74: Josh Cyr (The World is a Beautiful Place...) & Challenging Toxic Masculinity

WELCOME BACK TO THE EDUPUNX PODCAST!

It’s time for a new season of the podcast! In this first episode back from the extended break, I sat down with Josh Cyr - who is the bassist from the band, The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die. We chilled out in the band’s tour van right before its sold out gig at the Great Scott in Boston - where Josh also played double duty playing bass for the opening act, Harmony Woods. Josh and I had a quick chat about his history in music, with TWIABP, and his perspectives on toxic and performative masculinity in the music scene. Essentially, our conversation can be boiled down to DON’T BE A DICK - which is fitting because one of the pieces of educational materials that our nonprofit provides goes by the same title. Alas, so thankful for Josh taking a moment out of his busy evening to chat with me.

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MUSIC NOTE:
- This week you got to hear tunes from the new “Assorted Works” release from The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die. This 2xLP was recently issued by Triple Crown Records and it compiles a number of b-sides, songs from splits, and 7” releases into one massive collection of tunes from one of the most influential sources of music to hit the new wave of the emo scene for over a decade.
- On this episode, you got to hear the tracks, “From the Crow’s Nest on Fire Street” and “Katamari Duquette.” You can check out the entire “Assorted Works” release through all of the streaming platforms! Also, snag a vinyl copy of the album as well!

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THE CONNECTEDU NETWORK
- This week, you got to learn about the ConnectEDU Network, of which this podcast is now a contributing member!
- ConnectEDU Network connects the unique perspectives and expert insight of higher education through podcasting. If you’re affiliated with higher education – from professor to director of marketing – you’ll be able to find a podcast that fits your style. Our podcasts are produced and hosted by passionate and innovative members of the field, all fueled by the excitement of the future of higher education.
- You should check out all of the Network’s content creators and podcasts right now if you’re looking for some new education-based pods!

And you can now join our Facebook community by CLICKING HERE!

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THE ART OF SURVIVAL UPDATE

We've officially rebranded The Art of Survival and launched a revamping of our website - artissurvival.com! Check out the MANY resources we have available and please feel free to read our stories and share your own!

We are also excited to announce a brand new Patreon account - so if you would like to support our work, please check out your options of how to do so! Even $5/month can go a long way!

Check out the link here:
https://www.patreon.com/artofsurvival

And if you haven't noticed, we're dedicating ourselves to the music scene moving forward - so if your band/venue would like to work with us, please reach out!

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FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE!
- Any love on the iTunes app helps! CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ITUNES STORE!
- Don't forget, Android users - we are now on the Google Play Store!!
- We're also FINALLY on Stitcher, so head over there if that's your preferred platform!
- Follow along on Instagram and Twitter @eduPUNXpod!

Thanks so much for tuning in - we will be back in two weeks with another great chat!

72: Amy Hoffman (Future Teens) - Welcome to Breakup Season

WELCOME TO THE EDUPUNX PODCAST

Photo by Kristi Mayer - @kristimayerphoto

Amy Hoffman is the vocalist and guitarist for the Boston-based band, Future Teens! Amy is one of the most wonderful human beings in the scene and their dedication to making the scene safe and inclusive is one of the best examples of creating a community of care. Amy had a wild ride that led her not only to the east coast but also to a career as a professional musician aboard cruise ships and eventually into their role with Future Teens. The band is about to release a brand new album, and Amy is READY to hit the road - a place that feels like home for them.

Also, prepare yourself for one of the most chill and laid back chats I’ve ever had on this podcast! It’s a true joy.

Check out the band’s video for “Frequent Crier” below:

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MUSIC NOTE:
- This week you got to hear tunes from the new Future Teens album, “Breakup Season” which comes out September 6 through Triple Crown Records & Take this to Heart Records.
- Future Teens is a wholesome emo act from Boston - the band has gained a lot of attention over the last year or so from being a nonstop touring act that shares a vibrant and engaging performance. In fact, you can check out the band opening for Oso Oso starting on 8/22 - check out the tour dates here.
- On this episode, you got to hear the tracks, “Emotional Bachelor,” “Frequent Crier” and “So What.” You can check out the band’s previous tunes through Future Teens’ Bandcamp page, and through all of the streaming platforms! Also, snag a vinyl or CD copy of the album as well!

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THE CONNECTEDU NETWORK
- This week, you got to learn about the ConnectEDU Network, of which this podcast is now a contributing member!
- ConnectEDU Network connects the unique perspectives and expert insight of higher education through podcasting. If you’re affiliated with higher education – from professor to director of marketing – you’ll be able to find a podcast that fits your style. Our podcasts are produced and hosted by passionate and innovative members of the field, all fueled by the excitement of the future of higher education.
- You should check out all of the Network’s content creators and podcasts right now if you’re looking for some new education-based pods!

And you can now join our Facebook community by CLICKING HERE!

