Scene Support Episode 42: Roach and Roll Records/ Stellar Records

On this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, I sit down with Chris and Liz of Roach and Roll Records and Stellar Records in Fort Myers, Florida, to talk about putting out records, running an independent record store, and giving a local scene a place to come together.We get into how Roach and Roll started during the pandemic, what pushed Liz to leave her career and open a record store, and the everyday work that keeps both going. From pressing plant headaches and pricing used records to hosting shows, paying bands, and making younger fans feel welcome, Chris and Liz share what they’ve learned along the way.We also talk about our collaboration with Ripping Records on the Runnamucks’ Of a Different Breed reissue and the idea behind And Out Come the Flamingos, a Florida punk compilation funded through shows, with records going back into fans’ hands for free. It’s a dope example of people pooling their resources to help more people hear the bands they love.Along the way, we trade stories about the scenes that shaped us, why physical media still matters, and getting older without losing the urge to keep doing this. There’s plenty of record nerd talk, a few ridiculous detours, and a shared love for the people who keep showing up for their communities.GUESTSChris and Liz of Roach and Roll Records and Stellar RecordsRoach and Roll RecordsWebsite: roachandrollrecords.comInstagram: @roachandrollrecordsFacebook: Roach and Roll RecordsBandcamp: Roach and Roll RecordsStellar RecordsWebsite: stellarrecordsfl.comInstagram: @stellarrecords.flFacebook: Stellar Records FLDCxPC LIVEHosted by Scott Pasch, founder of DCxPC Live.Website: dcxpclive.comInstagram: @dcxpc_liveFacebook: DCxPC LiveBandcamp: DCxPC LiveYouTube: @DCxPC_LiveScene Support episodes and transcripts: Scene Support PodcastEXECUTIVE PRODUCERTrev Allen of Struggling Artist Record ClubRecord Club: strugglingartistrecordclub.comInstagram: @struggling_artist_record_clubThe Struggling Artist Podcast: thestrugglingartistpodcast.comINTRO AND OUTRO MUSICJoshua “Danger” DobbsInstagram: @joshua_danger_dobbsABOUT SCENE SUPPORTDCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support highlights the people whose work makes DIY and underground music possible. We talk with bookers, promoters, sound engineers, writers, photographers, venue workers, label owners, and other community members about how they got involved and what keeps them going.Follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening. Rating and sharing the podcast helps new listeners find the show and brings more attention to the people supporting their scenes.

What happens when the person you were in the punk scene runs headfirst into the responsibilities of being a parent?On this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, Scott talks with Dan Bach, creator and host of Anarchy to Diapers, a podcast exploring the intersection of subculture, creativity, identity, and parenthood.Dan talks about growing up around metal, punk, hardcore, graffiti, and tattooing; becoming a father; stepping away from tattooing; and eventually creating Anarchy to Diapers as a way to reconnect with the parts of himself he felt he was losing. The conversation digs into what it means to stay connected to punk and underground culture as responsibilities change, why becoming a parent doesn’t mean leaving the scene behind, and how creativity and community can continue to evolve as we get older.Scott and Dan also get into documenting DIY music as it happens, Dan’s on-the-spot interviews at events like Punk Island and Camp Punksylvania, the value of keeping things raw instead of overproduced, balancing shows and creative projects with spouses and kids, raising children with different needs, burnout, self-care, and why supporting a scene can take a lot of different forms.At its core, this is a conversation about growing up without necessarily growing out of the communities that helped shape us — and finding ways to remain creative, connected, and present for the people around us.GUESTDan Bach — Anarchy to DiapersPodcast:Anarchy to Diapers PodcastInstagram:@anarchytodiapersApple Podcasts:Anarchy to Diapers on Apple PodcastsDCxPC LIVEWebsite:DCxPC LiveInstagram:@dcxpc_liveFacebook:DCxPC Live on FacebookBandcamp:DCxPC Live BandcampYouTube:DCxPC Live YouTubeScene Support podcast and transcripts:Scene SupportEXECUTIVE PRODUCERTrev Allen — Struggling Artist Record ClubWebsite:Struggling Artist Record ClubInstagram:@struggling_artist_record_clubThe Struggling Artist Podcast:The Struggling Artist PodcastINTRO AND OUTRO SONGJoshua “Danger” DobbsInstagram:@joshua_danger_dobbsABOUT SCENE SUPPORTDCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support spotlights the bookers, promoters, sound techs, zine writers, photographers, venue workers, label people, and community builders who keep DIY and underground music moving.Follow DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support on whatever platform you are listening on. Rating, following, and sharing the podcast helps more people find the show and supports the work of documenting the people who keep DIY music alive.

