Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro Podcast

’Tis the season of Star Wars with The Rise of Skywalker, and of course the ‘Dads seen it…once or twice.  Now shazbazzar and JediShua go window shopping and find special last-minute gifts for each other in the spirit of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (or The Gift of the Magi, if you prefer).

Take 77 minutes of music with you on your last day of work and final shopping trips this weekend with tunes by Buster Poindexter, Kurt Russell, John Kirby, The Monkees, Brian Setzer, Yogi Yorgesson, Danger Danger, Dropkick Murphys, William Shatner, Ray Stevens, The Matinee, Cyndi Lauper, and more.  Experience cartoon voices from The Smurfs, ALF, The Transformers, Pinky and the Brain, G.I.Joe, and Pac-Man.  Finally, plug into the Christmas spirit with Star Wars and video game music.  It’s the sixth edition of UnScrooged — share and enjoy!

Merry Christmas, EarBuds!

Direct download: TRDads_UnScrooged_6.mp3
Category:Music Special -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Join us for an “uncut” and “raw” episode of TechnoRetro Dads in this Star Wars Scrapbook covering eight movies, several theaters, and a handful of states as we recall our lifetime of involvement with the Skywalker family in the films that have had the biggest impact on our lives.

May the Force Be with you.

Direct download: TRDads_07.37.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

If your family’s antics are a bit more for you to deal with for two or more weeks of winter break, you can always ease the tension with a highly competitive board game like Battleship or a nerve-wracking round of Perfection.

 

Whether Sorry summons your inner sadist to the surface or your masochistic side years for endless hours of Monopoly, we’re all likely to break out the board games over the holidays.  So put your copy of Christmas Vacation in the VCR and gather the family for a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit.

In the NEWS

  • Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in concert
  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on vinyl
  • Star Wars deck of Cards Against Humanity
  • Disneyland After Dark goes totally TechnoRetro

We Love Our Cereal…

…and cereal boxes with Star Wars themed T-Shirts from Funko at your local WalMart!

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Celebrate thirty years with the Griswolds at their home in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.  JediShua and shazbazzar recall the Vacation movies, especially Christmas Vacation as the season continues to be holly jolly in spite of Murphy’s Law interrupting this movie for a couple hours of laughs most of your family will enjoy (others will squirm in their seats, become sick, or just walk out of the room).

TechnoRetro EarBuds’ Toy Catalog

Games are on deck as Mattel Electronic Football, Battleship, skateboards, Connect Four, Mousetrap, Barrel of Monkeys, Monopoly, and Risk compete for votes from our EarBuds.  Don’t let your vote go unnoticed.  Be sure to check social media outlets every day and voice your choices in the Toy Catalog brackets this week!

Board Games

JediShua and shazbazzar thumb through EarBuds’ comments about the games they have loved from childhood and today.  Play on!

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.36.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Their five-year mission was cut short on television, but a decade later, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. “Bones” McCoy embarked on a brand-new ongoing mission that would take them beyond the limitations of living rooms and into the cinematic universe with Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

TechnoRetro Toy Catalog
The second round of wish book wishing has finished with Earbuds’ pics for creative toys in 2019, but there’s more to come this week as games are in the brackets next.  Be sure to check our social media pages every day for your chance to cast your votes.

Star Wars Aftershocks: Star Trek: The Motion Picture
SuperFriend Jovial Jay (Jedi Journals, Scarlet Velocity, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Case Files) adds valuable insight into the discussion of Star Trek: The Motion Picture as the first (and sometimes maligned) Star Trek movie…er, uh, motion picture… gets its due in this rematch and review.

TechnoRetro Arcade
Star Trek wasn’t just a motion picture, though.  Before the Star Wars vector-based game hit arcade in 1983, Sega’s Star Trek vector-based game showed what was possible in first-person space shooters.  Although the game doesn’t resemble the concept or sounds of Star Trek (on small or silver screens), the music is there, the computer logic-produced synthetic voice is virtually Spock-like, and the game play is a fun and challenging arcade experience — especially the alternate seated version of the cabinet.

Science Lesson
EarBud JediHolmes wonders about Pluto’s planetary status and the Voyager program is discovered to include Pluto’s potential in mankind’s future among the stars.

