ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.
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In this episode:
"To me, punk isn't just about a specific style. It's about a way of being."
Jessica Schwartz is joined by Tequila Mockingbird for a conversation exploring punk as a creative practice, a form of cultural preservation, and a way of moving through the world. Together, they discuss the early Los Angeles punk scene, New Wave Theatre, the Punk Museum, the UCLA Punk Archive, and the ongoing work of documenting local histories that might otherwise be lost.
The conversation explores DIY culture, archives, fashion, activism, underground media, and the ways punk continues to evolve across generations and communities. Reflecting on her decades of work as a musician, writer, curator, and cultural organizer, Tequila argues that punk is less a genre than a way of creating, questioning, and living on your own terms.
Tequila Mockingbird is a writer, musician, curator, and founder of the Punk Museum. For more than four decades, she has documented, performed in, and championed underground culture through journalism, film, music, exhibitions, and community archives while helping preserve the histories of the Los Angeles punk scene.
This conversation includes questions and contributions from students in a UCLA musicology course facilitated by Jessica Schwartz and was recorded in February 2024.
Links + References:
https://substack.com/@tequilamockingbird1
https://shotgunseamstress.blogspot.com/2013/10/taquila-mockingbird-queen-behind-scene.html
https://www.instagram.com/taquilamockingbird/
https://pleasekillme.com/taquila-mockingbird/
Credits:
Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.
Editorial support: Arrow Menendez – audio editing, episode notes, and audio-synced transcript.
Transcript:
Theme Music:
Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.
Related:
Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast.
Connect with Punkast:
Instagram: punkastucla
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