In this special Scene Support and SKAgazine crossover episode, punk comedian Rachel Summers—whom Scott affectionately calls The aSKAni Mother—takes over as interviewer for a conversation with Scott of DCxPC Live and Jess of SKAgazine and Be the Scene Promotions.Rachel guides Scott and Jess through a conversation about building DIY music communities in the Hudson Valley and Philadelphia. They share how their projects began, the people who helped shape them, and why supporting the scene means far more than simply booking shows or releasing records.The conversation covers mixed-genre bills, all-ages spaces, limited-edition live vinyl, benefit shows, paying bands, booking advice, and the work that happens behind the scenes to keep everything moving. Scott and Jess also discuss their plans for the future, from the Be the Scene Fest to Scott’s vision for an all-ages independent media space where shows could be recorded, filmed, and documented.Along the way, Rachel gets them talking about discovering punk and ska, memorable concerts, life on tour, organization versus chaos, and the relationships that make this work worthwhile.The episode closes with two reminders that sum up the conversation: DIY does not mean doing everything alone, and if you want to have a scene, you have to be the scene.INTERVIEWERRachel Summers — punk comedian and The aSKAni MotherSKAgazineWebsite:\https://skagazine.com/Instagram:\https://www.instagram.com/skagazine/Facebook:\https://www.facebook.com/p/The-SKAgazine-61552557301803/YouTube:\https://www.youtube.com/@SKAgazineSpotify:\https://open.spotify.com/show/1Nvct48ul9AmsI5C5LBPY2Be the Scene PromotionsInstagram:\https://www.instagram.com/bethescene_shows/DCxPC LiveWebsite:\https://dcxpclive.com/Instagram:\https://www.instagram.com/dcxpc_live/Facebook:\https://www.facebook.com/dcxpcbookingBandcamp:\https://dcxpclive.bandcamp.com/YouTube:\https://www.youtube.com/@DCxPC_LiveScene Support podcast and transcripts:\https://dcxpclive.com/scene-support-podcastEXECUTIVE PRODUCERTrev Allen — Struggling Artist Record ClubWebsite:\https://www.strugglingartistrecordclub.com/Instagram:\https://www.instagram.com/struggling_artist_record_club/The Struggling Artist Podcast:\https://www.thestrugglingartistpodcast.com/INTRO AND OUTRO SONGJoshua “Danger” DobbsInstagram:\https://www.instagram.com/joshua_danger_dobbs/

In this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, Scott talks with Chris Wynne, founder of In Effect Hardcore, about nearly four decades of documenting and supporting underground hardcore.Chris launched In Effect as a Queens fanzine in 1988, printing just 50 copies of its first issue. Over the next decade, it grew to 12 issues and a 10,000-copy final print run—all distributed DIY through shows, record stores, trades, mail orders, touring bands, and Chris’s own conversations with people he thought might connect with hardcore. In 2012, he revived In Effect as a website, where he and a rotating team of contributors continue covering bands, records, shows, and hardcore culture.Chris and Scott discuss learning to publish by simply doing it, interviewing bands outside CBGB Sunday matinees, distributing zines as far as Belgium and Japan, preserving underground music history, balancing scene work with family and everyday life, and the challenge of helping great bands cut through an endless stream of new music. They also talk about Chris’s work with Outsider Magazine, New Noise, and the weekly Bring the Noise radio show, along with all-ages spaces, the changing boundaries between punk, hardcore, and metal, bands that deserve more attention, and some memorable Two-Man Advantage stories.At its heart, this conversation is about what Scene Support celebrates: people doing the often-unseen work of building infrastructure, preserving history, and helping others discover something that might inspire them to create something of their own.Executive Producer: Trev Allen w/Struggling Artist Record ClubFollow and support:In Effect Hardcore: https://ineffecthardcore.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ineffecthc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InEffectHardcore/Bring the Noise Radio: https://www.instagram.com/bringthenoiseradio/DCxPC Live: https://dcxpclive.com/Struggling Artist Record Club: https://www.strugglingartistrecordclub.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/struggling_artist_record_club/

