Cult and Culture

Kevin Doss is a grandfather, dad, husband, firefighter, and vocalist for the legendary hardcore band, Downcast. In this episode Justin and Luke get into Kevin’s personal life as well as the impact and relevance of his music. Linking childhood trauma to 80s and 90s punk and hardcore, they acknowledge the importance of self made family and resilience in their lived experiences. Kevin’s career as a f...

In episode 62, Justin and Luke discuss music, politics, and aesthetics of various art platforms with multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle. Justin and Jimmy were both part of The Crimson Curse, The Locust, and Swing Kids, so the connection runs deep into the realm of San Diego's odd and innovative musical DNA. Jimmy also goes by the musical moniker Album Leaf, and was part of bands like Tristeza, Go...

In Episode 61 Justin Pearson and Luke Henshaw get into a slew of wild topics with Chuck Tingle, an amazing writer of modern "niche" gay erotica. But strap yourself in, pun intended, because Chuck's writing often ropes in dinosaurs, unicorns, sasquatches, and lands in the realm of horror and science fiction. However, there is an abundance of depth with Chuck and the hosts, since more often than not...

In episode 60 Justin Pearson and Luke Henshaw dive into conversation with Vique Simba of Simba Fanzine, to discuss their shared history in the punk and hardcore music scene. They specifically get into Vique's involvement in DIY zine culture, and the overarching issue with subcultures toting themselves as progressive while consisting of mainstream societies' patriarchal structures. Vique's position...

Part 5, the final episode in the Oak Cliff Film Festival series wherein Luke Henshaw and Justin Pearson talk with Brandon Daley about the upcoming film, $POSITIONS, as well as Brandon's previous work. They discuss the off the wall dark comedy style of his films, and dive into topics related to $POSITIONS such as gambling addiction, and specifically with cryptocurrency. They also touch upon the mas...

Part 4 of the Oak Cliff Film Festival series wherein Luke and Justin interview Nick and Dimitri, two members of the absurdist found footage art collective Everything Is Terrible. The film they submitted for this festival is called "Animals Are Over!" and can be summed up as "overwhelming" and "America's Funniest Home Videos on acid," which is generally in line with their chaotic approach to art. T...

Cult & Culture Podcast Episode 57 is a discussion with Albert Birney, director, actor, and writer of his most recent film OBEX-- a story that centers around a man in search for his dog in a world that blurs the lines between video game and reality. This is part three of Luke and Justin's five part series of conversations with independent directors that took place at this year's Oak Cliff Film...

Cult and Culture Podcast Episode 56 features director, actor, and writer of the film Fucktoys, Annapurna Sriram. This is the second in a five-episode series of podcasts Luke and Justin filmed at the Oak Cliff Film Festival in Texas. Fucktoys is Sriram's debut film as a director-- an adventurous, ambitious, tragic dark comedy set in New Orleans in the fictional world of "Trash Town," which is somet...

This episode of Cult and Culture kicks off a group of podcasts recorded and centered around Oak Cliff Film Fest, an independent film festival located in Dallas, Texas. Here, Luke and Justin talk with Ashton Campbell, the co-director of the operation. They talk about the unique location for the festival, a theater with an infamous history: where Lee Harvey Oswald was captured. They also discuss wha...

In this episode of Cult and Culture, Justin and Luke chat with longtime friend Johnny Whitney of the Blood Brothers (as well as Neon Blonde and Jaguar Love). Justin and Johnny reflect on the paths they've taken together over the last few decades: playing together on the Oops! tour, Three One G releasing March on Electric Children, and playing a show together again in 2024 during the recent run of...

In episode 53 of cult and culture, Luke and Justin go slightly off the beaten path of their usual to speak with Connor Musarra: an artist, producer, content creator, musician, performer etc. whose work is informed greatly by, and in some ways inextricable from, the internet and social media. Connor talks about the process behind this approach. They discuss about how he gained recognition across ne...

Episode 52 is a conversation with Bim and Ryan of the Portland-based band, Help. They discuss their music and how it came to be, but more so, they delve into politics, culture, and society at large. They talk about Bim's rationale and approach to running for mayor of Portland in 2016, the effectiveness of protest and social scolding, the malevolence of philanthropy, theories of aliens being future...

