The Drop the Needle Podcast

He drowned in his own pool, woke up on the bottom under a full moon, and came back with an equation for happiness.For years, Thayne Martin looked like a man who had it all figured out: six-time President's Club, top 10% nationwide, a career built on breaking sales records. Underneath it he was carrying a secret from childhood, abuse that began when he was a boy in Phoenix, and a stack of diagnoses that included dissociative identity disorder, bipolar I and complex PTSD. He tells us how he hid it, how it surfaced in a board meeting, and the woman who never gave up on him.Then, on August 13, 2023, alone in the pool late at night, he had a seizure and drowned. It was his second near-death experience. He woke up at the bottom of the pool, calm, an atheist with no idea how to get out, until a voice said: move your head. What came back with him became ELAH, the Equation of Life and Abundant Happiness: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division applied to your emotional life, plus "net neutral," the "gratitude cocktail," and why he says fear is a direction, not a stop sign.And stay for the Playlist Round: ZZ Top, Propaganda, Above & Beyond, Donna Summer with the Phoenix Symphony, and the song that carried a little boy over the rainbow.This conversation includes Thayne's account of childhood sexual abuse, addiction and suicide attempts. If it brings something up for you, in the US you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Thayne shares his own experience; nothing here is medical advice.KEY TOPICSHiding childhood trauma behind a high-performing career · Dissociative identity disorder, without the Hollywood myth · Two near-death experiences by drowning · Leaving the victim story behind · ELAH: the Equation of Life and Abundant Happiness · Net positive, net negative and net neutral · Experiential gratitude and the "gratitude cocktail" · The principle of abundance · Music as vibrationSOUND BITES"I'm not a victim. I was never a victim. None of us are.""I woke up at the bottom of the pool. That's where I woke up.""Happiness in life comes when we're authentic, a hundred percent who we are without filters.""Fear is a sign and a direction. Fear just says I can learn something here.""There's only one thing on the other side. It's love."CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:36 Phoenix, age five, and the secret he carried03:42 "I'm not a victim. I was never a victim."05:24 Every diagnosis was a coping mechanism05:55 Seven pillboxes a day, and then zero06:17 August 13, 2023: alone in the pool at night07:02 Waking up at the bottom of the pool under a full moon08:09 An atheist comes back with a "download"10:02 "Move your head": the breath that got him out12:28 Six-time President's Club: what the man on stage believed14:40 The gap between the facade and the true self17:05 A life of success, and a secret underneath it18:19 The best liar in the world20:40 Gratitude and unconditional love as neuroscience21:56 Every sunrise since September 202422:26 Experiential gratitude and the "gratitude cocktail"25:18 Which diagnosis explained the most28:11 The board meeting that ended his career28:45 A love story: the woman who never gave up29:54 What he wishes someone had said31:38 Net positive, net negative, and living in net neutral34:37 Two near-death experiences: what the first one showed him37:55 The first thing he did when he came back39:18 Love as the power that operates everything40:48 Why we remember what we feel41:59 What happened to the men responsible43:24 A lawsuit, scholarships, and a donation-based program44:24 ELAH: why math is the language of the universe45:44 Add and subtract: balancing to neutral46:49 Multiply and divide: the principle of abundance48:59 From growing up scarce to giving it away50:09 Letting go of ego, and a love that never punishes51:34 Fifty years at the piano: everything is vibration54:21 What he still gets wrong about his own equation55:12 Vasopressin, oxytocin and dopamine58:48 Playlist Round: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"59:53 Road trips: Mom's 70s records, and disco1:00:37 Senior year: ZZ Top's Eliminator1:01:17 College: Propaganda's A Secret Wish1:03:01 Pump-up: his "Shift" playlist and Above & Beyond1:04:30 Guilty pleasure: Donna Summer and the Phoenix Symphony1:05:04 The song written for him: "Blue Sky Action"1:05:48 All-time favorite: why the rainbow1:06:46 Thank-yous, where to find Thayne, and we drop the needleRESOURCES MENTIONEDAbove & Beyond, "Gratitude" and "Blue Sky Action"Propaganda, A Secret WishZZ Top, EliminatorDonna Summer"Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of OzCONNECT WITH THAYNE MARTINIt's Pure Love / ELAH: https://www.itspurelove.comInstagram: @itspureloveofficialTODAY'S PLAYLISThttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/089P25t56cNoqYmagZ8yuRFROM YOUR HOSTMentioned in this episode or just want to go deeper?