Too Old To Punk?

Gaz, Karl, and Darren

This podcast series explores punk not through famous bands or scene “stars,” but through the everyday lives of the people who sustain it. Through in-depth conversations with musicians, organisers, and long-time participants, it traces how people first encounter punk, how they become part of it, and how they continue to remake it over time. Focusing on ordinary experiences—forming bands, putting on shows, working, dealing with loss, addiction, and responsibility—the series shows how punk persists as a network of relationships, values, and practices that shape how people live and connect.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 5: Darren Bourne: Tadpole Records/zine, Ättestor, System Defector, Just One Life Collective

    This episode features our good friend Darren "Tadpole" Bourne. For more than three decades, Darren has been one of the quiet forces behind the Brihton/UK DIY punk and hardcore scene,through Tadpole Records, Tadpole Fanzine, the Just One Life Collective, Rigsby Zine, and countless gigs where he's usually found at the front with a camera rather than on the stage. We talk about growing up working class on the south coast, discovering heavy metal through the back of an older kid's denim jacket, skateboarding as an escape, and finding a home in hardcore through its politics, friendships and sense of community. Darren reflects on singing in Ättestor, running a DIY record label, becoming a father, and why he ultimately realised he enjoyed supporting bands more than being in one himself. At a time when so many people look backwards, Darren remains driven by curiosity. He's still discovering new bands, filming gigs, sharing music, and championing the next generation with the same enthusiasm he had as a teenager. Humble, generous and completely unpretentious, Darren is one of the unspoken heroes who remind us that punk has always been about far more than music, it's about community, commitment and showing up for the people around you.   Ättestor  https://youtu.be/t9RiGlZOmzM?is=e_8BiuwrctamTy6K/   System Defector  https://youtu.be/INo2swO4yL8?is=tgu-8yjvS9YA_nW2/   Unslug https://youtu.be/iGxUB_GfBSo?is=SQZH-CdXzuVUhtJ4 Tadpole Records Bandcamp https://tadpolerecords.bandcamp.com/music/   Tadpole Records YouTube  https://youtube.com/@tadpolerecords?si=HtuK1VuU-8fl2771/    Tadpole Records  https://tadpolerecords.blogspot.com/2012/04/tadpole-records.html?m=1/

  2. Jul 15

    Episode 3: Marv Gadgie: Indian Queen legend (boston not boston), zine writer, rum lad

    In this episode, we speak with Marv Gadgie: legendary instigator of gig-time rumness at the  Indian Queen pub in Boston not Boston (the Lincolnshire one, not the American one), zine and book writer, and a sharp observer of both the absurd and the hidden wonders of everyday life. We trace Marv's journey into punk, from discovering Discharge to moving to Boston and helping transform the Indian Queen into an unlikely but vital stop on the DIY touring circuit, welcoming bands like Tragedy, Victims, F****d Up, Warhead, Code13, DS13, Catharsis, Phobia, Stupids, Varukers, and Municipal Waste. More than just a venue, the Indian Queen became a meeting place where friendships were forged, ideas exchanged, and an international network of people connected through punk took shape. Along the way, we explore the rich history of Boston's punk scene, talking about hometown heroes such as Urko and the much-missed Jas Toomer, as well as newer bands like Gristle. Throughout the conversation, we reflect on how punk is sustained not simply by records and gigs, but by the friendships, generosity, and communities that grow around the music, alongside plenty of stories, humour, and an appreciation for the extraordinary hidden within the seemingly ordinary. Excuse the audio quality on this one..and the regional accents... Thanks to Rob Migone for doing his best with the audio!! Gadgie zine in the Guardian newspaper https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jul/15/uk-fanzines-zine-radical-resurgence?fbclid=IwY2xjawTEcExleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEerx2hcYMso9C0FRb7jX045qVbpJ1a4AvF3OhbZcPLErUfa9jtiNMcwGYH2b0_aem_hJudwicbDfiStR1Yc9LRGA R.I.P Jas Toomer https://iqhc.bandcamp.com/album/urko/ R.I.P Darrel Skinner https://iqhc.bandcamp.com/album/poindexter/ https://iqhc.bandcamp.com/ Intro: Gristle.....Maximum Power https://gristleboston.bandcamp.com/ Outro:  Onlooker … Peaceful Protest … https://onlookertheband.bandcamp.com/ Boston Bands over the years: https://iqhc.bandcamp.com

About

This podcast series explores punk not through famous bands or scene “stars,” but through the everyday lives of the people who sustain it. Through in-depth conversations with musicians, organisers, and long-time participants, it traces how people first encounter punk, how they become part of it, and how they continue to remake it over time. Focusing on ordinary experiences—forming bands, putting on shows, working, dealing with loss, addiction, and responsibility—the series shows how punk persists as a network of relationships, values, and practices that shape how people live and connect.