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.35.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

When Mr. Carlson gets his next hair-brained idea for a Thanksgiving promotional for WKRP, someone please remind him of what happened last time.  Especially if he thinks he can use the Omegahedron to create some gobblers to save the world from the evil witch Serena.  Maybe it would be better to stay in and watch Gary Coleman’s appearance on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century on Turkey Day.  It might avoid another Turkeypocalypse.

 

In the NEWS
Ron Howard and Warwick Davis have a promising future on Disney+ with an upcoming Willow series. 

 

We Love Our Cereal…
…and the Roving Spoonster gives us more reasons to love coffee with news of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Coffee-Mate.  PLUS: you can enjoy a bowl of Oreos cereal in a new, comfy Oreos onesie (or with a friend in a Double Stuf sweater).

 

Prime Time on Thanksgiving (1979)
After the football games, you might have enjoyed these prime time programs with your family on Thanksgiving 1979: The Waltons on CBS, Laverne & Shirley on ABC, or enjoy Gary Coleman’s appearance on NBC’s Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.  Can you guess what we were watching?

 

TechnoRetro Toy Catalog
The first round of wish book wishing has finished with the ultimate action figure for EarBuds in 2019, but there’s more to come this week as creative toys hit the brackets next.  Be sure to check our social media pages every day for your chance to cast your votes.

 

Let’s Go to the Movies: Supergirl
SuperFriend Steve Glosson (The Big Honkin’ Show, Geek Out Loud, Disney Vault Talk, and Forceology) brings his depth of superhero (superheroine) knowledge to TechnoRetro Dads.  Now that Supergirl has earned her own ongoing television series, it’s a good time to look back at her big screen appearance thirty-five years ago this month.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.34.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Perhaps you remember seeing Chewbacca’s family on your TV that fateful night in November of 1978, but it’s highly unlikely that you knew about the sequel to The Star Wars Holiday Special before today.  We have rediscovered the promo for The Star Wars Holiday Special Strikes Back and think we know why the program was shelved before its release.  Tune in for a bonus-sized, early release of TechnoRetro Dads on the 41st anniversary of The Star Wars Holiday Special.

 

In the NEWS

Hey, hey, the Monkees (well, half of the Monkees) are going on tour again this April.  

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and Twinkies, too!  Beware of speeding to the store to find Post Hostess Twinkies cereal, though.  The police are watching for people who eat cereal and drive — they may be impaired.

 

TechnoRetro Toy Catalogue 

The brackets begin this week as we scour the pages of our old toy catalogues for the action figures we want most for Christmas this year.  Be sure to watch our social media pages every day this week to vote for the toys you want Santa to put under your tree this year — or last year — or in 1984…

 

The Star Wars Holiday Special (Strikes Back)

On November 17, 1978 at 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, lucky kids across the nation were treated to two hours of indistinct chatter (and growls) from Wookiees, threats from Imperials, music, magic, and mania that was The Star Wars Holiday Special.  And for the past six years, shazbazzar and JediShua have been celebrating Life Day this time every year in honor of the television special we thought we would never see again.  But this year we have rediscovered the nearly unknown sequel, The Star Wars Holiday Special Strikes Back.  Thankfully, we have the promo for the unaired special on cassette tape, so strap in for excitement and entertainment from a galaxy far, far away with Yoda and the Wookiees as we play the tape for you this week!

 

The Mandalorian

Chris Luby, cohost of The Geek State Podcast, joins the ‘Dads for an extended discussion of the first chapter of The Mandalorian and speculation about future chapters and seasons of this instant hit series on Disney+.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.33.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

Take a walk in a field of clever with shazbazzar and JediShua this Veterans’ Day as TechnoRetro Dads eat cereal, a magic dragon eats homework, and everyone peruses the menu of Disney+ to see what’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner tomorrow.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and the Roving Spoonster continues to share the love:

  • Google brings back prizes in boxes of cereal?
  • Hershey Kisses cereal doesn’t look appetizing
  • Shelf Elves get sugar cookie cereal

 

Puff the Magic Dragon in the Land of the Living Lies

He’s your big, green buddy who teaches life-lessons in television specials featuring sing-a-long songs, imaginative animation, and Mickey from Rocky.  Puff the Magic Dragon in the Land of the Living Lies is the sequel that aired one year after The Star Wars Holiday Special.  The second of three Puff the Magic Dragon TV specials featured Sandy who had a penchant for telling whoppers to get attention and/or get out of trouble, so Puff the Magic Dragon selflessly sacrificed himself to teach her the sad truth about lying.

