Punkast

Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.>>> Follow the show to stay tapped in. New episodes every Friday.“This record that just was so amazing that it's stood the test of time… and, and it's influenced so many people in so many bands… You know, bookshelf full of music history books that all mentioned Flipper.”Join Jessica Schwartz and Tequila Mockingbird in a discussion with Steven DePace, drummer of San Francisco punk pioneer band, Flipper. The sound of Flipper has countless artists, from San Francisco’s early punk scene to the present. This episode covers how the San Francisco scene felt as Flipper took shape, the recording process, how Flipper received the nickname “Grateful Dead of the 80s,” and how they ultimately solidified their legacy within music history. In addition, Steven DePace dives deeper into his own journey within the entertainment industry, from music business to the world of animation. Steven began his professional rock career in 1978 when he joined his first punk bank in San Francisco, Negative Trend. It was after the dissolution of Negative Trend that Flipper was first formed in 1979. Flipper has a long storied career and an amazing cast of players who have come and gone over the decades, including Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) and David Yow (The Jesus Lizard). Flipper carries on to this day with Steven DePace on drums, Kelli Mayo (bass), and Jon Kelly (guitar) for touring in support of the reissue of Flipper’s entire back catalog, beginning April 17th with their first album, Generic Flipper. Learn what’s on the horizon for Steven DePace and Flipper as they continue to set the pace for the industry and give us a lifetime of contribution to the punk scene. Recorded April 2026.Links + References:SEE FLIPPER IN CONCERT! Thu, May 7 - West Hollywood CA @ The RoxyFlipper - Generic Flipper   (Color Vinyl)  LP - Limited Edition IG: @_flipperofficial_ IG: @skatingpollyIG: @shimmer_bed Sean Shimmer Punkast episodeCredits:Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.Co-hosted by Tequila Mockingbird.Guest produced by Tequila Mockingbird.Editorial support: Melissa Hernandez – audio editing, episode notes, and audio-synced transcript.Transcript:Audio-synced transcriptTheme Music:Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.Related:Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast. Connect with Punkast:SpotifyInstagram: punkastuclaStay tapped in.

Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.>>> Follow the show to stay tapped in. New episodes every Friday.In this episode:“Everything was just really based on music... Punk, ska, goth, New Wave... being powered by the music.” Retail Slut wasn’t just a store; it was a site where punk, fashion, and commerce collided, shaping a scene that still resonates in the present.Join Jessica Schwartz and Tequila Mockingbird in a discussion with Helen O’Neill, the original force behind the influential boutique. This episode covers a wide range of topics, including what Melrose meant for the punk scene, what inspired Helen to create her own clothing line, and how punk individuals were and continue to be policed in Los Angeles. Helen O’Neill is the founder of Retail Slut. Under Helen’s fearless direction, Retail Slut broke every rule - serving as a sanctuary for those who embraced counterculture. Since closing its doors in 2005, Helen’s vision continues to evolve–proving that punk isn’t just a style, it’s a way of life. For 40+ years, Helen O’Neill has supported LA local punk and expanded punk infrastructure, leaving an impact that will last a lifetime. Recorded February 2025.Links + References:Retail SlutResident at Nude Healing Center-Harbin Hot Springs.Bike Ventura - local bike advocacy. Friends of Bates Beach - Coastal Clean-up.Artwalk Ventura Credits:Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.Co-hosted by Tequila Mockingbird.Guest produced by Tequila Mockingbird.Editorial support: Melissa Hernandez – audio editing, episode notes, and audio-synced transcript.Transcript:Audio-synced transcriptTheme Music:Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.Related:Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast on the Punk Scholars Network.Connect with Punkast:SpotifyInstagram: punkastuclaStay tapped in.

Punkast is back—weekly.After years of building, recording, and collaborating, Punkast returns with a growing archive of conversations and a new rhythm: weekly episodes exploring punk in the historical present through critical inquiry, dialogue, and experimentation.We’re kicking things off this Friday with our first new episode, and new episodes will drop every Friday.>>> Subscribe and follow to stay tapped in.In this trailer:A quick update on what we’ve been building, where we’ve been, and what’s ahead for Punkast.Related Projects + Collaborations:Punk Scholars Podcast on the Punk Scholars Network MEI, the Podcast (Marshallese Educational Initiative): SpotifyJahmi Roc’s Jottings – S3E4 “Frequencies of Relief"Transcript:Audio-synced transcriptTheme Music:Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.Connect with Punkast:SpotifyIG: punkastuclaNew episodes every Friday.