📖 Did I Just Have a Spiritual Awakening, or Was It Something I Ate? https://a.co/d/020nrzCH🌐 jimalstott.com https://www.jimalstott.com🎙️ dtnpodcast.com https://www.dtnpodcast.comIf this episode found you at the right moment, the best thank-you is simple: like, comment, and subscribe so you never miss what's next.#DropTheNeedle #ThayneMartin #NearDeathExperience #Gratitude #UnconditionalLove #SpiritualAwakening #Healing #ELAH

What happens when a guy runs for mayor of Los Angeles on a platform of love?Helix Wolfson did exactly that. He legally changed his name to Paul E. Amori, put on a three-piece red suit, and ran for mayor on one question: what would love do? He came in last. He also walked off a debate stage with a dozen people telling him he'd earned their vote, and he says it felt like winning.That's one chapter. Helix grew up in the theater, made films, built stages at Burning Man and Lightning in a Bottle, and when COVID cancelled Burning Man he helped build the Infinite Playa, a virtual version of it. That project grew into Infinite Reality, a metaverse company that reached a $12 billion valuation. Then he walked away.We talk about what survives when you move a sensory experience like Burning Man into a virtual world, the difference between the cutting edge and the bleeding edge, and why the people who start a company usually aren't the ones who end up running it. Then we get into AI, and his answer surprised me: he thinks we're not scared enough. We go back and forth about jobs, fulfillment, and what's happening in the workforce I see every day in my recruiting work, and we land on the one thing he believes technology can't replace: being in a room with other humans.And stay for the Playlist Round: Helix shares some big personal news for the first time, right here on the show.KEY TOPICSRunning for mayor as Paul E. Amori · Leading with love instead of fear · Career politics and liquid democracy · Building a virtual Burning Man · Amori's Casino and Burlesque · From startup to $12 billion, and walking away · Cutting edge vs. bleeding edge · Founders vs. operators · AI fear, AGI and superintelligence · Jobs, fulfillment and the changing workforce · What technology can't give usSOUND BITES"What would love do was my mantra.""To become authentic while assuming a role is quite a feat.""The bleeding edge… is as painful as it sounds.""I'm not sure you'll like this answer, but I actually think we're not scared enough.""Those are the places where we will always want to be in human connection."CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:12 Helix's thumbnail: theater kid, filmmaker, Burning Man builder03:34 COVID, a cancelled Burning Man, and a $12 billion detour05:35 Paul E. Amori and the Love Party05:57 The alter ego came first: mayor of Lightning in a Bottle08:05 Legally changing his name to run for mayor of LA09:47 Trump wins, a dark night of the soul, and "what would love do?"12:06 What a festival taught him about fear and love13:44 3,300 votes: love came in last15:06 Getting Candid with the Candidates over coffee16:30 The debate nobody else would hold20:23 Authentic in a wig: the night he earned their votes21:26 What losing taught him about career politics26:03 Liquid democracy and the most loving solution27:59 Burning Man goes virtual: what survived the crossing33:52 Amori's Casino and Burlesque39:04 From a startup to $12 billion, and walking away41:00 The cutting edge vs. the bleeding edge43:22 Why founders leave what they built44:52 Three new companies in a few months47:05 AI and fear: "I actually think we're not scared enough"50:29 AGI, superintelligence, and the robots53:54 Jim's view from hiring: who shows up for work56:22 Fulfillment: human work vs. machine work59:14 Eighteen job changes in one career1:02:06 What employers can do about it1:03:40 What technology can't give us1:07:14 Playlist Round: Bennie and the Jets1:08:08 Reggae road trips, Toots, and a rubber chicken1:10:24 Hip-hop, jazz, and anything with brass1:11:53 Pump-up songs and a guilty pleasure1:13:46 Sleeping at Last's "Saturn"1:15:01 Tears for Fears in the desert1:16:15 Big news: Helix is about to become a dad1:17:56 Where to find Helix, and we drop the needleRESOURCES MENTIONEDMeow Wolf (immersive art experiences)Lightning in a Bottle (music festival)Burning Man and its Ten PrinciplesThe Midnight Mission, Skid Row, Los AngelesSleeping at Last, "Saturn"Tears for Fears, "Rivers of Mercy" (2022)CONNECT WITH HELIX WOLFSONWebsite: https://heliximagen.