- 19
- Episodes
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2025
- First episode
About Matt Talks Media
Matt Talks Media dives into the worlds of underground music, indie horror and art, and alternative media practices. Hosted by Dr. Matt Dorr — musician, blogger, and communication professor — the podcast blends personal experience with academic research to explore how non-mainstream voices create culture, build communities, and preserve stories often ignored by the mainstream. Each episode connects theory, history, and lived experience to show why alternative media matters.
- Publisher
- Matthew Dorr
- Category
- music · society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 7 Oct 2025
- Latest episode
- 8 Jul 2026
Latest episodes
19 episodes in the feed.
8 Jul 2026
Censorship
This week, Matt Talks Media takes on one of the oldest battles in communication: who gets to decide what can be said? 📚🚫 With Steven Doughty exploring Italy this week, Dr. Matt Dorr and Dr. Nolan Meditz dive into two very different sides of censorship and expression. Matt examines the remarkable history of samizdat, the underground publishing movement that secretly documented life inside the Soviet Union and exposed the realities of the Gulag system despite relentless government censorship. Nolan shifts the conversation to the fascinating world of profanity, exploring why taboo words exist, how they evolve across languages, and what our favorite four-letter words reveal about culture and communication. From forbidden books passed hand to hand to the surprisingly complex science of swearing, this episode explores how language has always found a way to survive, adapt, and occasionally tell authority exactly where it can go. Music Featured: https://zouka.bandcamp.com/album/demo (https://zouka.bandcamp.com/album/demo) https://heresiarkhes.bandcamp.com/album/ad-extirpanda (https://heresiarkhes.bandcamp.com/album/ad-extirpanda)
23 Jun 2026
Hauntology
👻 Hauntology 👻 What lingers after something is gone? In this episode of Matt Talks Media, we explore the concept of hauntology and the ghosts that inhabit culture, memory, and media. Steven Doughty introduces us to the work of philosopher Jacques Derrida and the origins of hauntology, unpacking how the past continues to haunt the present. Dr. Nolan Meditz turns to the world of sports, examining curses, legends, and the lingering specters that shape fan communities and athletic identities. Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr explores alternative media, arguing that zines, DIY publications, and community media function as hauntological artifacts: echoes of media systems that once were, or perhaps visions of what mass media could have been. Join us for a discussion of memory, absence, nostalgia, and the strange ways old ideas refuse to stay buried. Some ghosts don't haunt houses. Some haunt culture itself. 📻📚👻
10 Jun 2026
Antarctica
Grab your parka and your conspiracy board because this week, Matt Talks Media heads to the coldest place on Earth. Steven Doughty explores how Antarctica evolved from mythical Terra Australis to the frozen continent we know today, tracing its fascinating history through centuries of maps and speculation. Dr. Nolan Meditz uncovers the unique hybrid English accent that has emerged among researchers living and working on the ice, proving isolation can shape language in surprising ways. Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr dives into Willis George Emerson's The Smoky God, examining its connections to Antarctica, the Hollow Earth theory, and one of alternative media's most enduring conspiracy narratives. Whether you're here for cartographic mysteries, linguistic oddities, or hidden civilizations beneath the polar ice cap, this episode has something to melt your brain. Music featured in this episode: Coprofagi, Decade of Defecating (https://coprofagi.bandcamp.com/album/decade-of-defecating-2)https://coprofagi.bandcamp.com/album/decade-of-defecating-2 (https://coprofagi.bandcamp.com/album/decade-of-defecating-2) Helslave (https://helslave.bandcamp.com/music)https://helslave.bandcamp.com/music (https://helslave.bandcamp.com/music) Leper Colony, Those of the Morbid (https://leper-colony.bandcamp.com/album/those-of-the-morbid)https://leper-colony.bandcamp.com/album/those-of-the-morbid (https://leper-colony.bandcamp.com/album/those-of-the-morbid)
31 May 2026
Susurrus
What happens when communication slips beneath the surface? In this whisper-filled episode of Matt Talks Media, the crew explores the strange, hidden, and often overlooked ways humans have sent messages across distance, time, and even the boundary between life and death. Dr. Matt Dorr investigates Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), the eerie recordings that believers claim capture messages from the dead, tracing the phenomenon's history from spiritualist experiments to paranormal television and internet communities. Steven Doughty digs into the fascinating world of pneumatic tube systems, the forgotten networks of rushing air that once carried messages, documents, and even cash beneath bustling cities and businesses. Finally, Dr. Nolan Meditz examines whistle languages from around the globe, with a special focus on El Silbo, the remarkable whistled language of the Canary Islands that transformed speech into sound capable of traveling across mountains and valleys. From ghostly voices and underground message networks to languages carried on the wind, this episode follows the many ways humans have found to communicate when ordinary conversation simply won't do. Some messages are spoken. Others are whispered. A few may not belong to the living at all. Music Featured in Episode: https://seaton.bandcamp.com/album/too-long-to-say-goodbye-2 (https://seaton.bandcamp.com/album/too-long-to-say-goodbye-2) https://treeswilltell.bandcamp.com/album/negative-results (https://treeswilltell.bandcamp.com/album/negative-results) https://secret-wars.bandcamp.com/album/social-punishment-demo-2020 (https://secret-wars.bandcamp.com/album/social-punishment-demo-2020)
