Today we’d like to introduce you to Dustin Heath
Hi Dustin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
SLC Punkcast was started in 2017 to bring awareness and appreciation to the punk rock scene and the history of punk rock music. I might have thought about this for six months before creating the first episode. During this time, I was coaching wrestling with a friend of mine who had similar interests and he started as my first co-host.
When I bought my first pieces of equipment and recorded my first episodes it was all trouble shooting and trial and error.
The format for SLC Punkcast was to feature new music, older or lesser-known music, feature great cover to cover albums and we had a small part of the show called “not so punk” highlighting metal or alternative music.
Unfortunately, my first cohost moved out of state and became busy with life, so I went though a short stint of guests hosts eventually choosing with my current co host for SLC Punkcast.
In 2019 I created Punk and Oi Worldwide which I host alone to showcase the differences in punk rock music around the world. Each regular episode focuses on different countries or states. Once a month I have “New Songs” episodes that focus on new music and various episodes will feature specific styles such as Ska, Garage Punk etc.
Repetitive Persistence and support from my wife are how I got to where I am today. SLC Punkcast has 505 episodes to date and Punk and Oi Worldwide has 410 episodes.
These episodes inspired me to create POWW Radio with its 24/7 Punk Rock Radio with a daily M-F morning show and various guest DJ’s. I am also working on my first few video documentaries collecting video footage through my travels.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve only faced two small issues while creating my shows. My first cohost Chris moved to California after two years on the podcast. He started coaching high school football and was busy with life unable to continue recording.
Luckily Chris and I interviewed my current cohost Eric Norris who was in other bands and was writing reviews for SLUG magazine. Eric has been cohosting for just over five years now.
I had to take a break for a month due to an injury I got while playing paintball in the mountains in October of 2023. During the accident I broke all my facial bones except the frontalis and mandible requiring surgery by the trauma team ten days after the accident (head swelling had to go down before surgery) requiring several metal plates in my face and my jaw to be wired shut for six weeks.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Prior to creating SLC Punkcast I started the Utah Flag League which I owned and operated for 16 years. This was Utah’s largest football league to date. My league hosted 8 on 8 and 5 on 5 play for adult men and co ed teams. At our busiest years we had about 110 teams per season requiring Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday games.
I’ve competed in flag football since 2001 and in 2022 was inducted in the Western National Championships flag football hall of fame.
I left the league operation in 2022 but still continuously play every season and continue to compete throughout the Western US in Best of the West, Western Nationals, Smash Mouth and MCFFU Tournaments.
How do you define success?
My definition of success would be “being happy with where you are in life and achieving the goals you set for yourself.”
Some of the things that make me happy in my life are being able to work and complete a career in Law Enforcement and Salt Lake County Corrections. I feel blessed that I was able to retire at age 41.
Being able to give back to the community through activities I enjoy, which I have done since the age of 17. I started coaching little league football while in high school and have coached high school wrestling and football throughout the valley, 15 of the last 26 years as a volunteer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slcpunkcast.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/punknoiworldwide/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PunknOiWorldwide
- Twitter: punknoiworldwide
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@punkoiworldwide2553
- Other: https://punknoiworldwide.com