Scott sits down with James Kwapisz, founder of DIY Kingston, a community resource promoting shows, venues, bands, and new music throughout Kingston and the greater Hudson Valley. James shares how the project grew from a social media account into a website featuring show calendars, directories, reviews, interviews, and other tools that make the local scene easier to navigate.They also discuss James’ music with A Whole Nother and Grandfather, balancing creativity with work and everyday life, and what keeps people organizing, performing, and supporting one another despite burnout and the difficult realities of the music industry. It’s a conversation about building trust, finding genuine positivity, and creating the kind of scene you want to be part of.Subscribe to Scene Support wherever you listen, and please share the episode with someone who cares about independent music. Scene Support celebrates the bookers, sound engineers, writers, photographers, venue operators, promoters, and community builders whose work keeps DIY and underground music alive.Executive producer: Trev Allen - Struggling Artist Record ClubDIY Kingston IGDIY Kingston WebsiteDCxPC Live⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DCxPC Live IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DCxPC Live mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Struggling Artist Club

On this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, Scott talks with Brian Westbrook, co-founder and production manager of RPM Fest, about what it really takes to build and sustain a DIY heavy music festival.Brian traces his path from piano lessons and teen-center punk shows to touring with Lich King, working in live sound, and helping turn RPM Fest from a backyard party into a full three-day rock, punk, and metal gathering rooted in community, logistics, volunteers, and slow, intentional growth.The conversation gets into the behind-the-scenes work most people never see: budgeting, generators, porta potties, tents, stage flow, sound, backline, sponsorships, vendors, posters, yard signs, social media, booking headliners, and the thousand small decisions that make a festival feel welcoming and functional. Brian also talks about the importance of building on solid footing, knowing when to scale back, trusting other people to take ownership, and creating something that feels bigger than just another show.Along the way, Scott and Brian talk RPM Fest, THCC / The Heavy Culture Cooperative, DIY promotion, volunteer culture, festival problem-solving, metal drummers, and why community infrastructure matters just as much as the bands on stage.For anyone who has ever wondered how a DIY festival actually happens, this one is a deep look at the people, planning, and heart that keep underground music alive.Subscribe for more conversations with the people behind the scenes who keep DIY, punk, hardcore, ska, metal, and underground music moving.Executive producer: Trev Allen - Struggling Artist Record ClubLinks:⁠RPM FestTHCCDCxPC Live⁠⁠⁠⁠DCxPC Live IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠DCxPC Live mailing list⁠⁠Struggling Artist Club

On this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, Scott sits down with Mike Damante, owner and operator of Hostile City Industries / HCI Distribution, a Philadelphia-based distributor and label services company helping independent labels and artists get their music into the world.Mike talks about what music distribution actually is, why it matters for DIY labels, and how records move from pressing plants to record stores, mailorders, international partners, and online retailers. The conversation moves from Mike’s years at MVD Entertainment Group to starting Hostile City, working with independent labels, coordinating release timelines, touring support, digital distribution, CDs, shipping, packaging, publishing, and the realities of trying to build something sustainable without losing your ethics.It’s a practical, honest, and deeply scene-rooted conversation about the invisible labor behind independent music, the business side of DIY, and why getting records into people’s hands takes a whole lot more than just pressing vinyl.In this episode:00:17 – Welcome to Scene Support01:55 – What music distribution actually does05:15 – Mike’s time at MVD and the changing music industry08:06 – Record store relationships, wholesalers, and international distribution12:33 – Shipping overseas and getting records into international markets15:06 – How labels can support bands on tour through distro18:30 – Getting records into local and regional stores21:41 – DIY still takes a team25:32 – Vinyl, CDs, DVDs, video, and digital distribution26:56 – Ethical distribution and getting music to the widest audience28:59 – Digital strategy, singles, playlists, and release timing31:39 – When labels should submit releases for distribution41:41 – Why CDs still matter50:32 – Drop-shipping records directly from the plant1:01:10 – Consignment, record stores, and the challenges of local sales1:04:27 – Helping other bands access distribution1:06:05 – Metadata, vendor portals, UPCs, and accounting1:11:06 – How Hostile City decides who to work with1:15:49 – Publishing, mechanicals, and “black box” money1:17:31 – Using the system without becoming extractive1:19:02 – Paying people, feeding bands, and keeping shows sustainableSubscribe for more conversations with the people behind the scenes who keep DIY, punk, hardcore, ska, metal, and underground music moving.Executive producer: Trev Allen - Struggling Artist Record ClubLinks:DCxPC Live⁠⁠DCxPC Live IG ⁠⁠DCxPC Live mailing listHostile City Distro IGHCI DistributionStruggling Artist Club

