The Bad Penny (beta)

Ninety-nine percent of interviews with musicians revolve around their songs, albums and performances – for good, obvious and appropriate reasons. But in idolizing musicians, only getting to know them through the work they create and interviews, and not remembering that artists often adopt public personas who don’t always accurately reflect who they really are, we sometimes forget along the way that they are human beings just like us.

Similarly, we are living in an exceptionally dark time in American history – for advocates of democracy, perhaps the darkest time ever. At the root of the discord in our culture and the greatest stressor facing artists, aside from financial struggles, is not one person occupying a building in Washington, D.C., but a seemingly intractable chasm dividing the country and seeming to point toward civil war.

That’s pretty heavy stuff. And it’s one of the reasons behind the spawning of Pet Sounds, a series launched in October 2024 intended to showcase musicians in a different light. It’s also meant to appeal to readers craving relief, a reduction in anxiety, and a wholesome smile or laugh by engaging in subject matter that is accessible to those whose taste in music may diverge from the artists featured in each installment. And, if we may say, Pet Sounds presents a bit more intellectual edification than animal clips on social media, in which The Bad Penny does not participate despite the repercussions that decision implies for the site’s popularity.

With that in mind, we hope you find joy in each edition of Pet Sounds. Thank you for visiting this website.

Pet Sounds #1: Crippled Black Phoenix Lap Up Lap Cats
Pet Sounds #2: Benighted Vocalist Is Dogs’ Best Friend
Pet Sounds #3: Common Wounds Bassist Says ‘Dogs Diffuse Negativity’
Pet Sounds #4: Yellfire Bassist Loves Post-Hardcore — And Dogs Too
Pet Sounds #5: Geneva Jacuzzi’s Cockatiel Is Pretty Fly
Pet Sounds #6: Authority Zero Vocalist’s Chihuahuas Bring ‘Sense of Peace’
Pet Sounds #7: Local H Frontman Explains Cat, Dog on LP Covers
Pet Sounds #8: Glass Noose Can’t Contain Themselves With Their Pets
Pet Sounds #9: St. Lenox Has Lotsa Love To Give With New LP, 3 Adorable Pets
Pet Sounds #10: ADULT.’s Crush on Eyeliner the Wild Cat
Pet Sounds #11: Deaf Club Drummer Practices on His Cat’s Butt
Pet Sounds #12: Locust Bassist’s Cocker Spaniel Is Out of this World
Pet Sounds #13: Supergroup Cemetery Skyline Has Super Pets
Pet Sounds #14: Rock Duo Mediocre’s Dog Stevie Is a Wonder to Behold
Pet Sounds #15: Co-Founder of Dark-Rock Band Silent Sings the Praises of His 3 Cats
Pet Sounds #16: Rosali’s Sassy Husky Is Also Crazy Like a Fox
Pet Sounds #17: Circus Trees’ Music Keeps Them Alive … As Do Their Furry Friends
Pet Sounds #18: Luna Honey’s Zoo Has 3 Cats, 3 Dogs—and a Gecko!
Pet Sounds #19: Unlettered Spell Joy for Foster Dogs
Pet Sounds #20: Fun. Co-Founder Andrew Dost Reveals How He Keeps His Pooch Entertained
Pet Sounds #21: Braid’s Chris Broach Tells the Truth About Cats and Dogs
Pet Sounds #22: Sandveiss Are Pals With Tom Brady and C-3PO—The Cats, That Is
Pet Sounds #23: OCS’ John Dwyer Does It All—Including Saving His Dog’s Life
Pet Sounds #24: Among These Ashes Frontman Would Rather Be Among His Dogs
Pet Sounds #25: Palm Ghosts Have Us in the Palm of Their Hand
Pet Sounds #26: Don Aaron Mixon Mixes It Up with Adopted Dogs
Pet Sounds #27: The Kearns Family’s Secret Weapon: Their Pooch, Paco
Pet Sounds #28: Beg Your Pardon? The Dollyrots Own Chickens—and Ghost Shrimp!
Pet Sounds #29: Cattle Decapitation Vocalist ‘Can’t Imagine a World Without Animals’
