Citywide Blackout

Ghostly Beard talks new music and the ins and outs of audio engineering

Montreal-based singer-songwriter Ghostly Beard and I have been talking for months about new music, so this one seems long overdue. We nerd out about audio recording gear, so for you tech heads, there's likely a few things to learn in this discussion. He also talks about the recent shift in his career, going from releasing albums and music videos to a more mellow pace, but beginning to review the work of other musicians and doing interviews.

After this, enjoy the newest song from Ghostly Beard, “Its a Hurt,” which touches on how love can be both wonderful and painful at the same time.

Diane Dewey explores the lives of her birth parents in new book

Author Diane Dewey joins me to talk about her book, “Fixing the Fates,” in which she speaks about how she met her birth parents and all that she learned. Just months after the passing of her adopted father, Diane was contacted by her biological father. Their meeting sets the scene for the unraveling of the complete story surrounding Diane’s birth and biological family. Her quest to understand her family’s past and reveal what her father has been hiding all these years captured in this book.

Following this, I give you “No Regrets” from North Carolina-based pop/dance artist Anna Cole. She's two years into her career and definitely has a lot of potential as an artist.

Red Tan on loss, perseverance, and a new career in music

Red Tan's music career began in the Philippines and has taken her to the U.S. and London, building her electronic/pop style to what it is today. Her late husband convinced her that she had what it took to make it in the music industry, starting with a competition in Los Angeles in which she won several award.

She recently released a new song called “Don't You Dare,” which tells the tale we've all heard time and again—you aren't good enough. Red turns this negativity on its head, thanking detractors for giving her the drive to succeed.

Following this, I give you two songs from Red Tan, "Don't You Dare" and "Don't Let Go."

Jamie Hart speaks on her break from music and new releases

Boston-based Jamie Hart joins me to talk about her new release, “Get Closer.” But before this happened, Hart almost quit music in 2017. She took a deep dive into her spiritual practice, and worked to understand herself and disillusionment with the music industry. In 2019, came a pivotal moment: “What would you do if you only had a month to live?” Jamie asked herself. The result of this is her return to music with much in store, and a new perspective and goals.

Lina Cooper talks about Boston shows and New York plans

Boston-based musician Lina Cooper joins me to talk about her relationship-themed concept album “Damned” and the incredible story behind it. She shares some of the best lessons learned as a student at Berklee College of Music and what's she's been taught being on stage. She also shines the spotlight on The ArtHouse Collective, a combination band and live music venue.

 

After that, chill out to two of her songs, “A Good Year” and “Ethereal.”

Touring the Breaklands with writer/creator Justin Jordan

Justin Jordan, the co-creator and writer of “The Strange Talent of Luther Strode,” talks about his new series, “Breaklands,” available on ComiXology. Set 150 years after the event known as The Break, the new world is a post-apocalyptic land of amazing powers....except for one person. Kasa, the only non-powered person, must save her brother Adam when he is kidnapped in issue one of this five-issue series. Justin delves into the world building process, how he created the characters for this series, and what people can expect in future issues.

For music, enjoy “Bid Mad” from New York-based rapper Molly McCoy. This one's a long time coming, as Molly recorded one of the first bumpers for the show. Molly's style is tight and flowing at the same time, and the music is sick.

 

Sharisse Zeroonian talks film, a new series, and hilarious set tales

Writer/Director Sharisse Zeroonian and I do a deep dive into her film career, looking at her two feature films, Mouse in the Bread and Well Water and a brand new series, One Plus One Equals Two. She talks about what got her into film, and why she's stayed involved for so long. We chat about changes in the industry and the pros and cons of what those have resulted in. And there are plenty of behind-the-scenes stories from Sharisse's films and she shares a couple.

For music enjoy two songs from Jack and the Box, “If It Sounds Too Good” and “Sugar Tea.” This is a new blues project from Keith Pevoto. Due to physical limitations brought on by Sarcoidosis, he has moved from playing bass to spending the last few years writing songs and getting his vocals in shape. The result is some amazing music that you should really check out.

Epic fantasy tales and East Coast tour stories

Rhode Island-based author A. Keith Carreiro is celebrating the completion of his The Penitent trilogy—but he's not done yet. You see, this is just one-third of a trilogy of trilogies, and he takes a look at what else is planned for the series, as well as the developments that occur in The Penitent, Part III. We also talk about being an independent author and some of the marketing lessons he's learned from being at conventions and fellow authors.

And then I'm talking tour stories with the group WazUaz, who have made a career working with their audio, visual, and physical creation. They recently completed their MoneyHoon and NewlyDead tours and have a boatload of tales to tell! They also talk about their business, a blend of music, art, and fashion, and how they've turned it from a labor of love to their new careers.

The country duo Separate Charm recently released their new single, “Me Time,” and I absolutely love it, as you can read in my recent Review Roundup. This tune has a cool opening, great instrumentals, and superb vocals. You can hear it after Keith's interview.

Defense lawyer taps into career for courtroom series

This week's show takes a look at the career of Ed Rucker, an L.A. criminal defense lawyer who's worked in the field for decades, representing a number of high-profile clients, including John Orr, the greatest serial arsonist in American history. Some of these cases have even been adapted into nonfiction books. Following his retirement, Rucker decided to jump into the writing world with the Bobby Earl series, now in its second book, “Justice Makes a Killing.”

Rucker talks about the new book and the story behind it, but also gives us an in-depth look into the world of jury trials, the criminal justice system, and prisons, all of which made its way into his works.

And for music, I bring you “Better Off” a new single from Cara Paige. I really dug this song from the beginning, and it's got a catchy, upbeat tempo. After that it's the electro duo Mai Eve with “When You Scream.” This EDM/Rock track is similarly upbeat, but the story is a very serious one.

Musical journeys from London to Nashville to Atlanta

Kicking off this week's program is London-born and Atlanta-based hip-hop artist Poni Capri. She's got a new EP out called “Dark Candy,” which touches on her time in the world of drugs and gangs and how she's made her mark as a musician and model.

The Nashville-based folk duo of Lost Hollow tell us all about their adventures in Europe, plus their new release, Looking for Happy and the release show planned later this month. Included in the album is the song “Shine On,” which is dedicated to the memory of Sancy Shaw, who died tragically in a drunk driving accident.

Plus, there's great music from both guests. From Poni, we've got “Chosen” and “Rich Sex,” and Lost Hollow brings us “Shine On” and “We Are One.”