Archive for the On Tyranny Category

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On Tyranny: Locust’s Bobby Bray Says Bands Have ‘Responsibility’ to Tour Red States, Recalls Yeah Yeah Yeahs Solidarity

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , , , on 11/14/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

“Perhaps this new panopticon is leading us further down the path to a modern-day banality of evil.” -The Locust’s Bobby Bray

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A conversation about iconoclastic, antagonistic musicians subverting authority wouldn’t be complete without input from Bobby Bray, best known as the vocalist and guitarist for The Locust. For that reason – and because his convictions about politics are as fierce, thoroughly considered and perfectly executed as his artistic vision – The Bad Penny could not be more grateful that he agreed to participate in On Tyranny, our ongoing series about how authoritarianism directly affects artists.

We carried out our exchange about tyranny, fascism, censorship and related topics with Bray last month. In the end, Bray delivered some of the most eloquent, cogent and sensible comments voiced thus far by any of the 50-plus musicians who have participated in the series we launched roughly a year and a half ago, when ICE assaults, a third Trump term and blowing up boats in international waters more than 1,000 miles away from U.S. shores seemed inconceivable to most Americans.

Without further ado, here is what Bobby Bray had to say about the current state of affairs in the U.S.

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On Tyranny: Frank Zappa Predicts the Rise of Fascism in the US on CNN in 1986

Posted in Features, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , on 11/14/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

(This article – originally published in July 2009 on IndiePit as a reflection of Frank Zappa’s legendary debate with CNN pundit Robert Novak in 1986 – is, sadly, even more relevant today than it was when the notions of tyranny and fascism taking hold in the U.S. were mere flights of fancy.)

As a writer who occasionally pretends to attempt to hold up a few of the traditional tenets of journalism – while in my pajamas, of course – on this Friday evening, reverence for Walter Cronkite is on the brain. It’s sad to see him go, as it seems the institution he devoted his life to – journalism – is also on the way out the door. But thankfully, his death could not have been more different than Michael Jackson’s.

Cronkite was the real most trusted name in news (not CNN). And watching cable-news talking heads recite his résumé, it’s refreshing to hear these pundits who often falsely pride themselves as “reporters” actually say words like “objectivity,” “truthfulness,” “public trust,” “journalistic standards,” etc. Hopefully those terms don’t fade from the public memory along with “Cronkite.”

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On Tyranny: Rocksteady Blokes Big Special Get Hammered While Hammering Out Views on MAGA, Farage and Autocracy

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , on 11/10/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Less than three weeks ago, The Bad Penny connected with our favorite new rocksteady/punk band Big Special, who famously played their first headlining gig at Dublin Castle in 2023 and haven’t looked back since. Now playing for crowds running as high as 2,300 attendees and the like at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, they’re still pushing their second album, the consummately wryly titled National Average, which came out July 4.

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On Tyranny: Charlie Nieland on How LGBTQ+ Artists Can Push Back Against ICE, MAGA

Posted in Interviews, News, On Tyranny, Sound Off, Videos with tags , , on 11/09/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Songwriter/producer Charlie Nieland–whose works regularly deal with his emotional, romantic and artistic struggles deserves–miraculously makes his art all that much more enriching for his students, classmates and the land as well. But when The Bad Penny caught word that had become more politically active as of late, we redoubled our efforts to interview him about how American Authoritarianism is already impacting artist communities, whether they know it or not.

Much to our delight, Charlie agreed to take part in The Bad Penny‘s latest episode of our “On Going” series.

Listen to our compelling conversation, become part of the effort to save and strengthen democracy across the world – and pick up Charlie’s latest works, Shame; and the just-released Stories From the Borderlines:

Here’s a taste of a new Charlie track:

Hope over to his Bandcamp page to dig deeper into him.

Furthermore, check out The Bad Penny‘s ongoing On Tyranny series, which we launched in the spring, here. Recent installments include interviews with Moonspell, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, Deaf Club, Cosmic Reaper, Ted Hearne, Terzij de Horde, Chairmaker, MyVeronica, the Gunshy, Planet on a Chain, Necrofier, Cheap Perfume, Bobby Conn, Truculent, Spiritiste and many more.

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On Tyranny: With Authoritarian Takeover Now Complete in U.S., ‘We’re Just Focusing on Survival,’ Queer Artist Nic Pugh of Midniter Says

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , on 10/27/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

“It’s just too much,” kindhearted musician Nic Pugh says on Monday, Oct. 27, in the latest installment of The Bad Penny‘s increasingly popular “On Tyranny” series. In it, musicians open up about how they are damaged, targeted and made to feel unwelcome in Authoritarian America.

While mostly disconnected from politics in the past, the artist behind indie-electronic pop project Midniter explains how he arrived at the decision to speak his mind about Authoritarian America. It’s no easy task, with Trump and Steve Bannon’s “flood the zone” theory of controlling the U.S. media now in its 10th month.

