Rich Howells

NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Creating punk rock music, comics, animation, and videos with Tedd Hazard

NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Creating punk rock music, comics, animation, and videos with Tedd Hazard
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Recorded and produced every week by Internet marketing company Coal Creative in their production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, the award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast presents honest, uncensored interviews and in-depth discussions about local arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The live, multi-camera show streams in high definition on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. and is hosted by Rich Howells, editor and founder of NEPA Scene; Brittany Boote, owner of Boote Photography Studio in Forty Fort; and Johnny Popko, host of Alt-Natives on Scranton radio station Alt 92.1 and senior marketing consultant at Alt 92.1, Rock 107, and ESPN Radio. Viewers are encouraged to tune in during each hour-long episode and interact during the Facebook Live stream so that the hosts can address comments and answer questions as they come in.

After the live webcast, the show is available the following Friday as an audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher, while the video version can be seen on Facebook and YouTube.

The NEPA Scene Podcast is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 46, we sit down with Hazleton punk rock musician, animator, and comic creator Tedd Hazard of Hazard Studios, which produces the ongoing comic and animated series Krust Toons and music videos for bands like Condition Oakland, Azwel, The Twindows, Cardboard Homestead, Joe Billy, and Today, We Fight With Peace, among other projects. He also has a rock show coming up at the Hazleton Art League on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. with TreadWater, Markus A.D., Ace & The Kings, It Never Fails, and Vanvancar.

Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Minefire Blackberry Jalapeno Ale, 5 Whistle Wheat Ale, and Belsnickler Ale by Breaker Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre, whose beers we always love (unless they’re brewed with peppers).

We talk about how he started drawing comics; the funny story of how he was convinced to go to his first show that ended up getting him into local music; the real people and stories that inspire his comics and cartoons; keeping the Krust Toons storylines going while making them accessible to new viewers; teaching himself art and animation; voice acting and recruiting others for voices; creating funny characters and where their inspiration comes from; his animation process that’s similar to “South Park;” the influence of Adult Swim, Jhonen Vasquez, and Newgrounds on his work and finding his own voice and DIY style; dealing with trolls and turning them into Captain Dislike; adapting to feedback from fans; creating music videos for bands and the different collaborative process for each one; filming the new Condition Oakland video at the Schuylkill Mall before it was torn down and dealing with mall security; his folk punk music; quitting drinking; the current state of the Hazleton and Schuylkill County music scenes; the importance of the Hazleton Art League to the local scene and booking shows there; cops and house shows; his advice to those who want to get into animation; and more.

Watch the live video version on YouTube:

Listen to the audio version on iTunes.

Listen on SoundCloud:

Listen on Stitcher.

Watch the original Facebook Live stream:

The views and opinions expressed during this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts, NEPA Scene, Coal Creative, or our sponsors.