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helixwolfson/Instagram: @helixalotTODAY'S PLAYLISThttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/2C1Isy7ZizMYackwMq4ukrFROM YOUR HOSTMentioned in this episode or just want to go deeper?📖 Did I Just Have a Spiritual Awakening, or Was It Something I Ate? https://a.co/d/020nrzCH🌐 jimalstott.com https://www.jimalstott.com🎙️ dtnpodcast.com https://www.dtnpodcast.comIf this episode found you at the right moment, the best thank-you is simple: like, comment, and subscribe so you never miss what's next.#DropTheNeedle #HelixWolfson #BurningMan #ArtificialIntelligence #Metaverse #LeadWithLove #ImmersiveExperience #SpiritualAwakening

What does a child who never spoke a word leave behind?Mike Gomoll's son Joey died at five. With Butch Vig, he built Joey's Song: $2 million raised for epilepsy research, zero paid staff. Dravet syndrome, Freezing Man, 35 artists playing free.Joey couldn't speak. When the music came on, he'd find whoever was in the room, grab a finger, and make sure they were dancing. Fifteen years later his dad runs Joey's Song and Freezing Man, two nights at a 2,500-seat room in Madison with members of Guns N' Roses, Cheap Trick, Tears for Fears, The Bangles and the Goo Goo Dolls, all of them playing for nothing.Mike on the misdiagnosis years, the brain's "blue screen of death," the night Butch Vig asked what he could do to help, and why one in 26 people have epilepsy and hardly anyone says so out loud.✨ In this episode:✅ Joey, Dravet syndrome, and two years of misdiagnosis✅ Why music got through when words couldn't✅ Epilepsy as the brain's blue screen of death✅ Zone defense: protecting Julia and Sam✅ Grace for the people who say the wrong thing✅ How a CD release party became Joey's Song✅ The night Butch Vig asked how he could help✅ Freezing Man: 35 artists, two nights, nobody paid✅ One in 26: why epilepsy stays in the shadows✅ Making the ask for Joey's SongSound bites"Then we lost Joe, and it was time to help the next family.""You saw the sun in his face.""My five-year-old son died. I need your help."Chapters00:00 The kid who made sure you were dancing01:46 Welcome, Mike02:10 Headliners, IBM, and the road back to Wisconsin04:50 Three kids from Guatemala, and Joey's first seizure05:20 "Then we lost Joe, and it was time to help the next family"06:42 Why music got through when words couldn't07:37 Epilepsy as the brain's blue screen of death10:00 What you saw in Joey's face11:35 Two years of misdiagnosis12:11 The small breakthroughs that carried them17:50 Zone defense: protecting Julia and Sam18:55 Grace for the people who say the wrong thing20:05 Joey's Song begins as a CD release party22:23 Butch Vig makes the fatal mistake of asking how he can help24:17 "You never know who's going to show up"27:52 Rock camp for musicians32:44 Boyfriends vs. Girlfriends: the battle of the bands35:41 Why epilepsy stays in the shadows39:58 One in 26: every seventh house on your block41:37 "My five-year-old son died. I need your help."43:21 What Joey would make of all this45:03 The playlist round46:56 Three songs that always filled the dance floor48:56 Carry On Wayward Son51:52 Start Me Up52:49 Guilty pleasure: Call Me Maybe and Harry Styles54:15 The song the world needs right now: Everybody Hurts56:13 "Name," and the breakup that still stings1:01:34 How to help Joey's SongToday's Playlisthttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/1o15TNcLS2oNtfEHU50tWs💬 QUESTION FOR YOUWho taught you something important without ever saying a word?Share your story in the comments.👍 Like, Subscribe, and Share to help others discover meaningful conversations about music, loss, and what we do with it.🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEJoey's Song and the Freezing Man concerts, The Sylvee, Madison, WIButch VigDravet syndrome and epilepsy research🌐 CONNECT WITH MIKE GOMOLL AND JOEY'S SONGWebsite: https://www.joeyssong.orgInstagram: @joeyssongFacebook: @joeyssongFollow the Joey's Song podcast. The Freezing Man shows stream free on the Joey's Song YouTube channel the night of the show.🎙️ CONNECT WITH JIM ALSTOTT📖 Did I Just Have a Spiritual Awakening, or Was It Something I Ate? https://a.co/d/020nrzCH🌐 https://www.jimalstott.com🎙️ https://www.dtnpodcast.com#DropTheNeedle #JoeysSong #FreezingMan #Epilepsy #DravetSyndrome #ButchVig #MusicAndGrief #EpilepsyAwareness

