Shortest-serving prime minister has a lot to say 

The shortest-serving prime minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss, discussed conservatism and her just-released book Thursday, April 25, at Pepperdine University as part of the school’s President’s Speaker Series. The outspoken Truss, currently on a book tour promoting “Ten Years to Save the West” served as the U.K. P.M. for just 49 days in 2022. She’s been mocked in her country for a tenure shorter than the shelf life of a head of lettuce, or in American terms, a mere five Scaramuccis. Truss did jokingly agree her tenure was “unmatched.”

Before Truss’ conversation with Pepperdine President Jim Gash, the university released a disclaimer saying in part, “Driven by a desire to connect deeply with our community and inspire meaningful dialogue in the pursuit of truth, the series provides opportunities to cultivate an engaged and impassioned collective through civil discourse. Pepperdine is the convener of this conversation and not an advocate for Liz Truss’ worldview.”

A staunch conservative who admired Margaret Thatcher and backs Donald Trump’s re-election, Truss used to align with liberal democrats at a younger age.

“Everybody has a dark past,” she joked eliciting a laugh from the crowd adding, “I gradually moved to the right.”

Quoting from her book, Gash read, “Conservatism must win across the free world, particularly in the United States of America. Perhaps the most immediate challenge facing conservatives is the need to restore conservative leadership to the United States, Canada, Australia, and across the free world.” 

Gash questioned Truss on why she singled out those countries with Truss’ response being, “Well, I like to say the U.S. is Britain’s greatest invention albeit unintentional … If you look at the development of the representative democracy from Magna Carta to the Bill of Rights, the American Constitution, we exported some pretty good ideas to the United States. Now what’s happening is you’re exporting all these bad ideas to us, whether it’s the wokeism agenda which started in the United States; in fact much of it started here in California, whether it was Hollywood or what’s going on in the tech industry, the U.S. has a massive cultural influence on the free world and yet, the direction of travel has not been in a conservative direction. It’s been in a leftist direction for I would say a period since the late 1990s, maybe since the early 1990s since the end of the Cold War. We’ve seen these bad leftist ideas.” 

Truss called out what she terms the “new left” or the people who “want to stop drilling for oil, people who want to allow boys who identify as girls to be able to use their restroom, anti-colonialists, and anti-capitalists.

“We’re used to dealing with the old left. The point about the new left is they are actively interested in the destruction of our society. You can’t compromise with people that support Hamas. You can’t compromise with somebody who thinks a man can be a woman.” 

The outspoken Truss said, “I’ve been called many things. One is the human hand grenade.” The former U.K. leader didn’t mince words when she called the official London P.M. residence “flea-infested” or when speaking of the current monarchy said, “I think that some of the more problematic elements of the royal family have all gone to California. You’re dealing with them. Thanks for looking after them.” 

Truss did say though that she thought the British monarchy “works,” adding, “I think King Charles is very respected.”

“Ten years to save the west, from whom or what?” asked Gash. Truss replied, “We’re facing two enemies … We have the woke … with some pretty crazy ideas that people wouldn’t have subscribed to a few decades ago, whether it’s anti-capitalism, eco-extremism, transgender ideology … on some university campuses we’re having people actively campaign in favor of terrorism trying to undermine the United States.” Enemy number two she called, “totalitarian states who want to end our way of life,” singling out China, Iran, and Russia. “I think we’re getting close to a tipping point and that’s what my book is all about,” she added.

Referencing her book, Truss said, “The first thing I want to do is explain to people what is actually going on in British government because there’s a lot of armchair critics … People in Britain are frustrated … a poll said 74 percent of Britons think the country isn’t working, things are getting worse and neither party can fix it. Despite all this I am an optimist. I do believe things can change, but what I’m saying is big changes are required … I want to be an agent of change, and I’ll do whatever it takes.”

April 25 meeting hosted by City of Malibu has attendees update each other on water management efforts

By Barbara Burke

Special to The Malibu Times

The City of Malibu on April 25 hosted the North Santa Monica Bay State of the Watershed, an impressive meeting coordinated by Melina Watts, the watershed coordinator for Safe, Clean Water LA. 

