Vibes Drop In

Wax

Cardboard boxes on the floor, a flight to catch, and a guitar that still knows the way to a cliffside bench—that’s where our conversation with Wax begins. We jump straight into the touring sprint behind Lifetime Achievement Award and zoom out to the bigger, messier story of how an artist stays steady through constant work, pain, and adversity. The Stutz framework becomes a recurring touchstone, not as self-help theater but as a workable playbook for anyone trying to make real things in an unpredictable world. Wax opens up about the early days of raw, camcorder YouTube—when authenticity traveled farther than polish—and how that momentum led to a major label deal, big rooms, and bigger expectations. He walks us through the creative paralysis that comes from chasing a “radio hit,” the manager drama that drained time and money, and the surreal twist when Def Jam dropped him and he released Rosana the next day, igniting European charts and a whirlwind of festival highs. Through it all, he holds onto the practice that matters most: returning to the same bench at Sunset Cliffs, letting choruses arrive like weather, and building verses with care until the song holds. We also go deep on sobriety. Wax shares how twelve-packs once fueled every session, why he got honest seven years ago, and how recovery changed the job without dimming the joy. Fatherhood reframes old lyrics; humor becomes a pressure valve that lets him face heavy topics without flinching. Onstage, he leans into crowd work, classic cuts, acoustic moments, and the kind of spontaneity that makes a room feel like a living room. If you’re chasing creative longevity, this is a grounded, generous map: accept the grind, use humor to cut through the hard parts, and find your hour of joy to power the rest. If this conversation hits, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves honest music stories, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

John Ondrasik

A familiar chorus can change your life twice—first when it finds you, and again when you hear it years later with new eyes. That’s the energy running through our conversation with John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting as we unpack what happens when “Superman” and “100 Years” trade arena volume for a string quartet’s precision. We talk about rebuilding beloved songs inside intimate rooms, letting stories breathe between notes, and why a seated theater can feel less like a show and more like a novel you get to experience with the author. John shares how the orchestral shift started as an experiment and became a lens that sharpens his catalog. With elite Broadway players at his side, he steps offstage mid-set to let the quartet surprise the room—Rachmaninoff one night, Led Zeppelin the next—then returns to songs that grew up alongside his listeners. We dig into the way meaning evolves: a track that hits at 28 means something new when you’re holding a child, saying goodbye to a parent, or simply earning the lines you once sang for fun. The personal meets the universal when his daughter opens the show and joins him to sing a tune they began when she was four, a full-circle moment that still brings tears. We also explore music’s civic muscle. From ALS benefits to performing with a Ukrainian orchestra and releasing a new version of “Superman” tied to hostage awareness, John makes the case for songs as bridges in polarized times. A melody can lower the temperature, invite questions, and start conversations where speeches fail. He talks candidly about the pressure and craft of pin‑drop concerts, the code of giving your best to the one person who may only see you once, and the renewed gratitude many artists feel after the shutdowns. Looking ahead, he’s drawn to purpose-led projects—musicals, television, and an initiative to put a music teacher in every school—while leaving the door open to whatever song arrives next. If you care about songwriting, live performance, and the quiet places where art becomes service, you’ll feel at home here. Follow the show, share this with a friend who loves strings and story, and leave a review to help more listeners find conversations like this.

Ethan Estess

What happens when scientific knowledge meets artistic vision? In this intimate conversation, Santa Cruz-based artist Ethan Estess reveals the fascinating journey that led him from marine biology to creating influential environmental art using reclaimed fishing rope. From his West Side studio, Ethan shares how a pivotal moment of burnout at the age of 24 pushed him to pursue his creative passion full-time. The breakthrough came after a trip to Japan in 2017, when he began experimenting with discarded fishing materials to create Japanese wave patterns – pieces that immediately resonated with viewers and paved the way for artistic sustainability. There's remarkable depth in Ethan's approach to environmental advocacy. Rather than relying on simplistic messaging, he embraces the nuance of sustainable seafood production, explaining how his interactions with local fishermen have revealed the complexity behind the fishing industry. "California's fisheries are the most regulated and also the most sustainable in the world," he notes, contrasting this with the unregulated foreign operations whose abandoned gear washes up on Hawaiian beaches, material he now incorporates into his work. Fatherhood has profoundly shifted Ethan's perspective, heightening both his appreciation for Monterey Bay's natural beauty and his concern for future generations. Walking West Cliff with his young children has reconnected him to the everyday wonder of local wildlife, while simultaneously intensifying his awareness of environmental urgency. As he puts it, these moments force presence and balance in an otherwise hectic creative life. The conversation highlights remarkable success stories, such as the recovery of the bluefin tuna population and Monterey Bay's transformation from an industrial wasteland to a thriving marine sanctuary. These examples fuel Ethan's practical optimism – a conviction that, while environmental challenges are immense, thoughtful, community-based solutions can create meaningful change. Visit Ethan's studio on Santa Cruz's West Side, follow his work on Instagram @EstesArtAndScience, or check out his installations at Outer Known stores to experience how discarded materials can tell powerful stories about our relationship with the ocean.

