Find out how the podcast began - and some interesting facts about Marie herself!
You may know Marie Austin-Harwood from punk band Lost Cherrees, and as the other half of Rage DC’s Simon ‘Loric’ Harwood. She has recently created a new podcast called Punk Rock Creatives Podcast, and today she shares how it came about, plus her rebellious history as a Punk:
How did you get into punk, and how old were you?
I was 14, it was the early 1990s and there were lots of free parties and festivals around in fields, parks, and squatted buildings. It was a scene where I could just be myself and meet other people who felt like me and had similar views. I used to go to a place in Bradford called Rios – they had punk all-dayers when the scene was quiet compared to what it is today; they also put on the UK Subs and Exploited. It was at these gig I found Leeds Punks and we would meet up and go to places in Leeds like the Phono, and squat gigs at 120 Rats, where I saw brilliant bands like Oi Polloi and Post Regiment, and so many others where there were 20 people watching, because there were so few of us around at that point at these gigs.
What was the reason for starting this podcast?
I originally wanted to start a Design Podcast, and the more I planned and thought about it, the more I decided to combine the things I love the most. I like chatting to people and listening to their creative journeys, and I like punk! It’s a huge part of who I am, and putting the two together, and talking to other creatives just seemed to work.
Who are your most memorable guests and their moments so far?
I have enjoyed listening to all my guests, they do most of the talking as I want it to be about them, their views, and their stories! The moment that made me laugh the most was with Traci Heaslewood when she said that Jeff was ‘no longer with us’ and I thought she meant he had died, not no longer in the band! My shocked voice was ‘what – Jeff’s dead?!?’ (he is alive and ok), we laughed hard. Talking to Zillah Minx about her history and links to Crass and Poison girls was so good, I could have listened to her all night.
Steve Battershall from Lost Cherrees too, talking about his band’s history; Flux of Pink Indians squat and Colin and Paco from Conflict. Talking to Cherry B, I wish the interview had been longer, she has such a rich history, is very talented, and is a kindred spirit. AL Stone, my jaw dropped when he told me about his hunt sab history and his passion for protecting wildlife and animals in general, it’s a side of him people don’t see. When he’s with Ambition Demolition on stage you see colourful, clever and entertaining guys, but behind the colour and comedy is a group of people who stand up for animal rights but never talk about it. Kathleen Riot talking about the Miner’s Strike and meeting Arthur Scargill in the 1980’s (proper fan person for Scargill here!)
How long has the podcast been going for?
A month, the first episode was released into the digital world on Tuesday 1st July 2025.
What are your future plans for this podcast?
At the moment, I have a list as long as my arm with requests for people wanting to be on the podcast, (if you are reading, please be patient with me). The plan is to keep going for as long as possible, and to keep reaching out to and supporting as many punk rock creatives as possible. This community is growing day by day, I am hoping that people will walk away knowing something new about a contemporary creative, connecting with other creatives they never knew before, or being encouraged to be creative and maybe even start their own podcast!
Who are your favourite punk bands/artists?
Simon ‘Loric’ Harwood is my favourite. He is such an amazing songwriter; Rage DC are fantastic, and I feel that they could do with getting more gigs across the country and in other countries, and some financial help in some way to get them to more people, because they are more than good enough. Cherry B is amazing. I love her poetry and how she translates it to songs and performances. I have seen Cherry and Peesh a couple of times now, as well as watching them on YouTube, and they are brilliant.
Eastfield, once you start watching them play you can’t stop – the same with Pete Bentham and the Dinner Ladies (wannabe dinner lady here!), these bands really make me smile, and Poison Girls, I love Vi and as I get older I love and respect her even more. She was 44 when the first Poison Girls single was released, and she didn’t give a fuck – she educated and empowered people though music, and she was up there as a middle aged women being herself and sticking her middle finger up at people who criticised her for doing so.
How many bands have you played in? Are any of them still going?
I have played in a few, the bands that are still going are Lost Cherrees, Dead Hombres, and The Pukes.
Do you play any instruments? Do you still sing?
I play bass, ukulele, and yes, I still sing. I write lyrics and tunes on bass and ukulele.
Is this the first podcast you’ve created?
Yes, it’s been a learning curve, and it’s very DIY – I have learned about podcasting from the roots – it’s still a work in progress and still growing.
Have you ever been a guest on any podcasts?
No, but would like to be on Dead’s not Punk.. Not sure if they would have me on there though.. why they would have me on their show (laughs), but that would be brilliant as they have such a good set-up and look so professional. It would be a great learning curve to see how they do things, and to get tips and advice from Ewan & Stewart.
Do you remember the first punk band/artist you ever listened to?
It was probably The Clash before I knew they were punk, I remember ‘Rock the Casbah’ and ‘Should I Stay or Should I go’ being on the radio and The Chart Show, I thought the ‘Rock the Casbah’ video was hilarious.
Are there specific guests you’d like to have on the podcast?
Gaye Black, Charlie Harper, Steve Ignorant and Hazel O’Connor would all be great to have on the show!
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