---

THE ART OF SURVIVAL UPDATE

We've officially rebranded The Art of Survival and launched a revamping of our website - artissurvival.com! Check out the MANY resources we have available and please feel free to read our stories and share your own!

We are also excited to announce a brand new Patreon account - so if you would like to support our work, please check out your options of how to do so! Even $5/month can go a long way!

Check out the link here:
https://www.patreon.com/artofsurvival

And if you haven't noticed, we're dedicating ourselves to the music scene moving forward - so if your band/venue would like to work with us, please reach out!

---

FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE!
- Any love on the iTunes app helps! CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ITUNES STORE!
- Don't forget, Android users - we are now on the Google Play Store!!
- We're also FINALLY on Stitcher, so head over there if that's your preferred platform!
- Follow along on Instagram and Twitter @eduPUNXpod!

Thanks so much for tuning in - we will be back in two weeks with another great chat!

68: Chris Lee-Rodriguez (Really From & I Kill Giants) & the Pedagogy of Nostalgia

WELCOME TO THE EDUPUNX PODCAST

Chris Lee-Rodriguez is a brilliant musician, educator, and all-around good person. Chris is the guitarist and vocalist for the Boston-based jazzy emo band, Really From, and previously lead the math punk act, I Kill Giants. Chris recently released his first solo project with an EP called, “It Could Happen,” which he self-released on May 3. You will hear a number of these tracks throughout the episode!

Chris teaches young people how to play guitars and a number of other instruments - an experience that he reflects on in detail in this episode. This conversation also covers a lot of arenas of interest to our listeners including how Hurricane Maria impacted him and his family in Puerto Rico, to his disgust for capitalism and Shark Tank (to my chagrin), as well as Chris’ three pieces of being a good person.

This episode was recorded in a practice space - where other bands were practicing, so you may hear random bouts of song in the background here and there.

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MUSIC NOTE:
- This week you got to hear tunes from the Chris Lee-Rodriguez’s debut release, “It Could Happen,” which he self-released on May 3.
- Chris’s solo sound takes on a number of the styles he’s presented throughout his various projects over the years - including expanding into more of his classical Spanish guitar stylings that compliment the more chaotic moments of the album.
- On this episode, you got to hear the tracks, “Written by the Golden Gate Bridge,” “Dream Song,” and “Hurricane is a Taino word.” You can check out the album through the Chris’s Bandcamp page, and through all of the streaming platforms!

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THE CONNECTEDU NETWORK
- This week, you got to learn about the ConnectEDU Network, of which this podcast is now a contributing member!
- ConnectEDU Network connects the unique perspectives and expert insight of higher education through podcasting. If you’re affiliated with higher education – from professor to director of marketing – you’ll be able to find a podcast that fits your style. Our podcasts are produced and hosted by passionate and innovative members of the field, all fueled by the excitement of the future of higher education.
- You should check out all of the Network’s content creators and podcasts right now if you’re looking for some new education-based pods!

And you can now join our Facebook community by CLICKING HERE!

---

THE ART OF SURVIVAL UPDATE

We've officially rebranded The Art of Survival and launched a revamping of our website - artissurvival.com! Check out the MANY resources we have available and please feel free to read our stories and share your own!

We are also excited to announce a brand new Patreon account - so if you would like to support our work, please check out your options of how to do so! Even $5/month can go a long way!

Check out the link here:
https://www.patreon.com/artofsurvival

And if you haven't noticed, we're dedicating ourselves to the music scene moving forward - so if your band/venue would like to work with us, please reach out!

---

FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE!
- Any love on the iTunes app helps! CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ITUNES STORE!
- Don't forget, Android users - we are now on the Google Play Store!!
- We're also FINALLY on Stitcher, so head over there if that's your preferred platform!
- Follow along on Instagram and Twitter @eduPUNXpod!

Thanks so much for tuning in - we will be back next week with another great chat!

Up the punx!
Let's get to work.

58: Francesca Impastato (Macseal) & the Representation of Queer Women Drummers

WELCOME TO THE EDUPUNX PODCAST

We’re back after a month away with a chat with Macseal drummer, Francesca Impastato. Francesca is a graduate of Berklee College of Music - where she focused on drums and music business, as well as instrument repair - of which, she has a fantastically misogynistic story to share. Francesca began drumming at the age of 5 - and not just hitting the drums with sticks, but actually finding the rhythm and beat and playing from there. One could say she was born to play the drums.

Francesca and I sat down in my practice space in Allston, Mass on Sunday while a jam band was rocking out above us to chat about everything that came to our minds. It was great timing because Francesca was only in Boston for a short period of time before heading down to New York to prepare for Macseal’s weekender tour. So we hope you dig this conversation - cuz we had a lot of fun having it!

MUSIC NOTE:
- This week we shared tunes from the new Macseal EP, “Map it Out,” which comes out Friday! You can get a digital copy or cassette of the album through 6131 Records!
- Macseal is a brilliant new school indie emo band that has made a big wave through multiple DIY tours up and down the east coast and across the country. The band is poised to be a big hit with a full-length album on the horizon in another year or so!
- In this episode, we played the songs, “Sure thing, Shelly,” “Harry,” and “Next to You.”
- Also, all of the band’s music is already available FOR DOWNLOAD on their bandcamp site, so you have no reason to not download this album right now!