Patrick Webster

Dive into the extraordinary life of underwater photographer Patrick "Pat" Webster as he speaks to us from the remote coast of Greenland while on assignment for National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions. This captivating conversation takes us from his childhood as a missionary kid in Europe to his profound spiritual awakening in the kelp forests of Monterey Bay. Pat shares how a five-year-old's fascination with sea otters eventually led him to UC Santa Cruz, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and ultimately to becoming a cold-water diving specialist documenting marine life in Earth's most extreme environments. Now diving at 79 degrees north and preparing for an Antarctic expedition, he offers a unique perspective on our changing planet through his intimate connection with underwater ecosystems. The conversation deepens as Pat explores the transformative power of nature immersion in our increasingly artificial world. "My first time ever going to church was going into a kelp forest," he reveals, describing moments where he feels "nothing and everything all at once" beneath the waves. These experiences have shaped his understanding of humanity's place in Earth's history and informed his approach to environmental communication. What makes this episode particularly compelling is Pat's ability to weave together scientific knowledge, indigenous wisdom, and philosophical insight. He introduces us to the "cryosphere" – Earth's ice realms – explaining how they function as planetary thermostats now changing faster than anywhere else. Through his encounters with Inuit communities and gelatinous creatures he calls "water getting to know itself," Pat offers a holistic view of our interconnected world. Perhaps most valuable is Pat's perspective on resilience in the face of environmental change. Drawing from Steinbeck, Ricketts, and his own global experiences, he emphasizes the crucial importance of community connections and local knowledge. "The only thing that gets us through the hardest times is resilient communities," he reminds us, encouraging listeners to "tend to your garden" by focusing on what they can directly influence. Connect with Pat's underwater adventures on Instagram @UnderwaterPat or explore his photography at divemola.com. Join us for this deep dive into what it means to find your purpose, build meaningful connections, and stay grounded in reality during uncertain times.

Kyle Thiermann

What if the most important conversation you’ll ever have is one you’ve been putting off your whole life? In this episode, Kyle Thiermann — Santa Cruz local, surfer, filmmaker, podcaster — drops in with a story that hits close to home. After hundreds of interviews with fascinating people, he realized he’d never really interviewed the two people who shaped him the most: his parents. That realization came after a podcast he recorded with his dad, who told him afterward, “If this wasn’t a podcast, you never would have asked me those questions.” Then his mom suffered a serious accident, and suddenly the urgency of those conversations became real. What started as a one-off recording turned into a three-year journey of sitting down with his parents, asking the questions he’d never asked, and ultimately, writing a book about it. Along the way, Kyle explored the neuroscience of memory — how every time we retell a story, we’re not remembering the original moment but the last time we told it. As memory expert David Schenck told him, “Memories endure because they speak to our identity.” By helping our parents share their stories, we’re not only preserving their lives but also reinforcing the very pathways that make them who they are. Kyle also breaks down how the simple act of putting a microphone on the table changes everything. It shifts us out of the old parent–child roles we tend to fall back into and creates space for a real adult-to-adult conversation. As he points out, we spend 90% of our lifetime with our parents before we’re 18. After that, every moment matters more than we realize. This one will make you think about your own family differently. Grab a mic, hit record, and ask the questions you’ve been avoiding. Because, as Kyle bluntly reminds us, “The point of that relationship should be to have as good a relationship as you can before they die.”