Joe Turmes is an instrumental figure in mobilizing the No Kings protests in Idaho and one of the key resistance movement leaders in Idaho. He recently participated in The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series for a conversation about Idaho 50501’s efforts to push back against ICE, galvanize local organizations under common causes (rejecting fascism among them) — and why the music community in Boise and beyond is instrumental (pun intended) in fighting back against Trump’s authoritarian takeover.
Continue readingArchive for the Interviews Category
Porch Coffin Frontman and Bad Penny Geek Out Over Nirvana, From the Hits to the Rarities
Posted in Interviews, Videos with tags Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, Porch Coffin on 12/22/2025 by Kurt OrzeckAt a memorial ceremony for Kurt Cobain held April 12, 1994, Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic delivered a brief eulogy that continues to resonate with great potency today.
“No band is special, no player royalty. But if you’ve got a guitar and a lot of soul, just bang something out and mean it. You’re the superstar,” he said. “Heck, use your guitar as a drum, just catch the groove and let it flow out of your heart.”
Not too many years after that, a kid named Evan Blaine in Daytona, Florida, was given his first CD, Nirvana’s In Utero, from his brother. Some of the songs were already familiar to him, as Blaine’s brother and father used a guitar tablature book to learn how to play tunes from Nirvana Unplugged in the family living room.
Continue readingThe Visionaries: Jeremy Moore and Saccharine Underground – A Comprehensive Career Overview
Posted in Features, Interviews, The Visionaries with tags Jeremy Moore, Saccharine Underground, Zabus on 12/22/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Hop over to Veil of Sound to read my exhaustive primer on the works of ultra-prolific musician Jeremy Moore, currently the top story on the respect German music website. You may recall the artistic genius from his edition of The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series. Now you have the chance to acquaint yourself with the sheer size, scope and high quality of Moore’s many music endeavors.
For more installments in The Bad Penny’s Visionaries series, check out:
• The Visionaries: Sadness Finds His ‘Purpose’ in Music, Readies for Breakout Year in 2026
• The Visionaries: ‘Dungeon Synth’ Master Jute Gyte Exudes Empathy in Rare Interview
• The Visionaries: Journey to the Center of Aaron Turner
Big Takeover #97: Too Much Joy Says ‘Nowadays, It’s as Good as It Ever Was’
Posted in Interviews with tags The Big Takeover, Too Much Joy on 12/21/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
The newest print edition of The Big Takeover – for which its publisher, editor, and perhaps the best person on earth, Jack Rabid, has graciously allowed me to contribute for 23 years – is now available for purchase. If you believe in punk rock and for which it stands, buy it. Among my 10 contributions is an interview with Too Much Joy, who are having the times of their lives after reuniting 10 years ago. (Read their installment in my On Tyranny series here.) Buy the damn mag; it’s 170 pages long, a work of art in its own right and only costs seven bucks.
On Tyranny: Nightrage Guitarist Scolds Complicit Public for ‘Looking the Other Way’ as Democracy Dies
Posted in Interviews, Lists, News, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags authoritarianism, fascism, Marios Iliopoulos, Nightrage, On Tyranny, trump, tyranny on 12/18/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Little did The Bad Penny expect that a feature called “The 20 Best Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal Bands of All Time” that we published five days ago would become the most popular post in the history of this 15-year-old website in its entire existence. But that’s exactly what the headbangers ordered, and it’s spurring us to run some spinoff articles about bands made the cut on the list but that we’ve never had the pleasure of interviewing.
Reaching out to the bands on the list that aren’t as popular as your In Flames, Amon Amarth and Dark Tranquillity, we were reminded that Gothenburg is the historic city that birthed more than just three MDM bands. Nightrage guitarist Marios Iliopoulos said he was both flattered to be recognized and that their artistic output is just as strong as many of the other bands included on the rundown.
Continue readingFrom the Vault: Cost-Cutting Hacks For Broke Bands, Pt. 1: Trail Of Dead, Sigh, Black Anvil
Posted in Interviews with tags Black Anvilk, Sigh, Trail of Dead on 12/18/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
From the “starving artist” lore of yore to Woody Guthrie illegally hopping trains as a method of touring to record labels, promoters, and clubs ripping off bands, artists have struggled to make ends meet since the dawn of … (commercial) art. And we didn’t even mention gear theft, vans breaking down, and natural disasters (until we did just now).
