Mike Krol knew he was fucked the minute he fell in love with music.

“It was pretty instant once I discovered it,” the 34-year-old garage-rock musician tells Penthouse. “I knew that nothing else in the world would move me the way music did. It’s always been and always will be the most important thing in my life, and the only form of self-expression that leaves me feeling completely satisfied.”

Since moving from his hometown of Milwaukee to Los Angeles, Krol signed to Merge Records. In late January, he releases his sophomore record with the label, Power Chords, a fuzzed-out, low-fi punk album driven by infectious hooks. As with his earlier albums (Turkey, Trust Fund, and I Hate Jazz), Krol isn’t afraid to get catchy while chronicling angry personal pain.

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