Ran Zwigenberg + Mahon Murphy (Japanese Punk)

Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.

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In this episode:

“Distinguish themselves within Japanese society as being not part of the kind of mainstream.”

Jessica Schwartz is joined by historians Ran Zwigenberg and Mahon Murphy in a conversation exploring how punk, hardcore, and underground culture took shape across Kyoto and Osaka through student movements, DIY venues, and the global circulation of Japanese punk. Together, they discuss the social geography of Japan in the 1980s, the evolution of local punk scenes, and the infrastructures that enabled Japanese punk to travel beyond Japan and connect with audiences worldwide.

Ran Zwigenberg is an Associate Professor at Pennsylvania State University whose research focuses on modern Japanese and European history, memory, and cultural history. Mahon Murphy is an Associate Professor at Kyoto University whose work examines the global dimensions of the First World War. Together, they are the authors of S.O.B.’s Don’t Be Swindle (Bloomsbury, 2024), which chronicles the 1980s Kyoto/Kansai hardcore punk scene through the influential band S.O.B.

This conversation includes questions and contributions from UCLA students in a course facilitated by Jessica Schwartz and was recorded in February 2024.

Links + References:

Seibu Kōdō and Punk in Kyoto

Mahon Murphy (Faculty Profile)

Ran Zwigenberg (Faculty Profile)

S.O.B.’s Don’t Be Swindle (Bloomsbury 2024).

Credits:

Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.

Editorial support: Melissa Hernandez – audio editing, episode notes, and audio-synced transcript.

Transcript:

Audio-synced transcript

Theme Music:

Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.

Related:

Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast on the Punk Scholars Network.

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