Attendees at the large gathering included various water experts and policy officials; city engineers; water quality professionals; watershed coordinators; state, county, and municipal elected officials; and public policy professionals who administer various programs that address water policy and representative from public works departments in Los Angeles County, Malibu, Calabasas City, Westlake Village, Hidden Hills, and Agoura Hills.  

The gathering’s central purpose was for the attendees to inform one another of their efforts by providing status updates concerning the many water policy issues and programs that cover the vast area encompassed within the North Santa Monica Bay Watershed.  

“The North Santa Monica Bay State of the Watershed 2024 is an event for the community showcasing what our local cities and agencies are doing to improve local water quality, create local water supply opportunities and work to sustain our local ecosystems,” Watts explained as the meeting began. “The event is for the community and showcases what our local cities and agencies are doing to improve local water quality, to create local water supply opportunities and to work to sustain our local ecosystems.” 

Malibu Mayor Steve Uhring welcomed attendees and provided some geographic and demographic context with regard to the many watersheds and sub-watersheds encompassed in the aggregate North Santa Monica Watershed.

“At 109 square miles, the Malibu Creek Watershed is one of the largest discrete watersheds draining into Santa Monica Bay,” Uhring said. “Malibu Creek and its tributaries reach out into Ventura County and then wind their way through the Santa Monica Mountains and neighborhoods until they eventually reach Santa Monica Bay.”

Uhring emphasized, “This is not a solitary journey. On this trip the Malibu watershed touches more than 90,000 human residents in five cities and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and it supports countless plant and animal species, many of whom are unfortunately considered endangered or threatened.” 

Meeting launches with a culturally appropriate land acknowledgment

While much of the watershed event focused on hydrology; geology and other sciences; data analytics; policy matters; and grants applications and administration, the gathering began with attendees recognizing the cultures that first inhabited the North Santa Monica Bay Watershed.

Agoura Hills City Councilmember Jeremy Wolf set the respectful tone of the meeting by delivering a “land acknowledgement.”

“The North Santa Monica Bay Watershed recognizes that we occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash peoples,” Wolf said. “We honor and pay respect to their elders and descendants — past, present and emerging — as they continue their stewardship of these lands and waters.

“We acknowledge that colonization resulted in land seizure, disease, subjugation, slavery, relocation, broken promises, genocide, and multigenerational trauma. This acknowledgment demonstrates our responsibility and commitment to truth, healing, and reconciliation and to elevating the stories, culture, and community of the original inhabitants of Los Angeles County, Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains.”

Pausing, Wolf finished by reverently stating, “We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these ancestral lands and we are dedicated to growing and sustaining relationships with native peoples.”

Municipal water program reports and an explanation of a Pure Water Project

Each of the five participating cities provided a water quality report. Environmental Programs Manager Tracey Rossine discussed Malibu’s watershed management and water quality programs, stating that the city’s current environmental program includes focusing on water conservation and pollution prevention.

Rosinne addressed the city’s operation and maintenance of both the Civic Center and Paradise Cove stormwater treatment facilities and provided details germane to Malibu safe clean water funding. She also noted that the city provides overseeing agencies with compliance reporting, as mandated by Safe Ocean Water LA and Wastewater Treatment and Watershed Management programs. 

Further, the city provides relevant agencies with detailed calculations of total daily maximum amounts of various pollutants in Malibu Creek and the Santa Monica Bay and provides compliance data regarding the city’s California Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. Such permits are issued to municipalities so they can control stormwater discharges from their systems, thereby preventing untreated stormwater from entering natural water bodies such as Malibu Creek and the Santa Monica Bay.

Next, participants discussed the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District’s efforts focusing on water supply, which affects some residents in Malibu and nearby unincorporated Los Angeles County areas.  

The Pure Water Project Las Virgenes-Triunfo Joint Powers Authority was established between the districts to treat wastewater within the Malibu Creek Watershed. 

“The Pure Water Project envisions an advanced water purification plant at 30800 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills that will convert the district’s wastewater into drinking water, and the plant will treat effluent from the Tapia Water Reclamation Facility for potable reuse,” said Oliver Slosser, LVMWD’s project engineer, who noted that the project includes the construction of a filtration plant in Westlake Village, the first of its kind in Los Angeles County. “The plant will purify 6 million gallons of water per day for the 175-square-mile water district served by the combined LVMWD and the Triunfo District.” 

