Breaking News, Breaking Patterns: A Journalist who Stopped Reporting and Started Revealing

Adam is on Vacation - Please excuse the scrappy editing - . Robin Coleman returns to the show after many weeks off after she lost her dog. We talk to Woods Humane each week, so if you love dogs, this will touch you. We love Robin, her work, and glad shes back. ********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Today on Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Emmy-nominated journalist and host of The Bright Side, Simone Boyce. From breaking news to breaking cycles, Simone opens up about her transition from the hard edges of national news to the warmer, deeper spaces of cultural storytelling and soul-level joy.They get into it all. What it's like leaving legacy media for something more personal. How motherhood rewired her approach to journalism. And why “choosing the bright side” isn’t just optimism. It’s a practice. Simone shares a vulnerable turning point at a trauma retreat, her favorite guest moments, and what it’s taught her about listening, leading, and letting go.This one’s for the storytellers, the seekers, and anyone who needs a reminder that softness isn’t weakness. It’s power.Listen to The Bright Side: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bright-side-149753542/Follow Simone Boyce on Instagram: @simoneboyce********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

What’s the deal with jam bands? Are they cults? Are they concerts? Are they just… long songs with extra sweat? Turns out, they were something bigger—a full-blown movement with its own rules, rituals, drug codes, and DIY economy that quietly rewired the way we experience music today.In this episode, Adam sits down with Mike Ayers, veteran music journalist and author of Sharing in the Groove: The Untold Story of the '90s Jam Band Explosion and the Scene That Followed. From Phish to Panic, Spin Doctors to secret acid etiquette, Mike unpacks how a grassroots subculture went from dirt-floor clubs to influencing everything from Bonnaroo to Bandcamp.Even if you’ve never followed a band cross-country or smelled like patchouli by accident, this conversation will make you feel like you missed out on something... and maybe inspire you to find your own version of it.Come for the bands • Stay for the philosophy • Leave with your head a little more expandedLINKS• Sharing in the Groove (Buy the Book): Amazon Link to Book • Mike Ayers Website: https://mike-ayers.com/ • Mike on X/Twiter: https://twitter.com/mikeayers • Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikeayers/Not Just Long Songs: What the Jam Band Scene Taught the Music Industry by Accident While Speaking to Anyone Feeling Lost in a Crowd********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

They’ve shipped over a million handcrafted wellness products around the world, but still fly under the radar in their own hometown.In this episode of Up+Adam, we sit down with the magnetic duo behind Life Elements, Martha and Curt. Based in Atascadero, these two have been quietly redefining wellness with small-batch, plant-based products that actually work. Their CBD relief sticks are legendary, their deodorants are changing the game, and their magnesium lotion? Let’s just say it’s giving people their sleep and their sanity back.But this isn’t just about formulas and oils. It’s about grit, generosity, and a whole lot of love. We talk about why their products start as personal solutions, how they develop new ideas with community testers, and what it's like being known worldwide while still earning recognition just down the street. You’ll hear how Martha hand-makes everything herself, often wearing a headnet and a lab smock like a wellness wizard, and why walking into their shop feels more like a warm hug than a retail experience.This is a conversation about care. About local magic. About two people who truly want to help you feel better, and aren’t afraid to whip something up on the spot to make that happen.• Visit them in person: 7425 El Camino Real, Suite O, Atascadero, CA (Fridays 1 to 4pm, back-right corner of the plaza)• Online: www.lifeelements.com• Use code ADAM at checkout for 15 percent off• Instagram: @lifeelementsSupport local. Feel better.********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

In this very special episode, Adam sits down with Don Felder, guitar legend, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and the man behind one of the most iconic solos in rock history: Hotel California. But there’s a whole lot more to Felder’s story than one song.We talk about his brand new album The Vault: Fifty Years of Music, a stunning collection of unreleased tracks, reimagined demos, and personal time capsules from a half-century of playing, touring, and living the rock and roll life. Felder opens up about the tracks that almost never saw the light of day, the magic of collaboration, and what it feels like to still fall in love with the guitar after all this time.Plus: the real story behind Move On, the poetry in Free at Last, and how a treadmill moment turned into a love song. If you're going to the California Mid-State Fair on July 25, this will get you primed for an unforgettable night in Paso.It’s legacy, it’s storytelling, it’s Felder … unplugged.Links from the Episode:Tickets to Don Felder at the Mid-State Fair: MidStateFair.comNew Album – The Vault: Fifty Years of Music: donfelder.com/musicOfficial Website: www.donfelder.comBook – Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974–2001): AmazonInstagram: @donfeldermusicCatch Don Felder live Friday, July 25 at 7:30 PM at the California Mid-State Fair, Paso Robles.********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!Window Coverings By DesignWe Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

