On The Joe Rogan Experience #2273, Joe and Adam Curry got into a great conversation about pirate radio. Adam reminisced about his time doing underground broadcasts in Amsterdam, dodging government crackdowns, and playing 12-inch imports from Chicago's house music scene. Joe compares Curry to Christian Slater's character in that movie—the one about pirate radio—but neither of them could remember the title.
The movie is called Pump Up the Volume (1990). And if you're a fan of free speech, counterculture, and rebelling against The Man, you should absolutely check it out.
Clip from JRE #2273 Adam Curry
What's Pump Up the Volume About?
Slater plays Mark Hunter, an awkward high schooler who transforms into Happy Harry Hard-On, a late-night pirate radio DJ broadcasting out of his bedroom. He speaks his mind, plays uncensored music, and rants about the hypocrisy of the adult world. His show becomes a sensation among local teens, pissing off school administrators and attracting the attention of the FCC.
It's basically Footloose, but instead of fighting for dancing, he's fighting for free speech and playing Leonard Cohen.
The film is a love letter to pirate radio and the rebellious spirit of the airwaves. It perfectly captures the frustration of a generation that felt silenced—just like Adam Curry talked about in the JRE episode. In Pump Up the Volume, radio isn't just music and talk; it's an escape, a weapon, and a revolution.
Movie Trailer
Why You Can't Stream Pump Up the Volume Anywhere
Now here's the frustrating part: you can't find this movie on any VOD platform. No Netflix, no Prime, no Apple TV. The only way to watch it legally is to buy an old-school DVD.
Why? Music rights. The film's soundtrack is loaded with legendary artists—Pixies, Bad Brains, Soundgarden, and the late, great Leonard Cohen. Back in 1990, no one was thinking about digital streaming contracts. Licensing those songs again for modern distribution is either too expensive or just tangled in legal red tape.
This isn't the first movie to be buried by music rights (WKRP in Cincinnati had the same problem). But it's especially tragic for Pump Up the Volume, since the music is the movie. Imagine trying to replace Cohen's Everybody Knows in that iconic opening scene. It wouldn't work.
Songs in the Movie
- Leonard Cohen - Everybody Knows
- Concrete Blonde - Everybody Knows (cover)
- Beastie Boys - Scenario
- Pixies - Wave of Mutilation
- Bad Brains with Henry Rollins - Kick Out the Jams
- Soundgarden - Heretic
- Sonic Youth - Titanium Expose
- Ice-T - Girls L.G.B.N.A.F.
- Peter Murphy - I've Got a Miniature Secret Camera
- The Descendents - Weinerschnitzel
Leonard Cohen's Everybody Knows plays a crucial role in setting the tone of the film. The song's dark, cynical lyrics mirror the film's rebellious energy, making it unforgettable. Interestingly, Natural Born Killers (1994) also bookended its story with Leonard Cohen tracks, using The Future and Waiting for the Miracle to similar effect, showing just how powerful Cohen's music is in capturing a mood of dystopian rebellion.
How to Watch Pump Up the Volume
Tracking down Pump Up the Volume isn't as easy as clicking 'play' on a streaming service, but it's worth the effort. Here's where to look:
- Buy a Physical Copy – You can usually find it on amazon.
- Check local used movie and record stores. You might get lucky and find a copy, possibly even bundled with Gleaming the Cube.
- Public Libraries – Some library systems still stock classic DVDs, so it's worth checking their catalogs.
- Other methods – If Hollywood refuses to make it available legally, people will find ways to watch it. The spirit of Pump Up the Volume is all about freedom, after all.
Why It's More Relevant Than Ever
Even though it's set in the 90s, Pump Up the Volume feels weirdly modern. The fight over free speech, censorship, and independent media is still going strong today.
Swap out pirate radio for podcasts, YouTube, or Substack, and you've got the same story—people pushing back against corporate and government control over what we're "allowed" to say. The FCC of 1990 has been replaced by YouTube demonetization and social media bans. And just like Happy Harry Hard-On, modern voices keep finding new ways to broadcast.
Bring it Back!
It's crazy that a movie this good, this important, and this relevant is locked away due to music rights nonsense. If there's ever a proper digital release, hopefully, they don't butcher the soundtrack. Until then, grab a DVD—or, you know, do what Pump Up the Volume would want you to do.
