Mercury's Wake - SoundSage

"I am a motorcyclist in a hailstorm, recklessly speeding by the grace of a slipstream." –John K Mercury

JOHN K, the book that started it all.

The journey continues...

Musical fabric of JOHN K composed via Logic Pro/Apple Loops
Free vocals by S Vlahos
The song "Downtown, Downtown," composed and sung by © S Vlahos 2020, All Rights Reserved
Mercury's Wake ©SVlahos 2020

Bonus Track

As I turned back to my mother, I noticed a book on her bed table. Funny, I hadn't seen it there before. It had a holographic image of the Earth for its cover with the title JOHN K.

Imani joins Geoff in London for a unique theater opportunity, only to be set back by the pandemic. But that’s not the only setback. When she emerges from the London Tube at Regent Street, Imani receives a phone message from America and learns that her mother is dying. Imani flies back to Connecticut to see her mother for the last time.

Players:

Imani: Gwyneth Mackenzie
Marco: Jonathan Medina
Geoff: Kenny Ricci
Nurse: S Vlahos
Augusta: S Vlahos
Onstage Actor: S Vlahos
Imani’s Mother: Anindo Marshall

Mercury's Wake ©SVlahos2020

"Je Suis Le Petit Homme" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

"Melody" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

FX Sounds courtesy of Freesounds.com:

Marco’s Theme: FoolBoyMedia “new York jazz loop” 347848
Geoff’s Ringtone: jgreer “calling you”555699
Geoff Theme: anechoix “Game Music, jazz loops, jazz loop 3”
Mother Theme: Kai Hansen “Kalimba-song” 24515
Father Theme: cunningar807 “Sad Violin” 377258
Plane: tim.kahn “plane flyover takeoff”199263
Connecticut exterior: Allirog “crickets and whiny insect” 456821
London Taxi: Kyles “Uganda, communal taxi” 407104
Sound in empty theater: _isragallo_ “Silence_movie_theater” 514305
Footsteps: wolfdoctor “Lots of Footsteps” 555116
Keys: sKydran “Key Noises” 131437
Soap theme song: DDmyzik “Fairy Logo” 476707
Theme song for Paper Zoo: pogmothoin “hesitant mysterious glockenspiel tune” 401674
London Underground: InspectorJ “London Underground, arriving” 401989
Mango store: azumarill “Websters department store” 330543
Kennedy Airport arrivals: jjamespacap “car horns Morocco” 268015
Thunder and Rain: FlatHill “Rain and Thunder” 237729
Car driving up Hill: deathicated “South Africa” 137978
Oxygen Machine: Nixeno “hospital room” 417957
Screen Door: snardin42 “Screen Door Opening and Closing” 45643
Lawnmower” alinistcog “lawnmower–drone” 125784
Butterfly at screen window: Yuval “butterfly wings” 198818
Party: thorvandahl “Small Party Walla” 77003
News Theme: chimerical “Countdown News Intro” 107330

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Mercury's Wake: Histories and Premonitions

The Lamentable Story of Imani Cosmos

Following bereavements and breakdowns, Imani begins to heed the unseen.

Players:

Imani’s Father: Peter Nikkos
Imani: Gwyneth Mackenzie
Marco: Jonathan Medina
Geoff: Kenny Ricci
Nurse: S Vlahos
Imani’s Mother: Anindo Marshall

“Je Suis Le Petit Homme” lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

“Girl, you got it goin’ on” lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

FX Sounds courtesy of Freesounds.com:

Marco’s Theme: FoolBoyMedia “new York jazz loop” 347848
Geoff’s Ringtone: jgreer “calling you”555699
Sound of the people: felix blume “market-in-africa” 173153
Geoff Theme: anechoix “Game Music, jazz loops, jazz loop 3”
Mother Theme: Kai Hansen “Kalimba-song” 24515
Father Theme: cunningar807 “Sad Violin” 377258
Childhood: Moonlight Dancer “Incy wincy spider” 201914
Plane: tim.kahn “plane flyover takeoff”199263
Highschool hallway: kyles “Crowd int high school hallyway light active”450442
Connecticut exterior: Allirog “crickets and whiny insect” 456821
Gallery Noise: dashe15 “noise_gallery” 584313

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Episode 5

The end of Day 1, or is it the end?

We follow Bozzy on a less-than-ordinary night of room service. Rushing in to work, Bozzy is greeted by Danny, the kitchen manager, who tasks Bozzy with a number of deliveries, the least of which are a delivery to a sexy woman in room 1612 and a mafioso with a yen for cannolis and Pernod.

Bozzy delivers to room 1612 where he is, sure enough, greeted by a naked woman. Candida Maxima is a stripper with huge ambition and on the rise. After a long conversation, Candida gives Bozzy a copy of JOHN K in which Bozzy discovers a pair of tickets to closing night of Weirdo Cool’s Wild Ride at the Vegas Pompeii.

Off to his next delivery, Bozzy is greeted by gruff barks when he arrives at the Marcus Aurelius Villa where he meets Rhea Quackenheimer.

