The Damned Interviews

David Palumbo is a freelance artist and art director for Night Shade books. His works have appeared on/in countless trading cards, magazines, album covers, advertisements, etc.  David has gained two Spectrum medals for his impressive work. Since 2003 his work has appeared in galleries from New York to Paris. I was honored to set down with him to find more about what drives the artist to create.

Can you tell us a little about what you were like as a child? Did you always have a love of all things creative? What is your fondest memory from that time?

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A Memory of Marilyn by John Gilmore

Born, breast-fed and bred by Hollywood is like being a small tentacle growing out of an omnipotent octopus.  We’re sharing Alice in Wonderland’s looking glass—gazing at who we are while what is reflected has a way of commandeering the reality of our lives.  Marilyn Monroe and myself, both born in L.A.’s General Hospital (Marilyn in the older unit, town down to build the Dec monolith, both of us at different times  nursed on the Hollywood turf, and could’ve testified to lives lived different from any other.  Here we exist in a glass dome like hothouse bulbs, the outside surface showing only what the industry wants the public to know—that which can spur sales.  Inside the dome, we often find that if the mirror is tipped askew there is no reflection at all.  Some say God help us.  We’re an isolated breed feeding on fame and recognition, and sometimes one another.  Practicality and love struggle somewhere down the ladder—second or third rung business; to be addressed tomorrow, or maybe soon as the picture’s in the can.

Kealan Patrick Burke is an award winning author who has been labeled “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror” by Booklist. His works cover a wide array of genres from crime, horror, and mystery fiction to dark fantasy. He is best known for his novels Kin, The Hides, and Currency of Souls, the collections Ravenous Ghosts and The Number 121 to Pennsylvania, novellas like Vessels and The Turtle Boy, and his short works that have appeared in publications such as Cemetery Dance, Subterranean, Masques V, Grave Tales, and Horror World just to name a few.  All his titles can now be found at Amazon in e-book format.

EGG HARBOR, WI (May 17, 2012) – Marybeth Mattson, daughter of local singer/songwriter Jeanne Kuhns, releases her first album of all original songs at Woodwalk Gallery, south of Egg Harbor, on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

Marybeth’s music blends a certain folk sensibility with the energy of pop, and a little country-rock flavor. Her lyrics reflect a poetic upbringing; her songs, deliberately tangential at times, contain both truth and imagination. Marybeth will be joined on stage by her hijacked band: Seth Raddatz on lead and slide guitar, Patrick Palmer on bass, and Dan Smrz on percussion. Guest musicians include Jeanne Kuhns, Mark Raddatz, Jacob Mattson, Roger Kuhns, and Robin & Jenny Bienemann.

Indie music veteran Sean Spillane best know from his time in Arlo most recently took to the screen providing the soundtrack to the horror film The Woman (Jack Ketchum, Lucky McKee). His music has a feeling of gritty honesty that is rare in the industry today. I was honored to have the chance to sit down with him to catch up with him on the latest in his career.

Can you tell us a little about your background? Where are you from? What where you like as a child?

Dave Simms has sold short stories in several anthologies since he sold his first story in 2003. A special education chair/teacher he is currently working on his first Young Adult Horror Novel about misfit musicians based on his own students. When not writing and teaching Simms can be found playing lead guitar in The Slushpile Band(formerly The Killer Thriller  Band)alongside fellow peers Heather Graham, F. Paul Wilson, and Alexandra Sokoloff.

You have said as a child you wrote disturbing tales complete with illustrations and annoying the nuns. Can you remember what the first of those where like?

Since sometimes there are things you just have to update people on as often as you can and it is well past time, I now you bring the latest from bassist John JD DeServio on all things Black Label Society and Cycle of Pain. Much thanks to him for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview.

How does it feel to be home and off the road? If you don’t mind my asking what is the first thing you like to do when you get home?

It isn’t everyday you come across lesser-known writers that are both humble and fascinating, Trent Zelazny is certain one of those. His darkly appealing work from The Day the Leash Gave Way and Other Stories, Destination Unknown, Shadowboxer, and other titles to the Nightmare Award winning To Sleep Gently, Zelazny offers up delightful twisted tales as only he could do. The novella Butterfly Potion (Nightscape Press) is slated for release in June, followed by the novel Too Late To Call Texas (Black Curtain Press) in September 2012. It was an honor to have the chance to sit down and see what makes the man behind the words.

Louis Harrison trained at the Kubert School. His first cover work was for The Savage Sword of Conan and he has done several Marvel characters as well as a subset of 9 chromium cards for Star Wars Finest card set by Topps. His love of comics all began with his interest in Thor. He is a featured artist at Spiderwebart Gallery. Currently residing in Denmark his most recent work features and is inspired by Viking lore.

What where you like as a child growing up? Do you remember what it was like in Columbia before you moved to the states at 4?

From animated series such as Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman and Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures, and Batman Beyond where he worked as producer and writer, to the scripts for shows like Animaniacs, Freakazoid, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited,Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers, Lost, and Tower Prep Paul Dini has written some of the most beloved and memorable characters of all time.  He was worked on countless books for DC as well as Marvel.  His most recent works on the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the agents of S.M.A.S.H., the storyline for the video game Batman: Arkham City(the follow up to Batman: Arkham Asylum which he also penned), and Bloodspell.  Dini is also a member of the Academy of Magical Arts.