Cult and Culture

In episode 65 of the Cult & Culture Podcast Justin and Luke meet up with Joe Swanberg, the award winning director who's latest film, The Sun Never Sets, screened at the 2026 Oak Cliff Film Festival. Joe is best known for his TV show, Easy, and film, Drinking Buddies. Also, he's one of the main people who accidentally created the film genre, Mumblecore, which was due to his DIY ability to create cinema with little to no budget. The conversation in this episode dives into how to learn from and embrace failure, the future of cinema, avoiding competition with friends and comrades in the film industry, and the strong emphasis on independent versus corporate backed projects. Joe also explains his obsession with his bizarre collection of Scopitone video jukeboxes and his micro cinema called Analog, which functioned as a speakeasy complete with a free bar.

Episode 64 of the Cult & Culture Podcast kicks off the first of a seven part series recorded at the Oak Cliff Film Festival. Justin and Luke dove in right away and cought up with Taszlin Trébuchet or Fuck Money/Jet Cemetery and Lars Wolfshield of Jet Cemetery from Austin, TX. Tasz was part of a mini documentary screening at the fest called Shut the Fuck Up When We Speak, which brough the worlds of music and film together with a strong emphasis on D.I.Y. culture. In this conversation they discuss massive topics, such as the intersections of race and gender, as well as punk culture and identity. While addressing elements of cultural appropriation as well as cultural expectations and norms, they hone in on elements of defying genres, and ultimately redefining what the old traditions were, making them something of their own.

Kevin Doss is a grandfather, dad, husband, firefighter, and vocalist for the legendary hardcore band, Downcast. In this episode Justin and Luke get into Kevin’s personal life as well as the impact and relevance of his music. Linking childhood trauma to 80s and 90s punk and hardcore, they acknowledge the importance of self made family and resilience in their lived experiences. Kevin’s career as a firefighter in South Central Los Angeles added an even more intense and empathetic view of the world, which has seeped into the correlation between who Kevin is in Downcast and his lived experiences and becomes the through line of the conversation. Paying homage to seminal DIY record label, Ebullition, they also offer constructive criticisms to the ever evolving state of music and the world at large.

In episode 62, Justin and Luke discuss music, politics, and aesthetics of various art platforms with multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle. Justin and Jimmy were both part of The Crimson Curse, The Locust, and Swing Kids, so the connection runs deep into the realm of San Diego's odd and innovative musical DNA. Jimmy also goes by the musical moniker Album Leaf, and was part of bands like Tristeza, GoGoGo Airheart, and The Black Heart Procession, which lends to the conversation touching upon various intersections of Jimmy's work in film, social politics, and cultural relevance to Southern California.The concept of Cult and Culture began as a short segment created by Justin Pearson, an internationally known musician, record label owner (Three One G Records), author, and actor. He is perhaps best known as bassist for bands such as Dead Cross, The Locust, and Some Girls as well as vocalist for Deaf Club, Swing Kids, and Planet B. Having traveled the world touring in hardcore and punk bands since age 15, Justin has come to know and work with a broad spectrum of captivating personalities and brilliant minds, many of which are key figures in the realm of popular culture and cult followings alike-- from being on the soundtrack to John Waters’ Cecil B. Demented, to acting in an Asia Argento’s Incompresa, to playing in Dead Cross with Mike Patton and Dave Lombardo. Cult and Culture arose as an opportunity to document bits and pieces of the DIY-driven, subversive world of art Pearson identifies with- one that many are not aware of or perhaps have misconceptions about.Eventually, Pearson joined up with producer and bandmate Luke Henshaw (Sonido De La Frontera, Planet B, Satanic Planet, First Power Crew) to build the idea into a proper podcast, now recorded at his own PengOne Studios in San Diego. Henshaw has collaborated with hip hop legends such as Invisible Skratch Piklz’ D-Styles and Q-Bert, Kool Keith, in addition to being immersed in the world of Cumbia alongside Sonido De La Frontera bandmate Karlos Paez (B Side Players). He also recently scored the music for upcoming documentary Sk8face, which tells the history of skateboard graphics. In this way, both Justin and Luke are influenced by a diverse array of subcultures that all have connected roots. John Waters was one of the first people interviewed for the podcast- an icon of both cult and culture. Since then, guests have included a broad scope of musicians, producers, authors, and anyone passionate about what they do-- anyone from Grammy-winning musician Juan Alderete (Mars Volta, Racer X, creator of Pedals And Effects) to actor Michael Malarkey (Vampire Diaries, Project Bluebook), from San Diego Black Panther Party members to longtime partners Nicola and Adam in electro-punk band ADULT. or The Satanic Temple cofounder Lucien Greaves (who would go on to form Satanic Planet with Luke and Justin as a direct result of their podcast conversation). The focus is not intended to be solely on people in any one realm, and because guests are friends and family, the conversations are frank, informal yet well-informed, and genuine. Pearson and Henshaw seek to achieve a casual openness, blurring lines between traditional guest and host. Cult and Culture is part of Ruinous Media.Please visit our sponsors Izotope and Distrokid