31 May 2026
The Anarchist Cookbook, Space Invaders & Tifo
On this gloriously chaotic episode of Matt Talks Media, the crew ricochets between underground controversy, arcade history, and sports fandom spectacle like a shopping cart with one bad wheel. Dr. Matt Dorr dives into the strange and controversial legacy of The Anarchist Cookbook, exploring its history, cultural panic, media reputation, and how the book became a kind of outlaw artifact passed through generations of counterculture curiosity. Steven Doughty blasts into the pixelated past with a discussion on Space Invaders, unpacking how the arcade phenomenon helped shape video game culture and turned blinking aliens into a worldwide obsession. Meanwhile, Dr. Nolan Meditz explores the world of tifo, fan choreography, and the emotional symbolism behind retired jersey numbers, from legendary athletes to deeply personal acts of remembrance. It’s part media archaeology, part cultural deep dive, and part late-night conversation at a gas station arcade that somehow turned academic. Music featured on this episode: Anti-Hero: https://ripcordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/drumsticks-of-doom-soundtrack (https://ripcordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/drumsticks-of-doom-soundtrack) H-Self: https://anarchymax.bandcamp.com/album/maze-maze-dont-make-me-get-the-can (https://anarchymax.bandcamp.com/album/maze-maze-dont-make-me-get-the-can) Startle: https://startle.bandcamp.com/album/terrible-zero-stars (https://startle.bandcamp.com/album/terrible-zero-stars)
7 May 2026
Milkpocalypse!
On this utterly calcium-fortified episode of Matt Talks Media, the crew unintentionally dives headfirst into the strange cultural afterlife of milk in media, folklore, and underground print culture. Steven Doughty explores the unsettling history of missing children appearing on milk cartons and how the campaign blurred the line between public service messaging and mass media spectacle. Dr. Nolan Meditz shifts gears into the world of comic poetry, including a bizarre milk-themed example that proves dairy and literature make a surprisingly cursed combination. Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr examines the infamous underground zine Kurt Cobain Was Lactose Intolerant, unpacking conspiracy culture, alternative media, and the strange humor that circulated through late-1990s zine communities. It’s weird. It’s academic. It’s probably shelf-stable. Welcome to Milkpocalypse! Music featured in the episode: https://korgansteinke.bandcamp.com/album/tattoo (https://korgansteinke.bandcamp.com/album/tattoo) https://dangerousways.bandcamp.com/album/high-anxiety (https://dangerousways.bandcamp.com/album/high-anxiety) https://gayagainstyou.bandcamp.com/ (https://gayagainstyou.bandcamp.com/)
7 May 2026
Urban Legends and Constructed Languages
In the shadows of folklore and the scaffolding of language, Matt Talks Media returns for Season 2 with a deep dive into how stories are built, shared, and believed. Dr. Matt Dorr explores the evolution of urban legends from whispered cautionary tales and campfire lore into a form of niche media shaped by online communities, participatory culture, and digital circulation. What happens when folklore stops being just “told” and starts being produced? Then, Dr. Nolan Meditz steps into the world of constructed languages, unpacking how creators like Tolkien and the architects of Klingon have engineered entire linguistic systems for media. Along the way, he examines the friction between constructed and natural languages—where authenticity, usability, and cultural meaning collide. From haunted highways to invented vocabularies, this episode maps the strange terrain where storytelling and structure meet. Music featured in this episode (support the artists!): https://mothercain.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased (https://mothercain.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased) https://campwinapooka.bandcamp.com/album/capture-the-flag (https://campwinapooka.bandcamp.com/album/capture-the-flag)
17 Feb 2026
Ep. 12: Hockey Blogs & Witch Hunts
This episode of Matt Talks Media skates straight from medieval paranoia to modern sports analytics. Dr. Matt Dorr explores the history and origins of the Malleus Maleficarum, the infamous 15th-century text that fueled witch hunts across Europe. We unpack how this ominous book shaped fear, authority, and media narratives long before the digital age. Dr. Nolan Meditz shifts the ice under our feet with a deep dive into the rise of hockey blogs, particularly those that specialized in breaking down NHL salary caps. From fan-driven analysis to influencing mainstream coverage, we look at how blogging communities reshaped hockey discourse. Music featured in this episode: Scepter of Eligos https://scepterofeligos.bandcamp.com/ (https://scepterofeligos.bandcamp.com/) Soul Annihilation https://soulannihilation.bandcamp.com/ (https://soulannihilation.bandcamp.com/) From medieval manuals to cap-space spreadsheets, this episode traces how texts shape power, panic, and fandom.
