Podcast Spotlight: Jacob Tell on TrueLife — A Digital Dionysus in the Age of Illusion

In a world saturated with soundbites and spiritual bypassing, the TrueLife Podcast is a howl from the underground — a battlefield of ideas where conformity dies and consciousness is forged in fire. And on May 20, 2025, our Chief Dreamer Jacob Tell stepped into the fire with host George for an episode that’s part ritual, part rebellion, and fully unforgettable.

🔥 Episode Title: Jacob Tell – Digital Dionysus Drenched in Roses

🎧 Hosted by: George Monty, creator of TrueLife

📡 Platform: TrueLife Podcast

The TrueLife Podcast isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s for the seekers and misfits, the rebels and philosophers, the edge-walkers who rage against the machine not for chaos — but for clarity. George describes it as a “counterattack against the programmed mediocrity of our times.” Here, psychedelics aren’t just substances — they’re compasses. Suffering is the teacher, mysticism the map, and dangerous thinking is the only way forward.

Why Jacob Tell? From his roots touring the globe with Jack Johnson, to launching District216 as a psychedelic sanctuary for conscious connection, Jacob has always been a storyweaver. But this episode dives even deeper — past the logos and lifestyle, into the electric soul behind it all.

George calls him a “media mystic” and “chaos conductor” — part poet, part technologist, part time-traveling bard. Together they explore:

🔮 The mythic role of technology in the psychedelic renaissance

📱 Digital space as a new kind of sacred ceremony

⚔️ How branding can be weaponized for liberation rather than manipulation

🌀 The transformation of feedback loops into fractal consciousness

🌲 And what happens when you build systems like they’re sacred groves, not storefronts

“If Terence McKenna, Steve Jobs, and the DMT elves held a hackathon in a Redwood Grove during a solar eclipse… the blueprint would look a lot like what Jacob’s building.”

💥 For anyone who’s ever wondered if there’s more to marketing, more to media, and more to you — this episode delivers.

Not as answers. But as initiation.

🧠 What They Covered

Over the hour-long, high-voltage dialogue, Jacob and George explored the space where branding becomes ritual, platforms become prayer circles, and technology becomes a sacred mirror. Topics included:

🌱 What District216 Really Is

A psychedelic social club, yes — but also an evolving community guided by member voices, holding roundtables like Conscious Connections, integration circles, weekly Wednesday meetups, and large Marquee events that blend education and entertainment into something Jacob calls “edutainment.”

🧬 Branding as Ritual, Culture as Code

Referencing everything from Ritz-Carlton handbooks to baseball games and ayahuasca ceremonies, Jacob explains how repeated, intentional actions — ritual — are the foundation of authentic culture, whether in business, community, or consciousness.

🧓👶 Bridging Generations Through Psychedelics

From Gen Z harm reduction warriors to Baby Boomers re-approaching entheogens at the end of life, the conversation touched on how District216 is creating multigenerational healing spaces — including the upcoming Death & Psychedelics panel with death doula Kat Kerner in Santa Barbara.

⚡ The Intersection of AI and Psychedelics

Both are “portals to the collective,” Jacob says. He sees AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a collaborator — a tool that, when used consciously, mirrors the intelligence revealed in deep journeys with plant medicine.

🌍 Global Movement, Local Roots

Shoutouts to the Global Psychedelic Society, District216’s collaboration with Journey Home (a psychedelic concierge service), and an invitation to anyone starting a local psychedelic group: “Find your passionate core. Let the community grow from there.”

🎧 Listen Now

🌐 jacobtell.com

🫶 Support the show: paypal.me/Truelifepodcast

District216 Chief Dreamer Jacob Tell joins Pecha Kucha Night Santa Barbara

Last week at Night Lizard Brewing Company on State Street in Santa Barbara a gathering of creatives, thinkers, and storytellers came together for a platform unlike any other: PechaKucha Night.

