Citywide Blackout

The mind behind Gold Light Hour talks new styles and bringing music to the big screen

From playing in an alt-country band to the atmospheric styles of his current project, Gold Light Hour, Christ Gutierrez has taken on a number of genres. In this interview, we talk about the varied and unique sounds of Gold Light Hour and his DIY, self-taught approach. He's recently been back on stage courtesy of the good folks at Tiny Oak Booking and we go into what a show with him sounds and looks like.

 

Chris and I dive into his new album, “Music of Sex and Horror,” and all the cool stories behind the music. Chris hopes to get into the film scoring field, and we talk what kinds of movies would be the best fit. I'll bet you can never guess his answer.

 

Following this, enjoy two tracks from the new album, “Morph,” followed by “Warm.”

Glenn Rockowitz’s book shares he and his father’s cancer journey

Diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal cancer in 1998, Glenn Rockowitz was told he had three months to live. After the diagnosis, his father prayed to take his cancer from him. So, when Glenn’s father received his own terminal diagnosis less than a week later, the two faced their final moments of life alone, and together. That journey is captured in Rockowitz's new book, “Cotton Teeth.”

 

In this interview, Glenn talks about the day he received the diagnosis, his conversations with his father, and how their relationship changed during their treatment. Glenn shares the writing process and how he approached sharing such a personal time of his life with the world. Included in the book is a letter that Glenn wrote to his son when he thought his diagnosis would prove terminal.

Neil Kleid shares his first trip to the horror genre with Comixology Originals title “The Panic”

“The Panic”—a five-issue apocalyptic comic series on Comixology—has quickly drawn me in with its deep characters and gripping story. So, I just had to speak with series creator and writer Neil Kleid for this episode.

 

In The Panic, ten strangers become trapped on a PATH train beneath the Hudson River when their car comes to an unforeseen halt. They are forced to depend on each of their fellow commuters in order to survive. Things go very wrong as they work their way above ground and those left must fight their way through more than rubble to make it to safety. But the darkness is closing in, and with it their own individual fears and paranoia—along with cultural, racial, and political biases. It’ll be a long road to the end of the tunnel . . . that is if they don’t kill each other before they get there.

 

Neil and I talk about the origin of this series, which began as a novel set amidst Sept. 11, 2001. We look at how the story was updated and adapted to a comic format, and what had to be changed during this process. Neil worked with Andrea Mutti as co-author and artist, and we talk about the gritty visuals and how they came to be.

 

Neil also shares the theme of loss of control and security, how they are utilized in “The Panic.” We dive into the different characters and how they interact as they try to save themselves and learn what happened.

Mary Keliikoa shares her third book and growth as a writer

In Mary Keliikoa’s “Kelly Pruett Mystery” series, a grieving single mother inherits her late father’s PI business, and begins tackling mysteries on her own, leading her into dangerous territory.

Following the success of the series debut, “Derailed” (2020) and sequel “Denied” (2021), Keliikoa has released another installment,“Deceived,” through Camel Press. Here's a look at the plot for the new book.

 

Kelly finally feels like she’s coming into her own. With her personal life well on track, a gig uncovering what drove a client’s granddaughter underground could be good for business. But after her undercover operation at the homeless shelter reveals rampant drug dealing, she’s suddenly kicked off the case... just as another girl goes missing.

 

Vowing to expose the truth even if it means pro-bono work, Kelly is taken aback when her half-sister helps her hunt down answers in a tent city brimming with distrust. When her investigation doesn’t move quickly enough to save a second woman from a vicious murder, Kelly doubles her efforts unwilling to accept defeat.

 

Mary and I dive into the plot of the new book, as well as Kelly's challenges from the other two. We look at how the main character and author have grown over the years, and how Mary feels about her writing career with three titles now released.

 

Mary talks about her work as a legal secretary and how this helped her as a writer. We look at the stereotypes of mystery books and some of the things she strove to avoid in this series.

Mark Bernal and Rey Garza take us into the world of Lesser Known Comics

It was during 2020 that Mark Bernal began working with various illustrators to create the first pages of Lesser Known Comics. Since then, LKC has grown to a 14-person company, with writers and artists in New York, Maryland, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, California, and Washington, as well as Argentina and Spain. The company creates and publishes its own original comic books while also publishing independent creator-owned comics.

 

In this interview, Bernal and Writer/Illustrator Rey Garza talk about the origins of LKC and how it's grown so much over just two years. Garza shares how he launched his own title, “Tank McGreggor,” a comedic sci-fi action title with one of the most unique main characters I've encountered. We look at the world of indie comics and how things have changed, allowing more creators to pursue their dreams.

 

Much of the company's releases are done through Kickstarter packages, and they've exceeded these goals time and again. Mark and Rey give their takes on this and what it means for the company and its future.

Joni Sensel shares the premonition of a lost love in memoir and Americana band June Star are back with their 17th album

From nearly the start of their romance, author Joni Sensel knew she would lose the man she loved after experiencing a dark premonition. Though she kept this secret, upon his death she was compelled to share it in her memoir, “Feeling Fate: A Memoir of Love, Intuition, and Spirit.”

