I Was There But Didn't Know It Yet | Allison Wolfe & Brianna Collins on Finding Perspective

In this episode of Just Press Record, Matt Zeigler brings together Allison Wolfe and Brianna Collins for a wide-ranging conversation about music scenes, creative identity, and what it really means to realize you were there while something special was happening.

From Olympia and the Riot Grrrl era to northeast Pennsylvania DIY basements, the conversation explores how community, distance, adulthood, and urgency shape creative lives over time.

What starts as a blind introduction turns into a deeply human discussion about art, memory, responsibility, and how musicians navigate creative work alongside real-world obligations.

Topics covered

• Realizing the significance of music scenes only in hindsight
• Allison Wolfe on seeing Nirvana before they were Nirvana
• Northeast Pennsylvania DIY culture and Bri Collins’ early show experiences
• Punk, new wave, and gender dynamics inside local music scenes
• Making art without knowing where it will lead
• Adult creative life, multiple jobs, and sustaining a band long term
• DIY ethics versus management and delegation
• Teaching, touring, and balancing creative energy
• Creative urgency, imperfection, and resisting overproduction
• Music, activism, and processing the current cultural moment

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and why this meeting matters
02:00 Identity, humility, and not realizing your impact
05:30 Introducing Allison Wolfe and Bri Collins
08:00 Album art, merch, and early DIY creativity
12:00 First shows and finding community
15:00 Seeing Nirvana before the breakthrough
20:00 Gender, scenes, and learning music pre-internet
29:00 Developing a distinct sound without trying to
35:00 Adult musicianship and multiple careers
41:00 Teaching, touring, and sustaining creative work
48:00 DIY values, management, and control
53:00 Art, activism, and the weight of the present moment
01:37 Closing reflections and future paths

And you already know we’ve got Bratmobile and Tigers Jaw stories all the way through.

With some Nirvana, Bikini Kill, Title Fight, and Menzingers thrown in for good measure, but of course.

@TigersJawMusic
@killrockstars

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