PUNKAST BACK TO SCHOOL MINISERIES SPECIAL!“SoCal music spaces: Scene, Emo, and EDM” (part 3 of 3). “There’s more to us.. We all want to be seen, heard, and exist… The art you are creating is part of your soul.” Returning from spring break, we are back with the third and final part of our Back to School mini-series with guest host Kristy Martinez, a PHD Candidate in Musicology at UCLA. In these episodes, we meet some of the early-2000s scene and emo kids in SoCal. This episode features the second part of Martinez’s conversation with the musician Xtine Reckless (listen to the first part here), and fitness and health instructor Tiffany Young. Tiffany Young has introduced alternative music and other genres into her spin classes. Her cycle rides have included emo, pop-punk, Central American music, and rock. This episode discusses representation in the SoCal music scenes, how music is an extension of an artist’s identity, incorporating alternative music into untraditional spaces, addressing the erasure of POC contributions, the intersection between race and participation in music scenes, and SO MUCH MORE! Guest Bios. Xtine is a vocalist, guitarist, and essential figure in the OC and LA rock scenes with her previous band, Pretty in Stereo, and is currently in the band Xtine and the Reckless Hearts. Xtine has played Vans Warped Tour and various iconic venues and spaces in SoCal.// Tiffany Young is an Afro-Latina fitness and health instructor from Alhambra, the San Gabriel Valley, and now West Covina.  She grew up listening to a wide variety of music, such as emo, pop-punk, neo soul, pop, and R&B. Young now incorporates the sounds she grew up with in SoCal into spin classes and heavily nostalgic-themed rides.  Links𝚇𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 & 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝙲𝚔𝙻𝚎𝚂𝚜 𝙷𝚎𝙰𝚛𝚃𝚜 | Linktree Pretty In Stereo | Spotify IG: @pwrcyclewtiff PWR HQ Strength and Training | Try a Class! Music mentioned: Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail, Offspring, System of A Down, Metallica, Aaliyah, Ashanti, Mariah Carey, Thursday, Eminem, Neo Soul, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, My Chemical Romance, Panic! At the Disco, The Paradox, Kid Cudi, Childish Gambino, Dance Gavin Dance, Norma Jean, Isadora Crane, Hot Water Music-We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests. Instagram: punkastuclaEmail: punkastucla@gmail.com The Punkast theme music is excerpted from “Bitchathon” by Lady Bits. All rights reserved. This episode was recorded on Oct 27, 2025 on Zoom. Kristy Martinez hosted and co-produced this episode with Jessica Schwartz. Melissa Hernandez edited the audio and audio-synced transcript, available here.

PUNKAST BACK TO SCHOOL MINISERIES SPECIAL!“SoCal music spaces: Scene, Emo, and EDM ” (part 2 of 3)Here at the Punkast, we're continuing our special summer-to-fall mini-series with guest host Kristy Martinez, a PhD Candidate in Musicology at UCLA , bringing special guests - per Kristy's introduction: 'In these interviews, we meet with some of the early 2000s scene and emo kids in SoCal. This episode is made to highlight the contributions of women creatives and music promoters. First, part one of our interview is with Xtine Reckless of Xtine and the Reckless Hearts, a musician of the band Pretty in Stereo, who were part of a very viral Fox 11 news clip on television about the sensationalism of emo and scene kids in California. Xtine is influential to the LA rock scene with her previous band and current band, Xtine and the Reckless Hearts. Celeste, a friend from high school in El Monte, was early on with a unique scene-raver look and frequented many of the Myspace-famous nightclubs. Celeste is a promoter and has experience in music. In the early 2000s, Celeste appeared in various photobooth night club photos like DANCE and was an important promoter for events such as Nocturnal.'Bands/Artists mentioned: Pretty in Stereo, Xtine and the Reckless Hearts, Silverstein, Showbread, Garbage, Chiodos, Lunachicks, Thursday, Fear Before the March of Flames, Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, Underoath, Hot Water Music, My Chemical Romance, Saves the Day, Oh Sleeper, A Skylit Drive, Dance Gavin Dance (Kurt Travis), Jem and the HologramsGuest Bios. Xtine is a vocalist, guitarist and essential figure in the OC and LA rock scenes with her previous band Pretty in Stereo, and currently is in the band Xtine and the Reckless Hearts. Xtine has played Vans Warped Tour, and various iconic venues and spaces in SoCal. // Celeste is a psychology major and lifelong music lover, who grew up in the golden era of emo, hardcore, and screamo, living the scene lifestyle, and later explored early 2000s electro and house, leading into the rise of EDM.LinksIG: Indigenouspunxarchive 𝚇𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 & 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝙲𝚔𝙻𝚎𝚂𝚜 𝙷𝚎𝙰𝚛𝚃𝚜® IGPretty In Stereo | SpotifyPretty In Stereo IGPretty in Stereo Last FMNocturnal Wonderland Polite in Public-We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests. IG: punkastuclaEmail: punkastucla@gmail.com The Punkast theme music is excerpted from “Bitchathon” by Lady Bits. All rights reserved. This episode was recorded on August 6, 11, and 12, 2025, on Zoom. Kristy Martinez hosted and co-produced this episode with Jessica Schwartz. Bella Gerard provided editorial assistance. Martinez edited the audio-synced transcript, available here.

