🎧 From NYU and The Drums to Ralphie May and rock bottom, Charles Narwold spiraled into Addiction, Kissed Death, and Clawed his way Back through Sobriety, Recovery, Entrepreneurship, & launching Motoriot. This is his Raw, Unfiltered, Badass Story.
👇 Full story, topics, and timeline below 👇
🔥 Episode Summary:
Charles Narwold went from West Hartford, Connecticut to NYU and into the heart of the NYC indie rock scene—spiraling deeper into addiction along the way, through near-death experiences, and eventually into long-term sobriety.
In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Charles shares the full arc of his journey: from chasing chaos in Manhattan clubs and touring with The Drums, to tour managing for comedian Ralphie May, losing everything, and holding on for dear life.
🌀 What We Cover in This Episode:
We break down the darkest points of Charles’ story—methadone clinics in South Central LA, hustling for every dollar, a kiss with death, and waking up in a hospital bed with reconstructive surgery and a feeding tube.
We then discuss his process-driven claw back—through rehab, sober living, therapy, and structure—ultimately rebuilding a grounded, fulfilling life through business, real connections, and long-term recovery.
🗂️ Key Topics:
+ Growing up in West Hartford, Early Struggles, Identity
+ NYU, the NYC Music Scene, and Chasing Chaos
+ Heroin, Pills, and the Slow Unraveling
+ Methadone, hospitals, suicide, and rock bottom
+ Sober Living, Daily Structure, and Redefining Purpose
+ 7 years sober: Discipline, Entrepreneurship, and Launching Motoriot
🎧 Full Episode Timeline:
0:00 – 🎤 Introduction | Early Sobriety
+ Charles Narwold Intro
+ Life in Sobriety Today
+ Early mental chaos and delusions of control
5:58 – 👦 Childhood, Identity & High School Isolation
+ Growing up in West Hartford
+ ADHD, Masculinity, Falling Through the Cracks
+ Homogenized Culture and the early pull of substance use
12:48 – 🎸 NYU | Indie Rock Dream | Rise of Chaos
+ Moving to NYC and NYU
+ Finding identity in NYC’s mix of scenes and chaos
+ Indie rock, Performing, Partying, Oxy, and the early stages of addiction
25:08 – 💊 Addiction Deepens | Cracks Begin to Show
+ Heroin use and ritualized highs
+ Touring with The Drums and using on the road
+ Losing Identity, the Band, and Control
+ Attempts at Treatment, Denial, and Early Realizations
37:55 – 🧨 Rock Bottom | Ralphie May | Collapse
+ Identity crisis and return to Bushwick
+ Los Angeles, Managing for Ralphie May, Escalating Drug Use
+ Meth, Death, Food Stamps, Heroin & Hallucinations
+ Why showing up to 12 Step meetings was not enough
+ Hospitalization, Reconstructive Surgery, and a Kiss with Death
57:05 – 🛠️ Turning Point | The Climb Back
+ Winter in Bridgeport, CT | Sober Date
+ Rehab, Silver Hill, and NYC sober living
+ First Year of Sobriety: Therapy, Fear, Structure
+ Ego, Self-exploration, Learning to be Alone
+ Discovering purpose through Real Estate, Routine, and Mindset Shifts
1:11:10 – ⚖️ Spinning Plates | Sustaining Sobriety & Redefining Success
+ Living sober day to day | Playing My Hand
+ Structure, Entrepreneurship, and Motoriot
+ Emotional Balance, Radical Accountability, and Long-term Change
1:19:30 – 🌱 Final Reflections | Evolving Identity
+ Building a life beyond sobriety
+ Who Charles is Today
#Sobriety #Recovery #Addiction #MentalHealth #IndieRock #NYC #Podcast #SpiritualGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Investinginsobriety
