Mari Fong interviews Jared Watson of Dirty Heads and Dave Schools of Widespread Panic on the Neal Casal Foundation.

Jared Watson of Dirty Heads on Alcoholism Recovery with the Neal Casal Music Foundation “Reboot” for Alcohol Awareness Month

“I would sit on my couch and say, ‘I’m not drinking today’ and five minutes later, my body would get up and walk to the fridge,” Jared Watson of Dirty Heads said about his battle with alcoholism. “There’s me saying, ‘Don’t do this,’ and there’s my brain and body saying, ‘We need this right now, pal.’” Hear how Watson escaped his hard partying ways and now says, “I didn’t become less fun or less creative. Everything just got better.” Catch Dirty Heads on tour with 311 and stay tuned for their next album, 7 Seas, dropping June 12, 2026.

Watson shares how his hard partying ways with Dirty Heads ("Lay Me Down," "Stand Tall") descended into alcohol and drug abuse. He recollects his wake up call when rushed to the hospital, barely able to move from his tour bunk bed. Depression and anxiety followed, with his road to recovery being a remarkable one. Their album, 'The Best of Dirty Heads' features the single "Rage" with Travis Barker and Aimee Allen of The Interrupters.

Next, we have Dave Schools of Widespread Panic talk about Neal Casal, a musician who died from mental illness in 2019, and the Neal Casal Music Foundation. Dave explains the mental rigors of being a touring musician and the foundation's mission to improve the lives of others also battling mental illness. The tribute album 'Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal' is out now, with 41 incredible musicians singing the songs of this beloved musician.

CHECK YOUR HEAD Podcast is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. THANK YOU for supporting our mission to improve and save the lives of musicians and music fans by providing free and affordable recovery solutions at www.checkyourheadpodcast.com.

Every dollar is appreciated, every listener is appreciated. For the largest online list of free and affordable mental and addiction recovery solutions, visit: http://checkyourheadpodcast.com

Follow Us! On social media @checkyourheadpodcast and Watch & Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@checkyourheadpodcast5174

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The information shared during this interview is for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for any individualized medical concerns.

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Say hello and give us feedback! We love hearing from our Superhero fans ❤️🤘

Support the show

Mari Fong interviews Nick Hexum of 311 and Brandon Jay of Altadena Musicians for a special episode for Podcasthon, focusing on nonprofits and those who do good in this world.

For our featured musician, I’m excited to have singer-songwriter Nick Hexum of 311, share his secrets about a mental health and addiction story that he kept hidden for more than a decade. With 311 being known for their songs like “Down,” “Amber” and “Beautiful Disaster,” many of them filled with lyrics of positivity and unity, with 311 performing high-energy shows since 1988, you can imagine how surprising it was to hear Nick talk about his self-doubt, anxiety and perfectionism that eventually led to a terrifying addiction.

Having interviewed Nick in the past, I was honored to be the one to hear this honest and vulnerable story of addiction and recovery, one he admits he’s never shared with his fans or the public before today. I’ll be playing a clip of Nick Hexum’s song “Lonely Existence” from his side project EP, “Waxing Nostalgic” which dropped in 2025. This is Part 1 of Nick's story.

This is also a special Podcasthon episode where 2800 podcasts from around the world spotlight a nonprofit and I’ve chosen Altadena Musicians, a foundation that’s helped musicians recover thousands of instruments and vinyl records, getting them back into the hands of those that lost theirs in the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles. I’ll be talking to musician and founder of Altadena Musicians, Brandon Jay.

CHECK YOUR HEAD Podcast is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. THANK YOU for supporting our mission to improve and save the lives of musicians and music fans by providing free and affordable recovery solutions at www.checkyourheadpodcast.com. Every dollar is appreciated, every listener is appreciated. For the largest online list of free and affordable mental and addiction recovery solutions, visit: http://checkyourheadpodcast.com

Follow Us! On social media @checkyourheadpodcast

Watch & Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@checkyourheadpodcast5174

You rock and we love you at checkyourheadpodcast.com ❤️🤘

The information shared during this interview is for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for any individualized medical concerns.

Say hello and give us feedback! We love hearing from our Superhero fans ❤️🤘

Support the show

Mari Fong interviews King Iso and expert Scott Fears, MD, PhD on schizoaffective and bipolar II disorder with addictions, Part 2.

He’s a rapper who’s turned his lifelong battles with mental health and addiction into life-saving music, amassing millions of streams and selling out shows across the country. Our guest today is King Iso who’s survived homelessness, suicide attempts, jail time, and was diagnosed with schizoaffective and bipolar II disorder, who also had his share of addictions. But King Iso used music to vent his pain which not only helped himself but others as well. He recently dropped his 7th studio album entitled, Ghetto Psycho and I’ll be playing a clip of his song, “Ghetto Psycho” at the end of our episode.

Next, our expert is Scott Fears, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA & Chief Medical Officer of Amae Health in Los Angeles who works with patients with serious and persistent mental illness, often with the homeless and veteran communities. He’s also led and worked at Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles (HHCLA) located in Skid Row, a very tough place, but a great nonprofit that I’m familiar with since my first fundraiser for mental health was for HHCLA. Since King Iso’s story is a fascinating, longer tale, I’ve dedicated 2 episodes to him. So let’s hear Part 2 of King Iso, share his story and also his mental health nonprofit, Project Be Well.

CHECK YOUR HEAD Podcast is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. THANK YOU for supporting our podcast at www.checkyourheadpodcast.com Every dollar is appreciated, every listener is appreciated. For the largest online list of free and affordable mental and addiction recovery solutions, visit:

http://checkyourheadpodcast.com

Follow Us! On social media @checkyourheadpodcast

Watch & Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@checkyourheadpodcast5174

You rock and we love you Superheroes at checkyourheadpodcast.com ❤️🤘

The information shared during this interview is for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for any individualized medical concerns.

Say hello and give us feedback! We love hearing from our Superhero fans ❤️🤘

Support the show