Bozzy shares his understanding of gambling and a little bit about himself, but he’s running late on his delivery to a mafioso!

When Bozzy knocks on the mafioso’s hotel suite door. No answer. Bemused and concerned, Bozzy enters the suite. It's alarmingly empty.

Cautiously, Bozzy walks onto the terrace and discovers a man standing on the other side of the terrace railing. He rushes to stop the guy from jumping...

Players:

Bozzy – Jonathan Medina
Danny – Robin Buck
Tidget – Benno Ressa
Candida – SVlahos
Rhea – Julia Fulton
Sadie – Dawn Cantwell
Imani – Gwyn Mackenzie
The Invisible – Daniel Morin

Mercury’s Wake ©SVlahos 2020

"Pea Soup" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

"Je Suis Le Petit Homme" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

"Girl you got it going' on" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

"My Me" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

Thanks to FREESOUND.com and its contributors for awesome SoundFX! Thanks to BullSam at Freesounds for the great theme!

https://freesound.org/people/BullSam/sounds/509495/

366383__piggimon__pouring-champagne.wav

https://freesound.org/people/IENBA/sounds/545476/

https://freesound.org/people/RICHERlandTV/sounds/232358/

https://freesound.org/people/ScouseMouseJB/sounds/329046/

https://freesound.org/people/Littleboot/sounds/147300/

https://freesound.org/people/Tats14/sounds/408782/

https://freesound.org/people/mrrap4food/sounds/619087/

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https://freesound.org/people/mariateresa_garcia/sounds/219708/

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https://freesound.org/people/David_Jacob/sounds/434653/

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https://freesound.org/people/ritaclare/sounds/353107/

https://freesound.org/people/CheneWessels_170017/sounds/407593/

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Episode 4

Rhea Quackenheimer LLM is lost in the Caesars Palace casino and riddled with neurotic reflections on herself and her life, all of which are amplified by a tragic game at a Craps table.

Eager to exit the Craps game, she collides with Imani. When Rhea gets back to her villa, she opens the book JOHN K for the first time. The book was given her by her client, DJ-gone-crooner Weirdo Cool.

Cool is in Vegas for his concert performances of Weirdo Cool’s Wild Ride and he’s more than a client.

But frantic reflections on a misspent life, an estwhile romance, not to mention her recent past mixed with JOHN K’s provocative prose threaten to overwhelm an otherwise determined Rhea to the point where she finds herself sitting on the terrace railing of her Caesars Palace villa contemplating suicide.

Players:

Rhea: Julia Fulton
Rhea’s Dad: Roger Sherman
Bubbie: Nancy Bleemer
Fred: Robin Buck
Vegas Cowboy: Daniel Morin
George: Benito Borjas

TV Announcer/Vegas Voyeur/Crease: Benno Ressa

Mercury’s Wake ©SVlahos 2020

"Tell Me What I Want” lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

"Je Suis Le Petit Homme" lyrics and music SVlahos ©SVlahos2020

"She’s Solo in Vegas” Lyrics: SVlahos, Music: Matt Hillyer, sung by Matt Hillyer ©MHillyer/SVlahos2020

Thanks to FREESOUND for great sound FX

Thanks especially to Rhea’s themes:

https://freesound.org/people/Victor_Natas/sounds/544894/

https://freesound.org/people/Prime45/sounds/522041/

https://freesound.org/people/HowardV/sounds/264377/

https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/480731/

https://freesound.org/people/WolfOWI/sounds/588313/

https://freesound.org/people/Eelke/sounds/593653/

https://freesound.org/people/klangfabrik/sounds/570535/

https://freesound.org/people/anderlk/sounds/496839/

https://freesound.org/people/onteca/sounds/197772/

https://freesound.org/people/16H_Panska_Skerl_Jan/sounds/499062/

https://freesound.org/people/werrie.f_/sounds/594507/

https://freesound.org/people/dividedby.one/sounds/240381/

https://freesound.org/people/drewhalasz/sounds/462232/

https://freesound.org/people/Huggy13ear/sounds/138957/

https://freesound.org/people/amholma/sounds/344360/

https://freesound.org/people/amholma/sounds/344360/download/344360__amholma__door-open-close.wav

https://freesound.org/people/TRP/sounds/575220/

https://freesound.org/people/SciFiSounds/sounds/547929/

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Episode 3

Bozzy and Imani might believe the pop-up Keno room is a figment of their imaginations, but they have no intention of leaving, at least until Bozzy has to work. The two share in the wisdom of JOHN K and Imani tells a story she rarely shares about a Swami.

The conversation is interrupted by a text request from a fellow bartender asking Bozzy to fill in at Cleopatra’s Barge. There, Bozzy meets a strange character sitting at the bar, who asks Bozzy to read a scene from his script about a pop star violently turning on his audience.

Later, when Bozzy leaves the bar for work, he bumps into a woman walking through the casino in desperate search of the elevator and her life.