“Right now, I don’t feel like there’s necessarily a benefit for me having an interview other than the fact that I just feel I need to do it,” the queer indie electronic artist/singer/songwriter notes. Pugh’s efforts to raise awareness about social issues goes beyond making music; he founded SugarTank! Records with Nic Holman, who are in the riot-grrrl-inspired quartet Dreamboat. The label’s primary goal is to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ artists and allies in the artists’ hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.

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On Tyranny: Moonspell Vocalist Says Colonialism Caused Gaza Crisis but That Democracy Can Be Restored After Fascist Rule

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , on 10/25/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

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Join The Bad Penny and Fernando Ribeiro, frontman for the best metal band to ever hail from Portugal – the indomitable Moonspell – for this very special edition of our ongoing On Tyranny series. The gracious and extremely well-informed vocalist teaches us about the political groups that rallied back and forth for control of the country, with democracy ultimately casting 50 years of fascist rule to the winds and embracing democracy in the 1970s.

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On Tyranny: Off-Duty Cop Reportedly Pepper-Sprays Teen at Turnstile Concert

Posted in Features, News, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , on 10/24/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

This will come as no surprise for those of us who have already reckoned with the fact that the U.S. is now controlled by an authoritarian regime, but an apparent deputy recently pepper-sprayed an attendee at a Turnstile concert in Richmond, Virginia.

The alleged incident, captured on body-cam footage, shows an off-duty deputy from the Richmond Sheriff’s Office pepper-spraying a teen, according to The Richmonder. The individual apparently jumped onto the concert stage at Turnstile’s encouragement during the last song of their set.

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On Tyranny: Two-Time Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ted Hearne Says ‘We Need to Identify With the Farm Worker’ for America to Survive

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , on 10/24/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

[Subscribe to The Bad Penny by clicking the “New Subscription” box in the upper-righthand corner of this page.]

In the latest installment of The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series, we catch up with esteemed composer, singer and conductor Ted Hearne about Authoritarian America and his new album, Farming (Deathbomb Arc). The engrossing, story-based album – which dropped a week ago – ingeniously compares the philosophies of Pennsylvania founder William Penn and Amazon mega-billionaire Jeff Bezos as a way of getting to better understand what lies at the heart of America and its values. Hearne examines labor rights, capitalism and the U.S.’s rapidly changing economy – and how they contributed to the strife currently raging across the nation.

“Culture-war rhetoric very often serves to paper over another reality, and what I think is the underlying tension we should be focusing on, which is the ever-widening wealth gap,” Hearne says. “Most wealthy people in this country … the work to sustain their wealth are investing choices. And then wealth begets itself and grows. This is not the wealth of manufacturing ingenuity most of the time. People know that, and people who labor to make things know that. And there’s a deep anger about that. I’m angry about it too.”

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On Tyranny: Scotland Grindcore Artist Chairmaker Channels Anger Over Fascism Toward Helping Immigrants

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , on 10/23/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

Scottish multi-instrumentalist Neil Erskine pours his blood, sweat and tears into his band Chairmaker for two reasons: to create the best grindcore his impressive abilities will allow; and to use that music as the soundtrack to his assault on late-stage capitalism. So, naturally, The Bad Penny was morally obligated to invite Erskine to participate in our ongoing On Tyranny series. He accepted wholeheartedly and jumped on a provocative video chat with us a few days ago.

We caught up with Mr. Chairmaker about three weeks before the release of Leviathan Carcass, a record he’s self-releasing on his Bandcamp page on Nov. 14. Watch The Bad Penny‘s conversation with the hyper-enlightened Erskine, and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two – if nothing else, that the new wave of authoritarianism destroying America is causing similar destruction across the pond and elsewhere in the world.

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On Tyranny: Ultra-Rich Corporate CEO Stands With Bad Bunny in Super Bowl Flap

Posted in News, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , , on 10/23/2025 by Kurt Orzeck

To most, it will seem incongruous that this website is cover footballing to any extent. Or applaud an American citizen whose net worth hovers in the $250 million range. But because the sport is caught between a pop mega-star and a hard right-wing contingent in the U.S., we find it fitting to salute NFL Commissioner (aka CEO) Roger Goodell for backing up Bad Bunny at a Super Bowl press conference this morning.

That’s not to mention that we previously covered the Latin hip-hop star’s decision to avoid touring the U.S. for fear of ICE raiding his concerts. And the fact that Trump, Kristi Noem and other sycophantic, bigoted trolls in the White House are unabashedly trying to limit free speech or even make it a crime. Ergo, the uproar over Bad Bunny’s scheduled performance at America’s most-watching sporting event should be made aware to musicians of all stripes.

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