Season 1 2015

In the first episode of our series Under the Influence, we go from the streets of the Lower East Side all the way to South Korea to examine one of the most distinctive genres to sprout from the concrete of New York City: hardcore. Along the way, we’ll meet with everyone from tattoo shop owners to chefs to government workers—all of whom have been inspired by the teachings at musical meccas like CBGB’s and A7 and found ways to apply the lessons learned from the scene to their own lives. Join us—as well as members of Agnostic Front, Title Fight, Youth of Today, Incendiary, and more—as we explore a world living under the influence of New York Hardcore.

In the second episode of our series Under the Influence, we examine the late-70s ska revival in the UK, a movement built upon the fusion of punk rock and traditional ska. Led by the Specials, we look at how the cultural climate of the time period in the UK inspired the founding of 2 Tone Records and how that led to the ska movement in the 80s and 90s.

Under the Influence looks into some of the most important music scenes of our time, exploring the people, bands, and styles that changed the course of music forever. Narrated by modern day punk legend Tim Armstrong (Rancid, Operation Ivy, Transplants), Noisey delves deep into the worlds of New York Hardcore, British 2Tone Ska, and German Krautrock to find how these scenes were created, and how they continue to shape art, music, and culture today. Join us as we circle the globe to meet to everyone from x to y, to witness life under the influence.

From the ashes of World War II arose one of the most original and influential movements in musical history, Krautrock. A generation of German musicians embraced their country's cultural blank slate and a new technological future; deconstructing pop music and spawning some of today's best electronic, Hop Hop, and experimental rock and roll. Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Daniel Kessler (Interpol), Dan Deacon, Zachary Cole Smith (DIIV), members of Can, Neu!, and more take us through this unique genre's history and possible future.