NEPA Scene Podcast Ep. 46 - Creating punk rock music, comics, animation, and videos with Tedd Hazard

NEPA Scene

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. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show 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.