 

The Wonderful World of Disney+

JediShua and shazbazzar talk about the movies and programs they’re looking forward to watching on the new Disney+ service that kicks off tomorrow.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

The Rise of Skywalker discussion continues with the scene of C-3PO with his “friends” that was seen in the final trailer for the final film in the Skywalker saga.  The Elton John soundtrack is not included in this episode.

 

Feedback

Discord goes to the dogs with feedback from Joey, Laffy, and others on the RetroZap Discord TechnoRetro Dads channel.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.32.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Open up a bottle of LaCro IX or StCro IX and kick back with the TechnoRetro Dads and other EarBuds as we speculate about Star Wars and reminisce about celebrity dogs in movies and on television.

 

In the NEWS:

  • Reno Pop Culture Con
  • Disney+ for Verizon customers
  • The Mandalorean posters

 

Saturday Mornings Go to the Dogs

From cartoon canines like Astro, Clifford, Dino, Droopy, Mr. Peabody, Pluto, and Scooby Doo to movie mutts like Benji, Beethoven, Cujo, K-9, Hooch, Otis, and The Shaggy D.A., Saturdays have often “gone to the dogs”.  Tune in to see which barkers you remember from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and beyond.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

The Rise of Skywalker is just weeks away, and we’re hyped with more discussion from the final trailer for the movie.  JediShua and shazbazzar talk about the voice-overs and speculate about what each of them might mean as the Star Wars Skywalker saga ends with Episode IX.  TEASER: JediShua is drinking LaCroIX.  

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.31.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

It’s the last Monday before Halloween, the National Peanut Festival, November, and the return to standard time.  Oh, yeah, and the first Monday after the last trailer for a Skywalker saga Star Wars movie.  Yep.  There’s lots to talk about today.  PLUS: jokes from our friends and fellow RetroZap celebrities.

 

In the NEWS:

Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas is being rewritten, rescored, and remade…maybe.

 

We Want Candy!

Get out your plastic pumpkins and pillow cases; trick-or-treat is almost here!  We remember some of our favorite sugary treats from Halloweens past as we scrounge around in our closet floors and find remnants of forty-or-so years gone by.  This year’s top treats are also in the mix.

 

Creative Costumes

EarBuds and SuperFriends share memories of trick-or-treating in costumes from boxes, costumes made of boxes, and costumes created by moms, dads, and kids and kids-at-heart.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

With the final trailer of the Skywalker saga available for viewing, rewinding, and viewing again and again (slow-motion and pause enabled), shazbazzar and JediShua start speculating in earnest based on what little has been shown so far.  Let the hype begin!

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.30.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Halloween is coming soon and robots on screen can be the most terrifying creatures ever invented.  The sights and sounds of robots in movies, TV shows, and video games can get your heart beating faster while sitting absolutely still (which you want to do if they haven’t seen you, yet).

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and so do Michael Nipp, Ron Lafontaine, and the Roving Spoonster.

  • Froot Loops Pop Tarts
  • Saturday Morning Cartoon Cavalcade and Cereal Extravaganza
  • Funko Pops cereals
  • Star Wars cereal returns

 

Space Camp

JediShua enjoyed his journey to Mars after a day’s training to be an astronaut in Huntsville, Alabama.  From learning more about the history of the space program and NASA to hands-on experience, Space Camp was well worth the money spent on this thoughtful gift.

But Space Camp isn’t just a weekend adventure; it’s a campy movie from 1986!  The ‘Dads talk about the movie that likely suffered from the Challenger tragedy that struck just a few months before its release — it’s plot, odd geography, and big name actors in this oft-forgotten flick.

 

Scary Robots

From theaters to living rooms to arcades, robots can be scary.  Remember these films, shows, and games? 