What if the sacred and the secular were never two different things to begin with?Rev. Dr. Rob Zahn is a Lutheran pastor, a theologian, a semiotician, and a musician. He wears Converse under his liturgical robes. He also wrote a book about LSD, a drug smuggling ring, and the birth of contemporary Christian music.To him, none of that is a contradiction. That is the whole point.In this episode of The Drop the Needle Podcast, Jim Alstott sits down with Rob to trace a life that runs from a small town childhood with an absent father, through a doctorate in semiotics, to the hidden history behind his book, LSD to Galilee: Incarnation in the Psychedelic Subculture.Rob explains why he does not frame his father's absence as a forgiveness issue, even after a reunion that surfaced anger, grief, and questions nobody answered. He walks Jim through the line that runs from the Brotherhood of Eternal Love to the Jesus People movement to Maranatha Music, and why Lonnie Frisbee got quietly written out of the cleaner version of that story.Then there is the music. Mumford and Sons in a stadium full of strangers singing the same words. Dave Matthews Band. Meatloaf. Hamilton. Disney soundtracks he refuses to apologize for.Can a pastor tell the truth about where his faith came from and still keep his pulpit?✨ In this episode:✅ Growing up in small town America, raised by a single mother✅ Why forgiveness may be the wrong frame for an absent father✅ The father he found through one mailed letter, and the Las Vegas hotel room✅ What semiotics reveals about culture, congregations, and blind spots✅ Why the sacred and secular divide does not hold✅ Converse under the robes, and other small acts of resistance✅ The Brotherhood of Eternal Love to the Jesus People to Maranatha Music✅ How Lonnie Frisbee was written out of the story✅ Psychedelics, sacrament, and music as portals to the divine✅ Why the church has to keep being put in check by people, not powerSound bites"I'm not sure forgiveness is necessary.""There's no division between the sacred and secular. I think that's a made up thing.""I don't know if there's a more human experience than music.""Which means he wasn't paranoid. He was still underground."Chapters00:00 Welcome: a pastor, a semiotician, a musician01:24 Rob's childhood, music upbringing, and path into ministry03:41 Questioning father absence through theology and identity06:48 Why forgiveness may not be the right frame12:07 The anger and grief that surfaced anyway13:59 What semiotics reveals about signs, culture, and the church19:35 Mumford and Sons, spirituality, and a stadium full of shared meaning22:58 Why the sacred and secular divide doesn't hold26:46 How psychedelic culture and Jesus music are historically connected30:46 Why Lonnie Frisbee was written out of the cleaner church narrative35:14 How Rob's congregation responds to his full story39:42 The Chosen, outsiders, and meeting people where they are46:53 Doubting certainty and embracing the unknown56:43 Music, worship styles, and Rob's first ministry in Las Vegas01:02:26 Rob's father, cancer, and the Brotherhood's underground history01:08:01 Jim shares his own father story and reconnection01:10:57 The music round begins: first radio song, road trip songs, high school anthem01:15:15 Guilty pleasure soundtrack and Disney singalongs01:16:55 A song that could change how people see the world01:18:38 A song that feels written for Rob's life right now01:22:12 Where to find Rob, and we drop the needleToday's Playlisthttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/7C9T8To450S3f03qK4Gelq💬 QUESTION FOR YOUWhere have you been told the sacred stops and the ordinary starts, and who decided that?Share your story in the comments.👍 Like, Subscribe, and Share to help others discover meaningful conversations about faith, music, and meaning.🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODELSD to Galilee: Incarnation in the Psychedelic Subculture, by Rob ZahnZumbro Lutheran Church, Rochester, MNThe Brotherhood of Eternal Love, Lonnie Frisbee, Calvary Chapel and Maranatha Music🌐 CONNECT WITH REV. DR. ROB ZAHNWebsite: robzahn.comInstagram: @rzahn001Facebook: rob.zahnLinkedIn: robzahn🎙️ CONNECT WITH JIM ALSTOTT📖 Did I Just Have a Spiritual Awakening, or Was It Something I Ate?🌐 jimalstott.com🎙️ dtnpodcast.com#DropTheNeedlePodcast #RobZahn #LSDtoGalilee #JesusPeople #LonnieFrisbee #Semiotics #Faith #Deconstruction #ChristianMusic #Psychedelics #Lutheran #SacredAndSecular