Archive for the Interviews Category

Exclusive: Miracle Blood Are in for a Bloody Good Time With Epic Tour

Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, My City Rules, News with tags , on 05/19/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Noise punks Miracle Blood are ready to bring the ruckus with an ambitious tour starting July 11 in Buffalo, NY, running through August 2 in Washington DC.

The Beantown badasses are also on the docket for the fifth edition of the ultra-underground Caterwaul Fest in Minneapolis on May 26. In between Caterwaul and the onset of their summer trek, the band will hit up Portsmouth, New Hampshire (June 13); Troy, New York (June 24); and Boston (June 28).

Miracle Blood certainly aren’t allergic to playing live, and this new jaunt will be their most extensive one to date.

“Play new material in front of crowds to kind of see what’s landing right and what maybe needs a little bit more work,” cofounder/guitarist/vocalist Andrew Wong told The Bad Penny.

With so many upcoming engagements, it’s patently obvious that Miracle Blood–who tout themselves as “gnarly noise-punk for the weird at heart”–are on fi-yah. If noise-punk isn’t your jam, give Miracle Blood a shot nonetheless, as they meld their music with mathcore as well.

Expect scenes like this to unfold frequently during Miracle Blood’s upcoming gigs:

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Friendship Commanders’ Buick Audra Can’t Stop Making Music

Posted in Interviews with tags , on 05/19/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

The impressively prolific Buick Audra could have gone on a hiatus—but instead, the gifted guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter decided to turn her focus from Friendship Commanders and toward her other project, which is also called “Buick Audra.” Read my interview with Audra on New Noise.

Ataris Frontman’s Dog Helped Save Him From the Brink of Death

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/18/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Kristopher Roe, frontman for punk legends the Ataris, has a secret to keeping himself happy, healthy, and sane. He derives superhero invincibility from his beloved dog, which he gushed about for New Noise.

Michael Younker and His Kitty Are Like Two Cool Cats in a Pod

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/14/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Singer/songwriter Michael Younker’s affection and connection with his cat Birdie is air-tight in more ways than one. The two share a 700-foot flat in Brooklyn and rarely leave each other’s sight. Birdie is not only an indispensable friend to Younker but a pet that keeps the artist throughly entertained when he’s not making music. Read my hot-off-the-proverbial-press New Noise interview with the enormously talented and kind-as-can-be musician.

Harpist/Violinist Duo LEYA Out to ‘Conquer the World’

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/13/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Go to New Noise for my intriguing interview with Brooklyn harpist Marilu Donovan and vocalist/violinist Adam Markiewicz, who are touring incessantly and wowing crowds across the world with their one-of-a-kind music project, LEYA.

NOLA’s BRAT Promise a ‘Deranged’ Set in Boise Tonight With Nekrogoblikon

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/11/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Mayhem in the tallest order is slated for tonight at Boise’s Treefort Music Hall, which is still (as Outkast would say) “so fresh and so clean” after opening a couple of years ago. It’ll be something of a miracle if the venue is still standing, and if the Hall’s top-of-the-line acoustics are still intact, at the end of the night. On tap for the shambolic shenanigans are self-described “barbiegrind/bimboviolence” combo BRAT, blackened-deathcore demons Ov Sulfur, technical death/thrash metal vets Revocation and irreverent melodic death-metal monsters Nekrogoblikon.

The Bad Penny had the good fortune and distinct pleasure of catching up with BRAT, who graciously granted us some of their time after the bill’s performance last night in Seattle, to talk about some of what they have up their collective sleeve for tonight’s destined-to-be-unhinged show. Expect to hear ample selections from BRAT’s latest full-length, Social Grace, which they released early last year through discerning metal label Prosthetic Records–and a slamming cover of Heart’s “Barracuda” that’ll blow your socks out through your eyeballs.

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In Search of Soul: Caliban Venture ‘To Hell and Back’ on 13th LP

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/10/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Founding guitarist Marc Görtz keeps it real in discussing the band’s creative missteps and how facing the criticism of fans head on allowed Caliban to return from the brink bigger and better than ever. Read my feature on the German metalcore band via Knotfest.com.

Hiking, Skiing and Doom Metal: A Conversation with Sweden’s Cavern Deep

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/09/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Read my lengthy New Noise interview with bassist/vocalist Max Malmer of Swedish doom-metal luminaries Cavern Deep in commemoration of their new LP, Part III – The Bodiless, released today. He touched base with me from a tiny town north of the Arctic Circle and a destination for those who venture to see the northern lights, where he was on a hiking expedition.

Sleigh Bells Get Deep About Cats and Dogs on Riotous ‘Bunky Becky Birthday Boy’

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/08/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

New Noise invited the duo of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller to take part in a question and answer session about animals shortly after learning that their new album, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, revolves heavily around at least one animal. More specifically, Sleigh Bells came up with the title track by combining the nicknames of Krauss’ belated dog, Riz (“Bunky Becky”), and her son, Wilder (“Birthday Boy”). Sure enough, Krauss and Miller hollered back almost immediately.

Neal Morgan Shares ‘Huge Love’ of Animals on New LP

Posted in Interviews with tags on 05/08/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

It’s no mistake that PAW is the first true foray into pop for Neal Morgan, who is best-versed in drumming and has collaborated with tastemakers like Joanna Newsom, Bill Callahan, and Fleet Foxes. Read our recent conversation for New Noise in which he elucidates his unique experiences rescuing animals.