Slosser added that the project includes constructing 20 miles of pipeline and the plant will utilize reverse osmosis to purify water. 

“Once the water is purified at the new Agoura Road Plant, it will be blended for six months with State Water project supply already inside the Westlake Village Las Virgenes Reservoir,” Slosser explained. “The water will then be treated a third time at the Westlake Filtration Plant near the reservoir and will be distributed throughout the joint powers service area.”

Showing a conceptual rendering, Slosser noted that the project is in the pre-design phase. Once the design is completed, final construction cost estimates will be considered by the JPA before construction commences. Construction is set to start in 2025, with a target construction completion in 2030. 

The project will eventually supply up to 30 percent of the drinking water for the region. Where does water for LVMWD’s customers come from now? LVMWD must import 100 percent of its drinking water because there are no native supplies to draw from within the district’s 122-square mile service area. LVMWD purchases its water from Metropolitan Water Districts of Southern California, the Southland’s regional water wholesaler. 

Readers may also wonder where the funding comes from for the Pure Water Drinking effort, which involves a large infrastructure project that is projected to cost $364 million. As with many enormous water quality projects, several levels of government will help to fund the project, which includes building the infrastructure needed to eliminate the need to discharge any unused recycled water to Malibu Creek, protect critical habitats, maximize beneficial uses of recycled water, enhance water supply reliability, and replenish the Las Virgenes Reservoir.

In this instance, part of the funding is federally sourced through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, which is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Specifically, the invited WIFIA loan amount for the project is $184 million. LVMWD has also secured $10.2 million in grants and public funding from various levels of government will supply the rest of the monies needed. 

For more information about the Pure Water Project Las Virgenes-Triunfo, visit: ourpurewater.com.

The view from Sacramento: Budget deficit may compromise climate bonds

The event also featured Sen. Ben Allen, who represents Malibu and other Santa Monica Bay communities in Los Angeles County.  Allen chairs the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and co-chairs the California Legislative Environmental Caucus. Allen noted that water resources are precious to those within the Santa Monica Bay Watershed. 

“I grew up loving and hiking the Santa Monica Mountains,” he said. “People here really — really — care about water quality. Historically, there were some needed revisions concerning how we govern over and administer water rights in this area and statewide. Specifically, there is a massive delta between the amount of water we have versus the number of historical water rights in the state.” 

Allen explained that in October 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation authored by Allen aimed at strengthening California’s antiquated water rights system so that the State Water Resources Control Board can now verify the validity and scope of claims to senior water rights in the state. The board can now verify the bases of such rights, request relevant information from claimants asserting senior rights, and enforce against illegal diversions where appropriate. Prior to that law passing, because senior water rights preceded the establishment of California’s current system, they were exempt from the same level of oversight given to junior rights, those that are subject to the Water Board’s permitting requirements.

Allen, the lead author of SB 867, noted that proposed measure, which may be on the ballot in November, would provide a state general obligation bond to address California’s need to protect communities and natural resources from the impacts of climate change on the state’s natural resources, including addressing drought, flooding, sea-level rise, and extreme heat.

The sticky widget with regard to that proposal concerns the state’s projected budget deficit — estimated by the Legislative Analyst’s office at $73 billion — and the state’s overall economy’s limiting its capacity to take out bonds. 

Lawmakers have not yet agreed on how big a bond act may be and such negotiations may be impacted by Newsom’s May revision of the state budget. The legislature has until June 27 to put a bond on the November ballot.

The day-long State of the Santa Monica Bay Watershed also featured speakers from National Parks, State Parks, and the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, who discussed the state of our local ecosystems and various agencies’ water and resource conservation partnerships in the Santa Monica Mountains.

State of the Malibu Lagoon

The event ended with a presentation by keynote speaker Dr. Christine Whitcraft, director of the Environmental Science and Policy Program at California State University, Long Beach. She is a leading scientist participating in the estuary marine protected area monitoring program that is funded by the Ocean Protected Council. 

An expert in estuarine research, Whitcraft noted that 23 of the state’s 124 marine protected areas are estuarine MPAs, including Malibu Lagoon. She specifically discussed the condition of  the Malibu Lagoon, noting that the lagoon monitoring program that she oversees monitors 15 estuarine lagoons statewide, 10 MPAs (including Malibu Lagoon) and five non-MPAs. 

