The Grateful Dead: Black-Metal Brethren?

For musicians whose chief mission was to promote good vibes, it’s always seemed a bit odd that the guys behind The Grateful Dead went with that band name. But equally strange—and less widely discussed—is the group’s stylistic approach to its logo. Check out the above version and try to make the argument that it couldn’t be confused with a black-metal band’s titular style. Take Enslaved, for instance:

A Quick Question for In Flames

Dear In Flames,

Why have you allegedly titled your new album Sounds of a Playground Fading?

Sincerely,

A (concerned?) fan

The Bad Penny New Music Releases Schedule

JANUARY 2011

Byrds of Paradise – TBA (Don Giovanni)
• Bad Penny download: “Barefoot Generation“
Cut Copy – TBA (TBA)
Dave Hause (Loved Ones guitarist/vocalist) – TBA (Paper + Plastick)
Iron and Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean (Warner Bros.)
Haroula Rose – These Open Roads (TBA)
Spectrals – Spectrals Extended Play EP (physical version; previously available digitally; Moshi Moshi)
• Bad Penny download: “Chip a Tooth (Spoil a Smile)”

MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser On New LP, Doing Laundry – And His Favorite Cover Of An MGMT Song

MGMT are still young. They’ve only put out two LPs. That said, the Brooklyn group led by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser has toured a helluva lot, behind the platinum Oracular Spectacular and the more recent (and more commercially unfriendly) Congratulations. So why on earth haven’t MGMT, now four years old, played Florida till now?

My City Rules: Exray’s On San Francisco

You say your band has a big following on Facebook? Well, San Francisco’s Exray’s can do you one better: One of their songs is featured in David Fincher’s related movie “The Social Network,” which appears well on its way to a Best Picture nomination. The experimental lo-fi group just released its debut EP; here’s a downloadable song from it – along with one of the bandmembers’ contribution to “My City Rules,” a new Bad Penny series.

Revising History: Wooden Wand On Guided By Voices, Black Flag, Rolling Stones, More

Over the years, James Jackson Toth has quietly proven himself to be one of the more undervalued American songwriters out there. Calling to mind a broad array of characters from the canon of great music – Captain Beefheart, Willie Nelson, Sun Ra and more – the man better known as Wooden Wand has been making a case that, perhaps, eventually, he should stack right up there with those legends. For the most poetic edition yet in the Bad Penny’s “Revising History” series, Toth touched on the Rolling Stones’ “Coming Down Again,” Guided by Voices’ “Chicken Blows,” Black Flag’s “Three Nights” and other songs he wishes he had made.

Cover Me: Dearling Physique’s Deadeye Dealer

Minneapolis’ R&B-ish electro-pop squad Dearling Physique recently released a new single. Which artists would they most like to hear cover it? For that matter, which artists would they most like to hear cover every song on their forthcoming new record? Two members of the band chimed in for the latest installment in the Bad Penny’s “Cover Me” series.

Old 97′s Frontman Rhett Miller On Getting Married, His Literary Ambitions, ‘Total Anarchy’ With Jon Brion

With the Old 97′s unveiling their eighth album this week – The Grande Theatre, Volume One, which will be followed up with part two next year – here’s a look back at a nine-year-old interview with frontman Rhett Miller. I spoke with him on August 26, 2002, shortly after he married model Erica Ihan; he very much had the wedding on the brain. He revealed how collaborator Robyn Hitchcock was partially responsible for the marriage, what it was like to record with him and Jon Brion, why his planned session with Ryan Adams fell through (booze was to blame), and why writers are usually more genuine than musicians.

Chapin Sisters Reveal Best Songs To Get Dressed To

From Revising History to Guilty Pleasures to Brushes With Greatness, the Bad Penny has had no shortage of new features as of late. But in deciding to blaze a less-traveled path, Lily Chapin of the Chapin Sisters – who have been performing live as part of She & Him’s ensemble, and opening for them too – has come up with an impressive one of her own: “Best Songs to Get Dressed To.” Here’s the list she compiled; fans of Scott Walker, the Zombies and Nico, look no further.

Guilty Pleasures: Young Marble Giants’ Stuart Moxham On Sex, Procrastination – And Fish And Chips

Cheers to Stuart Moxham of Young Marble Giants for sending along the second submission to the Bad Penny’s new “Guilty Pleasures” series. He took a bit of an abstract approach to the task, mostly naming general concepts instead of specific temptations (aside from fish and chips).