Archive for the On Tyranny Category

On Tyranny: Low Cut Connie’s Crystal-Clear Analysis of Authoritarian America And How to Fight Back

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny with tags on 02/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

If you watch only one installment among the 112 we’ve published so far in this series about artists responding to fascism, make sure it’s this one featuring Low Cut Connie. The rock musician’s impressive intelligence, history of engaging in protests and fearless bravery in speaking truth to power raise him to oracle status. Most Americans are confused, afraid and paralyzed by the federal government’s unconscionable, vicious and deadly assaults by a paramilitary force that answers only to Donald Trump. Low Cut Connie is calm, focused and clear-eyed about fighting fascism with unflinching strength and unwavering compassion simultaneously.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Crippled Black Phoenix Say U.K, U.S. Colonialism ‘Has Come Back to Bite Us in the Ass’

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , , on 02/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

With all the horrifying, nauseating, apocalypse-seeming terrors the Trump administration and U.S. federal government is unleashing on not only the rest of the world but its own citizens, we often forget that actions and developments that occur in America reverberate an radiate far beyond our shores.

To that end, we touched base with our friends Justin Greaves and Belinda Kordic from self-described “macabre rock” band Crippled Black Phoenix to discuss the political, cultural and moral rot that is corroding the U.S., the U.K. and even Sweden. thanks in part, although not exclusively, a certain president of a certain country trying to shape.

“It’s Handmaid’s fucking Tale, isn’t it?” an understandably upset Kordic remarks as we begin discussing the loaded subject (which, by the way, is no longer about political disagreements between left and right but rather a moral battle between right and wrong).

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Mylo Bybee Frontman Insists ‘We Won’t Let Fascism Crush Creativity’

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 02/11/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Creativity is the driving force in the musical works created by Boise rock musician Tyler Schlagenhauf of Mylo Bybee. He recently checked in with The Bad Penny to talk about Trump’s Authoritarian America and the fear that is sweeping across the country (and even the world). Schlagenhauf shares one of the more positive outlooks in The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series. “My North Star is that It can’t get to the point where it’s crushing artists’ creativity, because it is that outlet that we’ve seen over and over again can bring people together,” he says.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Top 20 Protest/Activist Musicians, From Marvin Gaye to Billie Eilish

Posted in Features, Lists, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , , on 02/10/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

1. Woody Guthrie

2. Bob Marley

Continue reading

On Tyranny: ‘It Feels Like the Deck Is Stacked Against Us … I Wish We Could All Just Get Along,’ Band VTB Says

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags on 02/10/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

It’s true and well-known that most Americans don’t know the nitty-gritty of government and politics. But we can distinguish between what is moral and not, and for that reason, we must fight for what we believe is right. VTB make a case for that claim — which every American should know –– during part of an interview The Bad Penny conducted on Wednesday with the grungy alt-rock-with-a-smattering-of-noise-and-post-punk.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Jesus Christ Taxi Driver Say Humor Is the Greatest Threat to Trump and MAGA’s Authoritarian Coup

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 02/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Denver’s Jesus Christ Taxi Driver isn’t just a band with one of the best monikers in the music universe – they’re also dead serious about resisting the Trump administration and MAGA’s destruction of American values, the federal government and even the country itself. But as The Bad Penny learned in an interview conducted just two days ago, the punk-rock band believes humor might the best response to America’s transformation into a fascist country.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Fuck Money Drummer Tells ICE and Billionaires to Fuck Off

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags on 02/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

There are three types of artists in this world. A small minority refuse to talk about current events, politics and social matters altogether. Another set acknowledges crises and problems happening in their immediate vicinity and/or in other countries. And then there are those who speak out vociferously and take action against clear injustices, especially when they’re occurring locally.

Take a wild guess as to which bracket Austin, Texas’ extreme, iconoclastic, loud-as-hell, 10-on-the-Richter scale band Fuck Money falls into. The four-piece band formed in October 2021, less than a year after Trump’s thugs committed insurrection against our country, and immediately declared their opposition to oppression, fascism and capitalism. For that reason alone, Three One G artists Fuck Money should be lauded at time when American musicians are more cowardly than ever to speak out against the atrocities that the federal government is committing against even its own citizens. After all, taking a position could alienate some of their fans and hurt sales of their concert tickets, records and merch, right?

Fuck Money don’t give a fuck about that shit and are ardent fighters in the resistance. For proof, watch the above interview that The Bad Penny conducted with Fuck Money drummer Alton Jenkins on Monday.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: South American Post-Punks Pilgrims Worried About Touring US Amid ICE Atrocities

Posted in Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags on 02/03/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Imagine emigrating with your partner from Chile to Boston, only to witness fascist horrors unfolding in the U.S. similar to those implemented by Augusto Pinochet, the dictator who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. In the latest installment of The Bad Penny’s ongoing series On Tyranny, we talk with the impossibly kind and commendably upbeat Juls Garat and Claudio Marcio of post-punk band Pilgrims (formerly Pilgrims of Yearning) about why they’re unsure touring the States would be safe for them, their new album Gemini (due Feb. 13) and getting a thumbs-up from Robert Smith of The Cure.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Anarchist Art Collective INDECLINE’s List of Essential Reads

Posted in Features, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, What You Readin' For? with tags , , , , , , , , , on 01/17/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Earlier this week, we brought you an epic conversation with anarchist art collective INDECLINE, who have collaborated with Sleater-Kinney, Cursive, Deaf Club, Rise Against and many more indie luminaries. In addition to chatting us up, INDECLINE shared a list of essential reads for those currently fighting fascism or are curious about the war being waged across the globe.

Continue reading

On Tyranny: Singer/Songwriter Gail Swanson Is Folking Sick About ICE Brutality, King Trump

Posted in Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , , , on 01/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Our parents and grandparents had Thurgood Marshall. Now it’s looking like we’re going to have martial law.

Earlier today, Gail Swanson – a cool, collected but also furious folk artist – participated in The Bad Penny’s tragically ongoing series called On Tyranny. As has been the case with almost every edition we publish, it seems like the Trump administration and MAGA have just terrorized or are about to terrorize the American populace with a calamity, catastrophe or cataclysm that may take decades, centuries or even longer to repair.

But while the majority of us seem to be in despair over our powerlessness, not just over the fascist regime that now rules over us, Swanson is refusing to give in to hopelessness and galvanize herself into action more than ever before.

Continue reading