Definitely more horror than comedy, Sam Raimi nonetheless made an indelible mark in a short film that was part of master-of-the-macabre John Carpenter’s 1993’s anthology, Body Bags. (Raimi made a couple of cameos in it; keep yer eyes peeled. Horror king Wes Craven also makes a cameo, and one of the main roles.)
Continue readingIf Sam Raimi’s ‘Send Help’ Has You Begging for More Horror-Comedy, Watch This John Carpenter Short Film in Full
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Videos with tags Body Bags, David Naughton, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, The Gas Station on 05/12/2026 by Kurt OrzeckExclusive Song and Lyric Video Debut: ‘Stranger’ by Michael C. Hall’s Band Princess Goes
Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, Videos with tags Matt Katz-Bohen, Michael C. Hall, Peter Yanowitz, Princess Goes on 05/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck“Stranger,” the new song and video by Dexter and Six Feet Under actor Michael C. Hall’s band Princess Goes, is out today – and The Bad Penny has the honor of debuting it. The track is the first selection from the upcoming full-length by the band, which also features multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Matt Katz-Bohen (Blondie, Cyndi Lauper) and drummer Peter Yanowitz (Wallflowers, Natalie Merchant).
“Stranger” will be available for purchase on all major music providers tomorrow.
The three musicians founded Princess Goes in 2018 after vocalist/lyricist Hall met Katz-Bohen and Yanowitz as they all participated in performances of the acclaimed rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
After forming, the group put out two LPs and an EP. Their third full-length is due later this year and will be preceded by the release of additional singles.
Katz-Bohen touched base with The Bad Penny on Tuesday to exclusively discuss Princess Goes’ new song.
Continue readingWinston Hightower’s ‘100 Acre Wood’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Winston Hightower on 05/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
The 14 songs featured on Columbus, Ohio, native Winston Hightower’s second album, 100 Acre Wood, may be as short as the ones on its lo-fi predecessor, but they’re far more fleshed out with catchier and on-point rock music. Read my FLOOD review here.
Pet Sounds #85: Nuzzle’s Bassist Loves to Snuggle With His Cats, Stormy and Butter
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags Nuzzle, Pet Sounds, post-hardcore, Solid Brass on 05/10/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Los Angeles post-hardcore Nuzzle belong to a very exclusive and special contingent of bands that only made one proper album but left an indelible footprint nonetheless. The band’s releases are limited; three of the four are a live recording, a collection of non-album tracks and a split single. But the fourth, Nuzzle’s first and only proper full-length, was so impactful that it warranted a 30th anniversary edition reissue late last year. The new version of Follow, for Now features a remixed sound that makes even more clear why the band made its mark despite its short lifespan.
Much to our delight, Nuzzle’s bassist – Simon Fabela – expressed interest in participating in The Bad Penny‘s ongoing Pet Sounds series. A cat lover through and through, take a gander at smile-inducing pics of his cats, Butter and Stormy, as well as some commentary Fabela provided in the form of answers to questions we sent him.
Continue readingHeavy-Rock Trio Temptress Luring Fans to Realms Tonight for Second-Ever Boise Gig
Posted in Concert Previews, Interviews with tags Andi Cuba, Christian Wright, Ghorot, Kelsey Wilson, Khorvai, Temptress on 05/08/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Dallas trio Temptress – which feature Andi Cuba on drums and vocals, Kelsey Wilson on guitar and vocals, and Christian Wright on bass and vocals – have come a long way since forming seven years ago. The trio have cranked out two LPs (SEE in March 2023 and hear in January of this year) as well as an EP (Temptress in June 2019) that coherently and rivetingly mash up their love of old-school metal, alt-rock and post-rock into a distinct sound that’s all their own.
Perhaps even more impressively, Cuba, Wilson and Wright – all of whom were already tour vets when they formed Temptress – have developed a marathon-runner-esque endurance for spending time on the road. Already deep into a long series of dates supporting hear, the band makes a pit stop at Realms Arcade in Boise tonight for what will be, as anyone who’s seen them before will attest, a spellbindingly smashing good gig.
In anticipation of the concert, we caught up with Wright yesterday as the band was between gigs in Spokane, WA, and Moscow, ID.
Continue readingDave Grohl’s Hardcore-Punk Bonafides Propelled Him – and Nirvana – to Enormous Mainstream Success
Posted in Essays, Features with tags Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters, Krist Novoselic, Kurt Cobain, Lemmy, Nirvana, Scream on 05/08/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
When Nirvana signed to a major label in 1990, they had already established a strong fan base in their hometown of Seattle thanks to the underground success of Bleach, their debut album. But even though the band was just a trio, the consistency of its lineup was tested by a Spinal Tap-esque rotating cast of drummers (the last of which was Dave Grohl). When Nirvana inked a deal with the David Geffen-owned DGC Records, they also faced skepticism from a fan base suspect of artists tied to corporate entities. Whether deliberate or not, Kurt Cobain successfully diffused those concerns while simultaneously strengthening his three-piece by tapping Grohl, a drummer who had already established his punk-rock bona fides by the time he joined the band in his early 20s. Read my full feature on the topic courtesy of Collider.
Banshee Tree Treating Treefort Music Hall to Another Glorious Gig Tonight in Boise
Posted in Concert Previews, Interviews with tags Banshee Tree, MarchFourth on 05/07/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Hot off the recent release of their latest album, Bad Luck, Banshee Tree are returning to Boise this evening to showcase their new material and reconnect with the many friends they’ve made here. Based in Denver, the band is starting to tour in support of Bad Luck with six shows – including one at Treefort Music Hall in Boise.
We touched base with saxophone and keyboard player Jesse Shantor yesterday to get the skinny on what Banshee Tree have in store for their show, to try to understand his ability to play those two instruments simultaneously – and much more.
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The Bad Penny (beta) 