Bigfoot Collectors Club – “Rock & Roll Ghost Pics” w/ Jessie Payo of POM POMS
Podcast: Bigfoot Collectors Club
Host: Wood Elf Media
Episode: “Rock & Roll Ghost Pics” w/ Jessie Payo of POM POMS (Main Feed)
Date: March 19, 2025
Main Theme & Purpose
In this episode, hosts Michael McMillan and Riley Bray are joined by musician and songwriter Jessie Payo of POM POMS for a lively and personal discussion on the intersection of paranormal phenomena and rock and roll. The conversation explores Jessie’s history of ghost encounters, family paranormal stories, and the enduring relationship between music and the supernatural, culminating in a segment dedicated to alleged “rock and roll ghost photos.” The show maintains its trademark mix of sincere curiosity and playful banter, peppered with personal anecdotes, listener interaction, and musical interludes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Jessie Payo’s Introduction & Paranormal “Pedigree”
[02:16-05:13]
- Jessie is introduced as a California-native musician, songwriter, and Pom Poms frontwoman.
- Lives in Joshua Tree, a locale with heavy UFO and cryptid lore.
- Jessie shares: “I live in Joshua Tree.” — Jessie [02:56]
- Discussion of Joshua Tree’s local cryptid: the Yucca Man.
- Jessie learned about it via the Desert Oracle radio show and zine. [03:15-03:34]
2. Jessie & Riley’s Friendship and Creative Collaboration
[05:08-09:04]
- They recall first meeting at a Goop event (yes, Gwyneth Paltrow’s): “They put us in the bushes. They didn’t want us to be seen.” — Jessie [05:41]
- Their creative partnership solidified through pandemic-era music video collaborations for Pom Poms.
- Notably, Jessie’s “Stoned and Lonely” music video, full of whimsical props and odd costumes.
- Jessie’s penchant for collecting odd objects at home—referred to as “the cast” in her garage.
3. Jessie’s Early Ghosts: “I Could See Dead People”
[09:36-14:01]
- As a child, Jessie experienced vivid ghost sightings in old Victorian houses her parents house-sat.
- “I remember being in this older house and seeing all these people roaming around in older costumes… my mom: ‘No one’s here, honey.’” — Jessie [10:32]
- Another memory in a friend’s house: seeing a shushing ghost woman over her crib.
- Paranormal sensitivity runs in her family; her dad also experienced voices and warnings from a resident ghost.
- “He was almost done with the job, and he hears the woman say: ‘You need to leave.’” — Jessie [11:36]
- As a teen, Jessie chose to “shut down” her sensitivity for self-preservation.
4. Family Poltergeist Lore: Leadville, Colorado
[15:44-16:43]
- Jessie’s mother grew up in Leadville, a mining town with a “Poltergeist street”—homes with specific ghost quirks.
- “One house hated when people smoked. In the morning, the ashtrays were full of water.” — Jessie [16:37]
- Notable story: Her mom, while housesitting, witnesses locked-up cats, trashed rooms, and a face in the fireplace. Grandma nonchalantly says: “Oh, that’s just Dr. Rose.” [18:04–18:27]
- “Every time I pass by that house, I try to stand in front of the window looking for Dr. Rose.” — Jessie [18:46]
5. A Terrifying Experience: “The Gates of Hell in My Ears”
[19:27–22:54]
- In high school, Jessie had a frightening sleep paralysis episode in her Burbank home.
- Sensations of being suffocated, hearing distorted demonic voices: “As if the gates of hell had opened up.” — Jessie [21:19]
- At the same time, her father in the guest house felt “a really dark energy that was forcing him out.” — Jessie [22:09]
- The family’s approach? “We just learned to live with it… We’re just haunted.” — Jessie [22:34]
6. Crossover Paranormal: UFO Encounters Tie-In
[23:14–25:19]
- While Jessie hasn’t seen UFOs in Joshua Tree, she did witness strange lights in the sky as a youth at her haunted house: “A big bright light piercing through the sky… it spread out into a bunch of lights and then sucked right back up.” — Jessie [24:13]
- Riley shares a strikingly similar childhood sighting.
7. On Being Paranormally Sensitive, But Also Scared
[28:59–30:45]
- Jessie is wary of opening herself up to the supernatural. “I am such a scaredy pants. Like, I’d be terrified.” — Jessie [29:13]
- Fear root: “Just seeing the thing itself. It’s like seeing a snake in the wild…”
- The hosts liken her to a ghost-hunting Indiana Jones, but scared of what she finds.
8. Physical Ghost Activity and Messages
[39:11–41:23]
- Jessie’s experiences include objects moving (crashing jar at the Whaley House), doors opening, and sleep paralysis.
- Most intriguing: a mysterious word, “visceral,” appearing on a steamy bathroom mirror. “That was the one time something was left in the house.” — Jessie [41:23]
- A hole at the bottom of the stairs appears one day, “as if someone had tumbled down.”
