Aug 25, 2026 · 52 min
Los Angeles punk grew under the shadow of murder
Alice Bag: The Punk Rock Scene That Soundtracked a Serial Killer
The episode shows how a formative music scene and a serial-killer investigation occupied the same streets, clubs, and social world.
- 1Los Angeles punk took root in 1977 as fear spread through the city after a series of murders.
- 2Alice Bag and the Mask illuminate an underground community whose creative energy coexisted with real danger.
- 3Jane King’s connection to the scene made the Hillside Strangler case personal for Brendan Mullen.
Don't miss
Jane King’s murder brings the Hillside Strangler investigation directly into Brendan Mullen’s punk community.
The brief
In 1977, Los Angeles punk was taking shape in clubs such as the Mask while the city confronted a serial killer’s campaign of terror.
Alice Bag places listeners inside the scene’s emerging community, where musicians and regulars built an underground culture amid growing unease.
The murder of Jane King connected the Hillside Strangler case to people and places tied to the punk world, turning distant fear into intimate danger.
Brendan Mullen’s relationship to King and the victims made the investigation personal, while the Mask remained a crucial gathering place for Los Angeles punk.
The episode’s central tension is not that punk caused the violence, but that a vibrant scene developed alongside a threat moving through the same city.
Books & mentions
Some links are affiliate links — PodLume may earn a commission if you buy.