“One of the things that we scientists focus on in monitoring estuarine marine protected areas is to collect functions data,” Whitcraft said. “Malibu Lagoon is a small lagoon that opens and closes seasonally and we are assessing what happens when the lagoon’s mouth opens and closes — we evaluate how the water moves over different ecosystems and we measure sediment accretion.” 

As she spoke, Whitcraft displayed a picture of Malibu Lagoon with heavy floating algae at a time of lagoon closure and she noted the algae was attributable to nutrients coming into the watershed caused by the presence of fish and birds. 

Explaining the exhaustive data that she and her team have collected, Whitcraft displayed a scatter graph setting forth data points over significant time periods concerning the sampled lagoons. She noted that the study’s data sets are derived utilizing a well-developed function-based assessment framework utilizing standard monitoring protocols, data structures and quality control measures, and that the team employs its framework to fill data gaps.  

Whitcraft and her team’s peer-reviewed data sets and assessments are available to scientists, policymakers, elected officials and readers alike. The data can assist in lagoon stressor management and developing protocols to assist lagoon resilience to climate change, Whitcraft noted. The data is publicly available at empa/sccwrp.org.  

City Council holds a special meeting to address plan for the forthcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1

By Barbara Burke

Special to The Malibu Times

The Malibu City Council convened a special public workshop meeting on April 24 to consider the city’s proposed Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget. The city’s new fiscal year commences on July 1.

“The city did pretty well post-recession and also did better than we thought we would post-pandemic,”Assistant City Manager Joseph Toney said. “That leaves the city in a very good financial position, which gives the council a lot of leeway to make strategic decisions going forward.” 

During an almost three-hour session, councilmembers reviewed a 187-page agenda report, replete with data focusing on several topics, such as the city’s efforts to improve employee recruitment and retention, to address the consternation that both city staff and residents experience during the city’s reviews and approvals of development plans and permits, and the Sheriff’s Department’s continuing struggles to hire deputies and support staff needed to open the built, but still vacant, sheriffs’ substation on the Santa Monica Community College campus. 

“We are doing the workshop today and we will take this budget to the Administration and Finance Subcommittee and then, hopefully, we will accomplish budget adoption by the council at the end of June.” Toney said.

To fully review the city’s proposed budget, readers can refer to malibu.org.

A broad overview 

The city maintains a balanced budget each fiscal year, and the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 is structurally balanced, the staff report noted. Currently, the city employs 118.78 full-time equivalent employees and the proposed budget calls for adding 3.59 FTE. 

First, Toney provided an overview of the city’s overall total revenues, amounting to $84.36 million, consisting of special revenue funds such as Legacy Park and special revenue funds, which amount to 28.5 percent of the city’s total revenues. General Fund revenues amount to $60.28 million, which represents property taxes collected of $19.54 million — 32.4 percent of total revenues – as well as other taxes, including transient occupancy tax and sales taxes, license and permit fees, fines and forfeitures, service charges and other miscellaneous revenues. See Pie Chart 1.

“The City is projected to have $550,000 as surplus,” Toney said, noting that amount “could fluctuate as we go through the adoption process.” 

Then, Toney recounted the city’s expenditures, consisting of the various programs the city administers as well as the city’s operational expenses such as those incurred for personnel, including costs for salaries and increases thereon based on the cost of living, the costs of benefits, such as employee and retired employees’ insurance and pensions, and contractors. Improving workplace climate and culture remains a significant focus as the city continues to face challenges in recruiting and retaining employees, both Toney and the councilpersons noted.

Toney noted that the city’s total expenses are projected to be $59.45 million. “The City’s current biggest expenditures are for public safety, amounting to $16.4 million, and for management and administration, amounting to $15 million,” he said. See Pie Chart 2.

Councilpersons also listened to presentations concerning the city’s several departments, including Management and Administrative Services, the City Clerk, Public Safety, Community Services, Environmental Sustainability, Planning, and Public Works. 