PUNKAST BACK TO SCHOOL MINISERIES SPECIAL!“Alternative in the I.E. 2000s and more in the Inland Empire” (part 1 of 3)If you couldn't already tell by the title for Part 1, we, here at the Punkast, have a REALLY special summer mini-series for you! Your regular host, Jessica Schwartz, is handing the mic over to Kristy Martinez, a PhD Candidate in Musicology at UCLA and the OG TA for UCLA's "Punk" online course, who does amazing, compelling work (see 'host bio' below), and is bringing exciting guests into the Punkast mix for your 'back to school' listening and learning. Anyways...Here's Kristy's introduction to this episode: Jase Felder grew up in Moreno Valley and Riverside. As a BIPOC and gay man, Jase was heavily involved in the punk, indie, and dancey electro scenes in the Inland Empire. We discuss living in the I.E., punk at the Showcase theater, 2000s dance “scene” clubs, the rise of social media, as well as influential artists and soundtracks. And, amidst all that, Kristy and Jase provide the punk+ talk & tunes to supercharge your 'back to school' punk podcast playlist. Bands/Artists mentioned: The Bravery, AFI, Lady Gaga, Interpol, The Bled, Taking Back Sunday, Shiny Toy Guns, Dashboard Confessional, The Voids, Bloc Party, RihannaGuest Bio. Jase Felder was born an Inland Empire It Girl turned regular New Yorker. I look back on growing up in San Bernardino/Moreno Valley and think, it was pretty badass. However, you kind of have to leave it to really love it. The food, the music, the house parties, the mixed-culture, …Bakers—it all hits. I graduated in ’05 from Canyon Springs High School, did some time at RCC, which, by the way, is still one of the most beautiful college campuses I’ve seen (at least during my stint), and did what most of us from the area eventually do and moved. My choice: New York City. Since 2011, I’ve been in Brooklyn, living with my super chill Bull Terrier. I earned my Master’s in Public Health Policy and now work as an Infectious Disease Researcher at NYU’s Bellevue Hospital. It’s a long way from being carried out of Club VIP for doing the absolute most.Host Bio.Kristen Martinez (she/her/they) is a UCLA PhD Candidate in Musicology as well as a vocalist, mother, and archivist. Growing up in El Monte, her work examines subcultural movements in the San Gabriel Valley as well as ephemera, nostalgia, placemaking, musical analysis, and identity with a focus on punk, post-punk, and emo. She has created a D.I.Y. digital punk archive to document the various global Indigenous music movements called the "Indigenous Punx Archive" on Instagram. IG: Indigenouspunxarchive  LinksIG: Indigenouspunxarchive remembering ezzat soliman | Jerk of All TradesVIP-Nightclub.com-We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests. IG: punkastuclaEmail: punkastucla@gmail.com The Punkast theme music is excerpted from “Bitchathon” by Lady Bits. All rights reserved. This episode was recorded on July 2, 2025 on Zoom. Kristy Martinez hosted and co-produced this episode with Jessica Schwartz. Martinez and Schwartz edited the audio-synced transcript, available here.

