Where to begin with a guest such as Dr. Russ Bestley, who has done so much for the punk scholarly community, not to mention all the graphic design work, exhibits, publications--including his newest publication, Turning Revolt Into Style (2025), and network organizing...Where to begin...or really, where and how to end?! As you'll hear, in this episode, co-hosts Paul Hollins and Jessica Schwartz face this daunting task as they opt to take a deep dive into Russ' most recently published book while also inquiring about his formative punk years, education, and publications. And, even with a keen focus on Turning Revolt Into Style, we still manage to cover a range of issues, not least the reemergent questions concerning the Art School-Punk connection, punk politicization (via visual communication in addition to the music), and punk diasporic networks. We also experience a myth-busting moment when Russ shares his genealogical knowledge of Jaime Reid's famous "God Save the Queen" image. Check it out!

Guest Bio. 

Dr Russ Bestley is Reader in Graphic Design & Subcultures at London College of Communication. His areas of specialist interest include graphic design, popular culture, alternative music scenes and subcultures, comedy and humour. He is editor of the academic journal Punk & Post-Punk, now in its fourteenth year, series editor and art director for the Global Punk book series published by Intellect Books, and a founding member of the Punk Scholars Network. His research archive can be accessed at www.hitsvilleuk.com. Russ has written several books, including Turning Revolt into Style: The Process and Practice of Punk Graphic Design (2025), Action Time Vision: Punk & Post Punk 7” Record Sleeves (2016), Visual Research (2004, 2011, 2015, 2022), Up Against the Wall (2002), and Experimental Layout (2001). His book The Art of Punk, was published by Omnibus Press (UK), Voyageur (North America), Hannibal Verlag Gmbh (Germany) and Hugo et Compagnie (France) in 2012. In 2013, he established the Graphic Subcultures research hub at the London College of Communication, before going on to form the UAL Subcultures Interest Group in 2022. He has designed and curated exhibitions in London, Southampton, Blackpool, Leeds, Oxford, Birmingham, and Newcastle, and designed books, posters, record covers, and other material for Active Distribution, the Hope Collective, PM Press, and many other DIY and independent labels, publishers, and producers. He recently designed a critically acclaimed autobiography by Pauline Murray, Life’s A Gamble, for Omnibus Press.

Links

Email: [email protected]

Hitsville UK

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The PSP theme music is excerpted from “Crows” by Watch You Drown. All rights reserved. 

Season 2, Episode 5, was recorded on October 10, 2025, on Zoom with participants in the UK and the US. Paul Hollins and Jessica Schwartz co-hosted and co-produced this episode and edited the transcript, which is available here.

Jessica Schwartz also edited the audio.

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