  • Terminator
  • Lost in Space
  • Alien
  • Blade Runner
  • Logan’s Run
  • The Black Hole
  • Westworld
  • Superman 3
  • Ex Machina
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Small Wonder
  • The Six Million Dollar Man
  • Battlestar Galactica
  • Robotron 2084
  • Berzerk
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes.  Then share with others on social media, and join us on Discord for discussions about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s.  While you’re at it, give the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_07.29.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

It’s Monday, but we’re talking Wednesday as Pugsley realizes that Thing on his back might just Fester.  When you Add(ams) it all up, it’s a creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky family that is rooted in the early 1930s.  And with a new movie out in theaters, The Addams Family is the epitome of #TechnoRetro.

 

In the NEWS:

The confetti king, the props meister, the triumph of the toupee Rip Taylor leaves this world after marking it with his flair for flamboyance.  Picard is coming and the new trailer is the next generator of discussion in the science fiction community.  PLUS: Netflix’s Lost in Space will continue on Christmas Eve!

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and the Roving Spoonster has some ‘80s style updates as Honeycomb and Super Golden Crisp bring wrestlers back to cereal boxes in your supermarket.  Cheerios add yet another flavor to the classic cereal with coconut.  We don’t think the texture will accompany the flavor, though.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies (and television shows)!

The Addams Family is rooted in Charles Addams’s 1930s comic strip, but has been in pop culture through the 1960s television show, a ‘70s variety pilot (which thankfully didn’t get a green light), a ‘70s cartoon series, a made-for-TV movie on ABC in 1977, two movies in the ‘90s with Raul Julia, Anjelica Houston, and Christopher Lloyd, a ‘90s era cartoon on television (with Rip Taylor), and now an animated movie in theaters.  After a great first weekend, The Addams Family is doing well at the box office, but hasn’t put Joker in a Lurch.  We cover decades of wealthy weirdos in this mid-October episode of TechnoRetro Dads.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

From Ben Cooper boxes of cheap plastic masks and vinyl coveralls to homemade costumes of varying screen-accuracy and craftsmanship, Star Wars costumes have been part of our lives since 1977.  Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Yoda, and Ewoks are fondly remembered by shazbazzar and JediShua as well as some memorable costumes from several EarBuds.  It’s all in this week’s Star Wars Scrapbook memories.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.28.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Who will dare to enter the haunted house first?
Why is there an arcade and theater in there?
What is a “fun scare”, anyway?
Will JediShua ever wear pants?
While all the answers to these pertinent questions will not be solved in this episode, you’ll have a ghostly good time wondering who is holding Jovial Jay’s hand. 

 

TechnoRetro Arcade: Horror or Horrendous?

From the pre-digital days of arcade games to full-scale cabinets and even home consoles, Jovial Jay, JediShua, and shazbazzar share some TechnoRetro games you might remember.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies!

The Professor of Film, SuperFriend Jovial Jay, lends his cinematic expertise to the show (and adds at least some credibility to all the silliness) by explaining why some horror/suspense/thrillers stand the test of time and introduces his “31 Days of Horror” series on RetroZap.com. 

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.27.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

What do Frankenstein, a French octopus, and frightening frogmen from the Soviet Union have in common?  They are all mentioned on this week’s TechnoRetro Dads.  Tune in for 77 minutes of fun as September ends and the month of monsters begins. 

 

In the NEWS…

  • The answer to everything is solved!
  • TR3N may be in the news?
  • Captain Kirk celebrates Kringle Klaus.
  • Triple Force Friday is days away.
  • Casting news from Jurassic World 3.

 

We Love Our Cereal!

Halloween cereals are spotted in Walmart (with “Spooky Marshmallows”)!

 

TechnoRetro Arcade: King of the Monsters

Somewhere between Street Fighter and Rampage lives a NeoGeo game from the early ‘90s that pits enormous beasts (with odd names) against each other over a backdrop of Japanese cities.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies!

Sticking with the theme of monsters, shazbazzar and JediShua look back at some movies from the ‘80s and the monsters that might have plagued our nightmares (or just lived under Fred Savage’s bed).

