New Books Network: Greg Soden on "Unscripted Moments: Conversations with Propagandhi (2020-2025)"

Date: October 22, 2025
Host: Caleb Zakrin
Guest: Greg Soden
Book Discussed: Unscripted Moments: Conversations with Propagandhi (2020-2025) (Earth Island Books, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Caleb Zakrin interviews Greg Soden—longtime NBN host, scholar of religion and music, and creator of the acclaimed podcast-turned-book, Unscripted Moments: Conversations with Propagandhi (2020-2025). Soden shares his journey from punk band drummer to chronicler of one of punk’s most politically charged and musically innovative bands. Together, they explore the evolution, ethos, and enduring influence of Propagandhi, as well as the unique process behind creating a deep, unscripted oral history of the band.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Origin Stories: Discovering Propagandhi

• Soden’s Introduction & Personal Connection [(04:00)]

  • Soden recounts how Propagandhi became immensely important to him in the late 90s through the St. Louis punk scene, serendipitously obtaining their debut album How to Clean Everything.
  • He describes their shift from melodic punk to more thrash-metal influenced sounds as transformative for his musical tastes.

  “They went from being a really melodic punk band to being way more thrashy and almost metallic in nature. So there was a sonic shift ... and I was immediately hooked.” — Greg Soden [04:44]

• Creating the Podcast

  • Inspired by the lack of a Propagandhi-centric song-by-song podcast, Soden launched Unscripted Moments during the pandemic:

  “We built an audience pretty quickly and that's kind of where it came out. But five years later, I'm still doing it and it's been a pretty, pretty good time.” — Greg Soden [06:10]

The Band’s Sonic Evolution and Identity

• Musical Growth & Style Blending [(06:46)]

  • The host and Soden explore Propagandhi’s integration of thrash metal and punk roots, influenced by both Canadian and American metal acts, especially after bassist Todd Kowalski joined in 1996.
  • Soden dives into technical aspects—distinctive drumming, intricate guitar work, and how the band avoided “typical” punk formulas.

  “They had a crossover between punk and metal that really flourished whenever they added a more metallically oriented bass player ... and they were able to become more of what they originally intended the band to be.” — Greg Soden [08:00]

• Recommended Entry Point for New Listeners [(33:39)]

  • Soden suggests Victory Lap (2017) as the best entry point for newcomers, highlighting its balance of melody, thrash, and catchy hooks.

  “If anybody out there has never heard Propagandi, I would say the best place you can go is to listen to 2017's Victory Lap LP.” — Greg Soden [34:35]

Political Commitments & Punk Legacy

• Intentional Activism and Confrontation [(11:10)]

  • Propagandhi’s ethos has always centered on anti-fascism, feminism, animal rights, and gay positivity, setting them apart with their activism both on and off stage.
  • The band was known for fierce confrontations with sexist, homophobic crowd members, and integrating political essays and booklists with their album packaging.

  “They would bring books on tour ... there'd be tons of literature available... They were very purposeful about platforming causes and not just being a traveling T-shirt sales organization.” — Greg Soden [13:14]

• Differentiation From Mainstream Punk

  • Soden situates Propagandhi alongside punk bands like Minor Threat and Fugazi, underscoring their refusal to exploit fans or water down their messages for broader appeal.

  “One of the most punk things you can possibly do is to go off on the people that paid money to see you whenever they were creating scenes and spaces that were unsafe for all people.” — Greg Soden [12:42]

Band Members and Changing Lineups

• Band’s Core and Notable Members [(16:39)]
  • Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky have been at the heart of the band from its inception; former bassist John K. Sampson (later of The Weakerthans) and later members Todd Kowalski and Su Lin Hago are also profiled.
  • Soden’s book features candid interviews from all key members, capturing non-linear stories that mirror his own evolving relationship with the band.

  “The book doesn't read like a beginning to end narrative. It's a relationship that I had built ... and that's one of my favorite things about it.” — Greg Soden [20:19]

Creative Process & Working Philosophy

• Slow, Deliberate Songwriting [(21:36)]
  • Propagandhi are known for taking several years between albums, favoring deliberate, sometimes painful creative processes over commercial timelines.

  “Their process is slow and very much themselves. They do things ... if something is like a slam dunk business idea, they tend to go the other direction.” — Greg Soden [22:00]

  • The band intentionally avoids nostalgia tours and commercial trends, focusing on present creative fulfillment.

Unscripted and Unexpected: Book Insights

• Candid, Critical Conversations [(24:14)]
  • Propagandhi’s openness allowed Soden to critique their work honestly, and for the band to reflect on their own songs and influences.
  • The book explores themes and stories beyond the band’s politics, revealing the everyday lives and quirks of its members.

  “There are so many more personal details in the book that are candid and very sweet and very endearing in a way that might flop it on its head of this being an aggressive, you know, punk band.” — Greg Soden [26:37]

National Identity & Legacy

• The Canadian Context [(31:08)]

  • Propagandhi are deeply rooted in Canadian musical traditions, often celebrating lesser-known Canadian punk and metal bands while also critiquing Canada’s societal failings through their lyrics.

  “They're critical of their own country, but also they have a deep appreciation for a lot of the artists that have come out of it.” — Greg Soden [32:12]

• Underrated or Just Right? [(28:14)]

  • The band’s cult status is tied to their refusal to cater to nostalgia or commercial pressure.

  “The things that have caused them to be underrated are things that people like me think are awesome.” — Greg Soden [30:15]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On their DIY ethic:

  “So many bands are legit traveling T-shirt sales people. And so that is what differentiated this band in the scene because they were constantly challenging everybody in the room to use their brains a little bit and change their minds about stuff.” — Greg Soden [13:12]

• On the book’s structure:

  “You don't have to read it in order because it's not a linear story. It is the experiences that I had with them over time.” — Greg Soden [20:32]

• On creative process:

  “They are on no one's schedule but their own, which is frustrating for fans, but I have so much respect for it... their process is slow, it's methodical... painful and long and challenging.” — Greg Soden [22:00]

• On music recommendations:

  “Victory Lap ... is a really great crossover between the melody and the metallic nature that they honed over the years. Very catchy tunes, very deep lyrics.” — Greg Soden [34:35]

Key Timestamps for Reference

• [01:36] Introduction to Greg Soden, the book, and the band’s legacy
• [04:00] Soden’s personal journey with Propagandhi
• [06:46] Explaining the band’s musical evolution and what sets them apart
• [11:10] The highly political identity of the band and confrontational history
• [16:39] Overview of band members and Soden's relationship-building process
• [21:36] Discussion of the band's slow, focused creative process
• [24:14] Soden on being critical and candid insights from the interviews
• [28:14] Reflections on the band's legacy and potential "underrated" status
• [31:08] Propagandhi’s Canadian roots and national context
• [33:39] Soden’s essential listening recommendations

Closing Remarks

Soden teases a spin-off podcast exploring releases from Propagandhi’s G7 Welcoming Committee label and reflects on the personal fulfillment of the Unscripted Moments project:

“If I talk about those records, I want to be able to give them my full effort... maybe after a period of rest I'll bust out the G7 Welcoming Committee reviews podcast.” — Greg Soden [36:18]

Zakrin concludes by recommending Soden’s other podcast projects and affirming the unique, passionate perspective Soden brings to documenting music history.

Listen to the full episode for more stories, deep dives, and candid insights from one of punk rock’s most thoughtful chroniclers.