Citywide Blackout

Citywide Bytes: Hayley Verrall shares an upbeat tale with “Peach Iced Tea”

On our latest episode of Citywide Bytes, singer-songwriter Haley Verrall joins me to share the story behind her latest single, “Peach Iced Tea.” It’s an upbeat tale and a shift from some of her past work. We talk about this and some of the different sounds she’s tried out since she began releasing music.

 

We also talk about some her past music, including “Late Bloomer,” which was part of a past edition of the Blackout Collection.

Since college, Haley has run Singing for Smiles, performing for senior citizens. This came about from when she sang for her grandmother and we go into what she’s done over the years. 

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Late Bloomer” and closing things out is “Peach Iced Tea.”

Citywide Bytes: Synthpop artist Bjorn Felle takes us to “Paradise Moon”

The next guest on Citywide Bytes came to our attention with his single “Theory of Mind,” and now, he’ll be talking about some great new music he has to share.

A sound inspired by synthpop, punk, 90s techno and 16-bit videogame soundtracks, Bjorn Felle’s style is always changing and in this episode we learn about the twists and turns he’s taken since starting his musical career. We dive into is new album, “Paradise Moon” and learn about the new sounds he got to try out as well as some of the past sonic experiments he’s conducted.

Bjorn also shares some show stories and gives some clues as to what he’s got in the works, both in the studio and on the road.

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Dopamine” from the album “Extreme Hazard Planet” and closing out the episode is “Welcome To Paradise Moon,” the lead track from “Paradise Moon.”

“The Thing in the Wind” takes readers on a walk through a haunted woods

With his new book, Bill Mullen is making the pivot from thriller to horror. “The Thing in the Wind” goes on a dark journey through the Canadian wilderness, but there’s a lot more to it. The book is now available through Crystal Lake Entertainment, here’s a look at the story:

A search party stumbles upon an unspeakable horror that threatens both their lives and sanity.

In the heart of the Canadian wilderness, a harrowing tale of survival and psychological horror unfolds in this gripping novel. Amidst the vast, unforgiving landscape, a woman’s world is shattered by the mysterious disappearance of her mother in the remote reaches of northern Saskatchewan. Along with her father and a small, determined search party, she embarks on a desperate quest for answers, only to encounter an unspeakable terror lurking in the shadows of the ancient forests. 

As the group navigates the treacherous wilderness, their journey becomes a chilling fight for survival against not only the harsh elements but also a malevolent force that defies explanation. Haunted by eerie premonitions and the feeling of being stalked by an unseen entity, they begin to realize that they are facing a horror far beyond their wildest imaginations. 

Bill, Curtis and Max talk about the origins of the book and the work that went into it from a research and story building perspective. Bill shares his love of horror and how it went going from his thriller “Red Nocturne,” to a much darker tale. He also goes into the location for the book and how this shapes the story to come. 

Citywide Bytes—Two decades of music with Jeneen Terrana

In our newest episode of Citywide Bytes, I’m joined by Jeneen Terrana, who’s been releasing music since 2002 with her debut album, “Just Me.” Since then, she’s performed all over the US and toured in Europe. Most recently, she released the single “Good Girls Get the Blues.”

Jeneen takes us back to the beginning with what got her into music from her time spent as an actress and why she’s remained there for so many years. She talks about her new single “Good Girls Get the Blues” and the collaboration process with some amazing musicians.

Over the years, Jeneen has toured all over, and during this call she’s currently on the road. She talks about her time in Europe and the memorable experiences she had.

Closing out the interview is the new single, “Good Girls Get the Blues.”

Penny Lane’s book takes readers on a journey of personal redemption

CONTENT WARNING: This interview contains recounts of trauma and abusive relationships. 

Penny Lane’s debut memoir “Redeemed: A Memoir of a Stolen Childhood,” (She Writes Press) is a story of personal redemption. Torn from her home by a Hungarian father she doesn't know to enduring abuse and neglect from a stepmother, Penny's journey leads her to another form of captivity: fundamentalist Christianity. It's a tale of resilience against abuse, trauma, and oppressive odds, navigating both family and religious turmoil to ultimately find her way home.

In this episode, Penny shares what led her to share her story with the world, and her process of recounting her abusive relationships. She hold nothing back as she talks about what she endured and how she made it through to a live of love and happiness.

