Stage Diving into Sonoma County’s Early Punk Scene

Stage Diving into Sonoma County’s Early Punk Scene

From KQED's Forum by KQED

May 1, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

The episode explores the early punk scene in Sonoma County and its cultural significance.

When punk rock thrashed through the Bay Area in the 70s and 80s, there were some venues that became iconic hubs, like Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco and Berkeley’s Gilman street. But in rural Sonoma country, the scene was cobbled together in backyards, barns, and from fields with very long extension cords. Growing up in Santa Rosa, KQED’s arts and culture editor Gabe Meline was both a part of the punk scene and an obsessive collector of its flyers, zines, cassettes and ephemera. He’s now guest curated a new exhibit at the Museum of Sonoma County, Disturbing the Peace: Sonoma County’s Early Punk Underground. We talk to Meline — and check in those in punk scenes of other Bay Area towns — about the music and ethos of punk and why this young DIY movement against authority is so relevant now. Guests: Gabe Meline, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture Mike Park, owner, Asian Man Records - an independent label based in San Jose; member of the ska-punk band Skankin' Pickle in the 1980s and 90s Matthew Kadi, photographer and drummer. His band Monster Squad started in Vacaville in 1997 and is still playing shows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Guests: Gabe Meline, Mike Park, Matthew Kadi

Topics covered

  • punk rock
  • Sonoma County
  • music history
  • DIY culture
  • Bay Area
  • exhibits

Keywords

  • punk rock
  • Sonoma County
  • Bay Area punk
  • DIY movement
  • music history
  • Gabe Meline
  • exhibit

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Asian Man Records

Places: Sonoma County, San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Rosa, Vacaville

More episodes of KQED's Forum

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the KQED's Forum podcast page.