Players:

Bozzy – Jonathan Medina
Imani – Gwyn Mackenzie
Bartender – Aidan Moravec
The Invisible – Daniel Morin
Stage Manager – Benno Ressa
Sadie – Dawn Cantwell
Mindi – Mia Michaud
Rhea – Julia Fulton

Our thanks to FREESOUND and all the sound creators for awesome Sound FX, with a shout out to "BullSam" for a great banjo theme to jam on!

https://freesound.org/people/nothayama/sounds/172506/
https://freesound.org/people/alexkaelke/sounds/485068/
ttps://freesound.org/people/scott0642/
https://freesound.org/people/jrssandoval/sounds/67144/
https://freesound.org/people/davethetech/sounds/360439/
https://freesound.org/people/shelbyshark/sounds/501235/
https://freesound.org/people/Xanco123/sounds/260689/
https://freesound.org/people/alexftw123/sounds/152663/
https://freesound.org/people/BullSam/sounds/509495/
https://freesound.org/people/Prime45/sounds/522041/

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Episode 2

She was stand-in' in the doorway.

Southerner and luck-junky, Bozzy O'Reilly hightails it to Vegas for a walk on the other side of an alien planet – Las Vegas.

Bozzy reflects on the origin of his name. His reflections take him back to being a kid working with his dad at the Kentucky Derby.

He skips his last class in college and hightails it to Vegas where, aided by his Muse, Bozzy finds more than he expected – a game of Blackjack with a bunch of drunken guys on a Stag night and an Englishman who is not only a card shark but a disturbing introduction into Bozzy’s unknown past.

After the game, Bozzy moves on, walking back into the present, a conversation with Imani Cosmos in the pop-up Keno room that might be a parallel universe..

Players

Bozzy O’Reilly - Jonathan Medina
Imani Cosmos - Gwyneth Mackenzie
Maddy O’Reilly - Susan Galeas
Derby Teller - Robin Buck
Quentin O’Reilly - Robin Buck
Psychic - Heidi Mastrogiovanni
Chano - Benito Borjas
Groom - Aidan Moravec
Best Man/Roulette Dealer - Benno Ressa
Westerly - D. Bradley Jones
Maisey/Aunt Betty/Ms Polyester - S Vlahos

Sound FX from all the great contributors to FreeSound!

freesound.org/people/BullSam/sounds/509495/
freesound.org/people/theuncertainman/sounds/402644/
freesound.org/people/sorohanro/sounds/104088/
freesound.org/stephsinger22/sounds/52322/download/52 322__stephsinger22__cheering.wav
freesound.org/people/deleted_user_2104797/sounds/34 6685/
freesound.org/people/Sirderf/sounds/332309/
freesound.org/Casino Roulette 3.wav
freesound.org/366217__piggimon__casino-chips.wav
freesound.org/people/f_ilippo/sounds/59194/
freesound.org/people/Robinhood76/sounds/62226/
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freesound.org/people/Kraigpartridge/sounds/130394/
freesound.org/people/Canukfa/sounds/143306/
freesound.org/people/jasoneweber/sounds/165932/
https://freesound.org/people/RDB/sounds/63753/
freesound.org/people/Zabuhailo/sounds/166099/
freesound.org/people/GoodListener/sounds/322445/
freesound/people/theaudiosynthesist/sounds/149789

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Episode 1

Fresh from her sorrows, Imani joins Geoff on an LA carpet ride as Geoff's star rises courtesy of the book JOHN K.

Becoming more Hollywood by the moment, Geoff loses sight of anything that matters while Imani realizes there’s nothing for her in Hollywood.

Next stop: Vegas where stuff just gets weirder while Imani evaluates her life, moving from the absurd to the absurd, between dream and the dreamscape of Caesars.

As she meanders the casino, Imani discovers an arcade and a mysterious character from Last Chance, Colorado.

Players

Imani Cosmos - Gwyneth Mackenzie
Geoff - Kenny Ricci
Dalila - Anindo Marshall
Cami - Mindy Lee
Aaron E - S Vlahos

Sound FX supplied by the great Freesound.com

137820__tubbers__automatic-doors
317468__airborne80__turning-pages
429403__jackthemurray__flipping-through-a-book
321465__killbaybee__whimpering-girl-victim
556701__nachtmahrtv__ghost-monster-scream
42847__freqman__psycho-scream-1
265011__sethlind__coin-falling-on-floor
450782__kyles__beer-bottle-cap-snap-off-and-fall-bounce-on-floor-nearby-roomy-various
366111__dkiller2204__indoor-footsteps
511421__snapssound__mall-ambience-busy-01
52287__trip2000__phone-ringing
353099__urupin__steam-hisses
457159__benbojangles__desert-binaural-wind
483290__craigsmith__r29-59-three-large-explosions-or-shells
143129__zabuhailo__gasexplosion
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368003__mitchellsounds__car-getin-and-drive-z
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Welcome to the metaverse of Mercury’s Wake (the podcast)* where the paranormal, alien encounters, parallel universes, quantum jumping, and karmic destiny can’t hold a candle to real life.

Mercury's Wake: Recent Episodes

Stephanie Vlahos