 

TechnoRetro Feedback

  • Ska Geek recalls the Time Killers arcade game.
  • Fettmatic and Michael Nipp mention more time travel movies/shows.
  • Shane in Grand Rapids finds a VW camper that reminds us of the A-Team van.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.26.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Although we’re all a bit down about losing musical icons like Eddie Money and Ric Ocasek, this morning also features some good news about a specific SuperFriend and some exciting TechnoRetro shows on NBC’s streaming service, a peek at some spooky cereals, terrific (or terrible) autumnal jokes, timely arcade games, informative science lessons, and feedback.

 

In the NEWS:

  • SuperFriend Michael Price receives an Emmy for writing “Mad about the Toy” episode of The Simpsons!
  • The Far Side is returning.  The time is near.
  • Peacock to stream TechnoRetro shows like Battlestar Galactica, Punky Brewster, Saved by the Bell, and A Brave New World.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and so do Disney and Funko.  Maleficent, Oogie Boogie, and four more Disney villains get mini-pops in the continuing Funko cereal series this October.

 

Vinyl Scratchback

Eddie Money and Ric Ocasek debuted in the ‘70s with hit tunes and continued their popularity into the ‘80s and beyond.  With recent news about their recent deaths in mind, we remember some of their hits from our youth.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

  • Hologram Time Traveler
  • Time Pilot

 

Science Lesson

JediShua teaches various theories about time travel and how they work and how they don’t work.  You can decide which theory or theories you think might be possible.

 

Feedback

Jovial Jay discovers digital assistants’ rap crossover.  Onkl Mawks has an entire collection of Elton John records for shAbbeyzzar.  And Wes loves to ride his Mongoose (bicycle).

Direct download: TRDads_07.25.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Traveling through time is a weekly event for shazbazzar and JediShua, but we never realized just how many movies (and how many genres) feature time travel in some way or another.  Thankfully, Jovial Jay lends his expertise in cinematic time travel to reveal the many movies and many means of traveling through time since film projectors brought motion pictures to life on the big screen. 

 

In the NEWS…

  • The highly anticipated Muppet project for Disney+ will not be seen any time soon.
  • HGTV takes time travel to a new level with A Very Brady Renovation.
  • Comparative sales of vinyl records and compact discs look like something straight out of 1986.

 

Let’s All Go Back to the Movies!

Jovial Jay joins shazbazzar and JediShua for a more expansive look at movies featuring time travel.  Whether the film was fantasy or a science-fiction story, the sheer number of movies that deal with traveling through time in some manner or another is almost enough to power a flux capacitor!  JediShua, shazbazzar, and Jovial Jay discuss this timeless trope in various decades and genres with special attention to some favorites from EarBuds.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.24.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Whether it was your first Bike, a Bicycle Race, a Huffy, Murray, Kent, or Free Spirit, kids loved and lived on their bikes in the ‘70s and ‘80s and we all remember taking off the training wheels, sliding into skids, popping wheelies, and telling Mom to “Look! No hands!”  It’s all about bicycles this week, EarBuds!

 

We Love Our Cereal

Cool cereal stories this week!

  • You could turn up your Snap, Crackle, and Pop to eleven with this amplified cereal bowl.
  • Tony the Tiger teams up with the Sun Bowl for a stadium-sized part of your nutritious breakfast.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies…on our bikes!

Whether it was Breaking Away, American Flyers, BMX Bandits, Rad, or Quicksilver, the pedals pushed the gears to the limits in some fun and memorable movies from the ‘70s and ‘80s featuring bicycles.

 

Toys in the Attic: Bikes

We remember riding our bikes in the driveway, around the block, at the playground, the park, and even down to the crawdad hole.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

Bikes are for fun.  And they’re even fun at the arcade (if yours doesn’t get stolen when you’re inside shoving quarters in the machines).  Sometimes, even simulating working on your two-wheeler in the classic Paperboy cabinet.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.23.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Before (or after) he was a spokesman in Coke commercials, spinning tunes as a virtual VJ, or even a TV talk show host, Max Headroom was the iconic example of artificial intelligence (well, perhaps computerized charisma) brought to “life” by a scan of Edison Carter’s brain and 3D imaging of Matt Frewer’s head and shoulders.  This week’s episode is a tribute to Max Headroom with a lot of excitement about upcoming Star Wars opportunities in the near future.