As always, you can CHECK OUT OUR SPOTIFY PLAYLIST!

ADVERTISING NOTES:
- Table-Turned is a DIY record-of-the-month club. Subscribers select from two genre options and receive a record each month for that genre, including some “classics” as well as albums they may have missed.
- The current genre selections are Garage Rock and Ska-Punk, and for the next month, you can start your monthly vinyl subscription for $160, which gives you a FREE MONTH, after that it becomes $175 for the year.
- Table-Turned was recently featured in Paste magazine AND in The Hype Magazine!
- To learn more and/or to start your subscription, visit Table-Turned.com!

And you can now join our Facebook community by CLICKING HERE!

FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE!
- Any love on the iTunes app helps! CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ITUNES STORE!
- Don't forget, Android users - we are now on the Google Play Store!!
- We're also FINALLY on Stitcher, so head over there if that's your preferred platform!
- Follow along on Instagram and Twitter @eduPUNXpod!

Thanks so much for tuning in and we will be back soon with a special extra episode!

Up the punx!
Let's get to work.

5: Sai Boddupalli (People Like You) & Scene Inclusivity

WELCOME TO THE EDUPUNX PODCAST!

This week, I chat with my first music guest, Sai Boddupalli, of the bands Animal Flag and People Like You. Sai is the child of Indian immigrants, and his experience of being raised in an Indian household contains a number of great stories that you get to hear on this episode!

Sai was raised by a very musical father, and that influence led to him becoming a musician as well. While completing his undergraduate studies at Berklee College of Music, Sai became a very active member of the Boston music scene - where he currently resides. In this chat, we cover his experience as a person of color in the DIY scene and in music spaces that are traditionally populated by white cishet dudes. We discuss the importance of representation and diversity in music, as well as the realities of touring and signing to record labels.

EPISODE NOTES:
- Sai just finished a six-week tour with his rock band, Animal Flag, of which was recently featured on Audiotree.
- The two earliest albums to influence Sai were "Kid A," from Radiohead and the self-titled Rage Against the Machine album. 
- Representation is important because if it weren't for "All Killer no Filler," by Sum 41 and Sai recognizing Dave Baksh of Sum 41 as a fellow Indian, we may not have the Sai we know now.
- If you haven't check out the diversity of sounds that Topshelf Records has to offer, you really need to get on that now!
- Animal Flag recently did a number of gigs alongside the magnanimously talented performer, Chad Matheny, otherwise known as, Emperor X. His new album, "Oversleepers International," is an eccentric collection of songs - out now on Tiny Engines. 

- You can see People Like You and meet up with Sai while on their east coast tour that starts this weekend! For tour dates, visit http://www.topshelfrecords.com/roster/people-like-you.
- Make sure to read this piece on the othering of people by Edward Said.
- We quickly plug two great Boston-area organizations, BARCC (Boston Area Rape Crisis Center), as well as the Democracy Center. Visit their sites for more information!
- Sai and I are both currently enjoying the new Big Thief album, "Capacity," so don't say we didn't warn you!
- Check out the "Short History of Nearly Everything," by Bill Bryson.
- Sai also suggests checking out the book from "A Breath of Fresh Air," by Amulya Malladi.

This is the album artwork for the new People Like You album, "Verse."

MUSIC NOTES:
- All of the music on this week's podcast is provided by People Like You - in which Sai plays the bass guitar. The band was recently signed to Topshelf Records, which will be releasing their new LP, "Verse," on July 28th. It is chock-full of tasty jazzy emo tunes.
- The intro, outro, and ad breaks feature parts of the song, "Variations on an Aria."
- Today's music break song is, "Thumbnail," which was recently premiered by the band.
- You can PREORDER the new People Like You album on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital by visiting http://www.topshelfrecords.com/products/593720-people-like-you-verse! 
- As referenced in the podcast, a portion of the proceeds from the new People Like You album's pre-order sales will be divided equally and go directly to The Trevor Project, The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Planned Parenthood. 

ADVERTISING NOTE:
- This week we were sponsored by our friends in Safer Scenes, who are currently on the road with War on Women during the Vans Warped Tour. Safer Scenes is dedicated to educating younger crowds at festivals and in typical concert venues on harmful and problematic issues that plague scenes - explicitly sexual assault, sexual violence, bullying, misogyny.
- You can donate to support the Safer Scenes folks by visiting their GoFundMe page! And if you donate at least $75, I will make you a piece of art - since my nonprofit, The Art of Survival, is sponsoring War on Women and Safer Scenes during their Warped Tour travels.

FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE!
- Any love on the iTunes app helps! CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ITUNES STORE!
- Follow along on Instagram and Twitter @eduPUNXpod!

See you next week!
Let's get to work.

- Craig.