 

In this interview, we talk about the premonition and how she knew it was real, sharing the story with her family, and what she's chosen to include in the book.

 

After that, the Americana band June Star and I dive into their new album, “How We See It Now,” their 17th release to date. Band members Andrew Grimm and Dave Hadley talk about the new directions they went in with this one and some of the folks they worked with.

 

June Star is part of a really cool Boston show on June 28, but they also have more than 50 shows planned for the summer. We look at some of their stops, favorite places to play, and how they manage such a busy schedule. Plus, the guys play a couple songs for us!

 

Robert Steven Goldstein takes on a new perspective with “Will’s Surreal Period”

After reading just a couple chapters of Robert Goldstein's fourth novel, “Will's Surreal Period,” I have to say I was completely hooked, so it was a blast to speak with the writer on the various ins and outs of the characters, theme, and setting. Here's a quick look at the synopsis:

 

When William Wozniak, a San Francisco artist who has struggled for years in obscurity, suddenly and inexplicably finds himself painting in a startlingly new surreal style, he is embraced by the art world.

But health issues lead him to a neurologist, where Will discovers that his new artistic style is the result of a life-threatening brain tumor. He must decide whether to have surgery to remove it—relegating him to painting once again in the drab style that defined his years of anonymity—or allow the tumor to grow and most likely kill him.

 

To make matters worse, William and his wife Rosemary are struggling financially, having been disowned by William’s father Arthur, a cantankerous and homophobic old widower. Arthur is cared for by his younger son, Bertram, in a big house in Scarsdale, New York. But when Bertram, a gay man in the closet due to his fear of being disinherited, finally comes out, Arthur decides to switch allegiance to Will and move to California.

 

A mess ensues.

 

And it remains to be seen whether Laurel, a portly, progressively minded California real estate agent who’s taken an improbable liking to Arthur, will make the situation better—or worse.

 

Robert and I look into the choice that his main character has to make and how this blends with the other storyline of the dysfunctional family. We talk about his choice to retire in his 50s and pursue writing and how it's defined him as a person. Robert shares the stories of his first three novels, how they're all tied together and at the same time, stand alone.

Jenna Ashton shares the origins and relaunch of “Enjoy The Show”

I have to say, this episode was a blast to do. I've been a fan of “Enjoy The Show” on Tapas for some time now, so getting to talk with series creator Jenna Ashton is something I've been looking forward to for awhile. Here's the series synopsis for those not already reading.

 

Seeking a new (and independent) lease on life, Violet flees her sleepy hometown for the bright, flashing lights of Las Vegas! Hoping to find herself, she instead finds a part-time job full of quirky coworkers, cranky customers, and...romance?

 

Jenna and I dive into how the series came to be as well as the real-life inspiration she got working in a movie theater. She talks about the vast array of characters and which ones have counterparts from her life.

 

Jenna works with a team to make this comic what it is, but a solid share of the work is hers, so we look at how she balances the demands of the comic with the rest of her life. Recently, “Enjoy The Show” was relaunched and we talk about how it happened and the opportunity if provided for a new art style and animations.

Sooz and I talk Boston radio and the two-year anniversary of Oh Hello Boston

Launched in March 2020, the Boston-based online station Oh Hello Boston has achieved a lot in a short time and we are damn glad it's here. Station founder Sooz joins me to talk about how the station got its start amidst the hardest days of the pandemic. We look at her joining forces with long-time Boston music scene personality Michelle Dipoaola. Together, they developed a massive library of music by bands in Boston and around New England.

 

But Oh Hello Boston is far more than music. The station is home to such shows as Decade Stroll, which plays one song per decade ('80s to '20s) across five-song blocks and New England Roots Reggae,which explores the region's reggae history and its current artists. It also re-broadcasts local staple On The Town With Mikey Dee. We look at the different programs and how Sooz came to work with these amazing people.

Psychiatrist Dr. Jess Wright takes on fiction writing in debut novel, and Pearl Cutten returns with some upbeat new music

Kicking off this episode, Dr. Jess Wright makes the move from renowned psychiatrist to novelist with his new book, “A Stream to Follow.” This book explores and heart and mind of Bruce Duncan, a WWII battlefield surgeon adjusting to life after the conflict's end. But for Bruce, the battle is far from over. Haunted by the soldiers he tried to save, a own near-death experiences, and lost love, Bruce has far to go.

 

Dr. Wright and I talk about the creation of Duncan and how his own relatives who served in WWII helped shape the story. We talk about mental health in the 1940s and how difficult it was for anyone—especially men—to talk about it. Dr. Wright also looks at his years of writing medical books and the challenges he faced when it came to penning a fiction book.

 

Our second interview welcomes back Pearl Cutten, who's been on the show before. She's got two new singles to share— “Change” and “Far Away.” Both are upbeat, catchy tunes, which is something we could use right now. Pearl talks about the stories behind both songs, especially “Change” and how it's focused on not being afraid to tear down what you have for something new.

 

These two singles also tie into Pearl's background and we look at those elements and why it was so important for her to include them.

 

After these interviews, enjoy the two songs, which will both be on Pearl's upcoming album, “Fragments of My Soul.”