“Because it was a do-it-yourself thing where we just rejected the norm and did our own thing.”
In Part 2 of the Women in Punk panel, recorded live at the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles as part of Alle gegen Alles. Punk@50, Jessica Schwartz continues the conversation with Pleasant Gehman, Jula Bell Liebi, and Tequila Mockingbird, with additional contributions from Cloudia Wintermute of Die Schlaflosen (Sleepless) and Stella Stray Pop of KXLU. Moving through stories of music, friendship, touring, and artistic influences, the participants reflect on the relationships and creative encounters that shaped their experiences of punk.
The conversation turns toward women’s experiences in bands, the artists who inspired them, and the ongoing work of making things. From Bowie, Exene Cervenka, Chrissie Hynde, Nina Hagen, and Lydia Lunch to stories of touring, performing, writing, dancing, and recording, the panelists consider what punk made possible and how those experiences continue to inform their creative lives. Tequila discusses Punk School and her work preserving punk histories, while the conversation opens onto the possibilities of contemporary tools for independent music-making.
As the discussion moves toward archives, ephemera, and intergenerational exchange, the panelists reflect on what they saved, what they learned, and what younger artists are making possible today. Stella Stray Pop joins the conversation near its conclusion, sharing memories of KXLU, independent radio, and the freedom to play music outside commercial formats. Collectively, these stories return to punk as an ongoing practice of creativity, community, and doing things for oneself—together.
“Women in Punk” is part of Alle gegen Alles. Punk@50, a project of the Goethe-Institutes in the United States and Mexico marking the 50th anniversary of punk through a series of exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, and discussions that focus on punk as a subculture, protest movement, and catalyst for self-determination.
Featuring:
Additional participants:
Cloudia Wintermute — Die Schlaflosen / Sleepless
Stella Stray Pop — KXLU 88.9 FM Los Angeles
Moderated by Jessica Schwartz.
Introduced by Luisa Rath-John, Director, Goethe-Institut Los Angeles (Part 1).
Recorded live at the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles, September 2026.
Links + References:
Women in Punk — Goethe-Institut Los Angeles
Die Schlaflosen / Sleepless — Official Website
Credits:
Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.
Editorial support: Arrow Menendez– audio editing and audio-synced transcript.
Panel photograph by Gary Leonard @tmpgaryleonard.
Transcript:
Theme Music:
Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.
Related:
Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast.
About Punkast:
Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.
Connect with Punkast:
Instagram: punkastucla
Email: punkastucla@gmail.com
Stay tapped in. New episodes every Friday.
","author_name":"Punkast"}