Craig Kasamis and Jason “Big J” Curran have been sitting down together every Monday morning for years now, and neither one can tell you exactly what they’re going to talk about until they’re already in the chair. That’s the whole appeal of Get Heavy, the Ventura County podcast the two have built from a garage setup into one of the county’s longest-running local shows.
Kasamis started the podcast with a friend, recording a handful of episodes before life got in the way. During COVID, boredom brought it back, and what began as Zoom calls with friends eventually became something more structured. Curran came on board not long after — the two barely knew each other going in, but Kasamis had a hunch they’d click. He was right. Get Heavy is now well past its 300th episode, recorded most weeks out of Kasamis’s garage-turned-studio, with the pair never having missed a single week.
Ask either of them to describe the show and they’ll laugh before they answer. At its core, Get Heavy is two Ventura County guys — a musician and a fixture of the local hardcore and biker scenes — working through whatever’s actually on their minds, whether that’s local politics, conspiracy theories, or grief. Kasamis has been open on the show about losing his wife, his mother, and close friends in recent years, and he credits the weekly sit-down with Curran as something close to therapy — a standing appointment to check in with a friend, no pretense required.
The best episodes, both hosts agree, aren’t always the famous guests. Tattoo artist Brett Herman has been on more times than either can count. Dark fantasy artist Chet Zar, known for his work on Tool’s music videos, made for one of their favorite conversations. But just as often, it’s the people nobody outside their circle has heard of — guys with wild life stories, longtime friends, neighbors — who make for the best hour of tape.
Much of the conversation keeps circling back to how much the county has changed. Both hosts came up through Ventura’s downtown scene in the ’90s, back when it was a blue-collar town of dive bars and DIY shows. They’ve watched it shift over the past several years, and they’re candid about missing what it used to be — while still showing up for what’s left of it. That local-first instinct is a big part of why Get Heavy has started leaning into more Ventura County guests, aiming to connect corners of the county that don’t always cross paths.
Want more Get Heavy? Subscribe to their YouTube channel at youtube.com/getheavypodcast and never miss a Monday.