Pet Sounds #30: Dez Dare Never Gets Led Astray. His Pets, on the Other Hand …
Pet Sounds #31: Julia, Julia Has Cats, Cats, Cats
Pet Sounds #32: Taxpayers Collected a Priceless Pooch Amid Tragic Circumstances
Pet Sounds #33: Fenyx Rose Talks About Raising Her Two Devastatingly Cute Dogs
Pet Sounds #34: Blood Lemon Guitarist Puckers Up to Her Smoochable Cats
Pet Sounds #35: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs ‘Love’ Their Pets Pets Pets Pets
Pet Sounds #36: Tombstones in Their Eyes’ Frontman Talks About His 8 Pets
Pet Sounds #37: 37 Houses Live With a Pooch That Weighs 17 Lb. and Is About to Turn 17
Pet Sounds #38: Blag Dahlia’s Cats Bring Out Dwarves Vocalist’s Soft, Furry Side
Pet Sounds #39: Sweet Cheetah PR’s Tim Anderl and His ‘Wild’ Dog
Pet Sounds #40: Buzz Osborne of Melvins Shows Soft, Fuzzy Side with His Dogs
Pet Sounds #41: Kaput Founder Says Her Cat ‘Has Us Trained at This Point’
Pet Sounds #42: Toilet Rats’ Boss Says Cats and Rats ‘Unite Against Common Foes’
Pet Sounds #43: Death SS Vocalist’s Cats Gave Him New Outlook on Life
Pet Sounds #44: Dew Claw Gushes Over ‘Gentle as a Lamb’ Dog
Pet Sounds #45: Sleigh Bells Get Deep About Cats and Dogs on Riotous ‘Bunky Becky Birthday Boy’
Pet Sounds #46: Neal Morgan Shares ‘Huge Love’ of Animals on New LP
Pet Sounds #47: Michael Younker and His Kitty Are Like Two Cool Cats in a Pod
Pet Sounds #48: Like Their Dogs, Ataris Geek Out Over Games
Pet Sounds #49: M(h)aol Maintains Merge Records’ Track Record of Dog-Loving LPs
Pet Sounds #50: Addison Herron-Wheeler Oversees this Website—and Her Three Pets
Pet Sounds #51: Clamm Tackle the Big Question–Can a Clam Be a Pet?
Pet Sounds #52: Born Ruffians Frontman Was Bred to Be a Very Good Dog … Owner
Pet Sounds #53: Transcending Obscurity Chief Rises to the Occasion With Animal Shelter
Pet Sounds #54: Deerhoof Guitarist’s Dog Has an Eye for Spotting … Yup, You Guessed Right
Pet Sounds #55: Ex-Gram Rabbit Leader Jesika von Rabbit on the Heartache of Losing Her Pet
Pet Sounds #56: The Lion’s Daughter Go Out With a Roar, Donate Dough From Last Show to Animal Rescue
Pet Sounds #57: BC Camplight Talks About His Buddy Canine
Pet Sounds #58: Sally Anne Morgan’s ‘Circle’ of Friends Includes Sheep, Chickens, Cats
Pet Sounds #59: Flummox’s Love for Their Pets Is Unwavering
Pet Sounds #60: Nick Oliveri of QOTSA, Kyuss, Dwarves Finds Peace With His Cats
Pet Sounds #61: Jeromes Dream, Deadguy Give Rescue Dogs ‘Hope’ on Iodine Benefit Comp
Pet Sounds #62: Wolves Bassist Is Obsessed With His … You Guessed It: Cat
Pet Sounds #63: Kinsella & Pulse, LLC’s Most Prized Employee Is Bomba the Cat
Pet Sounds #64: Emo Musician Andrea Neuenfeld Derives Emotional Support From Her Kitties
Pet Sounds #65: Friendship Commanders’ Cats Are a Boxer and a Drummer … Sort Of
Pet Sounds #66: Sangre de Muérdago Frontman Lives in Paradise With His Dogs
Pet Sounds #67: Miracle Blood Draw Love From Their Guinea Pigs, Cats
Pet Sounds #68: Temple of Love Open Their Hearts to Fulci the Cat
Pet Sounds #69: Push Puppets Frontman Loves His Puppies
Pet Sounds #70: Saxophonist for the Band Pets Adores His … You Guessed It …
Pet Sounds #71: Truculent Frontman/ Strange Mono Label Owner’s Dog Fears His Food Bowl
Pet Sounds #72: Sorry, Dudes and Dudettes – Your Dog Probably Doesn’t Appreciate You Playing Metal or Punk
Pet Sounds #73: Something Is Waiting’s Guitarist/Bassist Has Three Cats That Aren’t Also Aliens (We’re Pretty Sure)
Pet Sounds #74: Hooded Menace’s Pets Are Hardly Menaces to Society
Pet Sounds #75: Brokedowns’ Drum Kit Player Can’t Get Enough of His Kitty Cats