 

In the NEWS…

D23 has happened without TR3N news, any mention of The Black Hole or Something Wicked this Way Comes remakes, reboots, or sequels, but lots of Star Wars updates which may or may not include the following TechnoRetro Facts:

  • See Jefferson Starship on the Galactic Starcruiser as you travel through hyperspace to Galaxy’s Edge.
  • The Rise of the Resistance ride is coming soon to Walt Disney World and Disneyland complete with Force-wielding kids shoving aside stormtroopers with their minds.
  • See how a squid-headed Quarren meets with danger in our first real look at The Mandalorean.
  • The Rise of Skywalker seems to present multiple opportunities to walk over rises in topography to reveal various vistas with the heroes of the sequel trilogy.
  • Although we still don’t know if Ewan McGregor will portray Carl Jung on film, we are fairly certain he will reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in an upcoming series on Disney+.  James Arnold Taylor is rumored to appear as either OB-2 or OB-6 in the new show.

 

Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future

JediShua and shazbazzar watch the complete Max Headroom TV series from 1987 and explain the origin(s) of this iconic computer-generated character who continues to be a familiar face (and simulated stutterer) more than thirty years later.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.22.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

From the second episode of TechnoRetro Dads until just a couple weeks ago, shazbazzar and JediShua have been covering news and rumors about The Dark Crystal from movies, books, toys, and games.  For 82 minutes this Monday morning, relive the past through six seasons of TechnoRetro Dads and take another look at the only official appearance of Thra onscreen before The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance emerges on Netflix this Friday.

 

In the NEWS…

  • Space: 1999 radio drama
  • A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy TV series
  • Masters of the Universe by Kevin Smith
  • Custody battle between Disney and Sony over Peter Parker
  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
  • FLASHBACK through the archives of The Dark Crystal in the NEWS from 2013-2018 

 

At the Movies: The Dark Crystal

JediShua and shazbazzar watch The Dark Crystal again this week and focus on the “hero’s journey” and the characters from the world of Thra.

 

 

Family Circle: The Dark Crystal FLASHBACK

Two families in two different cities across the country watched The Dark Crystal “together” on Skype.  Then the TechnoRetro Dads talked about their experiences with the movie as kids and as fathers.  The initial discussion from April 2013 has been remastered (from available recordings) for this exciting episode.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.21.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

When you need someone to falsely support your delusions, when you wear boxer shorts appropriate for work (remember it’s called underwear for a reason), when everything is controvurtial, even if you’re a Streamer (our official designation of Generation Z), TechnoRetro Dads wants you to dream big — but not right now.  It’s Monday morning and you’ve got to go to work/school so kickstart your week with 77 minutes of fun and fandom.

 

In the NEWS…

  • Will Star Wars Resistance return for another season?
  • Will Ewan McGregor make our dreams come true and play Obi-Wan in a series?

 

We Love Our Cereal

  • The Addams Family teams up with GM’s Monster Cereals.
  • Fruity Pebbles might make a neat marshmallow treat.
  • Boxes of cereal marshmallows are spotted at FAO Schwartz.
  • Lucky Charms marshmallows get Jet Popped.

 

At the Movies: Dreamscape

Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, Max Von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, and Eddie Albert meet together in their dreams in the second PG-13 movie, Dreamscape.

 

 

Vinyl Scratchback: Music of Your Dreams

Musical groups from the ‘70s and ‘80s were living the dream with nocturnal themes:

  • Eurythmics — “Sweet Dreams”
  • Van Halen — “Dreams”
  • Heart — “These Dreams”
  • Tom Petty — “Runnin’ Down a Dream”
  • Dan Hartman — “I Can Dream about You”
  • Moody Blues — “Your Wildest Dreams”
  • Hall & Oates — “You Make My Dreams”
  • Fleetwood Mac — “Dreams”
  • George Harrison — “Dream Away”
  • Aerosmith — “Dream On”
  • Blondie — “Dreaming”
  • Cheap Trick — “Dream Police”, “All We Need Is a Dream”, “I Must Be Dreamin’”, “Mandocello”

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.20.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

While some aspects of ‘70s and ‘80s pop-culture is undoubtedly lost on those who didn’t experience the Cold War, wear brightly-colored JAMZ and Bugle Boy jeans, or remember when phones were attached by wires, the movies, music, and TV shows of that era can still elicit deeply emotional responses that transcend the generation gap.  If only the whole world could just sit back and enjoy stuff for 77 minutes every Monday morning…

 

In the NEWS…

  • The Matrix returns to theaters for its 20th anniversary.
  • The Black Hole will finally be released on Blu-ray.

