Music That Made Us Feel Alright: Remembering Dave Mason with Steve Thoma

Music That Made Us Feel Alright: Remembering Dave Mason with Steve Thoma

Dave Mason’s songs didn’t just chart, they attached themselves to people’s lives. Musician and longtime collaborator Steve Thoma returns to the podcast for a heartfelt, sometimes hilarious, always honest remembrance of a classic icon whose fingerprints stretch from English rock band Traffic to generations of radio staples. Steve takes us into the real world behind the legend: stories of the walk from the stage to the tour bus where fans would share their admiration, and Dave’s surprisingly human struggle to answer that kind of love. We also get deep into the craft of music, from four piece bands and playing with dynamics and taste, to how a pair of New York City shows turned into “The 40,000 Headmen Tour: Live” album with zero studio polish. Then we discuss the music business. We talk independent labels, classic rock radio, and the kind of record deal that felt rare at the time until a major label changed the math. The result is a portrait of an artist full of charm, contradictions, and commitment. Steve Thoma misses playing with Dave more than anyone else. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/podcastOOTB] Out Of The Blue: Exclusive content: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog [https://www.outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog]

Sound Healing and A New Vision for Care with Dr. Janine Ambrose

Dr. Janine Ambrose grew up learning from nature’s rhythms, then found herself pulled into intuitive counseling shaped by experiences that blended faith, spirit, and a steady desire to help people heal. What unfolds is a grounded but expansive talk about how transformation can arrive without warning and how we respond when it does. We discuss sound healing and frequency therapy, including music designed to support chakra alignment and even sinus relief. We trade ideas about the future of holistic health and integrative medicine. Dr. Ambrose's method is care that treats the whole person through sound, light, breath, nature, and a spiritual component that helps reclaim meaning after illness or crisis. Dr. Ambrose also shares her yogi-led awakening and the kind of spirit encounter that can change your definition of “self” forever, plus vivid moments of manifestation, communication with animals, and even the slowing of time. We connect the dots between trauma healing and laughter, and why joy can be a real tool for resilience. Follow Dr. Janine Ambrose: @janinemealhow [https://www.instagram.com/janinemealhow/] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/podcastOOTB] Out Of The Blue: Exclusive content: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog [https://www.outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog]

Healing Through Vibration and Harmony with Kidd Griffey

Seizures that strike in your sleep change the way you think about tomorrow. Music artist Kidd Griffey sits down with us to tell the story of what happened when his life took an unexpected turn at 21, how fear and uncertainty reshaped his priorities, and why music became a dream and then a lifeline.  We talk about the “out of the blue” moments that defined his path, including a disruptive move to Detroit during high school, the isolation of being forced to learn independently, and the slow rebuild that followed years of health battles. Griffey explains what it’s like to create while you’re still healing and how faith helped him shift from constant stress to a steadier mindset. Along the way, we discuss songwriting choices: uplifting records versus sad songs, how harmony and vibration feel physical, and why live music can feel like church.  Griffey describes his transition from hip hop into country music and his decision to pull his catalog from streaming platforms. If you care about resilience, spiritual growth, and independent artists, this conversation is for you. Follow Kidd Griffey: @iamkiddgriffey [https://www.instagram.com/iamkiddgriffey/] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/podcastOOTB] Out Of The Blue: Exclusive content: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog [https://www.outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog]

Resilience Is A Daily Practice with Dave Loiterstein

Dave Loiterstein's recovery story starts earlier than most, with a quiet belief he carried as a kid: if his own mother didn’t want him, nobody ever would. Alcohol and drugs showed up fast, and the “off switch” never really existed. Together we talk honestly about what craving feels like, why some brains chase blackout instead of “just one,” and the disease model of addiction. Then we get into the part most people avoid saying out loud: relapse. Dave doesn’t glamorize it or call it inevitable, but he also refuses to let shame be a life sentence. He shares what it meant to have 21 years of continuous sobriety followed by relapse. We dig into the pressure of the sobriety number and the daily reprieve that keeps recovery alive. Dave’s journey stretches far beyond survival: a music-driven life, a career as a Hollywood makeup artist, and a pivot into substance abuse counseling and rehab admissions, taking crisis calls from families who need help immediately. Structure, routine, creativity, and parenting with boundaries are part of this discussion, because stability can feel unfamiliar after years of chaos. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/podcastOOTB] Out Of The Blue: Exclusive content: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog [https://www.outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog]

Groove And Gratitude with Steve Thoma (Part 2)

We pick up part two of our conversation with Steve Thoma and get honest about what happens when a musician finally lands the dream gig and decides it is time to “relax” with alcohol and drugs. Steve traces the arc from steady ambition to “using with great purpose,” and why the post-show rush can become the most seductive drug of all. We also get into the nuts and bolts of recovery in the real world: getting sober while still surrounded by touring life, the anxiety of being searched, and the quiet code of “Friend of Bill.” Steve talks about how sponsorship, meetings, and service keep people grounded. The spiritual side comes up too, including the tension many feel around higher power and how some people choose to stay anyway and keep moving forward. Steve Thoma concludes the episode with a message that applies to both recovery and artistry: dreams are not granted by hype or competition, they are earned through preparation, listening, and practice. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/podcastOOTB] Out Of The Blue: Exclusive content: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog [https://www.outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog]