Kevin Lyman, founder of the Vans Warped Tour and a 40-year music industry veteran, shares the untold stories, backstage shenanigans, and narrowly-avoided disasters of the world’s longest running punk rock festival. Kevin is joined by special guests from the tour to tell all the behind-the-scenes anecdotes he’s never publicly revealed. Each episode, Kevin and his co-host, Tony Arratia, select a topic based on fan suggestions and give all the answers to the questions you didn’t even know you h ...
…
continue reading
Everyone’s life was changed after their first Warped Tour experience, especially in the case of Christian Picciolini. Christian is a former American extremist who, after spending time with people from the Warped Tour, founded the Free Radicals Project, to prevent extremism and help people disengage from hate movements. Christian explains how easy i…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 29 | “Do You Have Insurance for That?”
48:35
48:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:35
If any of you have gotten a tattoo while at the Warped Tour, don’t tell Kevin… Or his insurance agent! This week, Kevin shares his opinions on tattoos from Warped, tattoos in punk rock, and tattoos in the workplace by catching up with three of his friends whose lives have been changed by tattoos. Kevin talks with Ink Master’s Oliver Peck, who trave…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Short Stories Ep. 1 | "Gray, Bald, and Fat"
12:55
12:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
12:55
After recently rediscovering one of his favorite articles "9 Public Figures Who Famously Hate Heavy Metal" where he hysterically makes an appearance at number 4, Kevin explains why he referred to the heavy metal community as "Gray, Bald, and Fat." He details a very angry call he received from Sharon Osbourne and why he had to make a public apology …
…
continue reading
Whether you lean left or right, the alignment of music and politics has always been extremely important, especially in Punk Rock. In this week's episode, Kevin catches up with 3 of his friends who have done more than their fair share of creating change by reminding people that they can use their voice to make a difference too. HeadCount and #iIVote…
…
continue reading
Thousands of Bands, Roadies, Bus Drivers, even Journalists, hit their big break while smoldering in the sun in a random parking lot on Warped Tour. It was the perfect place for developing talent in people who had trouble finding a place for themselves in the “real world.” This week, Kevin interviews 3 journalists who all started on the Warped Tour.…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 26 | "Recording Hits With Your Heroes"
30:40
30:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:40
From ages 5 to 12, Chad Tepper and his family were homeless, finding different places to sleep every night. Listening to bands like Simple Plan and Bowling for Soup gave him the escape he needed and convinced him to pursue music as a career. After gaining attention online for his wild antics, he reached out to Pierre Bouvier and Jaret Reddick direc…
…
continue reading
When word got out that someone was filming a horror movie on the Warped Tour, every band wanted their own on-screen death scene. Earning “the highest on-screen body count in slasher film history” using entire crowds and over 110 band members doesn’t come easily. Kevin catches up with the Director, Doug Sakmann, to ask how Doug came up with the idea…
…
continue reading
We all know, when it comes to driving, it wasn’t Kevin getting everyone across state lines… it was the bus drivers! That’s why this week, Kevin interviews 5 of his favorite tour bus drivers, and 2 bus company owners, to highlight some of the most ridiculous moments from off of the stage. Whether it’s pretending to be a bull and running each other i…
…
continue reading
The US justice system is far from perfect. Thousands of people a year are wrongfully put in prison for crimes they did not commit. Kevin sits with Jason Flom, CEO of Lava Records, to highlight the work that Jason does with the Innocence Project in assisting incorrectly incarcerated individuals. Kevin is also joined by Kiera Newsome, Darnell Phillip…
…
continue reading
Kevin catches up with Tony to finalize the story of Kaves and dive deeper into the current success of NFTs. Specifically, how NFTs are being used in music and other creative industries. With the help of his guests, Kevin explains what an NFT is, how they are helping artists build a community and, the possibility of NFTs being the start of separatin…
…
continue reading
Getting it done by any means necessary, by hook or by crook. That is the Brooklyn way. Hear a true 'rags to riches' story as Kevin catches up with a long-time friend and renowned Brooklyn artist, Michael McLeer, better known as Mr. Kaves. Mr. Kaves grew up on the streets of Brooklyn trying to figure out how to use his creativity and artistic skill …
…
continue reading
When CDs went out of style, so did making money from music sales. For years, artists have had to come up with creative ideas to support their careers, especially an artist following the Warped Tour. Whether it be working the Warped BBQ, starting a makeshift bar, or even baking cakes, artists will always find a way to make money using their skills a…
…
continue reading
Ever wanted to go camping in the outbacks of Australia? Kevin reunites with the Production Team and the athletes from the Warped Australia Tour to explain why most people should not even try! The artists, crew, and athletes were having the wildest time of their lives- riding in tourism buses, avoiding poisonous spiders, and trying to stop Fletcher …
…
continue reading
A 10 foot tall labia, a hyper-realistic murder room, and of course, a missing goat head. Just in time for Halloween, Kevin explains what all these things have in common… they were all a part of one of his greatest failures, The Great American Nightmare. In 2013, Kevin partnered with Rob Zombie on a haunted house experience based around Zombie’s fil…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 17 | "Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands"
1:19:13
1:19:13
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:19:13
Every year, over 30,000 bands compete in a nationwide competition to see who has what it takes to be the next Battle of the Bands champion. The Warped Tour & Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands has been an integral part of punk history for decades. Kevin interviews the current and former CEOs of Ernie Ball, Sterling and Brian, to discuss just that. Ster…
…
continue reading
Gritty in Pink is a new organization focused on creating gender equality in the music industry. Kevin invites its founder, Shiragirl, to discuss the disparities in the industry for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Shira had started the Shiragirl Stage on the Warped Tour with a focus on empowering girl bands and queer artists such as NO/HU…
…
continue reading
If you've ever seen the skaters hitting the vert ramps at Warped Tour you've probably seen our guest this week. Kevin is joined by Steve Caballero, one of skateboardings biggest legends, and Emily Nielsen, the founder of Punk Rock & Paintbrushes. Listen as they tell stories from the road and of how they all got involved with the warped tour communi…
…
continue reading
If you know the Warped tour you’ve seen an act or two at one of the side stages. What you probably didn’t know was whether that stage was actually part of the tour or if it was set up without permission! Hear the stories that led Kevin to eventually learn how to use the word “No” as he catches up with some legendary DIY stage managers to chat about…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 13 | “The Birth of Goldenvoice"
1:13:46
1:13:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:13:46
Kevin sits with Gary Tovar, the founder of Goldenvoice, who shares his memories of producing his first events in Santa Barbara before moving to LA and harnessing the aggressive energy of punk rock. He explains his connection to the hardcore scene and the responsibility he felt for creating a safe space for these young kids to have a good time. Sinc…
…
continue reading
Kevin highlights a few of the charitable events that the Warped Tour contributed to during its traditional “Give Back Days.” Along the way, he catches up with some of the people who cleaned up after Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and more, to hear how these moments of giving back changed their lives. Kevin also catches up with …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 11 | "Does Lightning Strike Twice?"
1:04:58
1:04:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:58
Kevin highlights a long-time member of his crew, Brian Marquis. Brian started in a band, Therefore I Am, before he realized that this Warped community was filled with hard workers who had wanted to achieve the same goals that he did. Brian recalls the exact moment he pitched Kevin the "Acoustic Basement Stage" before eventually managing the Acousti…
…
continue reading
Kevin catches up with some amazing Warped families as they recount their favorite and least favorite days from the tour. He interviews the parents to hear about their first impressions of the Warped Tour and how they ultimately decided to support their kids and this wild show. Kevin discusses what led him to allow parents in for free and, why he cr…
…
continue reading
Kevin relives his history with the first and last band he ever managed, Less Than Jake. Hear how Kevin turned a potential jail sentence (thank you, unauthorized pyrotechnics) into a profitable moment. Plus, hear why Kevin was eventually fired as Less Than Jake's manager and how the band has continued to have a 30-year career. This week's special gu…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 8 | "Bob Hurley Meets Blink-182"
1:09:09
1:09:09
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:09:09
Kevin talks with the former leaders of action sports apparel, Hurley and Billabong, and highlights the unique environment of the Warped Tour that allowed for brands and bands to work together for the greater good of action sports. Hear how Blink-182 built a relationship with Bob Hurley, the founder of Hurley Apparel, and almost got blacklisted from…
…
continue reading
Kevin continues catching up with the Warped Roadies and asks them how they ended up on the show and what the experience was like behind the scenes. Hear the Roadies describe the feeling of seeing their faces on the side of Madison Square Garden and how the fame from the show assisted in unexpected ways. Plus, we find out where and what everyone is …
…
continue reading
Kevin reunites with 8 Warped Tour veterans who starred in the hit Fuse reality TV show, Warped Roadies! Warped Roadies documented two full nationwide tours and covered the behind-the-scenes life of a roadie on the Warped Tour. This 2 part special starts with stories of how the cast members ended up on the road and found themselves on the show. In p…
…
continue reading
Kevin talks to the head of one of the most iconic shoe brands of our generation: VANS. Authentic to its core, we hear the real story of how the VANS shoe company started in southern California and grew to prominence in mainstream culture through its steadfast support of the action sports and punk rock communities, as well as the marketing genius of…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
Ep. 4 | "The Psychology of the Warped BBQ"
56:48
56:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:48
40 cities in 50 days, life on Vans Warped Tour is no cakewalk. At the end of a long shift, folks needed a break, and since there was no food, they started a BBQ. Since the music on Warped Tour spanned so many genres and bands it was hard to get everyone all in one place. Kevin saw that these BBQs were a great way to not only give people a place to …
…
continue reading
Kevin relives working on the first Lollapalooza in ‘91 with two remarkable women. Hear about Tana Douglas’ legacy as the first-ever woman roadie and her book "LOUD", as well as stories from Lisa Brownlee’s ever changing Warped Life. From border crossing nightmares to “$5 All You Can Drink” bars in North Carolina, don’t miss out on Lisa and Kevin's …
…
continue reading
Kevin and his dear friend Shelley, founder of TaDa Catering, had to figure out how to feed the hundreds of hungry band members and workers. These food inventions on Warped revolutionized the tour catering industry, so sit back and listen as these stories are told for the first time. Plus, get a front-row seat to one of the wildest moments of the Wa…
…
continue reading
It’s the summer of 1995 and the headliners are Sublime and No Doubt. The buses are packed with musicians and stow away skaters, so let’s hit the road as we embark on the very first Warped tour! Come hear the unforgettable, untold stories of the first punk rock summer camp narrated by fans and musicians from the first year as they reminisce about wh…
…
continue reading