Sayonara Cupcake

EP18 → Sharks, Curiosity & the Things That Pull Us In (with Marty & Desmond) This week, Marty’s back — my BFF — and we start with a story that pretty much sets the tone for everything… he once called me up and casually invited me to go shark diving… no cage… no special suit… just… go… and somehow… I said yes… and ended up falling in love with it… we talk about that experience — the fear, t...

EP17 → First Friends, First Music & the Soundtrack That Stays (with Eric Feith) In this episode, I sit down with one of my oldest, dearest friends… and technically my first “boyfriend”… which, to be clear, meant absolutely nothing because we were 12… but what did matter — and still does — is music… Eric was always the one who knew… the one handing me tapes, pointing me in new directions… intro...

EP16 → Nostalgia, Noise & Trying Not to Be a Jerk About It This week, it’s me and Desmond — and this one bounces between nostalgia, real-life experiences, and the kind of unfiltered conversation that just goes where it wants… we start with childhood — growing up in different cities, the moments that stick… and the experiences that shape how you see people… especially when it comes to judgment...

EP15 → Decisions, Noise & Protecting Your Energy This week, it’s me and Desmond — and we start with podcasting… and somehow end up in philosophy… like you do… we kick things off talking about Riverside — the platform, the process, what works, what doesn’t… and then it spirals… in the best way… into probability, decision-making… and the weird ways people justify the choices they make… from ther...

EP14 → Style, Soundtracks & the Meaning We Assign to Everything This week, it’s me and Desmond — and this one drifts in that classic “how did we get here?” way… we start with style — clothing, perception, first impressions… how what you wear ends up saying things about you before you even speak… and from there… it opens into identity… personality… and how people decide who you are in seconds…...

EP13 → Pen Pals, Music Snobs & the Friendships That Stick (with young adult author, Justin Carroll) In this episode, I sit down with longtime friend and author Justin Carroll — but this one starts in a way that still kind of blows my mind… we met on a plane… he was a kid traveling alone… I was an adult, minding my business, reading a music magazine… and he just looks over and tells me the band...

EP12 → DIY, Sound & Building a Life Around Music (with Josiah Mazzaschi/ Child Seat) In this episode, I sit down with Josiah — the mind behind Child Seat — for a conversation that really gets into what it means to build a life around music… we start at the beginning… skate videos, college radio… those early discovery moments that shape your taste before you even realize it’s happening… Josiah...

EP11 → Way Out of Our Depth (in the Best Way) with Andy Ricker This one was different… Andy had just come off major dental work… and I was probably more nervous for this conversation than any I’ve ever done… because he lives in a world I know absolutely nothing about — the culinary world… and if I’m being honest… Desmond and I had no business interviewing a chef… we are two people with some of the...

EP10 → Old Friends, Big Lives & Going Wherever It Leads (with Russ “Devlin Jones” Sabin) In this episode, I sit down with one of my oldest friends — Russ, aka Devlin Jones… we’ve known each other since we were 12… and he’s one of those people who’s just… lived a life… he’s also the one who got me into old school soul… the kind of music that sticks with you and quietly shapes everything… and ho...

EP9 → AI, Authenticity & Trying to Stay Human This week, it’s me and Desmond — and this one moves between AI, music, culture… and the general weirdness of being human right now… we start with AI… music production, vocal manipulation… what it can do… what it can’t … and the bigger question underneath it all — what even counts as “real” anymore? from there, it expands… AI in everyday life — smar...

EP8 → Secrets, Nostalgia & the Friendship That Knows Too Much (with Marty) This one’s a little different… it’s the first time I bring on my BFF, Marty… the one who knows all the secrets… decades of history… the good, the questionable… all of it… so yeah… this one goes places… we start with AI — because apparently everything does now… its role in music… what’s real, what’s not… and how hard it’...

EP7 → From MySpace Messages to Real-Life Friendship (with Aaron of Nurses / S.E.C.R.E.T.S.) This one goes back… way back to the MySpace days… when unsigned bands would blast messages out trying to get people to come to shows… and Aaron hits me up… telling me to drive up to Orange County and check them out… because they had just driven all the way from Idaho… in a Jeep… to “make it” in music… which...

EP6 → Music, Change & Holding Onto What’s Real (with Anuj Rajkumar) In this episode, I’m joined again by close friend Anuj Rajkumar — curator behind The Legends of Music Instagram account (1.6M+ followers) — along with Desmond… and like always… we go everywhere… we start with animals — pigeons, wildlife… those small, unexpected connections that end up grounding you more than anything else… fro...

EP5 → From Glasvegas to the Amazon: Music, Perspective & the Unexpected Path (with Rab Allan) In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robert Allan — Rab Allan of Glasvegas — for a conversation that goes way beyond music… we start there, of course… how music is discovered… shared… how that’s changed in the age of TikTok… and the albums that don’t just play — they stay with you… we talk Glasgow… th...

EP4 → The Drummer Everyone Knows (with Jake Najor) If you’re from San Diego and you play music… you either know Jake… or you’ve definitely heard of him… because he’s in everything … and he’s also a Grammy Award–nominated drummer who’s played on a Grammy-winning record … In this episode, I sit down with longtime friend and drummer Jake Najor for a conversation about music, persistence, and what it...

EP3 → One Walkman, Two Kids & a Lifetime of Music (with Alex) In this episode, I sit down with one of my oldest friends… and my childhood neighbor… Alex… I’ve known him since I was 13… and some of my clearest memories of that time look like this… walking home from school… sharing one pair of those foam Walkman headphones… each of us taking one side… and just… sitting in it… usually Depeche Mod...

EP2 → The Quiet Force Behind the Scene (with Mitch Wilson of No Knife) In this episode, I sit down with one of my dearest friends — Mitch Wilson… and if you’re from San Diego… you already know… Mitch has a kind of aura in the music community… from his time in the world-acclaimed band No Knife… to being featured in the San Diego–centric documentary It’s Gonna Blow… to now directing videos for local...

EP1+ → Origin Story, Bee People & the Birth of Sayonara Cupcake LV sits down with Desmond for a laid-back conversation about how music shapes identity, friendships, and life itself. She shares the real story behind starting the podcast—how it came together in about a week, with zero planning—and how Desmond (unpaid intern turned producer) stepped in to handle the audio side. They also get into...

EP1 → We Had No Plan… and Then There Was a Podcast (with Anuj Rajkumar) This is how it started… no notes… no research… no plan… because honestly… does anyone ever prepare for real, spontaneous conversations? I was messing around with AI one day… made a completely fictitious logo for something called Sayonara Cupcake… and sent it to my friend Anuj like, “hey, if I ever had a music podcast, I’d prob...