Punk rock played a big role in my political and spiritual awakening.
The first time I saw a punk show, ironically, was in a church. It was the OC Supertones, a Christian ska band, performing at a special event near Azusa Pacific University. Though moshing was not allowed and the lights were all on, I was hooked.
My foray into Christian alternative music soon led to the wider world of punk rock with bands like Anti-Flag, RX Bandits, Bad Religion, Alkaline Trio, Mad Caddies, and a bunch of other bands that helped me begin to challenge the authority of the systems and structures I was raised in.
That personal quest and questioning of authority bled into my writing and research into religion, continuing to shape the way I go about my work. That includes my work with Muslims in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as my more recent research on religion in Berlin. It has also shaped my own spirituality and theology.
Last year, I had the chance to chat about these themes with John Malkin, author of Punk Revolution!: An Oral History of Punk Rock Politics and Activism and the forthcoming Punk Spirit! An Oral History of Punk Rock, Spirituality, and Liberation, in which I got to share some of the journey above.
Here’s my blurb on his forthcoming book, which is fantastic:
A skilled interviewer, John Malkin is one of a handful of punk mavens willing to explore its deep, spiritual intimations. This is a monumental collection of conversations, offering anyone with a reasonable curiosity about punk rock and spirituality the opportunity to understand their amorphous, vibrant, and sometimes revolutionary entanglements. If God is dead, punk is not dead, and the anti-establishment postures and rebellious spirit captured in Malkin's book lives on!
John just posted our interview on 88.1 FM KZSC Santa Cruz. Have a listen and let me know your own thoughts on punk music, spirituality and the study of religion!