La Jolla Babylon: The Making Of A Suburban Punk

By Aaron HartmanComedy Society & Culture Comedy Interviews Music Personal Journals Music Commentary

La Jolla Babylon: The Making Of A Suburban Punk episodes

January 10 Spartanburg
Chapter 67 Spartanburg
The last episode of season 3! Keep us in your feed - we’ll pop up everyone once in a while with some bonus eps between now and season 4! We’ll see young Adam get in and out of trouble. And then in again. We’ll see post-adolescent Adam meet some fates.
In this episode:
Adam gets hired as a professional tour manager and breaks down in the buckle of the Bible Belt.
A Baptist family tries real hard to convert him.
First of all - when I wrote the conversations between Adam and Bishop, I was not considering that I would need to read his voice some day. What you’re hearing is a white guy from the west coast - who is not an actor - trying to change his voice just enough so the listener knows the character has changed. When I switch to a character that is not Adam, I am only trying to indicate that the voice is from the south. I am not trying to indicate the person is of another race. This is Aaron being a bad reader with a shitty southern accent. NOT Aaron doing “black voice.” I love this episode and I love the people I met in Spartanburg so many years ago. It was 72 hours that changed my life for the better and if there’s a microbe that comes across as disrespectful, I apologize sincerely.
Please write in to [email protected] and let me know how I should have handled it. Or write me and I’ll dish more about that band I managed.
Additional music: Katie’s Podcast Song (unreleased)
Vibes: A. Walker Spring
Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
Let us know what’s what: Have a story about growing up as a latchkey kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely different life than you? Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s? Send us your questions, comments, corrections and condescensions. We read every DM and email we receive. Find us: @lajollababylonpodcast on Instagram or write us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!
More Links:
Follow Katie Hartman at https://www.katiehartman.rocks/
https://www.davidandkatiegetremarried.com/
46 min
December 13, 2025 The You-Know-What Episode
The You-Know-What Episode
Chapters
64 WOLFIE
65 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
66 FILMMAKING
Explicit content. In other words, another one the
in-laws might want to skip.
Adam makes a Porn for college credit.
In which Aaron miraculously gets out of reading in front
of people. This is a recorded version of what our live show could have been.
When it’s time to move out of a small town, it’s really
time to move!
“I’m not self aware enough to know what cartoon animal I would have been.”
Some of my favorite fake live albums:
Nighthawks at the Diner
Beach Boys Party!
Charles Mingus presents Charles Mingus - asking waitresses not to rattle the ice!
I was always singing the Nutcracker, so my dad got me the
album for my 7th birthday. But when I saw the word “ballet” on the jacket, I
asked if I could switch it for another record. We went back to Sam Goody’s and I was able to exchange it for KISS Alive 2! Apparently the drummer was so drunk they had to re-record the entire album and add the live sounds later.
My explanation of Annie Sprinkle comes from memory -
apologies if I missed some important details. Here’s a bit more about Linda/Les and Annie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104733/
Shout out to the Olympia International Film Festival!
Don’t fact check me on whether Holy Mountain and El Topo
were really banned in the US.
Mentioned: Zak Margolis - Here’s his insane animations! https://zakmargolis.com/
Additional music: I Don’t Know How To Surf-Rock
(un-released)
Drums: Germaine Bacca
Music: La
Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia
Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
More Links:
Follow Katie Hartman at https://www.katiehartman.rocks/
https://www.davidandkatiegetremarried.com/

50 min
November 29, 2025 Everybody But Me Wang Chunged That Night
Everybody But Me Wang Chunged That Night
Chapters:
62
KURU
63
TWO QUICK THINGS
Aaron dishes about getting kicked
out of the band he thought was going to make him a rock star. Altogether now: “It was the 90s.”
Afraid of being an “unreliable narrator” - Aaron asks Katie not to let him off the hook. As the stories get closer to modern day, it’s getting less cute to hear about Adam and his bad choices. As Katie says, “If you’re looking for someone to dress you down, I think you should pull our other siblings in here.”
Aaron talks about the metaphor that saves his relationship.
Some other notable quotes:
“Sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing”
“The man who edits controls the knowledge”
Correction: It’s the PRESIDENTS of the United States of America. But you knew that.
**Update! We chose not to air another episode. This is going
to be a pretty short season!
These stories can sometimes cut a little close to the bone,
and we felt like what would have been episode 5 might be pushing too far into other peoples’ lives. It was a good one but we decided to err on the side of privacy.
Email us a [email protected] if you want to know more (we’ll
tell you everything privately).
Mentioned links:
Previously unseen link to the show where Old Time Relijun’s
drummer throws his drums into the audience. https://youtu.be/gS_3khRt9l8
Aaron’s band being introduced by an iconic singer in1999. https://youtu.be/LgiJbVglQEI?si=sATy7zibUXgnlhk0&t=97
Golem live! https://youtu.be/ze6ONmmBBbA?si=3xf1ziWn14ua0U9q&t=126

Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
50 min
November 15, 2025 Hold On Tightly, Let Go Lightly
The end of Dan Jones. Friend break-ups are the hardest.
Katie and Aaron talk ADHD.
**Update! We chose not to air the episode Aaron describes
at the end of this one. These stories can sometimes cut a little close to the
bone, and we felt like what would have been episode 4 might be pushing too far into other peoples’ lives. It was a good one but we decided to err on the side of privacy. Email us a [email protected] if you want to know more (we’ll tell you everything privately).
Also, I was diagnosed with ADHD and am trying out some
meds to see what they do.
All I know about astrology I know from Harvey Sid Fisher
songs. In the same way that all I know about Christianity I know from Jesus
Christ Superstar.
Mentioned links:
Video of 10 year old Elijah killing it at the talent show - https://youtu.be/yATe2qeWspc
Recently unearthed video of Harvey Sid Fisher playing a
couple of his astrology songs in Olympia, 1995. https://youtu.be/eEsl6Ddni2k
Telephone Call by Old Time Relijun - https://arrington.bandcamp.com/track/telephone-call
Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
Let us know what’s what: Have a story about
growing up as a latchkey kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely
different life than you? Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s? Send us your
questions, comments, corrections and condescensions. We read every DM and email
we receive. Find us: @lajollababylonpodcast on Instagram or write us
at [email protected].
We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Katie Hartman at https://www.katiehartman.rocks/
https://www.davidandkatiegetremarried.com/
39 min
November 01, 2025 Post-Halloween Special!- Everyone has a Ghost Story
Adam meets someone special in the bathroom.
In this bonus episode, Aaron tells a true story in which he
sees a ghost and then teases Katie for believing in ghosts. Big brother/ little
sister dynamic!
Katie and Aaron talk about Halloween as the punk Christmas,
get woo-woo, talk wearing costumes on stage, ghosts and all that jazz (spoiler: Aaron is a party pooper).
Video of Old Time Relijun playing insane Halloween party and
Aaron’s ghost costume:
https://youtu.be/EG3Okwy3Mj4?si=AK_3sPfA7vX37dju&t=129pumpkin
photo
Our sister Karen Hartman’s substack:
https://the100dayreckoning.substack.com/
go to https://www.instagram.com/lajollababylonpodcast/
to see Katie’s Graucho Marx costume and Aaron as a Stormtrooper.
Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
Additional music: “Uncool Oncologist” by Aaron Hartman
https://marinelayer.bandcamp.com/track/uncool-oncologist
30 min
October 18, 2025 The Wrong Tools
The Wrong Tools
Aaron and Katie reunite on the mics and bring you the first episode of a brand-spankin new season - just in time to save the world! Sorry it took so long. Episode 1 brings us into Dan Jones’ family of origin and Adam tries to keep up. Adam returns to his childhood home and meets the friendly cult that has moved in. Adam is growing up this season, but only sort of. As Katie says, “Adult, but still not very mature.”
Chapters:
57 OF CACTUSES
58 OF RENOVATIONS
59 TOOLS
Links:
Here’s my friend’s book I was talking about: Death Trip: A Post-Holocaust
Psychedelic Memoir by Seth Lorinczi https://www.spiralpathcollective.com/
Follow Katie Hartman at https://www.katiehartman.rocks/
https://www.davidandkatiegetremarried.com/
Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
Additional music: “Fire in My Head” (unreleased) by Aaron Hartman

