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.
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.
John 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 Noiseabout his unconditional love for his dog, Ida Strawberry.
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.
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: “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.)
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.
If you haven’t yet heard Miracle Blood’s radical blend of noise punk and post-hardcore and need further convincing, check out the bands they’ll be sharing stages with: Uniform, Tree, Nequient, and Deaf Club. Read my New Noise interview.
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.
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.
Posted in Reviews with tags Drain on 06/12/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
If you’re still mystified as to why hardcore has made such a fierce comeback in the last five years, this new Drain song should make it crystal clear. Read my Treble review of the band’s brand-new tune, “Nights Like These.”
The Bad Penny (beta) 