Birth (Defects) vocalist Sean Gray, guitarist Rob Savillo and electronics handler Joey Generic give New Noise a rather riotous, hourlong conversation as the Baltimore band’s career is now over. Read my feature on the reigning crust punk in the latest edition of New Noise magazine; or here, if you wanna be all, like, “Man, I ain’t even heard of twenty … what did you call them, homie, “Days”?
Birth (Defects) Came Back to Life to Issue Last LP, Play One Final Show
Posted in Interviews with tags Birth (Defects), Joey Generic, Rob Savillo, Sean Gray on 06/27/2025 by Kurt OrzeckExclusive: Nick Oliveri Reminisces About QOTSA, Kyuss Amid Reunion Rumors
Posted in Exclusives, Interviews with tags John Garcia, Josh Homme, Kyuss, QOTSA, Queens of the Stone Age on 06/26/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
It appears that Kyuss, the early stoner-rock band co-founded by guitarist/vocalist Josh Homme (also of Queens of the Stone Age), may be finally ready to reassemble his earlier project. Somewhere in the Palm Desert region, surely. Sitting in a circle, of course. That way, the group can maximally aerate the moon by channeling unholy reservoirs of toxins into the tractor bea- …
… Huh? What’s that now? Well, huh to you too, big man. Huh to you too.
Read much more from my FLOOD feature on the eternal desert rock hounds. Meanwhile, in related news, The Bad Penny recently caught up with Oliveri, to chat about: You guessed it, all things Oliveri. That includes reminiscing on his days with Kyuss. Stay tuned for that big mug of slow joe coming from somewhere in … eh, let’s play it safe and keep it at “future” for now.
Keep’s ‘Almost Static’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Keep on 06/18/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Toiling away at creating a style all their own for over a decade, the latest LP by Richmond, VA’s Keep exudes a sense of freedom in their doomsday shoegaze sound. Read my FLOOD review of Almost Static.
Deerhoof Guitarist’s Dog Has an Eye for Spotting … Yup, You Guessed Right
Posted in Interviews on 06/16/2025 by Kurt OrzeckJohn Dieterich, guitarist for one of the most respected, popular, and experimental indie-rock bands ever, is just like the rest of us when it comes to opening his heart to, and taking care of, animals. Shortly after the April release of Noble and Godlike in Ruin, the 20th studio album by Deerhoof, he gushed to New Noise about his unconditional love for his dog, Ida Strawberry.
Subsonic Eye’s ‘Singapore Dreaming’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Subsonic Eye on 06/16/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Singaporean indie rockers Subsonic Eye issue a jangly fifth record that proselytizes the beauty of the natural world, and provides hope with deliriously catchy tunes that channel ’90s groups like Superchunk and GBV. Read my FLOOD review.
15 Best QOTSA Parody Ideas for ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic to Create
Posted in Comedy, Doppelgängers, Lists with tags Bily Ocean, Owen Wilson, Queens of the Stone Age, Weird Al Yankovic on 06/15/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Sure, they may be one of the biggest rock bands in the world, but let’s get real: Have Queens of the Stone Age truly “made it”?
Some would argue no for the simple reason that, some 30 years into their career, “Weird” Al Yankovic still hasn’t made a parody of even one QOTSA song. It’s a critical rite of passage in pop music, and until it happens, a musical act really hasn’t achieved irrefutable commercial success.
In an effort to help QOTSA finally break that glass ceiling, and to inspire Al to write some quality new parodies, here are The Bad Penny‘s Top 15 choicest ideas for QOTSA parody songs:
Original: “Regular John”
Parody: “Regular John Tesh“
Original: “Go With the Flow”
Parody: “Go With the Flomax“
Original: “Better Living Through Chemistry”
Parody: “Better Living Through Home Ec“
Original: “I Think I Lost My Headache”
Parody: “I Think I Lost My Keys“
Original: “Avon”
Parody: “The Avon Lady”
Original: “I Sat by the Ocean”
Parody: “I Sat by Billy Ocean (On a Plane)”
Original: “You Can’t Quit Me, Baby”
Parody: “You Can’t Quit Me, Baby Ruth“
Original: “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret”
Parody: “The Lost Art of Wearing Secret Antiperspirant“
Original: “The Way You Used to Do”
Parody: “The Way You Used to Do the Mountain Dew“
Original: “Sick, Sick, Sick”
Parody: “Mick, Mick, Mick” (tribute song to Rocky Balboa’s deceased trainer/ manager)
Original: “My God Is the Sun”
Parody: “My God Is the Hamburger Bun”
Original: “Long Slow Goodbye”
Parody: “Long Slow Fart“
Original: “Keep Your Eyes Peeled”
Parody: “Keep Your Oranges Peeled“
Original: “How to Handle a Rope”
Parody: “How to Handle a Rope-a-Dope“
Original: “No One Knows”
Parody: “Owen’s Nose” (referring to actor Owen Wilson’s unusual facial appendage)
• Fun fact: QOTSA frontman Josh Homme told me he especially enjoyed this one.)
Go here for more QOTSA coverage.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s ‘Phantom Island’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard on 06/13/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Australian band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard exhibit a growing comfort performing with orchestra musicians on Phantom Island, resulting in a bolder, brighter, more engaging, and more direct album than its predecessor. Read my FLOOD review here.
Miracle Blood Have Mad Respect for Converge and a Mad Tour About to Begin
Posted in Interviews with tags Converge, Miracle Blood on 06/13/2025 by Kurt OrzeckPixel Grip Reveal Favorite Bands: White Stripes, Lady Gaga, Of Montreal
Posted in Interviews with tags Lady Gaga, Of Montreal, Pixel Grip, White Stripes on 06/13/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Chicago trio Pixel Grip goes deep on the clutch of songs they treasure most upon the release of their third, no-holds-barred studio album, Percepticide: The Death of Reality. Read what the band disclosed to FLOOD.
Black Moth Super Rainbow’s ‘Soft New Magic Dream’: Two Cent Review
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags Black Moth Super Rainbow on 06/13/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Nearly a quarter-century after Thomas Fec (aka Tobacco) introduced his no-holds-barred, sensory-overload project Black Moth Super Rainbow, it’s still as zany, colorful, vibrant—and perhaps even vital—than ever. Read my Treble review.
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