The How, The Why: We Were Going To Change The World

The How, The Why is a half-hour podcast documenting the creative process and the creative purpose hosted by Jon-Barrett Ingels, and for this panel, will feature Kathy Rodgers, Kirsten (Bruce) Meekins, Laura Beth Bachman, and Stacy Russo.

We Were Going to Change the World: Interviews with Women from the 1970s and 1980s Southern California Punk Rock Scene documents the punk rock scene of the 1970s and ’80s in Southern California, which is widely acknowledged as one of the most vibrant, creative periods in all of rock and roll history. And while many books have covered the artists who contributed to the music of that era, none have exclusively focused on the vitality and influence of the women who played such a crucial role in this incredibly dynamic and instrumental movement.

We Were Going to Change the World captures the stories of women who were active in the SoCal punk rock scene during this historic time, adding an important voice to its cultural and musical record. Through exclusive interviews with musicians, journalists, photographers, and fans, Stacy Russo has captured the essence of why these women were drawn to punk rock, what they witnessed, and how their involvement in this empowering scene ended up influencing the rest of their lives.

Kathy Rodgers lives in Ventura. She was born and raised in Oxnard, California, which is the home of Nardcore and the Hernandez Brothers comic book fame Love and Rockets. She became a photographer at the age of 13 and almost solely shot punk bands, specifically local Nardcore bands. She graduated Otis/Parsons School of Design with a degree in photography. She also published, edited, shot, and wrote for her magazine Mute on the Floor which existed from 1990-1993.

Kirsten (Bruce) Meekins grew up in Redlands, California, and now splits her time between there and the Reno/Tahoe area of Northern Nevada. She is a Registered Natural Health Practitioner and has just launched a new nutrition coaching practice. She still attends as many live music shows as she can and credits the DIY scene in the 80s with her entrepreneurial spirit.

Laura Beth Bachman lives in Downtown Long Beach with her partner, Matt Irwin. She is the drummer for the all girl surf/punk band The Neptunas. Laura is a truth seeker and beat keeper who believes it takes grit to be a woman in this world.

Stacy Russo, a librarian and professor at Santa Ana College, is a writer, poet, and artist. Her book We Were Going to Change the World: Interviews with Women from the 1970s/1980s Southern California Punk Rock Scene (Santa Monica Press) features interviews with 37 women who were involved in the scene in diverse ways, including as musicians, photographers, journalists, fanzine creators, and fans. Her other books are Love Activism (forthcoming spring 2018, Litwin Books); Life as Activism: June Jordan’s Writings from The Progressive (Litwin Books); and The Library as Place in California (McFarland). She grew up in the 1980s Southern California punk rock scene, which has been a big influence on her life. Stacy takes her coffee black and eats chocolate every morning.