Archive for the Happy Birthday Category

Happy Birthday to Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips!

Posted in Features, Guilty Pleasures, Happy Birthday with tags , on 02/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Wilson Philips (L-R) Chynna Phillips, Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson

Beloved chanteuse Chynna Phillips, daughter of the Mamas & the Papas linchpins John and Michelle Phillips, turns 58 years young today. Chynna, along with Brian Wilson’s daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, shattered nepo-baby stereotypes by delivering one of the best Top 40 tunes of 1990: “Hold On.”

You might be wondering why this website is paying homage to Wilson Phillips, a defiantly mainstream pop trio that some consider to be cringe-level saccharine. The Bad Penny‘s retort? We’re all entitled to a few guilty pleasures, and it’s a safe bet that this writer isn’t the only one who both adores extreme heavy metal and knows the lyrics to “Hold On” by heart.

Continue reading

Happy Birthday to Meshuggah Co-Founder and Lead Guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, and BRMC Chief Peter Hayes!

Posted in Features, Happy Birthday with tags , , , , on 02/11/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

🎈Fredrik Thordendal🎈

Fredrik Thordendal, Meshuggah’s lead guitarist who also cofounded the band in 1987, turns 55 today. Meshuggah toured exhaustively and exhaustedly in support of their last studio album, Immutable, following its release in April 2022. They haven’t played in concert since June 27, 2025, probably because they’re finally getting some well-deserved rest.

🎈Peter Hayes🎈

Meanwhile, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club frontman Peter Hayes turns the big 5-0 today. Since releasing 2018’s Wrong Creatures, the slick rock band has focused on touring instead of releasing new material. The closest BRMC came was packing their three-LP, 20th anniversary deluxe edition box set of Howl with previously issued songs, copious photos, handwritten lyrics, and more goodies from the era.

Continue reading

Happy 83rd Birthday to ‘Office’ Actor and Folk Musician Creed Bratton!

Posted in Features, Happy Birthday, Interviews with tags , on 02/08/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Feliz cumpleaños to Office actor and folk musician Creed Bratton, who turns 83 years old today. (Yes, that really is his age.) Creed (real name William Charles Schneider) portrayed a psychologically troubled but hilarious social misfit who occasionally popped his head out from his cubicle to uproarious effect.

The Bad Penny found it fitting to give Creed some love and attention because he’s also an honest-to-God musician. He made his recording debut in 1966, playing guitar for the Grass Roots on their album Were You When I Needed You. Nine years later, after making many more LPs with Grass Roots, he devoted almost his artistic energies on making solo material – and taking a stab ata professional acting. It’s widely considered that Creed was the most bizarre and perhaps side-splitting characters on The Office. His tenure with the series ended when The Office itself closed its doors in 2013.

Continue reading