Mia Lin of L.A. DIY guitar band MyVeronica engages in a stimulating conversation about the impetus of real punk-rock artists meeting the moment and calling out authoritarianism and discrimination when they see it. We caught up earlier this week, following the early August release of Farewell Skylines, their split EP with Friend’s House.
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On Tyranny: MyVeronica’s Mia Lin Says ‘True Meaning of Punk’ Is ‘To Speak Out’
Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags Mia Lin, MyVeronica on 10/03/2025 by Kurt OrzeckJonathan Richman ‘Votes Yes’ on Boise, Returns to Kick Off Tour Tonight
Posted in Interviews with tags Jonathan Richman on 10/03/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
To enter the genteel, childlike and joyous world of Jonathan Richman is, in many ways, to embrace the essence of the music-listening experience: true escapism in a world crafted by a master creator of art and fantasy. Formerly of Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, the singer/songwriter returns to Boise tonight after gracing Treefort Music Fest with a buoyant and jovial set on a sunny afternoon in March 2017.
Richman returns to the City of Trees tonight to perform at Shrine Social Club to embark upon a fall tour in support of his album Only Frozen Sky Anyway, released July 4 via Blue Arrow Records. The Bad Penny recently caught up with the legend to talk about why he “votes yes” on Boise, the favorite concerts he’s ever attended – and why, surprisingly, he doesn’t think now is the right time for hope.
Continue readingDeathcore Squad Signs of the Swarm See the World in a Whole New Light
Posted in Interviews with tags Signs of the Swarm on 10/03/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Signs of the Swarm frontman David Simonich and drummer Bobby Crow explain how the band’s latest album, To Rid Myself of Truth, confronts personal adversity and evolves sonically to be their most progressive project in the last decade. Read my story on Knotfest.com.
Shiner Bassist Reveals His Favorite Bands: Tool, IDLES, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Posted in Interviews with tags IDLES, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Shiner, Tool on 09/29/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Shiner bassist Paul Malinowski talks about producing the Kansas City post-hardcore band’s new LP, BELIEVEYOUME, as well as dream collaborators and nightmare live show experiences. Read my Shiner interview on FLOOD.
Pet Sounds #68: Temple of Love Open Their Hearts to Fulci the Cat
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags Austin Pets Alive!, cats, Destroyer of Light, Fulci’s Eyes, Pet Sounds, Temple of Love, Witchcryer on 09/28/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Lest you think Austin, Texas, is only comprised of psych-rock bands these days, The Bad Penny brings you Temple of Love, a goth-rock/dark-wave band whose debut, Songs of Love and Despair, drops November 7 on Reptile House. Fans of The Black Angels and Killing Joke, take note.
Husband-and-wife duo Steve Colca and Suzy Bravo incepted Temple of Love way back in 2018, intending it to be a “pet” recording project all their own. But the two musicians – who hail from touted doom bands Destroyer of Light and Witchcryer, respectively – decided to aim for loftier ambitions after their 2019 demo earned them heaps of praise.
Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Colca, vocalist Bravo, drummer Patrick Pascucci and bassist Joseph Maniscalco, there’s also an honorary member of the band: Colca and Bravo’s beloved black cat, Fulci. We’ll have plenty more to say about Temple of Love and their maiden release in the future, but first, let’s give the hat-wearin’, snow-bearin’, self-brushin’ Fulci some affection and attention.
Continue readingReggae-Metal Mashers Aurorawave Amped to Play First Show Since New LP Release Tonight in Boise
Posted in Interviews on 09/28/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
When The Bad Penny caught up with Aurorawave frontman Nathan Aurora on Wednesday, ahead of the metal-reggae band’s gig at The Shredder tonight, he was in the zone. The previous week, he achieved a lifelong dream by playing Louder Than Life Festival, now the biggest rock event in the States, and that was just a month after his band released their second full-length, Monument. Featuring members of Underoath and Emmure, the record is doing well on the charts and providing Aurorawave with plenty of wind in their sails as they tour behind it.
We caught up with Aurora as his L.A.-based band was cruising into Denver, and what turned into a short Q+A a about Aurorawave’s show tonight in Boise swelled into a larger conversation about the birth of the band, its personality and mission, and even what drives Aurora as a musician and human being. So here we go …
Continue readingGuerilla Toss, Pals of Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus and Phish’s Trey Anastasio, Ready to Go Ape in Boise Tonight
Posted in Interviews with tags Built to Spill, Doug Martsch, Evan Zuri, Guerilla Toss, Kassie Carlson, Pavement, Phish, Stephen Malkmus, Still Depths, Trey Anastasio on 09/27/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
After a kinda middling summer concert-wise in Boise, the next month is chock-full with super shows, and The Bad Penny will do its best to both inform you about can’t-miss and encourage you to attend them. One is happening tonight at Shrine Social Club, which will host Sub Pop art-rock quintet Guerilla Toss, along with Vancouver, British Columbia’s alt-punks Still Depths and Evan Zuri.
Guerilla Toss’ set will perform selections from their fifth record, You’re Weird Now, which dropped Sept. 12 and features contributions by Stephen Malkmus of Pavement (who produced the album) and Ben Katzman, who came in third on Season 46 of Survivor. Bet you didn’t have that latter guest appearance on your bingo card.
Guerilla Toss singer Kassie Carlson did The Bad Penny the favor of touching base with us during their long drive from Portland to the City of Trees. Our conversation went a little something like this:
Continue readingPet Sounds #67: Miracle Blood Draw Love From Their Guinea Pigs, Cats
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags Miracle Blood on 09/27/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Noise punks Miracle Blood are road dogs – but it’s cats (and two guinea pigs who sadly passed away) that are the Boston-area band’s animal spirits. Guitarist/vocalist Andrew Wong, bassist Garrett Young and drummer Anthony Bollitier, in a rare break between playing gigs, were game to talk about their love for their furry friends as part of The Bad Penny‘s ongoing Pet Sounds series.
Miracle Blood’s latest album, Hello Hell, came out in November via esteemed label Nefarious Industries. But it’s their past releases that are littered – pun very much intended – with references to creatures of various sorts. There’s their August 2022 song “Pomeranian,” and then three double-single releases from 2019 on which animals are featured on their pastel covers: “Roses”/”Nurses,” “Swollen/Sentinel” and “Bloom/Polite and Calm.”
We chatted up Miracle Blood about their animal fixation, and here’s what they had to say. Or purr.
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