Shady Characters

Bare Bones Tattoo: Where the Craft Meets the Chaos

When Bare Bones Tattoo opened its doors in San Juan Capistrano, it became the first tattoo shop in a city that just celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Mission. Alex Blackwell and Zane Leibowitz did not stumble into this craft lightly. Between them, they have over 30 years of experience, hard-earned apprenticeships, and enough war stories to fill a flash book. In this episode of Shady Characters, Alex and Zane get into all of it: the unglamorous reality of sweeping shop floors and scrubbing tubes before ever picking up a machine, the surprising learning curve between putting something on paper and putting it on skin, and the unwritten rules that separate a good tattoo from one that holds up 20 years later. They also talk about what makes a street shop different from a gallery shop, how AI is starting to creep into their world, and why tattooing under anesthesia misses the whole point. Equal parts candid, funny, and genuinely insightful, this one is for anyone who has ever sat in the chair or wondered what it takes to earn a place behind it. “You get what you give.”

Beneath the Surface: Storytelling, Conservation, and the Power of the Ocean

Beneath the Surface: Storytelling, Conservation, and the Power of the Ocean Katie Thompson has spent her career building brands, but her true impact lives far below the surface. As Executive Director of the PADI AWARE Foundation, she is helping mobilize a global community of divers to protect and restore the ocean through data, conservation, and storytelling. In this episode, Katie sits down with Tim and Evan to trace her path from Oakley to PADI, and how the principles of emotional storytelling shaped her approach to conservation. What began as a passion for adventure evolved into a mission to create meaningful change, using diving as a gateway to connection, awareness, and action. The conversation explores the transformative power of the underwater world, from personal stories of resilience and recovery to the technical challenges of capturing those moments on camera. Katie shares how diving can reconnect people to themselves and to nature, often becoming a catalyst for profound personal change. They also unpack the scale of PADI AWARE’s work, including global programs focused on marine debris, habitat restoration, vulnerable species protection, and marine protected areas. With millions of divers worldwide contributing data and participating in conservation efforts, the organization is turning exploration into measurable impact. At its core, this episode is about perspective. It is about what happens when you look beyond the surface, challenge conventional thinking, and choose to build something that matters.

Water Project: Finding Your Lens on Life

Water Project: Finding Your Lens on Life Seth Willingham didn’t set out to become one of Southern California’s most recognizable drone photographers. He grew up splitting time between Hawaii and Laguna Beach, fell in love with the ocean through GoPros and free dives, and stumbled into drone flying when a friend basically handed him a Phantom and said to just try it. Ten years later, that borrowed drone has taken him to Australia, Alaska, French Polynesia, and everywhere in between, and it all started with the right people refusing to gate keep. In this episode of Shady Characters, Seth sits down with Tim and Evan to talk about the grind behind the gorgeous: waking up before sunrise not knowing if the sky will cooperate, flying off the bow of a boat hoping the battery holds, and the discipline of always going after the best initial shot rather than fixing it in post. He also opens up about selling his supplement franchise right before COVID, navigating the transition to full-time creative work, and what legacy really means when you’re raising a six-year-old who’d rather be cliff diving in Hawaii than doing just about anything else. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Follow Seth at @waterproject.

She Didn’t Follow the Market. She Built Her Own.

She Didn’t Follow the Market. She Built Her Own. Nicole Bowyer did not start with a polished brand or a clear roadmap. She started with a vision, a small budget, and a willingness to figure things out as she went. In this episode, the founder of Coco on the Go breaks down what it actually looks like to build a brand from the ground up, long before the wins start showing up. From hand labeling her first pieces at home to traveling internationally in search of the right fabrics, Nicole shares the messy and unfiltered early days of entrepreneurship. What began as a passion for design and a desire to empower women through confident and versatile clothing evolved into a premium athleisure brand now found in luxury spas, resorts, and fitness clubs across the country. We get into the real decisions behind the brand. Why she chose quality over margin early on. How she differentiated in a crowded athleisure market. What it takes to stay consistent when growth is slow and uncertain. She also talks about navigating partnerships, breaking into major retail, and balancing her own brand while taking on private label opportunities. Beyond business, Nicole opens up about the reality of juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship, staying organized under pressure, and maintaining the discipline it takes to keep moving forward. This is a candid conversation about resilience, brand building, and playing the long game to create something meaningful and make it last.

Short-Lived Blast: The Story Before Korn...and After

Short-Lived Blast: The Story Before Korn… and After Before Korn, there was LAPD. Before the tours, the fame, and the legacy, there were a group of kids from Bakersfield trying to figure it out as they went. In this episode of Shady Characters, Fieldy and Richard Morrill take us back to the beginning. They share how they met, the early bands they played in, and the chaotic journey from local shows to getting signed just months after moving to Hollywood. It is a story filled with cramped apartments, relentless gigs, and the kind of blind confidence that only comes with being young and all in. But this is not just a story about what happened. It is also about what almost happened. Richard opens up about the moment he chose to leave the band and join the military, walking away from a path that could have led to global success. What follows is an honest reflection on identity, timing, and redefining what success actually means. While Fieldy’s path led to decades on stage, Richard’s took a different route grounded in family, reinvention, and perspective. Throughout the conversation, they revisit the evolution of LAPD, the transition that eventually became Korn, and the reality that bands, like people, grow and change. They talk about ego, mistakes, and what it means to look back on those early years with clarity instead of nostalgia. What makes this episode hit is the contrast. One path leads to arenas and global recognition. The other leads to something quieter, but no less meaningful. Both are honest. Both are real. At its core, this episode is about friendship that lasts decades, the unpredictable nature of success, and the idea that sometimes the biggest wins in life have nothing to do with fame at all.