This article provides a general overview of the highlights of those presentations concerning issues of highest interest to residents, such as the safety of Pacific Coast Highway, a significant need to improve development services relating to permits and planning, helping residents mitigate fire risks so as to address the wildfire insurance availability crisis, and the city’s employment challenges with regard to development services and other city functions.  

City’s efforts to further PCH safety 

Addressing PCH safety measures, Public Safety Director Susan Duenas stated her department is working to expedite installation of the KBUU antenna at Malibu Bluffs Park, which is in the permitting process. That antenna will help communication during disasters, Duenas noted, adding that the city is in the process of installing license plate readers to assist in addressing speeding on PCH.  Finally, she noted that her department’s outreach efforts assisting residents to harden their homes against wildfires may help residents acquire insurance.   

Bluebeam to the rescue

Importantly, a full land management system is also slated for implementation with regard to the city’s processing of development and permit applications over the next two years, Toney stated, noting that newly acquired software will assist and streamline workflow for permitting with regard to checking plans. He stated that the city is starting to utilize a permit and planning review file management system with Bluebeam integration, which conforms with current industry standards.

“With Bluebeam software, we can perform plan checks in a more streamlined development process and have easy communication with engineers and consultants,” said Environmental Sustainability Director Yolanda Bundy, adding that staff should be utilizing the software by early June. “Bluebeam will be a very successful tool and it includes every single department within development, including environment and sustainability, the building, public works and planning departments, and our geotechnical, coastal engineering and biological teams.”

Other emerging issues for the Planning Department include staff recruitment, according to Planning Department Director Richard Mollica, who noted that his department is striving to hire experienced planners and to use less contract planners, as well as to address planner caseload.

Unknown factors that could affect next fiscal year’s budget

The proposed budget includes some qualifiers. Most notably, the current high-interest rates could change over the next fiscal year, which could change investment returns or make borrowing for capital difficult. Further, the city’s one-half cent Transient Use Tax (TUT) could be eliminated if voters pass a ballot initiative entitled The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, which seeks to empower voters with the right to approve or reject all new state and local taxes.  

Next Steps

Future meetings regarding the forthcoming fiscal year’s budget will begin with the Administration and Finance Subcommittee addressing the proposed budget on May 2.

Staff also noted that area nonprofit organizations have submitted general fund applications. The city has received 24 applications and will be making decisions regarding what organizations will receive funding in late May. 

The A & F Subcommittee will make decisions concerning the pending general fund grant applications on May 20. On May 28, the City will hold a public hearing concerning the proposed budget. June 24 is the target date for the City Council to adopt the budget. 

An important disclaimer about this article 

Due to space constraints, this article does not fully describe all details and items considered by the council or encompassed in the proposed budget for next year.

The Malibu Times will provide further articles concerning funding for some other city expenditures and services. They include the city’s Public Works Department’s wastewater services, street services, and supervision of landslide management districts, and the Community Services Department’s various offerings —encompassing recreational, social and educational activities offered to residents of all ages at the city’s parks and the skatepark, as well as the Malibu Arts Commission’s activities and services provided to Malibu’s senior citizens and youngest citizens. 

For complete details regarding the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, readers should go to malibu.org and they can listen to the City Council’s special meeting on YouTube.

Short jury deliberations indicate a slam dunk for local sheriff’s captain

Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Capt. Jennifer Seetoo has won her lawsuit against Los Angeles County implicating former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Villanueva was accused of discrediting Seetoo by spreading false rumors about her and denying her the opportunity to interview for a promotion. In just under two hours of deliberations, a jury awarded Seetoo just over $971,000 in damages.

The trial at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles started April 2 with jury selection. After nine days of witness testimony the trial wrapped on April 19 when the jury quickly deliberated in Seetoo’s favor.

The sheriff’s captain’s complaint was based on gender discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower retaliation. 

Although Villanueva was not named as a party in the lawsuit, he was accused of spreading an unfounded rumor that the married Seetoo, then the Malibu Sheriff’s liaison, was having an inappropriate relationship with a city manager in Agoura Hills, a city in her jurisdiction. Villanueva did testify at the trial, but so did a Villanueva colleague, an assistant sheriff who contradicted Villanueva’s testimony. That witness testified that he heard the rumor directly from Villanueva, who stated it as if it was a fact. The former Agoura Hills city official, who now works for another nearby municipality, testified in support of Seetoo, a mother of two, that the rumor was completely baseless and unsubstantiated.