Resilient bands sometimes overcome such hurdles thanks to their fans’ generosity, if the musicians are wise and savvy enough to build, grow, and maintain their fanbase. Other bands get big(ger) through contracts involving their music, merchandise, tours, and marketing. Yet even more broke bands manage to succeed by keeping their costs low—or simply getting lucky.
Continue readingFrom the Vault: Sigh Frontman Says ‘There’s No Way to Get Away From Death’
Posted in Interviews with tags Sigh on 12/17/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
A couple of weeks ago, Mirai Kawashima—frontman of Sigh, one of Japan’s longest-running metal bands—published a two-sentence Facebook post that summed up both his current state of mind and his band’s latest material. And the thought he shared didn’t even mention Sigh.
In true metal form, Kawashima wrote: “So I turned 53 today. There’s not much difference between 52 and 53, but obviously 53 is 1 year closer to death.”
And, in true Facebook form, the oblivious top comment read: “Happy Birthday!!”
It’s obvious to say, but Kawashima (who is also a music journalist) couldn’t have posted that remark were he a day younger. But that fact is worth noting because, when he spoke with The Bad Penny ahead of Sigh’s latest album, the vocalist and bassist explained that he couldn’t have made Shiki at a younger age, either.
Tying it all together, Shiki is about Kawashima’s increasing obsession with death as he gets older. Compounded by the passing of his father the month before we spoke with him, Kawashima explained how death was an abstract concept to him, until he turned 50 years old.
Continue readingJapan’s 夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) Says They Won’t Tour but That ‘Life, as Art, Is Unpredictable’
Posted in Interviews with tags Sleepwalker, 夢遊病者 on 12/16/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
“РЛБ30011922 is a way to deal with a death, to honor a memory and create a record of a reminder that this honor must be preserved.”
-PBV of 夢遊病者
When a band decides to call itself “夢遊病者,” it exponentially decreases their chances of getting “discovered.” But, of course, that presupposes the notion that mass appeal is the top priority for every musician. From all indications, that ain’t the modus operandi for Osaka, Japan’s experimental death-metal crew 夢遊病者. Their primary goal appears to be attracting erudite music-heads who are highly selective with what tunes they choose to consume.
The Bad Penny recently came across 夢遊病者 and became instantly hooked on the trio’s original sound, which also incorporates folk, free-jazz, grind, thrash and psychedelia. You owe it to yourself to check out РЛБ30011922, which consists of one engrossing song that runs 37 minutes (divided into 10 segments) and came out in late October. Don’t dare call the song, which shares the same name as the title of the release, a throwaway track; PBV (guitars/saz/bow/vocals/effects, NN (bass/electrophones) and KJM (drums/percussion) spent three years crafting it.
After getting hooked on the kaleidoscopic track, yours truly championed it in my Treble column, “The 13th Floor,” as one of the eight best psychedelic releases of the fall season. (You’ll find 夢遊病者’s “РЛБ30011922” even more tempting to seek out because it’s available on Bandcamp at a pay-what-you-want price point.)
Continue readingPet Sounds #75: Brokedowns’ Drum Kit Player Can’t Get Enough of His Kitty Cats
Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags Brokedowns, cats, Pet Sounds on 12/16/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
If you’re unfamiliar with the Brokedowns, a punk band out of Chicago, than shame on you. Less than three weeks ago, the band’s irrepressibly good-natured and good-humored guitarist/vocalist, Kris Megyery, bravely participated in our On Tyranny series, informing us how he had personally witnessed despicable ICE raids at his workplace. He also agreed to speak with The Bad Penny because the Brokedowns’ new record, Let’s Tip the Landlord, which just came out a few weeks ago through Red Scare Industries.
During the same interview, Megyery informed us that the Brokedowns’ drummer, Mustafa Daka, has limitless love for his pets, making him an ideal candidate for the Bad Penny’s other popular series, Pet Sounds. Megyery’s claims proved to be very well-founded, as Daka got back to us speedy, ready to gush over his cats.
“My precious angels, sisters Ava and Olive … are my favorite topics to talk about!” he gushed during an email exchange.
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