In Episode 61 Justin Pearson and Luke Henshaw get into a slew of wild topics with Chuck Tingle, an amazing writer of modern "niche" gay erotica. But strap yourself in, pun intended, because Chuck's writing often ropes in dinosaurs, unicorns, sasquatches, and lands in the realm of horror and science fiction. However, there is an abundance of depth with Chuck and the hosts, since more often than not, these conversations often circle back to the larger umbrella of punk ethics. Most of the conversation, which focuses on various topics such as performance art, politics, genetics, creating community, everything in between which seems to circle back to Chuck's notable and righteous slogan, which is always on his masked face, Love is real.The concept of Cult and Culture began as a short segment created by Justin Pearson, an internationally known musician, record label owner (Three One G Records), author, and actor. He is perhaps best known as bassist for bands such as Dead Cross, The Locust, and Some Girls as well as vocalist for Deaf Club, Swing Kids, and Planet B. Having traveled the world touring in hardcore and punk bands since age 15, Justin has come to know and work with a broad spectrum of captivating personalities and brilliant minds, many of which are key figures in the realm of popular culture and cult followings alike-- from being on the soundtrack to John Waters’ Cecil B. Demented, to acting in an Asia Argento’s Incompresa, to playing in Dead Cross with Mike Patton and Dave Lombardo. Cult and Culture arose as an opportunity to document bits and pieces of the DIY-driven, subversive world of art Pearson identifies with- one that many are not aware of or perhaps have misconceptions about.Eventually, Pearson joined up with producer and bandmate Luke Henshaw (Sonido De La Frontera, Planet B, Satanic Planet, First Power Crew) to build the idea into a proper podcast, now recorded at his own PengOne Studios in San Diego. Henshaw has collaborated with hip hop legends such as Invisible Skratch Piklz’ D-Styles and Q-Bert, Kool Keith, in addition to being immersed in the world of Cumbia alongside Sonido De La Frontera bandmate Karlos Paez (B Side Players). He also recently scored the music for upcoming documentary Sk8face, which tells the history of skateboard graphics. In this way, both Justin and Luke are influenced by a diverse array of subcultures that all have connected roots. John Waters was one of the first people interviewed for the podcast- an icon of both cult and culture. Since then, guests have included a broad scope of musicians, producers, authors, and anyone passionate about what they do-- anyone from Grammy-winning musician Juan Alderete (Mars Volta, Racer X, creator of Pedals And Effects) to actor Michael Malarkey (Vampire Diaries, Project Bluebook), from San Diego Black Panther Party members to longtime partners Nicola and Adam in electro-punk band ADULT. or The Satanic Temple cofounder Lucien Greaves (who would go on to form Satanic Planet with Luke and Justin as a direct result of their podcast conversation). The focus is not intended to be solely on people in any one realm, and because guests are friends and family, the conversations are frank, informal yet well-informed, and genuine. Pearson and Henshaw seek to achieve a casual openness, blurring lines between traditional guest and host. Cult and Culture is part of Ruinous Media.Please visit our sponsors Izotope and Distrokid