Boxes, Books, and Britpop: A Life Update

An update on my new chapter in life, upcoming episodes of Undefined and the music I am loving.

Hey y’all, I wanted to do something a little different from my usual music blog posts and share a life update because things have been eventful lately.

On Monday I moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama and on Wednesday I start my PhD program at UA. I am majoring in Communications and Information Sciences with a concentration in media process and effects. My goal is to become a media studies professor, and I want to study music and the ways it shapes our culture and communication styles. I am excited to share more updates as I get into my research. Right now I am even working on a potential project on ShoalsFest, which I cannot wait to dig into.

When I first got here, my mom set up the most amazing gallery wall of my music art, which makes my new place feel like home.

What’s New with Undefined

This summer I recorded several new episodes that will be coming out over the next few weeks. I just posted two: one with Hot Goat Music, the duo behind some of the music in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, including the theme song to Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers, and one with Molly Tuttle. Molly and I talked about her brand new record So Long Little Miss Sunshine, which has quickly become one of my favorites of the year. She was such a joy to talk to.

Coming up, I have interviews with Drayton Farley, Jenni Rose from the Vandoliers, Scott Danbom who plays keys for Alejandro Escovedo and was a founding member of Centro Matic, Tom Blankenship from My Morning Jacket, and more. I am so excited for these episodes to come out. They are some of my favorite interviews yet and I cannot wait for you to hear them!

Oasis Season

I am also working on a mini series of Oasis themed episodes called Some Might Say. In just a few weeks I will be taking a weekend trip to LA to see Oasis, and to celebrate the reunion I am diving deep into their world. I have interviews lined up with people who have worked with them, the author of an Oasis book, a fan who saw them at Wembley, one of the biggest Oasis memorabilia collectors, and more.

This project has been such a fun deep dive into Oasis, their lore, and their fan culture. Their music has connected with me in a way I have not felt since I first discovered Jason Isbell, which says a lot if you know me. Noel Gallagher especially deserves more credit as a songwriter. What makes Oasis so powerful is how their songs tap into universal emotion and human connection.

I have also been enjoying Noel’s solo work lately. I think the song “If I Had a Gun” might be one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. His voice is incredible too. He could sing the phone book and I would stream it.

I recently got into The Stone Roses as well, fully immersing myself in the British rock world. I found this great film called Spike Island about a group of young men from Manchester who travel to see the iconic Stone Roses show at Spike Island in 1990. The film is a fictional story based on the concert, but it beautifully captures how live music can connect people. I also watched a documentary on Oasis’s legendary 1996 Knebworth concerts. Hearing stories about people who went, their memories, their travels, and how the music affected them really moved me. I love learning about these historical concerts and the stories behind them.

Wrapping Up

That is what I have been up to. It feels good to pop on here and give a little life update. I am looking forward to everything that is ahead, both with my research and with Undefined. Thank you all for your support. It really means a lot. Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@bella.steiert) for more updates!