Patrick O'Malley started playing guitar at an early age. But it wasn't until his time in Santa Barbara that his music took on a new meaning for him—one of political activism.

In this podcast, Patrick talks about growing up in Southern California and his arrival in San Francisco in the late-1990s. Among other things, he points to the write-in mayoral candidacy of Tom Ammiano in 1999 that really sparked something in him.

Patrick will be playing tonight (Aug. 13) at Simple Pleasures Café. You can find his latest record, Welcome to the End of the Empire, on BandCamp.

Check back Thursday for Part 2, when Patrick will talk more about politics in San Francisco, the state, and the U.S.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather