Turmoil Radio

Turmoil Radio (Turmoil) is an independent punk, hardcore, and thrash metal radio program broadcast on WUSB 90.1 FM, the college radio station of Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York. Created and hosted by Steve Kreitzer (broadcasting under aliases including Steve K. and Steve Kaye), Turmoil originally ran continuously for 24 years from December 1980 to May 2004. It is widely recognized as one of the longest-running punk rock and hardcore radio programs in broadcast history.

The show played a pivotal role in the Long Island and broader New York underground music scenes during the 1980s and 1990s, serving as a primary outlet for DIY (Do-It-Yourself) punk bands worldwide before the advent of internet streaming. In 2016, the archival materials of the program were acquired by Stony Brook University Libraries Special Collections as the Turmoil Radio Collection. Turmoil was later resurrected on WUSB with Kreitzer returning as host.

History

Early years and growth (1980–1983)

The program began in December 1980 when host Steve Kreitzer secured a Wednesday evening time slot on WUSB 90.1 FM, a 4,000-watt non-commercial college radio station. Initially unnamed, the show featured a mix of early punk rock, hardcore, and contemporary new wave music. By 1983, Kreitzer formally named the program Turmoil and shifted its focus exclusively to international punk, hardcore, and thrash metal releases.

Underground influence (1983–2004)

Turmoil operated as an independent entity within WUSB, self-funding its operations and maintaining a separate music library. Because major record labels during the 1980s rarely signed underground punk or hardcore acts, the show relied heavily on direct submissions from independent labels, touring bands, and local musicians via cassette tapes, 7-inch vinyl, and self-published zines.

To support the global DIY network, Kreitzer mailed monthly physical copies of Turmoil playlists to bands, record labels, and underground fanzines around the world. The program gained a dedicated worldwide following, with playlists and interview transcripts frequently republished in international punk fanzines such as Flipside and Maximum Rocknroll.

On May 29, 2004, after 24 continuous years on air, Turmoil concluded its initial run.

Revival

Turmoil was later revived^[when?] on WUSB 90.1 FM as a weekly program hosted by Kreitzer, continuing its original mandate of highlighting US and international punk, hardcore, and thrash metal.

Format and programming

Turmoil focused on introducing listeners to new, obscure, and independent releases across the subgenres of punk, hardcore, crossover thrash, and speed metal. In addition to music playback, the show regularly featured live in-studio interviews, phone interviews, and recorded backstage discussions with touring acts.

Notable bands interviewed

Black Flag
Corrosion of Conformity
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles (D.R.I.)
D.O.A.
Dag Nasty
Exploited
MDC (Millions of Dead Cops)
NoMeansNo
Raw Power
Scream
7 Seconds
Verbal Assault
Warzone
Youth of Today

Archival collection

In 2016, Steve Kreitzer donated his personal archive of the radio show to Stony Brook University Libraries. Formally cataloged as Collection 440: Turmoil Radio Collection, the archive encompasses approximately 114 linear feet of primary source material. The collection serves as a primary historical resource documenting the evolution of the 1980s–1990s DIY punk subculture and the growth of independent music distribution.

The collection includes:

Sound recordings (cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes, vinyl, CDs)
Correspondence between Kreitzer and underground musicians/labels
Show playlists and broadcasting logs
Promotional materials, gig flyers, broadsides, and concert posters
Rare international punk and political zines

Books

Steve has been interviewed for the book "Live from the Underground: A History of College Radio", by Katherine Rye Jewell.

References

External links

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