I thought that listening to Rich Stremme outline his journey in punk music and culture was very interesting and helped me learn more about how it has evolved over time and contributed to the overall landscape of music. I found it interesting when he discussed how bands would pay to press their music on vinyl and often they would sell the records for less than what they paid. This exemplifies the ambition that independent artists possess as they work toward gaining an audience and sharing the music with new listeners. I also found it interesting when he discussed playing and attending gigs at small venues because it shows how live music can unite people and draw a crowd, whether large and small, that shares a passion for it.

I think that many of the experiences Stremme discussed show that the accessibility of both creating and listening to music has increased exponentially over time, mostly due to the evolution of technology. While live music was one of the most prominent ways to discover new music that was not being played on the radio, the avaliability of streaming services has allowed for smaller artists to reach audiences that can connect to their music. It is also interesting to me that vinyl became unpopular for some time and has now seen a resurgence. I collect vinyl because I enjoy listening to music in physical form.

I also learned more about punk culture itself, and how it serves as an outlet for people to make their voices heard. Punks often hold anti-establishment and unconventional beliefs. I feel as though it is important to give people a space to express these ideas, and the punk music scene serves as an effective space for this.

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