When Seetoo first arrived at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in November 2018, she was faced with the Borderline mass shooting in Thousand Oaks and then the very next day, the Woolsey Fire. Former Capt. Josh Thai then left the department due to medical issues. When Seetoo tried to apply for the position, she claimed her efforts were thwarted by her higher-ups at LASD, who eventually transferred her to the West Hollywood station, far from her home, closer to Lost Hills. The transfer, known in local law enforcement circles as “freeway therapy,” is thought to be a punitive action. Seetoo originally submitted an internal complaint under the Sheriff’s Department’s Policy of Equality in October 2019. The lawsuit charged the department with retaliation against her. Evidence presented at the trial showed that a decision was made on her transfer three days after her filing.

Because Villanueva was not named as a defendant in this case, he is unable to appeal the jury verdict. Villanueva, who often clashed with the LA County Board of Supervisors, may be facing other unrelated lawsuits concerning his actions or policies during his term. Villanueva ran an underdog campaign for a seat on the LACOBOS this year but lost in the primary.

It is not known whether the County of Los Angeles will appeal the decision.

Seetoo’s attorney, Kathleen Erskine, said, “It has been a highlight of my career to represent Jennifer Seetoo. She led the Malibu/Lost Hills Station with bravery and skill during the Woolsey Fire, one of the most devastating events in its history. Rather than allowing her to compete for the promotion she deserved, former Sheriff Alex Villanueva and his high-ranking executives discriminated and retaliated against her.  After hearing all the evidence over the course of two weeks —including the testimony of former Sheriff Alex Villanueva— it took the jury less than two hours to find in Ms. Seetoo’s favor and award her nearly a million dollars in damages. We hope this verdict will give other women the courage to come forward when they experience discrimination.”

Erskine elaborated on the damages sought by email, writing, “Seetoo did not request a specific total damages award. Based on the evidence, the jury awarded Jennifer Seetoo $971,369 in damages, reflecting $221,369 in lost salary and benefits from being denied a promotion to captain of the Lost Hills Station in 2019 and $750,000 in emotional and physical harm she suffered through the end of former Sheriff Villanueva’s administration.”

Seetoo has pledged to donate a portion of the funds awarded to help women in the LASD. The gift will be distributed through the LASD Foundation in an effort to help women in law enforcement. Seetoo has previously spoken about the struggles of women in law enforcement, from finding child care to working in a male-dominated field.

Led by longtime Malibu musician John Zambetti, the band has entertained generations of fans and kept surf music alive

By Barbara Burke

Special to The Malibu Times

Malibu’s John Zambetti and his childhood friend, Walter Lindsay Egan, and their band, The Malibooz, have entertained audiences nationwide for six decades, singing surf music, and composing and performing songs that are etched in many readers’ memories of their youth.  

On April 14, the Malibooz was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. Carefully vetted by the Hall of Fame Committee, both The Malibooz, the band, as well as Egan individually, were inducted at a joyous event that provided the band members with a wonderful opportunity to reflect on just how far two kids from the city — and the many iterations of The Malibooz — have traveled, literally and figuratively, as they performed gigs and shared many musical and life experiences with fans old and new over the years.

As fans turned to social media to congratulate the band members, one longtime, loyal admirer summed up the sentiments of many of the band’s devotees. “What a well deserved honor. I’ve been blessed to witness the ride — Congratulations!” Jon Mitchell posted.

At the ceremony, those introducing the awardees noted that when Zambetti entered Loyola High School in New York in the fall of 1962, he was already playing lead guitar in his surf band, The Statics, with his elementary school friends. He quickly decided to transition into a band with some of the upperclassmen at his high school. However, after playing for a year with them, he was unhappy with their musicianship and decided to start his own band, The Malibooz. 

So, in early 1964, he approached his best friend and classmate, Walter Egan, who he knew was playing folk guitar. He told Walter that if he bought an electric guitar, he could join John’s new band. John went with Walter to speak to his parents to assure them that, if they gave Walter the money for a Fender Stratocaster, The Malibooz would be making enough to pay it back in no time, a prognostication that proved to be very true.

