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On Tyranny: Voidhämmer Bassist/Vocalist Says ICE Atrocities Backfired, Hardened His Resolve to Be a Better Citizen

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , on 03/08/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Roger Herrera, bassist/vocalist for Los Angeles’ Voidhämmer, checked in with The Bad Penny on Sunday to talk about Noxious Emissions, the four-song EP that the new death-metal/grindcore band put out in January. When our conversation inevitably turned toward the topic of federal agents invading L.A. Angeles last summer to terrorize and harass residents – regardless of their citizenship or legal status – Herrera seemed equally proud of his neighbors as he is proud of his bandmates.

“If you look at the news for so long, it is definitely maddening,” he said, noting the social strife that is ripping American society apart. “You can become overwhelmed and distraught by everything that’s going on. So you do have to shut that out so you can just go about your day.”

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On Tyranny: ICE’s Fear Tactics Are Failing, Guitarist for Hardcore Punks Sweat Insists

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 03/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

It’s premature to say “don’t sweat ICE”; after all, the masked thugs continue to terrorize American cities and their residents without impunity. But on Wednesday night, The Bad Penny caught up with Justin Smith – guitarist/vocalist for hardcore-punk band Sweat – who alleviated some of our concerns, if only for the time being.

In a relaxed and reasonable conversation, Smith reflected on some of the lame acts of wanna-be aggression he witnessed when agents invaded Los Angeles, where he and his Sweat-y bandmates live. Smith also stated that “I don’t think the U.S. has a stomach for another forever war,” which we all need to hear as the increasingly demented lunatic living on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. involves our country in a criminally absurd war with Iran.

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Meet Frontman of ‘Egg-Punk’ Band Tacoblaster in His First Interview With an American Rock Critic

Posted in Interviews, Videos with tags , on 02/17/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

What do exploding tacos, France’s Bordeaux region and a trio of musicians who play so-called “egg punk” music have in common? Well, a five-year-old band called Tacoblaster, of course. 

Based in Bordeaux, the project is led by Tom Caussade — for whom the mere word “multi-instrumentalist” doesn’t do justice to the 11 instruments he plays on his band’s just-released fifth album, Digital Fun-Zone! (Howlin Banana Records). 

In his first interview with an American music journalist, Caussade recalls how the colorful and wacky band came together, and how he landed on the smile-inducing name for it.

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On Tyranny Exclusive: ‘Extremist’ Ex-Belarus Musician Discusses Exile in a Warning to All US Artists

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 02/17/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Federal agents scavenging around musicians’ residences in the hopes of finding “extremist materials” so they can imprison them. Government officials branding critics of the president as “terrorists.” Police creating blacklists of musicians and targeting them for harassment, abuse and even worse.

Where are those activities taking place? That we have to stop and think about whether it’s the U.S. or another country should give pause to all American residents. Those anti-democratic measures have been and still are  taking place in Belarus, which dictator Alexander Lukashenko has ruled with an iron fist since July 1994. No other current leader has ruled a European country as long as he has.

In this video, we link up with vocalist, flutist and lyricist Katsiaryna “Nokt Aeon” Mankevich, who recently escaped her Belarus homeland after a court decided music and concert videos by her metal band, Dymna Lotva, were “extremist materials.” The resulting punishment was lifelong banishment from Belarus and potential imprisonment if she returns there.

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On Tyranny: Lucid Express Singer Says Hong Kong Band’s Parents Are ‘Worried’ About Them Touring U.S.

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , on 02/17/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

We’re now at a point in American history when we’re no longer wondering if authoritarianism might take hold in the U.S. It already has. Thusly, the conversation is beginning to shift to how our authoritarian government measures up to others around the world in terms of stifling free speech, quelling protests and hijacking the voting process.

Remarkably, The Bad Penny had the unique privilege of interviewing Kim Ho, vocalist and synth player for Hong Kong dream-pop band Lucid Express, to shed some light on those matters and more.

Watch this clip from our recent conversation with the first musician from the Chinese musician to take part in The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series and decide for yourself which country is treating its artists better: “democratic” America or China, which is ruled by an authoritarian dictatorship.

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On Tyranny: Minneapolis Still ‘Under Violent Occupation’ Despite ICE Drawdown, Taxpayers Singer Says

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , on 02/16/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

In The Bad Penny‘s first interview with a Minneapolis band since ICE, CBP and other feds invaded their city, we touch base with Rob Taxpayer, a multi-instrumentalist for Minneapolis punk-rock band the Taxpayers. He insists the Trump regime, the media and bad actors on social media are deceiving the general public into thinking the city is back to normal. But in reality, the city looks so much like a war zone that Rob has to frequently remind himself that he is indeed still living in America, he says.

“This federal government is more willing to do stuff without worrying about the consequences of it,” he says. “That’s the difference between the first Trump administration and this one: [Now] They say, ‘Fuck you, we’re going to do this anyway. Fuck the courts. Fuck public opinion. Fuck America. We’re gonna do what we fucking want.'”

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Favorite Films: Oathbound Swear ‘Alien,’ ‘Big Lebowski,’ ‘Interstellar,’ ‘Cabin in the Woods’ Are the Bomb

Posted in Favorite Films, Interviews, Videos with tags , , , , , , on 02/14/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Oathbound, Seattle’s most promising progressive-metalcore band, are ready to finally make their big smash with the March 6 release of Colors in Grey (Eclipse), their debut LP. Three of the band members – Taylor Harper (guitar), Steve Schwarz (bass) and Travis Morlan (drums) – generously devoted a chunk of their Friday night to participate in the latest edition of Favorite Films, one of The Bad Penny‘s ongoing series.

And we couldn’t have had more fun with the spirited, genuinely good fellas. For proof, watch the video of our lively and loose conversation.

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On Tyranny: Mylo Bybee Frontman Insists ‘We Won’t Let Fascism Crush Creativity’

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 02/11/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Creativity is the driving force in the musical works created by Boise rock musician Tyler Schlagenhauf of Mylo Bybee. He recently checked in with The Bad Penny to talk about Trump’s Authoritarian America and the fear that is sweeping across the country (and even the world). Schlagenhauf shares one of the more positive outlooks in The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series. “My North Star is that It can’t get to the point where it’s crushing artists’ creativity, because it is that outlet that we’ve seen over and over again can bring people together,” he says.

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On Tyranny: Top 20 Protest/Activist Musicians, From Marvin Gaye to Billie Eilish

Posted in Features, Lists, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , , on 02/10/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

1. Woody Guthrie

2. Bob Marley

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On Tyranny: ‘It Feels Like the Deck Is Stacked Against Us … I Wish We Could All Just Get Along,’ Band VTB Says

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags on 02/10/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

It’s true and well-known that most Americans don’t know the nitty-gritty of government and politics. But we can distinguish between what is moral and not, and for that reason, we must fight for what we believe is right. VTB make a case for that claim — which every American should know –– during part of an interview The Bad Penny conducted on Wednesday with the grungy alt-rock-with-a-smattering-of-noise-and-post-punk.

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