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Back On The GrindBringing You Closer Author: Pepe Bandit
A podcast exploring life, music, people & the stories that bring us closer.Episodes are published on the 1st & 15th every month. With intimate interviews, folk punk & my own personal experiences, I explore how we can show up for the story of life. There's no reason to do this alone, we can learn from each other, even if we make some mistakes along the way. Join me as I embark on a journey to figure out how to find meaning & balance, navigate relationships & culture, all while growing with you. We can survive our failures, learn from them & celebrate the victories we also achieve when we put in the work.I have a strong connection to the folk punk & DIY, underground music community in general, so expect to hear about that too. Some other common themes on the show are, creativity, prison, addiction/recovery, spirituality, personal authority & relationships. I hope to become a valuable part of your life through my efforts here at Back On The Grind as I bring you closer to myself & the guests I converse with.Stay Free,Pepe Bandit Help support this project & overall journey & get some member exclusives:patreon.com/BackontheGrind Do you have a question about something you heard in an episode?Do you have a question about something you're dealing with in life?Is there a topic you think should be discussed?Is there something you want to know about me? Get in touch with your questions & I will do my best to address it on the show. Email (I guarantee results)Podcast@BackOnTheGrindRecords.com Connect on Instagraminstagram.com/backonthegrindpod/?hlengramGet coffee roasted by your host Pepe BanditStayFreeCoffee.comDRINK COFFEE & STAY FREE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Language: en Genres: Music, Music Interviews, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Pepe Bandit Gets Interviewed: Folk Punk, Community, DIY Bandits, Prison, Spirituality & Future Plans #64
Episode 64
Wednesday, 14 January, 2026
Things get flipped in this conversation & Pepe gets interviewed. He explores the journey of the DIY Bandits, a record label that emerged from personal struggles & a desire to create community through music. The discussion covers Pepe's unique work of blending folk punk & hip hop, & the challenges he faced, including being poor while raising a family, rejection from some of the folk punk community & his eventual incarceration. Pepe reflects on the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions & the role of music & spirituality as an outlet during difficult times. Hear about upcoming music & book releases & the conversation closes on the evolution of the folk punk community, its current state & its potential going forward.**This interview was conducted by Jarda (Smažená pikantní škeble) for the online Czech magazine Alarm. We play a song of their's at the end. There's links below to the print version if you want to read it or see some pictures of me since I don't post myself online much :)Support the podcast & get bonus episodes & goodspatreon.com/BackontheGrindHIGHLIGHTS:DIY Bandits started as a response to personal strugglesBridging genres was a key focus from the beginningCommunity engagement was essential to the label's missionThe label was rooted in working-class experiencesIncarceration led to significant personal reflectionsThe importance of taking responsibility for one's actionsSupport from family & community was crucial during confinementSpirituality deepened through Pepe's solitary experiencesThe journey of writing a book was initially dauntingThe folk punk community is evolving & becoming more inclusiveThe importance of giving back to the community is emphasizedPepe feels a sense of responsibility to share his journeySong "Going Postal" by Smažená pikantní škebleSupport Jarda (Smažená pikantní škeble) who arranged & conducted this interview:smazenapikantniskeble.bandcamp.com/musicRead the interview (english) medium.com/@michljarda/what-supports-you-when-theres-no-one-left-to-support-you-bab448d386d8Read the interview (czech) denikalarm.cz/2025/10/folk-punk-pro-me-vzdycky-znamenal-neco-vic-nez-jen-hudbu-rika-pepe-bandit/Back On The Grind Records - Find DIY, Folk Punk Music & Merch:backonthegrindrecords.bandcamp.com/musicGet Coffee for the Bandit in you (roasted by Pepe)StayFreeCoffee.comFollow the podcast on Instagraminstagram.com/backonthegrindpod/?hl=engramReach out...Send me questions, comments or topic suggestions toPodcast@BackOnTheGrindRecords.comLeave a comment/question on Spotify or Instagram (we read them all)***Word of mouth really matters for us. Here's two simple things you can do to help keep this podcast going strong: Share your favorite episode with a friend or two who might enjoy it.Leave a rating / review. This helps me get access to the guest you want to hear from & allows the show to reach & support more folks like you :)Stay Free,Pepe Bandit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