 

We Love Our Cereal

The Roving Spoonster reports bowls full of delicious news worthy of Saturday mornings!

  • Jurassic Park’s Dr. Ian Malcolm Pop Cereal
  • Good Guys cereal (from Child’s Play) is real!
  • St. Paul, Minnesota gets a new cereal bar.
  • Discover what it’s like to be Cinnamon Toast Crunch!
  • Froot Loops Birthday Cake — how sweet.

 

At the Movies: 

Three great movies hit theaters on the same day thirty-five years ago.  (One fun one showed up a week and five years later.)

  • Peter Weller is Buckaroo Banzai in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai across the 8th Dimension.
  • Henry Thomas gets involved with Russian spies (Hmmm… Stranger Things?) in Cloak & Dagger.
  • C. Thomas Howell goes wild when Russians kill his father in the first movie with a PG-13 rating: Red Dawn.
  • John Candy is Uncle Buck.  Watch and laugh.

 

 

TechnoRetro Arcade: Crazy Climber

This vertically scrolling game pits a skyscraper climber against flowers, bird droppings, girders, and giant apes.  Nope, it’s not Donkey Kong.  It’s not even Krazy Kong.  It’s Crazy Climber, and it deserves its moment in the limelight. 

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.19.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Although MAD will cease its magazine’s regular publications, the satirical wit will remain with us with decades worth of art and humor.  The ‘Dads remember their experiences with zany humor from the artists and writers of MAD and the strangeness of “Weird Al” Yankovic on UHF and his decades of musical comedy and parody.

 

In the NEWS…

  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture returns to theaters.
  • The C64 reboots nostalgia for Commodore owners.
  • Upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie finds directors.
  • MAD Magazine shuts down after nearly 7 decades.

 

In the Magazine Rack: MAD

JediShua and shazbazzar remember the clips, quips, and snips of pulp as they recall their own experiences with the satirical publication: MAD.  First published in 1952, the magazine has entertained and influenced generations with adolescent humor and cultural commentary.

 

At the Movies: UHF 

George Newman has lost yet another job due to his preoccupation with his imagination.  Does he get mad?  Maybe.  Does he despair?  A bit.  But then his aunt finds a career opportunity for her favorite nephew.  She insists that her husband hires George to manage his recently-acquired UHF television station.  Watch “Weird Al” Yankovic, Victoria Jackson, Kevin McCarthy, and Michael Richards on their mad trip through manic mishaps as they try to make or break the success of a small TV station just trying to garner viewers and generate ad sales.  It’s UHF from 1989!

 

Vinyl Scratchback: “Weird Al” Yankovic

From his early days of parodies and filks on The Doctor Demento Show to polka medleys and original comedy songs, “Weird Al” Yankovic consistently hits listeners’ funny bones and pinches the nerves with his catchy tunes and accordion-based numbers like “Yoda”, “Another One Rides the Bus”, “I Lost on Jeopardy”, “Smells Like Nirvana”, “Fat”, “Eat It”, “Word Crimes”, and “The Saga Begins”.  Whether you simply enjoy laughing at the weirdness, singing along in the family minivan (or station wagon), or writing your own parody creations after being inspired by Weird Al’s ingenuity, you’ll enjoy sharing memories with shazbazzar and JediShua as they recall “Weird Al” Yankovic’s albums. 

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.18.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

While shazbazzar and JediShua aren’t in middle school themselves (neither are their kids), they still enjoy traipsing through the huge corridors eating Karmelkorn and drinking Orange Julius while listening to muzak echoing through the vaulted ceilings.  Add a 35 year-old fantasy movie to the mix and you’ve got a never-ending story that only lasts 77 minutes (which, by the way, is only 25 minutes shorter than The NeverEnding Story from 1984).

 

In the NEWS…

Rutger Hauer, star of great ‘80s films like Blade Runner, The Hitcher, Blind Fury, and Ladyhawke, left this life at 75 (in 2019, the same year that the replicant Roy Batty was terminated).

