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, Rihanna
Guest 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
Links
IG: Indigenouspunxarchive
remembering ezzat soliman | Jerk of All Trades
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We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests.
IG: punkastucla
Email: 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.
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