'[Punk] is a music genre and a subculture and a whole way of living that is full of contradictions, hypocrisy…’ Does punk promote inclusion or exclusion? Violence or protection? And what about health, accessibility, self- and communal care? Join Jessica Schwartz and PAUL FIELDS for this special interview in three parts as they discuss his research on punk and the sometimes contradictory ideals in the scene and academia.Guest Bio. Paul Fields is an associate professor at Buckinghamshire New University where he teaches various music-related courses such as Songwriting and Music Production and Events Management. His research is largely focused on punk, drawing from his own experience in the scene during the 1990s and 2000s.LinksPaul Fields’ research repositoryPaul Fields’ university email: paul.fields@bnu.ac.uk-As mentioned in the introduction, click links to find more about the Punk Scholars Podcast, on which Francis Stewart's episode and many others are featured!-We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests. Instagram: punkastuclaEmail: punkastucla@gmail.com The Punkast theme music is excerpted from “Bitchathon” by Lady Bits. All rights reserved. Season 2, Episode 21 was recorded in person on December 20, 2023, December 12, 2024, and August 6, 2024 in the UK and US, respectively. Jessica Schwartz hosted and produced this episode. Bella Gerard edited the audio and transcript, which is available here.

“For me punk rock is really the song.” For some, punk means destruction and revolt; for others, it means DIY and community. In this episode, Jessica Schwartz and Tequila Mockingbird are joined by HUDLEY FLIPSIDE to explore her perspective on punk garnered from her formative Flipside zine-and-scene building experiences in the early LA scene.Guest Bio. Hudley Flipside 'HUD' is a versatile artist, filmmaker, writer, and publisher with a diverse background in punk culture and journalism. She is known for her involvement in various creative endeavors, including blogging, documentary filmmaking, and co-owning the punk rock fanzine Los Angeles Flipside Fanzine.LinksHudley Flipside: books, biography, latest updateThe Seminary of Praying Mantis Publishing (Hudley Flipside’s Portfolio) Los Angeles Flipside Fanzine Narrative Documentary Film. “Epeisodion One, Two and Three-We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests. Instagram: punkastuclaEmail: punkastucla@gmail.com The Punkast theme music is excerpted from “Bitchathon” by Lady Bits. All rights reserved. Season 2, Episode 20 was recorded on August 1, 2024, on Zoom with participants in the US. Jessica Schwartz and Tequila Mockingbird co-hosted and co-produced this episode. Bella Gerard edited the audio and transcript, which is available here.

“Make festival, not war. Soul Beat Asia. In which what doesn't exist, we recreate together.”Join Jessica Schwartz in conversation with guest Dr. Kounosuke (Ko) Kawakami from Kurashiki University (Japan) that began as a talk, “The Punk Scene in Japan Today: Soul Beat Asia (World Music Festival Under the Bridge)” and wove its way into an inspired contemplation on belonging and misfitting, DIY punk as intergenerational practice, politics, infrastructure and importance of DIY festivals, and a host of other punk philosophical considerations vital to our local and transnational punk (and punk scholarly) communities. Bio:Dr. Kounosuke (Ko) Kawakami is a researcher, curator, and currently Associate Professor at the Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts in Japan. My specialty is contemporary art, curation and popular music. My publications include 'Genealogy of Punk' , "The Idea of Anarchism" and "Culture of Expression Research Lectures" 2024. Punk Playlist, courtesy of Dr. Kawakami:1. Isidore Isou Venom and Eternity (1951)Guest Note: “This is a film, but the song playing in the background is a poem by Lettrism”2. "Take the gun" by Zuno Keisatsu(Brain Police）Guest Note: Zuno Keisatsu made their record debut in 1972, at the end of the period of intensified political movements by the New Left, Zenkyoto, and Zengakuren. Their politically radical lyrics, which challenged taboos, and radical live performances led to episodes of broadcast censorship and exclusions from concert venues. The name was taken from the title of the song "Who Are The Brain Police?" by Frank Zappa's3. Turtle Island (2016)Songs Used(0:00-0:55) Order. “Neo Humanity.” Punk Navigation, Overthrow Records, 1996.(0:00-0:44) Hi-Standard. “The Sound of Secret Minds.” Angry Fist, Fat Wreck Chords, 1997.(0:00-0:44) Zunou Keisatsu. “銃を取れ.” 頭脳警察1, Be-Witch Record, 1975.Recorded on February 15, 2024, this episode was part of the UCLA online course “Punk: Music, History, (Sub)culture,” open to a live student audience. It was hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz. Bella Gerard edited the audio and the transcript.