Let us know what’s what: Have a story about growing up as a latchkey
kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely different life than you?
Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s? Send us your questions, comments,
corrections and condescensions. We read every DM and email we
receive. Find us: @lajollababylonpodcast on Instagram or write us
at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!
42 min
October 12, 2025 Season 3 announcement!
La Jolla Babylon is excited to announce our triumphant return! Season three, the Undoing of a Suburban Punk begins on Saturday, October 18. This
season: Dan Jones’ dad gets out of prison, Adam sees a ghost, makes a porn for college credit, almost gets famous, and gets stranded deep in the Bible Belt. Episodes will be slightly more intermittent than in the past, so just keep us in your feed and we’ll pop up every couple weeks.
Katie and I can not wait to get back into it with you!
Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com
Let us know what’s what: Have a story about
growing up as a latchkey kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely
different life than you? Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s? Send us your
questions, comments, corrections and condescensions. We read every DM and email
we receive. Find us: @lajollababylonpodcast on Instagram or write us
at [email protected].
We’d love to hear from you!
1 min
June 07, 2025 Going to Chicago with Grandma Blues
Going to Chicago with Grandma Blues
This is one of a few short episodes that will be
sprinkled throughout the coming weeks as we finish season 3.
“The food was terrible – and such small portions!”

Please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
And don’t forget to rate this show to help others find it!

Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com

Additional music: “Early Morning Sunset” (unreleased exerpt)
By Aaron Hartman

Let us know what’s what: Have a story about
growing up as a latchkey kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely
different life than you? Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s? Send us your
questions, comments, corrections and condescensions. We read every DM and email
we receive. Find us: @lajollababylonpodcast on Instagram or write us
at [email protected].
We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Katie Hartman at https://www.katiehartman.rocks/
https://www.davidandkatiegetremarried.com/

27 min
May 31, 2025 Terry and the Cat
La Jolla Babylon: Shenanigans Edition, Terry and the Cat

Terry and the Cat

**A warning that there is the slightest mention of what could be considered cruelty to animals. If you are especially sensitive to this sort of thing, I suggest reading the transcript before listening to the episode.**
This is the first of a few short episodes that will be
sprinkled throughout the coming weeks as we finish season 3.
In which Adam and Dan Jones visit Terry at the house he’s
renting. Visitors are not allowed.
Katie and Aaron forget to introduce
the podcast because it’s been so dang long! A shorty but goody.

Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com

Additional music: “IV Lounge” By Aaron Hartman https://marinelayer.bandcamp.com/track/iv-lounge

Let us know what’s what: Have a story about
growing up as a latchkey kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely
different life than you? Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s? Send us your
questions, comments, corrections and condescensions. We read every DM and email
we receive. Find us: @lajollababylonpodcast on Instagram or write us
at [email protected].
We’d love to hear from you!

Links:
Follow Katie Hartman at https://www.katiehartman.rocks/
https://www.davidandkatiegetremarried.com/

25 min
April 12, 2025 The Ascent of a Suburban Punk

The Ascent of a Suburban Punk

Keep us in your feed! Season 3 will sneak up on you before you know it.
In this last episode of what has been an emotional and illuminating season, we bring on Arrington DeDionyso, the multi-lingual, muti-instrumental musician and Aaron’s longtime collaborator in Old Time Relijun.

Chapter titles:

54 The Delightful Calvary
55 Addington
56 Clarity of Purpose

Music: La Jolla Babylon Theme by Aaron Hartman
Vocal: Alicia Jo Rabins @ohaliciajo | aliciajo.com
Drums: Sara Lund @lundun_calling | saralundrum.com

Featured music:
“Earthquake” by Arrington DeDionyso https://arrington.bandcamp.com/track/earthquake
“King of Nothing” by Old Time Relijun https://oldtimerelijun.bandcamp.com/track/king-of-nothing
“Bionic Trunk” by Old Time Relijun https://oldtimerelijun.bandcamp.com/track/bionic-trunk
Not heard, but mentioned: “Everything is Broken” by Old Time Relijun https://oldtimerelijun.bandcamp.com/track/everything-is-broken
Lyrics all by Arrington DeDionyso

Additional music: “JB Was Not Here” (Unreleased)
Drums: Germaine Bacca
Guitar: Arrington De Dionyso

Let us know what’s what: Have a story about growing up as a latchkey kid? Did you have a sibling who lived a completely different life than you? Did you cause mayhem in the 1980s?
49 min

About La Jolla Babylon: The Making Of A Suburban Punk

From the publisher's feed

Your host, musician and writer Aaron Hartman, shares stories about his stormy youth growing up punk in a conservative beach town with his Millennial sister, actor, writer and comedian Katie Hartman.