The Music Industry: From Indie Scene to Digital Age
Date & Time: October 16, 2026, 4:00 pm–5:15 pm
Location: Carnegie Cinema (113 Carnegie Building)
Location Link:
Join us for a conversation with the band Beggar Weeds to discuss songwriting, recording and succeeding in the music industry. Featuring archival recordings and a live performance.
Drawing on post-punk, Southern folk and alternative rock traditions, Beggar Weeds, from Jacksonville, Florida, released the 1988 EP Sure Pants Alot. Michael Stipe of R.E.M. later co-produced additional sessions whose recordings now appear on the 2026 career retrospective Tragedy in U.S. History. The group’s history provides a case study in regional cultural production, independent distribution, artistic collaboration, and the changing relationship between artists and audiences in a digital age.
Penn State Faculty Participants: Kevin Hagopian, Bellisario College, and of Charlie Heim, School of Music
Co-Sponsors: Humanities Institute, Department of Film Production and Media Studies; Department of Telecommunications