26 Jan 2026
Episode 11: Scarves, Emulators and Bigfoot
This episode of Matt Talks Media stitches together sports culture, retro gaming tech, and legendary creatures into one beautifully strange conversation. Dr. Nolan Meditz explores the history of fan scarves, especially in soccer and hockey cultures. From stadium identity to ritual and belonging, we look at how a simple piece of fabric became a powerful symbol of loyalty and community. Steven Doughty dives into the world of video game emulators—what they are, how they work, and why they matter for preservation, access, and gaming history. Dr. Matt Dorr rounds things out with a look at NOBRO, a Bigfoot research organization based in Oklahoma. We talk regional cryptid lore, grassroots research communities, and why Bigfoot refuses to step out of the cultural imagination. Music featured in this episode: Copulatory Wounding – “Exquisite Entwinement of Aborted Innards” CIA Hippie Mind Control – “An Eternal Stream” Alhymor – “The Illusion Falters” Three topics. Three rabbit holes. One episode.
14 Jan 2026
Episode 10: Format Wars, Beer Cans & Unblack Metal
On this episode of Matt Talks Media, we’re cracking open a three-part deep dive into the weird corners of media history, design culture, and underground music. First, Steven Doughty takes us back to the legendary format war that divided living rooms everywhere: JVC’s V/H/S vs. Sony’s Betamax. We dig into what the fight was really about (tech, timing, marketing, and consumer habits), and how this battle shaped the way people interacted with media at home for decades. Next, Dr. Nolan Meditz steps up to the bar and delivers a surprisingly fascinating history of the beer can, then dives headfirst into the world of craft beer can design. From branding aesthetics to visual storytelling, we explore how cans became tiny metal billboards, and why craft breweries treat packaging like art. Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr closes things out with a spotlight on The Unblack Archive: a fascinating database dedicated to Christian extreme metal artists. We talk about what “unblack metal” is, why it matters, and how scenes like this complicate the easy assumptions people tend to make about genre, ideology, and community. 🎧 Music featured in this episode: Oak of Weeping – “Job 3: Job Curses the Day He Was Born” (https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born)https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born (https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born) Alaretin – “Psalm 66: How Awesome Is He” (https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin)https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin (https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin) Majesty – Exaltation I-IV (https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv)https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv (https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv) If you like media archaeology, design nerdery, and extreme music rabbit-holes, this one’s for you.
12 Dec 2025
Episode 9: Manifestos & Melancholy Music
In this episode of Matt Talks Media, Dr. Matt Dorr takes a deep dive into Industrial Society and Its Future, the manifesto written by Ted Kaczynski, examining it as a media object and unpacking how manifestos function within alternative and underground media spaces. Rather than sensationalizing the author, the discussion focuses on the text itself, its circulation, and why documents like this continue to resurface in contemporary media discourse. Dr. Nolan Meditz joins the conversation to explore Giles Corey, both the album and the book by musician Dan Barrett. Together, we discuss themes of grief, isolation, history, and emotional extremity, and how deeply personal artistic projects can operate as alternative media artifacts that blur the line between music, literature, and confession. Steven Doughty is out on vacation in California for this episode, but he’ll be back in the studio in January. Music featured in this episode: Datura – “No Hollow Box” (https://datura3.bandcamp.com/track/no-hollow-box)https://datura3.bandcamp.com/track/no-hollow-box (https://datura3.bandcamp.com/track/no-hollow-box) Sinnarch – “Omen” (https://sinnarch.bandcamp.com/track/omen)https://sinnarch.bandcamp.com/track/omen (https://sinnarch.bandcamp.com/track/omen) Mordekai – “No Hope (Demo)” (https://mordekai.bandcamp.com/track/no-hope-demo)https://mordekai.bandcamp.com/track/no-hope-demo (https://mordekai.bandcamp.com/track/no-hope-demo) As always, Matt Talks Media explores the strange, uncomfortable, and often overlooked corners of media culture.