Originating in Japan, PechaKucha (Japanese for “chit-chat”) is a storytelling format that’s as challenging as it is captivating. Each speaker gets exactly 20 slides, shown for 20 seconds each, and the slides advance automatically. That’s 6 minutes and 40 seconds to deliver a compelling narrative — no more, no less.

The format forces presenters to distill their ideas down to their most essential, visual, and emotionally resonant core. It’s fast-paced, energetic, and beautifully concise — which is why it’s caught on in over 1,200 cities around the world.

🎥 Watch the Full Presentation Here:

This PechaKucha night was part local speaker series, part social experiment in storytelling brevity. A diverse lineup of presenters shared their passions and insights in front of a full house — with cold craft beers and warm applause fueling the vibe.

Our very own Jacob Tell, Chief Dreamer of District216, took the stage second and delivered a powerful, visually rich presentation titled “Normalizing Psychedelics with Conscious Community.”

In just under seven minutes, Jacob explored the cultural stigma around psychedelics, his own awakening through music and community, and how District216 is forging a new kind of social club — one rooted in connection, healing, and transformation. With stunning imagery and a deeply personal story arc, Jacob’s talk resonated strongly with the crowd. Several attendees shared that it was their first time hearing psychedelics talked about with such clarity, intention, and heart.

Some were so inspired they decided to attend the District216 Marquee Event later that weekend — a beautiful reminder that ideas shared with authenticity can ripple out into real-world impact.

Musicians Join Forces to Launch L.A. Wildfire Relief Livestream and Auction

The Hollywood Reporter: “Musicians Join Forces to Launch L.A. Wildfire Relief Livestream and Auction”

Musicians For Fire Relief will include Moby, Dawes, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Butch Walker, Pete Yorn, Margaret Cho and more artists, benefiting music industry workers.

By Nicole Fell

March 4, 2025 4:32pm

Artists are joining forces to launch a global livestream and auction to support members of the Los Angeles music community who were impacted by January’s deadly wildfires.

Musicians for Fire Relief, in partnership with Sweet Relief Musicians fund, will include exclusive performances and chats with artists such as Dawes, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Moby, and include an auction of rare memorabilia, autographed instruments and posters. The event, which began as a grassroots effort from various industry figures, will raise funds to provide grants for housing, medical bills, groceries and other essentials, according to a release.

“What makes this event so unique is that it is dedicated to directly supporting the people who make our industry thrive,” Musicians for Fire Relief co-producer Jacob Tell said in a release. All industry professionals involved are donating their time to help put on the event.

“Our community is built on collaboration, and we were luckily able to crowdsource some amazing professionals to help,” co-producer Shelly Hartman said in a release. Co-producer Erik Koral added: “Seeing the devastation, I knew we had to rally together all our friends to produce a special event, a love letter to L.A. — celebrating its legacy and music while supporting those who have lost everything.”

Goose, Butch Walker, Margaret Cho, Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, Travis’ Fran Healy, Nathan East, Chris Pierce, Ozomatli’s Asdru Sierra and founding members of The Cure Lol Tolhurst are also confirmed to attend.

Musicians for Fire Relief, hosted by Nic Harcourt and featuring interviews by Lyndsey Parker and Steve Baltin, begins streaming on March 6 at 5 p.m. PT on the event’s website, Nugs.net and YouTube. Details on the event can be found on their website.

[Source Article]

Musicians For Kamala Livestream Brings Music Industry Together

Sep 16, 2024 - 05:05pm EDT

Steve Baltin - Senior Contributor
I write about music and the business of music.

Tomorrow, September 17, at 8 EST, a wide array of musicians, from Moby, The Flaming Lips Wayne Coyne and Bootsy Collins to Roseanne Cash, Sheila E and Mickey Guyton will pool their collective talents into a two-hour plus streaming telethon called Musicians for Kamala.

The event, intended to raise money for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential run, is a collective endeavor between the music industry and political experts. People who want to tune in to see Lisa Loeb, Living Colour, Jack Johnson, Sage Bava, just added Evanescence and more, as well as appearances from Natalie Merchant, Shepard Fairey and more, can RSVP at MUSICIANS FOR KAMALA: A NATIONAL LIVESTREAM MUSICAL EVENT · The Democratic National Committee (democrats.org) where they will receive a link to join.