On this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, Scott sits down with Antonio Rodriguez, an interdisciplinary artist, programmer, community organizer, and longtime DIY punk participant whose work centers POC and LGBTQ+ voices in underground culture.Antonio talks about coming up through the San Antonio punk and metal scenes, booking early house shows, learning through mistakes, and the community power of DIY spaces. The conversation moves from punk houses and show logistics to Punk Island, South by Southwest, zines, archiving, file sharing, folk traditions, and the many ways punk exists beyond just music.It’s a wide-ranging conversation about scene work, cultural memory, making space for others, and why the behind-the-scenes labor of punk matters just as much as what happens on stage.In this episode:00:17 – Welcome to Scene Support03:26 – Antonio’s San Antonio punk roots05:03 – Discovering DIY punk houses14:05 – Advice for running a first house show20:18 – Moving to NYC, Punks of Color, and DIY collaboration23:15 – What Punk Island is and how Antonio got involved27:49 – Working South by Southwest as a stage manager41:56 – Punk as more than music45:04 – Punk as an electric folk art form56:16 – Bandcamp, free downloads, and file sharing1:04:18 – Archiving flyers, zines, and scene history Subscribe for more conversations with the people behind the scenes who keep DIY, punk, hardcore, ska, metal, and underground music moving.Executive producer: Trev Allen - Struggling Artist Record ClubLinks: DCxPC LiveDCxPC Live IG DCxPC Live mailing listAntonio RodriguezPunk IslandStruggling Artist Club

On this episode of Scene Support, Scott talks with writer, musician, and longtime New York downtown-scene insider Gabriel Rotello about his new novel, The CBGB Conspiracy. Set in the sweltering chaos of New York City in 1977, the book blends punk history, murder mystery, and real cultural flashpoints including CBGB, the blackout, Son of Sam, the Everard Bathhouse fire, and the downtown artists, musicians, and misfits who helped define an era.Gabriel shares stories from his years in the city, from moving to New York in 1974 to playing music, witnessing the rise of CBGB, working with Ronnie Spector, and later shifting into writing, activism, and documentary television. The conversation digs into scene memory, the communal power of music, how punk and hip-hop grew out of the same broken city, and what gets lost when legendary places become history.A deep dive into underground culture, survival, storytelling, and the people who kept the scene alive.Gabriel Rotello:WebsiteThe CBGB ConspiracyDCxPC Live:WebsiteInstagramFacebookBandcampYouTubeNewsletterExecutive Producer: Trev Allen from Struggling Artist Record ClubIntro song by Joshua “Danger” DobbsJoshua “Danger” Dobbs / Danger Room RecordingAbout Scene Support: DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support spotlights the bookers, promoters, sound techs, zine writers, photographers, venue workers, label people, and community builders who keep DIY and underground music moving.

In this episode of DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support, Scott talks with Arlene Vivar-Beairsto, founder of Crystal Moon Public Relations and lead organizer of Punk Island. Arlene shares how she moved from booking all-ages DIY shows in New York through Taking Back Queens to helping punk, hardcore, ska, and underground artists build stronger PR campaigns without losing their identity.The conversation gets into what bands actually need before releasing music, why realistic timelines matter, how PR is built on relationships, and why quality coverage matters more than a pile of copy-and-paste posts. Scott and Arlene also talk about Punk Island, all-ages shows, representation in punk, mixed-genre bills, Latino and queer visibility in DIY spaces, community building, and the real work that happens behind the scenes to keep DIY music moving forward.Follow DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support on whatever platform you are listening on. It helps more people find the podcast and supports the work of documenting the people who keep DIY music alive.Watch, listen, and read the full transcript here:https://dcxpclive.com/scene-support-podcastGuest: Arlene Vivar-Beairsto / Crystal Moon Public RelationsWebsite: https://linktr.ee/crystalmoonprInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalmoon_pr/DCxPC Live:Website: https://dcxpclive.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcxpc_live/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcxpcbookingBandcamp: https://dcxpclive.bandcamp.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DCxPC_LiveExecutive Producer: Trev Allen from Struggling Artist Record ClubStruggling Artist Record Club:https://www.instagram.com/struggling_artist_record_club/Intro song by Joshua “Danger” DobbsJoshua “Danger” Dobbs / Danger Room Recording Services: https://www.instagram.com/joshua_danger_dobbs/About Scene Support:DCxPC Live Presents: Scene Support spotlights the bookers, promoters, sound techs, zine writers, photographers, venue workers, label people, and community builders who keep DIY and underground music moving.