27 Nov 2025
Ep 8: A Visit With The Hard Boys
In this episode, Dr. Matt Dorr sits down with two long-time friends and former bandmates for a deep dive into our shared musical history. Guitarist Blake Harper (Abyssal Rites, The Great He-Goat, Redneck Nosferatu, Dead Beat, Death Inquisition) and drummer Izzy Gazca (Magazu, Diety, Abyssal Rites) join me in the studio for a candid, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt conversation about what it means to develop in the Oklahoma metal scene. If you’ve ever played in a band, loved a local scene, or wondered what life looks like behind the amps and drum kits, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Music Featured in This Episode: Napalm Unit — (https://napalmunit.bandcamp.com/)https://napalmunit.bandcamp.com/ (https://napalmunit.bandcamp.com/) Abyssal Rites — (https://abyssalrites.bandcamp.com/)https://abyssalrites.bandcamp.com/ (https://abyssalrites.bandcamp.com/) Magazu — (https://magazu.bandcamp.com/)https://magazu.bandcamp.com/ (https://magazu.bandcamp.com/) Dead Beat — (https://deadbeat918.bandcamp.com/)https://deadbeat918.bandcamp.com/ (https://deadbeat918.bandcamp.com/)
16 Nov 2025
Ep 7: Semaphore & The Wacky World of Creepypasta
In this episode, we dive headfirst into the weird, sprawling world of Creepypasta as a massive alternative media space. I break down how these stories evolved from early internet folklore into a global phenomenon, tracing their history from Creepypasta.com and 4chan to the modern horror landscape. We talk about the infamous Slenderman attempted murder and the viral rise of “The Backrooms,” one of the most iconic pieces of digital folklore in the Creepypasta universe. My co-host Steven Doughty takes us on a journey back to the 1790s, exploring the early French semaphore telegraph system—a fascinating precursor to Morse code and an unexpected chapter in communication history. We’re also thrilled to welcome Dr. Nolan Meditz as an official co-host of the show. Nolan joins us in the studio to expand the conversation, unpack cultural trends, and add his own media-theory flair to the mix. Featured music in this episode: NOMAD — https://nomad333.bandcamp.com/ (https://nomad333.bandcamp.com/) Respair — https://amomentofrespair.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2025-2 (https://amomentofrespair.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2025-2) Visuals, charts, and supplemental materials for this episode can be found at: 👉 https://matttalksmedia.wixsite.com/matt-talks-media-2 (https://matttalksmedia.wixsite.com/matt-talks-media-2) Come hang out with us as we explore horror, history, and the strange ways humans have always tried to communicate through the unknown.
14 Nov 2025
31 for 31 Finale: Ol Daddy Longlegs
It’s the grand finale of the 31 for 31 horror challenge! For this special Halloween episode, I’m joined once again by my co-host Steven Doughty and a very special guest, Dr. Nolan Meditz, as we close out the month with a deep dive into three unforgettable films — Doctor Sleep, Longlegs, and Skinamarink. We break down the psychology, atmosphere, and creative vision behind each film, exploring everything from grief and legacy to experimental fear and the power of silence. I also wrap up the challenge by giving my final ratings for V/H/S Beyond, Smile, Midsommar, Good Boy, and The Long Walk. This episode features music from the following bands. Please support the artists! Witchtrial – Demo 2017 (https://witchtrialdc.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2017) Magi – “Imago” (https://magispectre.bandcamp.com/track/imago) Heemeyer – Heemeyer (https://heemeyer.bandcamp.com/album/heemeyer) Turn off the lights, put on your headphones, and join us for the final descent into the weird, the haunting, and the underground.