Once Egan joined the band, it really soared and soon became a favorite in the New York City area. In late 1964, along with another bandmate, Chris Murray, John wrote the tune “Goin’ to Malibu.” In 1965, they recorded it along with Egan’s song, “That’s a Lie,” and later on that year, they were able to get gigs playing at the New York State World’s Fair where The Malibooz played a concert at the New York State Pavilion and then in a color TV broadcast at the RCA Pavilion. At the RCA pavilion TV show, host Colin Murphy approached Zambetti after they had played the first of five songs and asked him to explain the difference between surf music and the “English Sound.” John went into an extemporaneous explanation, showing the differences between the two genres on his guitar. 

That classic moment is captured on the band’s “Malibooz Rule!” album. For that album, Egan and Zambetti decided to fly the original three other members of The Malibooz out to California to re-record “Goin’ to Malibu.” 

“In 1996, Rhino released the box set ‘Cowabunga Surf.’ ‘Goin’ to Malibu’ was part of the collection and MTV picked it up that summer as the theme song for their MTV hit ‘Malibu Beach House,'” Zambetti recalled. “So, quite remarkably, a song written by a 14-year-old from the Bronx later became the theme song for the MTV ‘Malibu Beach House’ 30 years later! That demonstrates how long-lasting and lucky Malibooz has been and how its relevance transcends more than surf music — it has helped to define not only a genre but also a popular culture still treasured by many.”

In 1966, having graduated high school along with drummer Tom Scarp, the three bandmates entered Georgetown University. By that time they were mostly playing British invasion style peppered with some originals so they eventually changed their name from The Malibooz to Sageworth.

After college, Egan continued as guitarist and primary songwriter for Sageworth. Zambetti played for a year with a band called Wine-Dark-Sea. 

Then, he went to medical school in New York City, paying his expenses by doing session work and playing clubs at night. In 1976, when Egan signed to Columbia records, he invited Zambetti to come out and record with him. Egan enjoyed a successful solo career highlighted by his mega-hit, “Magnet & Steel,” his homage to Stevie Nicks, which was released in 1978. 

Due to the success of Egan’s solo career, in 1981, Columbia offered to release a Malibooz single. This was quickly followed by an offer from Rhino Records to release a Malibooz album. Hence, The Malibooz’s first album: “Malibooz Rule!”  

Scott Monahan joined the band at that time on keyboards and vocals. David Chamberlain soon joined, playing bass. Both Scott and David have been mainstays of the band ever since, contributing their ideas, and even some original tunes along the way. More recently. Michael Mason has joined on drums to complete the current lineup. 

Over decades during which society — and the music industry, and the band members, and their fans — have changed vastly, The Malibooz has stayed reassuringly the same, playing surf music and spreading joy to the band’s loyal fans, yet concurrently they have also evolved and generated music that is relevant and trend setting. 

The Malibooz have recorded seven albums and more than 30 of their songs have been featured in movies and television shows. In 2010, they released their “Queens’ English” album, which included guest performances by a dozen of the original British invasion icons, including Tony Hicks of The Hollies, Spencer Davis, Chad & Jeremy, and the Quarrymen. “Queens’ English” received the Album of the Year Award from the Malibu Music Awards this year. Their current album, “QE 2,” includes The Malibooz’ cover of The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out,” which is currently in rotation on the SiriusXM Beatles’ Channel.  

The Malibooz continue performing live, to the delight of their loyal fans, most recently on March 31, when they opened for Herman’s Hermits at The Canyon Club and delighted a standing-room-only crowd.  

The band has sold records in more than 64 countries. They have been Grammy semi-finalists eight times and they continue placing songs in movies and TV, including having two songs featured in the new movie, “21 Miles in Malibu,” a documentary by one of Malibu’s talented producers and writers, Michel Shane (“Catch Me if You Can,” “I, Robot”), that addresses the perils of Malibu’s main thoroughfare, the Pacific Coast Highway, and that admonishes civic leaders at all levels of government in California to stop the madness inherent in Malibu’s Pacific Coast Highway’s horrendous infrastructure challenges and pandemic of speeding.

2024 represents the 60th anniversary of The Malibooz and the band members were very honored to be inducted into the California Music Hall of Fame.

Egan was also inducted as a solo artist. And the band plays on!