It’s all geek to Campfire OK’s Mychael. For the second installment in the Bad Penny’s “What You Readin’ For?” series, the singer of the Seattle indie-pop band leafs through two books: a nonfiction classic about science and a classic work of science fiction.
With former Red House Painters guitarist Phil Carney recently granting the Bad Penny his first-ever interview (and an MP3 premiere), the time seems right to resurrect my long-lost conversation with Mark Kozelek. Conducted August 14, 2001, it is surfacing online for the first time. And, because interview with the indie demigod are hard to come by, the full piece is presented here – all 4,900-plus words, warts and all. Continue reading
Phil Carney is no stranger to music. The gifted guitarist has performed in a handful of bands, including Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon and his latest venture, Desertshore. He’s toured around the world – Japan, Australia, all over Europe – with his good buddy Mark Kozelek. And he has written many, many songs.
But Phil Carney is a stranger to music interviews. Prior to Friday afternoon, when he spoke at length with the Bad Penny, he had never given one before. But now he has, and here it is. Continue reading
With just a few hours till the “Matador at 21” kickoff, here’s another interview from the vaults. Previously unavailable online, this one’s with Robert Pollard of recently reunited legends Guided by Voices, who promise to do it up Vegas-style when they close the extravaganza Sunday night. Continue reading
In recent years, it’s been rare that October begins with Red Sox fans in mourning. But such is the case in 2010: On Tuesday night, the last flicker of hope went out for the team this season as it was officially eliminated from playoff contention. As a condolence for the team’s injurious year, here’s a previously unreleased cover of the song that is played at Fenway Park when they win. Continue reading
With the “Matador at 21” extravaganza set to start later today, here’s another archival interview with one of the featured performers: Liz Phair. Conducted April 30, 2003, she talked about her then-upcoming self-titled release with Capitol; her Matador-issued debut, Exile in Guyville (“obviously my most important work”); and being “heartbroken” after the master tapes for that record were misplaced by Matador, Capitol – or someone else. Continue reading
Any indie-rock fan worth their salt is either talking or thinking about Matador’s big “Lost Weekend” in Las Vegas, which starts tomorrow. The lineup is the record label’s equivalent of MLB’s All-Century Team, feature the likes of Pavement, Guided by Voices, Superchunk, Yo La Tengo and oh-so-many more. Continue reading
Metalheads are fickle when it comes to approving a band’s metal cred. But it’s safe to say that your group qualifies if: 1) Fans can get arrested for listening to you; 2) You get arrested trying to record an album; and 3) You preach a message so radical that it makes some metalheads cringe.
Enter Orphaned Land, a metal band from Israel that meets all those criteria.
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Climber frontman Michael Nelson just reached out to the Bad Penny to take part in our “What You Readin’ For” series, in which literature and music flirt. The vocalist/pianist/multi-instrumentalist submitted a series of deep thoughts on his latest read: Herman Melville classic “Moby Dick.”
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With a handful of this year’s best metal releases dropping Tuesday, the timing feels apt for the Bad Penny to round up its favorite 2010 LPs – at least so far. Continue reading
The Bad Penny (beta) 