In Episode 51, Justin and Luke speak with infamous punk legend, Wattie Buchan of The Exploited. They discuss the passing of his beloved Pomeranian, Wolfie, the uncompromising approach he’s taken with his band and life, the five heart attacks he’s survived and the energy drinks that have contributed to them. Wattie shares his disgust for Nazis, Trump, Margaret Thatcher, the treatment of Palestinian...

50: An important milestone for the podcast, and this episode of Cult and Culture is with an equally as important guest: Sam McPheeters of bands Born Against, Men's Recovery Project, Wrangler Brutes, as well as writer, illustrator, designer, and former record label owner of Vermiform. Here, Sam talks about how making people happy with his stage antics means he's failed, recounts hiding in an attic...

In this two part episode of Cult and Culture's discussion with InDecline, Justin and Luke chat with two anonymous members of the art/activist collective. They discuss some of the ethics and goals behind what they do, as well as some of the struggles they face. Having taken part in some major acts of art-vandalism over the years, they share the consequences and risks of being involved in such divis...

In this two part episode of Cult and Culture's discussion with InDecline, Justin and Luke chat with two anonymous members of the art/activist collective. They discuss some of the ethics and goals behind what they do, as well as some of the struggles they face. Having taken part in some major acts of art-vandalism over the years, they share the consequences and risks of being involved in such divis...

In the latest episode of cult and culture, Luke and Justin speak with Justin's longtime friend Aaron Montaigne, who is known for his bands such as Antioch Arrow, Heroin, and more recently VR Sex. The conversation focuses on Aaron's lengthy musical resume, and the historical relevance and lineage of what he has been part of over the last few decades as an artist. They also dive into the subjects of...

In the latest episode of cult and culture, Luke and Justin speak with Chase and Lida of NY-based multidisciplinary collective Cumgirl8. They talk about the creation of their AOL instant messenger style name, why the number 8, as well as the censorship that comes with it. They also share how they react to criticism (spoiler: they love it) from people who would like to dictate how they dress or act...

In this episode of Cult & Culture, Justin and Luke speak with Spenser Little, San Diego-based artist who works primarily with wire to create subversive, witty, and thought-provoking sculptures that he often leaves on random streets and stop signs around the world for anyone to stumble upon. Coming from the skate and punk world, Spenser shares the ethics that drive him to create, as well as how...

In this episode of Cult & Culture, Justin and Luke speak with Spenser Little, San Diego-based artist who works primarily with wire to create subversive, witty, and thought-provoking sculptures that he often leaves on random streets and stop signs around the world for anyone to stumble upon. Coming from the skate and punk world, Spenser shares the ethics that drive him to create, as well as how...

Episode 45 takes place during San Diego Comic-Con, where Justin and Luke sit down with director and producer Lloyd Kaufman to celebrate 50 years of Troma: his absurd, low budget, highly stylized, iconic film company responsible for cult classics like The Toxic Avenger, Tromeo and Juliet, Class of Nuke 'Em High, and so many more. Lloyd reflects on how he got started, working with talented people li...

In this episode, Justin and Luke catch up with Al Ruel - drummer of Jenny Piccolo, also in bands Noothgrush, Night Toilet, and others. They discuss how Al starting touring when he was sixteen, the origins of Jenny Piccolo through the band Mohinder, the importance of good stage banter to their performance, and the benefits (or negatives) of having a third degree black belt on tour. They also collec...

Episode 43 of the Cult and Culture podcast is a conversation with LA-based Kent Osborne, an artist with incredible stage presence and energy, originally from Atlanta. Kent is a self described punk rapper, also connecting heavily with "trap metal." Osborne covers how this type of music stood out to him, starting with when he would play freestyle guitar over dark trap music on TikTok. Luke, Justin a...

In this episode of Cult and Culture, Justin and Luke talk with Jenna and Scott of the radical, noisy, unapologetically queer band/project, The HIRS Collective. They share the shift to searching for reasons to stay alive over seeking out aggressive confrontation, the personal importance of touring to mental health, some of the unlikely collaborators they've been able to work with as well as those t...

Episode 41 is a conversation with Steve Hill, a Black Satanist running for Congress in Southern California in a district that is primarily white and conservative. This is particularly interesting when considering his background of being in the US Marines, as well as a correctional officer in the 90s (He also works in real estate, as well as being a stand up comedian as of more recently). Throughou...