by Jesse Hudgins
Even before my time at WONC, punk music is something that was ever prevalent in my life. It was one of the first genres that I ever got into. In fact, the first ever concert that I went to was a punk show, seeing Misfits at the House of Blues. Over time, it’s been one of the only genres to always stick with me and never wane on its repetition in my playlists.
Once I got to WONC, I immediately threw myself in, asking the station manager, Rachel Albers, if there was a punk/pop-punk show at the station. At that point, there wasn’t, so she and I clicked instantly and wanted to get that show off the ground and running. Along the way, another co-host, my soon-to-be best friend Chloe Kallberg, was brought in. The show, Alternage, ran from the spring of 2021 to the summer of 2024, and during that time, my love for punk music deepened more than I ever would’ve imagined.
One of the biggest things to happen during our time on Alternage was becoming more intertwined in the Chicago punk scene, mainly thanks to interviews with bands like Naked Raygun, The Bollweevils, Space Age Zeros, and more. Talking to other musicians, even ones outside of the Chicago scene, I was introduced to other bands and genres that I would check out later down the line.
Even then, one of the biggest deep dives I had during my time on Alternage was within the hardcore genre. I got into plenty of bands, old and new, in hardcore, and from that, found one of my favorite genres of all time. The shows I got to go to afterwards that were in the hardcore space taught me so much from a welcoming and loving community.
It’s been amazing to watch my love for punk music grow with me. It’s been a genre that’s helped shape who I am today, and I could never repay it or those who had a role in it. It’s a genre that takes different forms through its subgenres and the subgenres within those.
Getting the chance to showcase 89 of my favorite punk and punk adjacent songs since 1997 has been a pleasure. Going back and listening to my favorite bands and bands that I haven’t had as much exposure to has been a great experience. While I’m sure I probably left someone’s favorite song or band out, I hope those who listen just appreciate the beauty in punk music and the communities they foster.