9. Loss and Change: The Passing of Jessie’s Father
[42:10–43:08]
- After Jessie’s father passed away, the haunted house’s energy changed: “The light in the house was a different color… it felt light… The energy that was somewhat heavy in that house was gone.” — Jessie [42:10]
- Jessie and her mom interpret this as her father “cleansing” the spirit presence.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On growing up haunted:
“We just learned to live with… We’re just haunted.” — Jessie Payo [22:34] -
On ghosts as parallel realities:
“I feel like… it’s kind of like a glimpse into a parallel universe that we happen to happen upon, and we’re just existing at the same time on different planes.” — Jessie Payo [38:07] -
On the viscerally haunted bathroom:
“The steam was still going and it had said ‘visceral’. I don’t know how to spell this.” — Jessie Payo [41:15] -
On avoiding her gift:
“I am such a scaredy pants. Like, I’d be terrified.” — Jessie Payo [29:13] -
Playful banter on ghost hunting:
Michael: “Jesse, that’s you — but with ghosts, literally, that’s who you are.”
Jessie: “Oh my god. On Discovery Channel, there’s this ghost hunter who’s also very scared…” [30:11–30:22]
Important Timestamps for Segments
- Jessie’s Joshua Tree/Yucca Man Background: [02:54–03:34]
- Jessie & Riley/POM POMS Collaboration: [05:13–09:04]
- First Major Ghost Stories: [09:36–14:01]
- Family’s Leadville Poltergeists: [15:44–19:01]
- Scariest Moment (Sleep Paralysis): [19:27–22:54]
- Ghost/UFO Crossover: [23:14–25:19]
- Physical Activity/“Visceral” Message: [39:11–41:23]
- After Her Father’s Death: [42:10–43:08]
High Strangeness Feature: “Rock & Roll Ghost Pics”
[47:03–73:56]
Segment Overview
Michael leads the group through a review of alleged rock star ghost photos, with live, whimsical scoring by Jessie and Riley using guitar and a tiny pink piano for an old-school “spooky” mood.
Cases Covered
-
Lynyrd Skynyrd Gravesite Photo [49:38–55:01]
- Taken at Jack’s Memory Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida; fans claim faces of the deceased bandmembers emerge in the branches near the “Free Bird” tree.
- Michael reads testimony from fans who see Ronnie, Cassie, and others.
- Consensus: The faces emerge the longer you look. Likely pareidolia, but “can’t we just have magic?” — Jessie [55:06]
-
Jim Morrison’s Grave (Père Lachaise, Paris) [56:07–61:31]
- Controversial spectral arms-out ghost figure in alleged Tom Petty photo.
- Hosts agree the origin is dubious and photo most likely a hoax or double exposure, but fun to imagine: “This ghost in this picture is having a really good time.” — Jessie [61:58]
-
John Lennon Ghost Sightings [63:00–69:39]
- Photographs from in front of the Dakota, in Central Park, and in Hamburg, Germany.
- The Dakota photo (Ohio tourist): “That is giving me chills.” — Jessie [65:13]
- Central Park/bench image: Most convincing to Jessie — “It looks like him.” [67:33]
- Hamburg: More like Yoko Ono than John.
Music-Magic Connection
- The hosts reflect on music and high strangeness:
“When you’re at that level… there’s like a psychic field… you become sort of, you’re elevated in a weird way.” — Michael [73:15] - Jessie calls performing “vibrational… tapping into different frequencies.” [73:24]
Clubhouse Banter & Games
- Rapid-Fire “Believe It / Don’t Believe It” Game [35:47–38:07]
- Jessie’s answers: “Believe it” to most cryptids/phenomena, “don’t know” to some, “life after death — believe it.”
- Listener Review “Scout of the Week” [32:04–35:02]
- Example: “Thanks guys for filling my ear holes with delightful banter and tales that bring back the sense of awe and curiosity I felt as a kid.” — Kristen32 [34:50]
Jessie’s Closing Thoughts & Plugs
[73:56–74:24]
- Find Jessie on Instagram: @JessiePayo or @POMPSmusic
- All music under “Jessie Payo” or “POM POMS” on streaming platforms.
- Riley and Michael plug the BCC Patreon for bonus episodes.
Notable Musical Moment
- Live “High Strangeness” segment scored with Jessie’s J200 (huge acoustic guitar) and Riley’s tiny pink piano.
- “For those listening, it looks like I’m playing a standup bass as a guitar.” — Jessie [46:01]
Noteworthy Quotes With Attribution
- “We just learned to live with… we’re just haunted.”— Jessie Payo [22:34]
- “As if the gates of hell had opened up… the sounds were like [distorted, backward voices].” — Jessie Payo [21:19]
- “It’s kind of like a glimpse into a parallel universe.” — Jessie Payo [38:07]
- “Can’t we just have magic?” — Jessie Payo [55:06]
- “There’s like a psychic field… you’re penetrating people’s minds.” — Michael McMillan [73:11]
Episode Tone
Playful, candid, wonder-filled, sometimes creepy, and always musical. The hosts blend lighthearted razzing with openness to mysterious experiences—trademark “we’re just having a laugh over here” energy.
For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In
This episode offers a spirited yet sincere window into personal hauntings, family legends, and why musicians might leave echoes on both the stage and the astral plane. Jessie Payo’s stories and vulnerability humanize the topic, while Riley and Michael provide context and comic relief. "Rock & Roll Ghost Pics" invites you to ponder old ghosts, both literal and metaphorical, and perhaps even spot one yourself—if you dare to look.
For more eerie photos and discussion, visit the Bigfoot Collectors Club Instagram and YouTube.