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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 the impact of cultural production on suburban youth from the 1970s to the 1990s. They explore themes of rebellion, nostalgia, and moral panics, all set against the backdrop of the evolving suburban landscape. Key tracks discussed include the Middle Class's "Out of Vogue," Cheap Trick's "Surrender," and Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs."

Hear all the musical mentions in Kyle's playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_bIX7g9SjAXoMNsP1bmBIMEyt298Br-&si=_BOV3RltixjW-k5v

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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.

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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 their parents' music collections influenced their tastes, and how mixtapes served as a medium for artistic and emotional expression. The episode also explores the historical context of mixtape culture, its evolution, and its commercial aspects. Jewel and McCoy reflect on the emotional bonds forged through these music formats, encouraging listeners to share their own mixtape experiences.

This is part I of our conversation with Austin McCoy, and check out our collectively created playlist.

Also quoted in this episode:

Diamond, Michael, and Adam Horovitz. Beastie Boys Book. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2018.

Masters, Marc. High Bias: The Distorted History of the Cassette Tape. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2023.