When you hear the word Taser, what comes to mind... safety, control, compliance? But what if behind that word lies a story of unchecked ambition, corporate influence over public safety, and a device that has contributed to the deaths of over 1,000 people in the U.S. alone?On this episode of Up + Adam, Adam Montiel welcomes award-winning journalist and filmmaker Nick Berardini, the voice and mind behind the powerful new podcast Absolute: Taser Incorporated. From the boardrooms of Axon Enterprises to the streets of America’s most policed neighborhoods, this series pulls back the curtain on a billion-dollar empire born from a brotherhood and fractured by it.We talk about the Smith brothers who built the Taser business, the whistleblowers who risked everything to speak out, and the questions we should all be asking about the tools we’ve handed to law enforcement. This isn’t just a story about tech. It’s a story about power, accountability, and the blurred line between protection and profit.If you're into true crime, deep reporting, or journalism that truly holds power to the fire, this conversation will leave you thinking long after it ends.• Listen to Absolute: Taser Incorporated: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-absolute-275471765/• Watch Nick’s documentary Killing Them Safely (available on multiple streaming platforms)********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!Window Coverings By DesignWe Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Headaches are universal, but for millions, they’re more than a nuisance. They’re life-altering, misunderstood, and often misdiagnosed. In this episode, Adam sits down with award-winning science journalist and former New York Times reporter Tom Zeller Jr., whose powerful new book, The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction, dives deep into the mysterious world of chronic head pain, especially the brutal beast known as cluster headaches.From the ER to experimental drug trials, to the emotional weight of invisible pain, this conversation blends science, soul, and storytelling in a way only Up+Adam can. If you’ve ever said “I’ve got a headache,” you might want to listen twice.The Headache is available now! • Buy it here on AmazonLearn more about Tom’s work and his award-winning science magazine:Visit: https://undark.org********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

What really happened on America’s Next Top Model? Sarah Hartshorne joins Adam Montiel with the kind of honesty that flips the script on everything you thought you knew about reality TV. A contestant on Cycle 9 and the author of You Wanna Be On Top?, Sarah unpacks the contracts, the calorie limits, the casting manipulation, and the emotional aftermath of living inside a show that was built for drama, not truth.They talk about how the show shaped her body image, what it was like to be the only plus-size contestant, how the producers crafted characters from real people, and why the model house didn’t even have a microwave. This conversation isn’t about spilling tea. It’s about reclaiming the story from inside the machine.• Buy the Book: You Wanna Be On Top? - Penguin Random House• Follow Sarah on Instagram and TikTok: @sarahbhartshorne• Learn More: https://www.sarahbhartshorne.com********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Today’s episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes, the smallest items make the biggest impact. Adam sits down with Cami Statler, Executive Director, and Lydia Gong, Bilingual Operations Manager and Lactation Educator at Pregnancy and Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County (PPS), a nonprofit many are calling “the sweetest on the Central Coast.”They talk openly about the emotional realities of parenthood, the transformative power of early support, and why something as basic as a diaper can be the difference between a parent staying in school or having to drop out. PPS isn’t just handing out baby gear, they’re nurturing dignity, mental health, and generational impact.Right now, they’re teaming up with Meathead Movers for the #FillThoseTrucks Diaper Drive to restock the county’s only diaper bank after federal funding was cut. That truck you’re seeing at Target in SLO? That’s the one. And it’s filling up with hope, one diaper at a time.LIVE TODAY (July 9th): • Target in San Luis Obispo • 11990 Los Osos Valley Rd • 9 AM to 5 PM (OR LATER) • Stop by, grab some diapers or unscented baby wipes, and help fill the truck for SLO families in need!Want to help? Here's how: • Donate diapers (sizes 3–6) and unscented baby wipes through July 10th at Meathead Movers HQ: 3600 S. Higuera St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 • Make a monetary donation (just $25 covers a week’s worth of diapers and wipes for a family): ppsslo.org, click the pink “Donate” button • Venmo: @PPS-SLO • Spread the word on social using #FillThoseTrucksWant to donate gently used baby items? • PPS accepts high-quality gear, clothing, cribs, car seats, and more, all tax-deductible.This is more than a diaper drive, it’s about investing in futures. Let’s show up, Central Coast.Learn More: • Pregnancy and Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County (PPS) • [email protected] | [email protected] • 805-541-3367 (Call or Text Line) • Baby Boutique Location: 1807 Santa Barbara Ave., SLO********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com