Send us Fan Mail Exploring the Suburban Punk Rebellion: History Mixtapes with Kyle Riismandel In this episode of History Mixtapes, host Katherine Rye Jewell announces the start of season two, reflecting on her creative journey and the inspiration behind her new book project, A History of Alternative in 10 Bands. Katherine then engages in a detailed conversation with Kyle Riismandel, Associate Teaching Professor at Rutgers Newark, covering everything from the historic suburban punk scene to th...

Send us Fan Mail Austin McCoy returns to think about how being a fearful child shaped his appreciation of his parents' music, as well as how reflecting on these early exposures makes him think about the role of context in music appreciation. Check out the full songs on this YouTube playlist.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, historian Katherine Rye Jewell and historian Austin McCoy use their parents' record collections to interrogate the personal meanings of various music formats—from vinyl to cassettes to CDs—and their influence on their musical sensibilities . They discuss the role of mixtapes in hip hop and punk cultures, their significance in creating connections within underground scenes, and their transformation into digital playlists. The conversation highlights how ...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, historian Dave Hitchcock, a Senior Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University, discusses how his expertise in vagrancy and poverty in early modern England and British Atlantic world use of music, such as broadside ballads, set up his exploration of themes of poverty and homelessness across musical expression. He contextualizes songs reflecting modern urban poverty and illuminates underlying common themes that include individual versus structural ex...

Send us Fan Mail This episode explores the music at the center of the story historian Karen Cox is currently reconstructing about the Rhthym Club fire in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1940. Jazz music becomes a character in her story, illuminating not just the lives lost, but the movement and connections across space during the Great Migration. Her playlist features: “It’s Tight Like That” 1928, Jimmy Noone. You can hear piano, banjo, trumpet, clarinet, trombone. It follows that traditional jaz...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Katherine Jewell revisits her ongoing research into WXPL, the college radio station at Fitchburg State University. Despite being caught up with end-of-semester duties, she shares their her oral history project insights, including the station's journey since the 1980s, its musical influence, and some notorious events. The episode highlights the station's deep connection with metal music, mentioning notable DJs, iconic artists they collaborated with, and memora...

Send us Fan Mail In the third episode of 'History Mixtapes,' host Katherine Rye Jewell and historian Chris Deutsch explore the intertwined histories of punk rock, hardcore music, and the political economy of the late 20th century. They discuss the origins of punk, key bands like the Ramones and Minor Threat, the ethos of DIY and selling out, and the cultural significance of music compilations. Chris shares his mixtape featuring songs that channel the precarity of different eras and the evolvi...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 2 of History Mixtapes, historian Joshua Greenberg discusses how his research unfolds in conversation with music. Check out his playlist here and stay tuned for more news about History Mixtapes!

Send us Fan Mail