14 Nov 2025
31 for 31 Episode Three: Ethical Cannibalism
In this week’s 31 for 31 installment, I’m joined once again by my colleague and horror co-conspirator Steven Doughty for a deep dive into three wildly different but equally disturbing films: Talk to Me (2023), Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989), and The Ritual (2017). We dig into grief and possession, body-metal madness, and Norse forest nightmares — unpacking what makes each film tick, twitch, and terrify. I also drop my ratings for V/H/S Halloween, Hausu, Ready or Not, The Monkey, and House of the Devil. This episode features music from: LVTHN – The Spirit of the Flesh in the Flesh of the Spirit (https://lvthn.bandcamp.com/album/the-spirit-of-the-flesh-in-the-flesh-of-the-spirit) Goatshit – A Year of Shit (https://goatshitglasgow.bandcamp.com/album/a-year-of-shit) Nightbreed – “Torn Apart by Demons” (https://nightbreedblack.bandcamp.com/track/torn-apart-by-demons) Grab your headphones, light the candles, and dive into the weird with us — where underground horror meets heavy sound.
14 Nov 2025
31 for 31 Episode Two: Rain Man II
For the second 31 for 31 episode, I’m joined again by my colleague and fellow media junkie Steven Doughty to dig into some seriously weird and disturbing movies. This round, we’re covering Weapons, Color Out of Space, Terrifier, X, Men, V/H/S 99, and Infinity Pool. From cosmic goo and body horror to found footage chaos and arthouse nightmares, we’re talking about what makes these films tick — and what makes them so damn unsettling. Expect plenty of laughs, tangents, and way too much enthusiasm for practical effects and gross-out moments. Make sure to support the musical artists featured in this episode! Links below: Rotglaive: https://rotglaive.bandcamp.com/ (https://rotglaive.bandcamp.com/) Epikoros: https://epikoros.bandcamp.com/album/spear-of-vengeance-2025-demo (https://epikoros.bandcamp.com/album/spear-of-vengeance-2025-demo) The Great He-Goat: https://thegreathegoat.bandcamp.com/album/last-rites-for-a-generation (https://thegreathegoat.bandcamp.com/album/last-rites-for-a-generation)
14 Nov 2025
31 for 31 Episode One: Ghost Doctor
In this first 31 for 31 episode, Matt sits down with colleague and fellow media nerd Steven Doughty to talk all things scary — breaking down and reviewing a lineup of modern and classic horror favorites. The two dive into the chaos of V/H/S and V/H/S 94, the eerie realism of Lake Mungo and [REC], the haunted house chills of The Conjuring, the supernatural tension of The Black Phone, the campy fun of Creepshow, and the ghost-hunting nightmare of Grave Encounters. From found footage to haunted nostalgia, Matt and Steven share their reactions, favorite scenes, and what makes these films stick with us long after the credits roll. It’s part horror review, part late-night movie talk, and all appreciation for the genre that keeps us looking over our shoulders. Follow the musicians featured in this episode! Give them your support! https://hauntedknight.bandcamp.com/album/veil (https://hauntedknight.bandcamp.com/album/veil) - CORRECTION: I called them Veil in the episode, but they are Haunted Knight. Sorry! https://fucked1.bandcamp.com/album/invoke-menace (https://fucked1.bandcamp.com/album/invoke-menace) https://dawntreaderuk.bandcamp.com/album/hapless-wretch-dawn-treader-split-ep (https://dawntreaderuk.bandcamp.com/album/hapless-wretch-dawn-treader-split-ep)
14 Nov 2025
Ep 2: DIY Recording Methods
From punk basements to black metal in the woods, this episode explores how underground bands turned limited gear into powerful statements of authenticity and resistance. Lo-fi isn’t a flaw — it’s the sound of independence.
7 Oct 2025
Ep 1: What Is Alternative Media?
In this first episode of Matt Talks Media, I dive into the big question: What exactly is alternative media? From punk zines and manifestos to blogs, fan-driven archives, and tape trading, alternative media has always given underground communities a way to tell their own stories outside the mainstream. I share both scholarly perspectives and personal experiences — including my time writing reviews on Metal-Archives, running my blog Murdered Culture, and playing in underground bands. Along the way, we’ll look at activist vs. non-activist media, the history of DIY communication, and why these projects matter for preserving culture that would otherwise disappear. Whether you’re a fan of underground music, indie horror, or just curious about how people create outside corporate media, this episode is your introduction to the world of alternative media. 👉 Join me as we dive into the unknown. #MattTalksMedia #PodcastLaunch #AlternativeMedia #UndergroundCulture #IndieHorror #UndergroundMusi
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