Kennedy Saves The World – “Kennedy Saves the '90s”

Date: November 12, 2025
Host: Kennedy
Guest: Rob Harvilla, author of 60 Songs That Explain the '90s and host of the podcast by the same name

Episode Overview

Kennedy embarks on a nostalgic and unfiltered celebration of 1990s music and culture with guest Rob Harvilla, whose book and podcast, 60 Songs That Explain the '90s, dive deep into the era’s iconic soundtracks, personalities, and cultural shifts. Together, they reminisce about the decade’s alternative scene, the enduring power of its pop and rock stars, and how the music of their youth unexpectedly shaped the generations that followed. The conversation weaves personal stories, cultural criticism, and the idiosyncrasies of fame, fandom, and identity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Kennedy and Rob’s 1990s Beginnings

• Kennedy’s Rescue by Alternative Music: Kennedy opens with how the 90s alternative scene “saved her life.”
  • “I was headed for the gutter. But thank goodness the alternative scene showed up and put me on the right path.” (00:11)
• Rob describes his experience as a college radio DJ and his strong desire to write for Rolling Stone.
  • Humble admissions about his lackluster radio skills add self-deprecating humor: “Was I any good? No. That’s the easiest question to answer.” (01:17)

90s Nostalgia, College Days, and Radio Riot Stories

• Both reminisce about their time at Ohio University and infamous student traditions.
• Rob recounts DJing during the “Time Change Riot” when students protested losing bar time to daylight savings by setting trash cans on fire.
  • “I was playing the Afghan Whigs at the time to an audience of nobody. But that did occur.” (03:58)

Looking Back: Bands, Albums, and Personalities

• Third Eye Blind:
  • Kennedy and Rob poke fun at Stephen Jenkins and the notorious hubris and drama within the band.
  • “Everyone only remembers one song.” – Kennedy (04:44)
  • Rob reflects on Jenkins’s classic “rock star swagger… in the 90s when you weren’t supposed to be like that anymore.” (05:10)
• TikTok & Algorithmic Nostalgia:
  • They discuss how TikTok and pop culture (e.g., Stranger Things) resurface and redefine 90s hits for younger audiences.
  • “Sometimes it’s stuff that was already established and popular and just becomes popular again… and sometimes it’s just completely random stuff.” – Rob (06:54)
• Nirvana T-Shirts and Generational Time Travel:
  • Rob muses: “I do always wonder what younger people think it was like… just based on what T-shirts they buy… what songs get big on TikTok.” (08:19)

The Power and Vulnerability of 90s Lyrics

• Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam:
  • Kennedy: “I was there for the recording of that album… and I love that song so much. I think it’s perfect.” (09:01 referring to "Closer" by NIN)
  • Rob: “The facts that Trent Reznor, that Billy Corgan, that Eddie Vedder, that Kurt Cobain… I would listen to their lyrics and I would feel like… they were reading them directly out of my diary.” (10:06)
• This leads to a wider discussion about the effectiveness of honest, personal songwriting and its universality.
• Memorable Quote:
  • Rob: “The more personal your writing is, you know, the more universal it feels to the people listening.” (11:47)

90s Women in Music and Media

• Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Courtney Love, Bjork:
  • Kennedy shares a story about almost getting fired for an on-air joke about Tori Amos—later realizing the gravity of Amos's story.
  • Both discuss how 90s press was often rough and objectifying towards female musicians.
  • Rob: “The whole 'women in rock' thing, in retrospect, it's just so infantilizing almost and just so absurd.” (26:34)
• Courtney Love:
  • Kennedy: “Courtney wore baby doll dresses so short you could see her coos... carried Kurt’s ashes around in... a little Hello Kitty backpack.” (26:34–27:03)

Oasis & 90s Britpop

• Wonderwall’s Enduring Reign:
  • Kennedy and Rob debate which Oasis song best explains the 90s. Rob ultimately chooses “Wonderwall,” but with love for “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Slide Away.”
    • “You have a genuine impulse to find some... try and be cool about it. But I do think you just have to bow to the supremacy of Wonderwall.” – Rob (16:13–16:36)
  • Kennedy lampoons Liam Gallagher’s stage persona: “He looked like a dirty Gorton’s fisherman.” (17:34)

TLC, MTV, and the Opening of the 90s Pop World

• The rise of TLC is highlighted as landmark for MTV and representation of hip-hop and R&B.
  • Rob: “They each had their own lane. It occurs to me that kids K-pop demon hunters... it's a very TLC vibe.” (18:47)
• Kennedy recalls MTV opening up to diverse genres after years of being “so white and... insular and stupid.” (19:21)
• They laugh about Rob’s error mixing up Montel Williams and Montel Jordan. (20:14–20:30)

Fame, Fandom, and the 90s/Today

• Coolio and Steven Jenkins at the MTV Ski House:
  • Kennedy shares stories about hanging out with Coolio (“so much fun”) versus Jenkins (“such a tool”), illustrating the difference in personalities behind-the-scenes. (21:25)
• Fandom through the Years:
  • Rob notes the intimidating passion of Tori Amos fans and contrasts the media treatment and fan base intensity of Tori, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift.
  • Both lament the exploitation and lack of agency experienced by Britney compared to the control Taylor Swift maintains today.
    • “You wanted Britney Spears to have a fraction of the control over her own career, you know, that it’s clear Taylor Swift had from the beginning. You know, it would have made all the difference.” – Rob (29:48–30:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On 90s Lyrics and Connection:
  • Rob: “The more personal your writing is, you know, the more universal it feels to the people listening.” (11:47)
• On TikTok Reshuffling Nostalgia:
  • Rob: “I enjoy the way TikTok distorts our sense of linear time. I’m really into how baffled I am.” (06:54)
• On Wonderwall:
  • Rob: “You have to bow to the supremacy of Wonderwall, you know, from a cultural perspective.” (16:36)
• On Women in Rock Press:
  • Rob: “It looked so sweaty now.” (26:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:10–02:00: Kennedy and Rob’s introductions; college DJing stories
• 03:58: Rob’s “Time Change Riot” recollection
• 04:35–06:17: Third Eye Blind analysis and Stephen Jenkins anecdotes
• 06:54–08:19: TikTok, nostalgia, Nirvana T-shirts
• 09:01–11:47: The vulnerable power of 90s lyrics; Nine Inch Nails discussion
• 13:32: Kennedy’s Rocket from the Crypt ankle tattoo story
• 15:20–17:47: Oasis, Wonderwall, Liam Gallagher’s stage persona
• 18:23–19:21: TLC’s MTV breakthrough, expanding cultural representation
• 21:25–22:05: Coolio and Jenkins at the MTV Ski House
• 24:57–28:16: Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, the media's treatment of women artists
• 28:54–31:08: Britney Spears vs. Taylor Swift and agency in pop stardom
• 31:26–31:58: Farewells, book recommendation, closing thoughts

Conclusion

This episode is a lively, deeply personal, and sharply observed journey through the pop and alternative landscape of the 90s. Kennedy and Rob Harvilla revel in the nostalgia, challenge surface-level trends, and reflect on the emotional and cultural resonance that defined—and continues to define—the decade.
Fans get not just a playlist of memories, but a candid look at the imperfections, influences, and aftershocks of an unforgettable era—served with irreverence and heart.

Recommended For:
Anyone with a fondness for 90s music, the MTV era, or cultural commentary with a punky, honest edge. Rob Harvilla’s book, 60 Songs That Explain the '90s, gets an enthusiastic endorsement from Kennedy.