee/ Volunteered w/MLVYV  

Linda Ludwig - Warped Parent  

Amanda Ludwig (@Amanduhhhlynn) - Attendee  

Tori Kravitz (@torikravitz) - Pit Reporter  

Jackie Kravitz - Mother  

Patriciana Tenicela (@patriciana.png) - Post Producer / Warped Tour Attendee/ Photographer 

Cynthia Tenicela (@musicboxmom) - Owner of MusicBox Entertainment 2004-2016  

Miguel Tenicela (@migueltenicela) - Singer/Songwriter & Warped Tour Performer  

Emma Sinnott (@emmasnntt) - Reverse Daycare Manager  

Bela Hart (@gorgeous_nightmare182) - Superfan  

Grandma Sherry - Attendee  

Tiffany De La Cerda (@tiffanymarie408) - Reverse Daycare Manager  

Doreen Hinczynski - Attendee  

Bryan Hinczynski (@Ruminate_Bryan) - Vocalist of Ruminate and Attendee  

Mike & Larissa Markus (@lnm130) - Superfan  

Ivey Worley - Volunteer w/ Free The Children Now  

Matthew Leone (@charitybomborg, @matthew_leone, @Madina.Lake) - Madina Lake (Bassist), Founder at Charity Bomb

Kevin relives his history with the first and last band he ever managed, Less Than Jake. Hear how Kevin turned a potential jail sentence (thank you, unauthorized pyrotechnics) into a profitable moment. Plus, hear why Kevin was eventually fired as Less Than Jake's manager and how the band has continued to have a 30-year career. This week's special guests include every member (new and old) of Less Than Jake, and features Jamie Sivrais, the founder of A Voice For The Innocent, as he explains why he created this foundation and partnered with Warped. 

Featuring:

Chris DeMakes (@LessThanChrisD) - Less Than Jake (Singer/Guitarist)

JR Wasilewski (@LessThanJR) - Less Than Jake (Saxophone)

Roger Lima (@LessThanRaj) - Less Than Jake (Bass/Vocals)

Buddy Schaub (@LessThanBuddy) - Less Than Jake (Trombone)

Vinnie Fiorello (@Wunderlandwar) - Less Than Jake (Drummer)

Matt Yonker (@MattDrastic) - Less Than Jake (Drummer)

Jamie Sivrais (@AVFTI) - Founder of A Voice For The Innocent

Kevin talks with the former leaders of action sports apparel, Hurley and Billabong, and highlights the unique environment of the Warped Tour that allowed for brands and bands to work together for the greater good of action sports. Hear how Blink-182 built a relationship with Bob Hurley, the founder of Hurley Apparel, and almost got blacklisted from MTV for wearing Hurley shirts on stage. Plus, Paul Gomez and Rick Devoe discuss the early days of their careers when they were fusing punk rock with action sports and film before big business came in and changed everything.

Featuring: 

Bob Hurley (@BobHurley) - Founder of Hurley Apparel  

Paul Gomez (@PaulGomez) - Hurley Vice President of Marketing (1988-2011)  

Rick Devoe (@bigdummyjam) - Manager of Blink-182 (1995-2015)  

Dylan Flynn (@passthebassdylan) - Founder of Pass the Bass

Kevin continues catching up with the Warped Roadies and asks them how they ended up on the show and what the experience was like behind the scenes. Hear the Roadies describe the feeling of seeing their faces on the side of Madison Square Garden and how the fame from the show assisted in unexpected ways. Plus, we find out where and what everyone is doing now that the Warped tour has ended.

Featuring: 

Danny Bateman (@therealdannybateman) - Set Up Crew Chief (2005-2014) 

Terry Lee Myers (@mrterryleemyers) - Set Up Crew Chief / MLVYV 

Kenny Leath (@Kennyleath) - Stage manager 

Sully Sullivan (@Sully_waterloo) - Security Director 

David Weier (@davidweier) - Marketing Partner at Fuse Networks 

Amy Willard (@awphotographs) - 2012 Monster Energy Pit Reporter 

Damon Atkinson (@damonatkinson) - Production Office Manager 

Sierra Lyman (@DJ_Saucy) - Non-Profit Tour Manager

Kevin reunites with 8 Warped Tour veterans who starred in the hit Fuse reality TV show, Warped Roadies! Warped Roadies documented two full nationwide tours and covered the behind-the-scenes life of a roadie on the Warped Tour. This 2 part special starts with stories of how the cast members ended up on the road and found themselves on the show. In part 1, Kevin discusses how the show came to be and what his first impressions were. Plus, Danny Bateman, Terry Myers, Kenny Leath, Steve Sullivan, Dave Weir, Amy Willard, Damon Atkinson, and Sierra Lyman open up about what being on tour and a reality TV show was really like. 

Featuring: 

Danny Bateman (@therealdannybateman) - Set Up Crew Chief (2005-2014) 

Terry Lee Myers (@mrterryleemyers) - Set Up Crew Chief / MLVYV 

Kenny Leath (@Kennyleath) - Stage manager 

Sully Sullivan (@Sully_waterloo) - Security Director 

David Weier (@davidweier) - Marketing Partner at Fuse Networks 

Amy Willard (@awphotographs) - 2012 Monster Energy Pit Reporter 

Damon Atkinson (@damonatkinson) - Production Office Manager 

Sierra Lyman (@DJ_Saucy) - Non-Profit Tour Manager

Kevin talks to the head of one of the most iconic shoe brands of our generation: VANS. Authentic to its core, we hear the real story of how the VANS shoe company started in southern California and grew to prominence in mainstream culture through its steadfast support of the action sports and punk rock communities, as well as the marketing genius of Steve Van Doren. Hear how our beloved Warped tour was nearly titled the “Calvin Klein Warped Tour” and many more stories about our favorite shoe company. This episode is truly a family affair as we are joined by Steve Van Doren, Kristy Van Doren, Paul Van Doren, and Bob Provost to hear their first-hand accounts of stories on and off the road.

Featuring: 

Steve Van Doren (@stevevandoren) - VP and Vans Global Ambassador

Paul Van Doren - Founder of Vans, Author

Kristy Van Doren-Batson (@vansgirl1) - Vans Director of Events

Bob Provost (@bobbo_vans) - Vans Global Brand Ambassador, Vans Promotions with Warped Tour

40 cities in 50 days, life on Vans Warped Tour is no cakewalk. At the end of a long shift, folks needed a break, and since there was no food, they started a BBQ. Since the music on Warped Tour spanned so many genres and bands it was hard to get everyone all in one place. Kevin saw that these BBQs were a great way to not only give people a place to blow off steam but also bring artists and roadies together. Hear stories from Carlos Donohue, who started the first Warped BBQ, and from one of the all-time greatest BBQ bands, Pepper. Kevin tells a never heard before story about Warped Tour Superlatives and how that may have rubbed a young Katy Perry the wrong way. Plus, the lead singer of Beebs and Her Money Makers, another BBQ band, tells an incredible story surrounding the Sidewalk Project, an organization catering specifically to the punk rock houseless community.

Featuring: 

Carlos Donohue (@gnarlos) - Tour Manager, FOH Engineer 

Kaleo Wassman (@Kaleowassman) - Singer for Pepper 

Yesod Williams (@yesodwilliams) - Pepper, Lead Drums  

Beebs (@BeebsMoney) - Beebs and Her Money Makers