I spoke with two of the co-organizers, Jacob Tell and Nancy Rotering, about putting the event together.

Steve Baltin: There is a great history of protest music. Why is music such an important part of propelling political messages?

Jacob Tell: Music is an enduring force and the universal language. It fosters a sense of unity and common purpose, transcending barriers of language, race, class & geography. Most importantly, music moves our hearts and minds. Songs can serve as slogans, mantras, and rallying cries, and have the potential to create a sense of belonging in a movement, giving us something bigger than ourselves to believe in. Music moves people to take action.

Nancy Rotering: So much of successful political messaging is based on storytelling evoking emotions that results in action. Music often achieves the same outcome and can almost serve as shorthand for political messaging and its goals.

Baltin: When did that translate into the importance of musician endorsements?

Tell: Musicians hold a unique platform of influence, capable of amplifying messages that resonate on a deep societal level. Their powerful lyrics can give voice to the voiceless and raise awareness for issues that ripple across communities. The importance of musician endorsements lies in their ability to bring mass attention to causes, inspiring their audiences to engage and take action. For example, touring with and supporting musician Jack Johnson for over two decades taught me the importance of his deeply embedded environmental message in every facet of his work—from his music and live performances to his merchandise, foundations, and record label. His fans respond to this purpose driven form of expression, creating deep lasting connections. This kind of consistent, authentic advocacy shows how musicians can create lasting impact through their endorsements.

Rotering: Musicians as storytellers often develop signature motifs with a direct translation to political calls to action. Those who share similar values with their fans communicate in a unique and compelling way unmatched by other voices. Having their endorsement speaks efficiently and impactfully to their fans.

Baltin: How was the response to putting this event together?

Rotering: People were very excited to be involved; so much so, that we have more musicians than time and we will be creating a space for continued musical performance and engagement. Throughout the Harris-Walz campaign, there has been great enthusiasm by voters in connecting over shared interests and/or identities. The strong support for the candidates is enhanced through the broad range of communities being celebrated. So much of this campaign has been about recognizing the strength that comes from the diversity within our great nation, and events like Musicians for Kamala amplify that joy and sense of community, hopefully leading to increased political engagement.

Tell: The response to organizing this event has been incredibly inspiring. I was motivated by seeing other “For Kamala” livestream events— Black Women, White Dudes, Comedians, and Deadheads—come together. With my background in marketing, events, and the music industry, I knew that a “Musicians for Kamala” event could be a success if we built the right team. My passionate friends and longtime collaborators, John Lucchetti and Erik Koral, were the first to join. Then, we brought on Highland Park, Illinois Mayor Nancy Rotering, along with Shelly Hartman, and the Harris-Walz campaign. Soon after, Jeff Atlas and his Backhand Productions team came on board, and dozens of us began collaborating on daily production calls. The collective passion and energy has been overwhelming. Once the website, social media, and press release went live, we were introduced to an influx of management groups, publicists, record labels, and artists eager to participate and support this campaign.

Baltin: What do you hope people take away from this event?

Tell: What I hope people take away from this event is a sense of unity and purpose. First and foremost, I want people to understand the critical importance of registering to vote and exercising that right. Voting is our collective voice, and it’s essential for shaping the future we all care so deeply about. I also hope people see how music connects us across differences, creating a powerful bond that transcends individual backgrounds. We’re united not only by our shared love for music but also by a common passion to support Kamala Harris in her presidential bid. This event is about more than just politics—it’s about coming together to build a future that reflects the beauty, diversity, and strength of our society.

Rotering: I hope that in addition to having an exciting and entertaining experience, people take away the importance of political engagement by registering to vote, volunteering, donating, talking to other voters, and absolutely making a plan to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the November election.

Follow me on Twitter. 

Steve Baltin

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