Penny shares her experience with a Fundamentalist Christian world and how it impacted her years later. She talks about the message behind the book and her hopes for what readers will take from it.

This interview was arranged with the help of Books Forward.

Citywide Bytes: NecronomiCon—the home of weird fiction literature

Who here likes weird fiction? Wow, that’s a lot of hands. Ok then, listen up, because NecronomiCon Providence is the place for you!

In this episode of Citywide Bytes, Ken Vaughn, director of core programming for this bi-annual showcase, talks about the panels, guest speakers, special events and much more that await those eager to check out this weird and fun convention. We spotlight the guests of honor and Ken talks about the work to bring them all together.

We also look at how this event has grown over the years from its inception in the 90s to what it has become today. NeconomiCon takes place from August 15-18 in Providence, Rhode Island at the Omni Hotel.

“Hard Style Juice” tells a murder mystery through a wrestling lens

I’ve been a fan of both professional wrestling and comics for many years, so getting to talk about both for this interview was just perfect.

Writer Clay McCormack, artist Ricardo Lopez Ortiz and I dive into “Hard Style Juice,” a new series that you can only see on Comixology Originals. Here’s a look at the story for those new to it:

Wrestling is big business in arenas across the country, and for the Castros, it’s the family business. "King" Castro is the patriarch of the family, he’s also the manager, booker, promotor, MC, and owner of the local independent wrestling promotion KCPW, King Castro Pro Wrestling.

His daughter, Ramonita "Mona" Castro, has dreams of going to business school, but also has a penchant for wrestling. And his son, Rey Castro, is the star. A real showman, Rey is known as the "King of the Death Match," and he's on the verge of getting a contract to go pro.

Pro wrestling built the Castro family, and now it’s about to tear it apart. A shocking in-ring death sends the family spiraling out of control, and down the path of revenge as one big question rears its head: was it an accident? Or was it murder?

 

We talk about the series origins, and how Clay and Ricardo’s interest in wrestling played a role in shaping it. Clay talks about working with murder mysteries and how he paces the story, while Ricardo shares how he captured the feel of the wrestling world and his favorite parts to draw.

The series is now three issues in, with the fourth to be dropped on July 16, and we go into where the story is now and a few hints as to what we can expect in future issues. 

Citywide Bytes-New on the music scene, Abijah Perry is making her mark

Since 2022, singer/songwriter Abijah Perry has been making some amazing music, including our personal favorite, “Love Overnight.”

In the newest episode of Citywide Bytes, she and Max talk about what got her into music, how she landed her mellow folk-infused style and how she’s defining and refining her sound. She shares how she fell in love with music and her choice to pursue it as a career.

Abijah also talks about the stories she’s sharing through her songs, future projects and the family influence that inspired her love of all things music.

Opening this episode is an excerpt from her single “Color Theory” and closing the show is the complete “Love Overnight.”

Tom of The Midnight Wrens soars through a seven-year band history

It was in 2017 when the original six members of The Midnight Wrens came together, and since that time, they’ve made some amazing music in the New England area. In this episode, band songwriter/guitarist Tom Powley joins us to talk about how the Wrens came together and their journey over the years.

Tom goes into their new EP, “The Songbird Collection,” a five-track EP that touches on different aspects with each song, and shares some of the stories behind the music. We also look at the band’s upcoming show on July 25 at The Word Barn and the release of a band-inspired IPA with Exeter Brewing Co.

Big thanks go to Sarah Blacker, who made the introductions that led to this interview. 

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Come Home” and closing things out is the full track “Mona Lisa,” both of which you can find on “The Songbird Collection.”

Citywide Bytes—Perdys member talks working with the greats and creating new music

It was back in March that I first heard “I Know” by Perdys and since then, it’s been a blast exploring this work of Scandinavian producer/songwriters Nalle Ahlstedt and Anders Borgius.

In the newest episode of Citywide Bytes, Max and Anders talk about how he and Nalle first met and the choice to form Perdys. Of course, that wasn’t the band’s first name, and we go into how they went form Perk to Perkless and how they landed on Perdys. We also talk about the story behind “I Know,” the cool cover art, and what we can expect later this year.

Closing out the episode is “I Know.”