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.
Archive for the Features Category
On Tyranny: South American Post-Punks Pilgrims Worried About Touring US Amid ICE Atrocities
Posted in Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags Pilgrims on 02/03/2026 by Kurt OrzeckFavorite Films: Dummy Give Thumbs-Up to ‘Psycho Goreman,’ ‘Megan,’ ‘Creep,’ ‘Nosferatu’
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Interviews with tags Creep, Dummy, Green Room, Megan, Nosferatu, Paranormal Activity, Psycho Goreman, The Cursed, The Northman, The Substance on 01/17/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Last March, we had the pleasure of catching up with L.A.-based psych-pop band Dummy ahead of their set at Treefort Music Fest in Boise. In addition to talking about their second album, Free Energy, and accompanying remix LP, Bubbelibrium DLC, Alex Ewell and Joe Trainor – each of whom plays multiple instruments – talked about their favorite movies. We present you with that portion of our conversation, if you’re looking for something worth watching this weekend.
Continue readingOn Tyranny: Anarchist Art Collective INDECLINE’s List of Essential Reads
Posted in Features, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, What You Readin' For? with tags authoritarianism, fascism, Hannah Arendt, Indecline, Jaques Ellul, Marshall McLuhan, Michel Foucault, Naomi Klein, On Tyranny, tyranny 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 readingPet Sounds #77: The Truth About Thrill Jockey Publicity Director Mike Boyd’s Cats And Dogs
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags cats, dogs, Genital Shame, Mike Boyd, Pet Sounds, Stander, Thrill Jockey on 01/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
The eminently likable Mike Boyd isn’t just the Director of Publicity at arguably Chicago’s strongest indie-rock label, Thrill Jockey, founded in 1992. Nor is he only the vocalist/guitarist for heavy trio Stander. He also plays guitar at live performances by experimental black metal band Genital Shame. Oh, and he two cats and a dog to boot.
Drilling into the nuts and bolts, Nikola is a gray and white tabby, whereas Mugen is an orange tabby.
“They’re brothers, and they’ll be turning 14 this year,” Boyd told The Bad Penny. “My dog, Saoirse, is a pit bull, and I am unsure about her actual age. But. based on the estimates from when I rescued her, I would guess she’s about 9 years old.
Without further ado, let’s take a gander at Boyd’s three adorable amigos.
Continue readingOn Tyranny: An Epic Conversation With Anarchist Art Collective and Cursive Collaborators INDECLINE About Fascism And How You Can Fight It
Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags authoritarianism, Cursive, fascism, Indecline, MAGA, On Tyranny, tyranny on 01/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
The Bad Penny is embarrassed to admit that we only discovered INDECLINE, an American Anarchist art collective whose work has had tremendous impact on the underground and even the mainstream, for more than 20 years. We caught wind of the group, whose members wish to remain anonymous, after they collaborated with Cursive for their video “The Avalanche of Our Demise,” which the Tim Kasher-led indie-rock band released last month. Upon further investigation into INDECLINE, it became obvious that they would be a boon to On Tyranny, for they would certainly introduce new ideas and perspectives in the series we launched roughly a year ago.
And boy did they ever. Formed in 2001, the decentralized group of musicians, graffiti artists and others have fearlessly devoted themselves to bringing attention to the evils of capitalism, the death of democracy in America – and, on a more positive note, how we can build a better society. INDECLINE’s most prominent works of public art include statues of Donald Trump in the buff, glued to sidewalks; and their “Ku Klux Klowns” installation that served as a response to the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
We could expound a great deal further on INDECLINE’s history and accomplishments, but much of that information is covered in the longest, boldest and most informative installment in our On Tyranny series. So, without further ado, here is the epic conversation
Continue readingPet Sounds #76: Cat Lovers Psychic Pigs Named Their Band as a Derogatory Slur Jabbing the Police
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags cats, Crocodiles, Pet Sounds, police, Psychic Pigs on 01/10/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
What do punk-rockers Psychic Pigs have in common with The Simpsons? The band’s name is a derogatory slur toward cops and their streak of brutality, and the long-running animated TV show features a piggish cop, Chief Wiggum, as one of its central characters. But don’t make the mistake of thinking Psychic Pigs are haters; Brandon Welchez adores cats, as he revealed to The Bad Penny this week as part of our Pet Sounds series.
Based in L.A., Psychic Pigs put out a new album in May 2025 through Slovenly Recordings (quite a coincidence considering that “slovenly” is a commonly used descriptor of pigs). Welchez, formerly of psych posse Crocodiles, crafted the self-titled effort – one of last year’s best psychedelic records – in a mere four days. While we could’ve picked Welchez’s brain about pigs and crocodiles, we focused on his cat, Henry, as Pet Sounds revolves around musicians and their pets.
Here’s how our conversation played out:
Continue readingRoddy Bottum’s ‘The Royal We’: Two Cent Review for Treble’s Best Music Books of 2025
Posted in Features, Reviews, What You Readin' For? with tags Faith No More, Roddy Bottum on 01/07/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
At a time when the memoir market is oversaturated, Faith No More member Roddy Bottum’s brazenness strips the word “transparency” of its trendy veneer and restores its original meaning. He’s done as much work on himself, and it shines through. Read my full review on Treble.
Sahan Jayasuriya’s ‘Don’t Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen’: Two Cent Review for Treble’s Best Music Books of 2025
Posted in Features, Reviews, What You Readin' For? with tags Die Kreuzen on 01/07/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Interviews with Steve Albini, Neko Case and Thurston Moore shed some light on how an enigma of a band found such favor with artists who were actively trying to alienate their audiences simultaneously as Die Kreuzen attempted to woo and expand theirs. Read my review on Treble.
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