Welcome to Matt Talks Media: Your Gateway to the Underground

If you’re new here—first of all, welcome. Matt Talks Media is a podcast about the things that have shaped me as both a creator and a scholar: underground music, horror and indie films, alternative media, and the strange corners of culture that thrive outside the mainstream spotlight. Think of this space as a crossroads where extreme metal meets found-footage horror, where academic research meets DIY artistry, and where obscure creative practices get the attention they deserve.

I created this podcast because, frankly, these worlds don’t get talked about nearly enough. They’re rich, weird, creative, boundary-breaking, and deeply influential—even if they operate far from major studios and corporate media. Whether it’s a black metal band recording an album in the woods, a horror film that blows up on TikTok because of its uncanny VHS-aesthetic, or a blog that becomes a hub for a niche music community, these cultural spaces tell us a lot about who we are, what scares us, and how we create meaning.

So, if you like digging beneath the surface, you’re in the right place.

Who Am I, and Why This Podcast?

My name is Matt Dorr. I’m an Assistant Professor of Communication, researcher, musician, and lifelong fan of the strange, the noisy, and the unsettling. Before I was a professor, I was a kid in Oklahoma discovering metal through burned CDs, Myspace pages, and message boards. I’ve played in multiple underground bands—from death metal to sludge to black metal—and I’ve spent most of my life immersed in DIY music culture.

My co-host is Steven Doughty, a colleague of mine who works in the same department. He began his journey with Matt Talks Media during the 31 for 31 series (click the podcast tab to listen!) and has decided to stick around. Perhaps I will have him write a brief introduction for himself....

Academically, my work focuses on alternative media, especially non-activist and subcultural forms: extreme-metal blogs, niche review sites, tape-trading communities, and the digital corners where passionate people create their own platforms. My dissertation explored how these spaces operate, how their creators interact with audiences, and how affordances shape the flow of content.

Matt Talks Media sits at the intersection of all of that. It’s a place where I get to merge the academic with the artistic, the structured with the chaotic, and the nostalgic with the forward-thinking.

What You Can Expect on the Show

The podcast covers a pretty eclectic mix, but it’s ultimately built around one core idea: media is weird, fascinating, and worth talking about—especially the stuff that exists outside the mainstream.

Here are some of the major themes the show digs into:

🎸 Underground & Extreme Music

🎬 Horror & Indie Film

📰 Alternative Media & Subculture

And coming soon....

🎤 Conversations, Guests, and Deep Dives

Many episodes feature:

• Colleagues from academia

• Musicians

• Film fans and horror enthusiasts

• Friends from my own underground projects

We break down films, debate music, swap stories, and tackle the big questions—like why certain genres thrive online, why horror feels timeless, or why underground communities matter.

Why This Podcast Matters

Behind all the horror movies and blast beats, there’s a bigger purpose. Matt Talks Media is ultimately about exploring the creative edges of culture—the places where people make things not because they have corporate backing or industry support, but because they simply have to.

These spaces matter because:

• They preserve authenticity in a media world that prioritizes profit

• They give a platform to voices that would otherwise go unheard

• They show us how communities form, communicate, and sustain themselves

• They challenge artistic boundaries

• They provide alternative ways of imagining, creating, and sharing media

From a scholarly perspective, they’re gold mines. From a cultural perspective, they’re vital ecosystems. And from a personal perspective—they’re home.

Who Should Listen?

You’ll feel right at home here if you’re into:

• Extreme or underground music

• Horror films (classic, experimental, indie—anything weird)

• Media studies, communication theory, or subculture research

• DIY creativity and the people who make things on their own terms

• Long-form conversations about art, culture, and why we love the strange stuff

If you’ve ever fallen down a Bandcamp rabbit hole at 3 a.m., debated the ending of Skinamarink, or worn out a VHS tape of The Evil Dead, then trust me—you’re exactly my kind of listener.

Final Thoughts

Matt Talks Media isn’t just a podcast—it’s a space dedicated to celebrating the wild, creative, and sometimes unsettling worlds that shape us. Whether you’re an academic, a musician, a horror fan, or someone who simply loves the underground, this show is here to dive deep, ask questions, tell stories, and keep the weird alive.

Welcome to the community. I’m glad you’re here.