 

On the ESCALATOR…

You’ll think the trip to the second story of the mall is never-ending with the mall gags and Dad jokes that creep up in unexpected corners their minds.

 

At the FOOD COURT… 

JediShua and shazbazzar pause to talk about some of the cool things from San Diego Comic Con.  Marvel movies may be the next never-ending story as there seems to be no end in sight.  Plus: The Dark Crystal and toys from The Black Hole. 

 

In the CORRIDORS…

Memories of memorable malls of EarBuds and SuperFriends dominate the discussion as shazbazzar and JediShua look at the stores and arcades that used to populate the never-ending list of malls that grew in popularity during the heyday of ‘80s consumerism.

 

At the MOVIE THEATER… 

The NeverEnding Story is playing on the big screen 35 years ago, and the ‘Dads recall and rewatch this inspirational film based on the book by Michael Ende (who didn’t love the movie adaptation).

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.17.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Flashback with shazbazzar and JediShua to moon-moments from 2013, 2014, and 2017 as the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission weekend celebrations come to a close.  Many EarBuds will remember our Moonbase Alpha discussion with SuperFriend Paul Bateman about the short-lived TV series Space 1999, but fewer will remember the brief mentions of the moon in some older clips from NEWS and HISTORY LESSON segments from seasons one and two.  PLUS: JediShua and SuperFriend Tony Soehner tell about their experiences at Galaxy’s Edge.

 

Moon Moments

Scouring the archives of TechnoRetro Dads for tidbits of moon news and history from seasons past resulted in some strange-sounding stories we had forgotten about — and even a couple of references to the Red Julius kiosk at the Mars Mall (maybe a few EarBuds will remember that reference).  From staking claims on the moon to naming moon craters after your sweetheart, in retrospect, we may have discovered how some moon-based locations got their strange names: Mare Fecunditatis, Mount Marilyn, and Crater Joliot-Curie.

 

Moonbase Alpha: Space 1999

In this remastered flashback, Concept Artist, Art Director, and SuperFriend Paul Bateman joins shazbazzar and JediShua on Moonbase Alpha to talk about Space: 1999, a British television series that lasted a brief two seasons from 1975 to 1977.  From big budget beginnings and a great premise in the spirit of 2001: A Space Odyssey to a choppy second season resembling an homage to Star Trek, Space: 1999 is nevertheless an iconic must-see with its curious creatures, magnificent Moonbase Alpha, and classic crafts, the Eagles

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.16.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Huntsville, Alabama will celebrate the anniversary of putting the first men on the moon this Saturday — probably Houston and Cape Kennedy will too — but TechnoRetro Dads kick off the half-century celebration Monday morning with 77 minutes of lunacy as the 15th episode of the 7th season airs on the 15th day of the 7th month.  The zaniness all started when JediShua’s doorbell rang as he was expecting a birthday present to arrive…

 

Science Lesson: Apollo 11

On 16 July 1969, a Saturn V rocket launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida at 9:32 AM, beginning the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.  Four days later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin successfully landed on the moon, putting an end to the “space race” between the United States of America and the Soviet Union.  The world celebrated the landing confirmed by the immortalized words, “The Eagle has landed,” only to be surpassed by Neil Armstrong’s statement as he placed his footprint on the moon’s surface, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  Although some still debate whether the moon landing was genuine or an elaborate hoax, the excitement of those watching and listening on July 20, 1969 briefly united the world as mankind reached their greatest height to date.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade: Lunar Lander

Ten years after the first manned mission to the surface of the moon, Atari capitalized on the public’s continuing interest in the moon and space with the vector-graphic arcade game Lunar Lander.  The original 1979 game was made of simple graphics constructed of white lines on a black background as players tried to land their lunar module on small, level sites on the surface of the moon before running out of fuel or crashing.  Points are earned for each successful moon landing until the player’s supply of fuel or “lunar landers” are exhausted.

 

Saturday Mornings: Moon-Adjacent Cartoons 

In the ‘70s and ‘80s (even the ‘90s), lots of spacetastic cartoons (not necessarily moon-oriented).  JediShua, shazbazzar, and Jovial Jay talk about Bravestarr, GoBots, Gilligan’s Planet, Space Cats, and Yogi’s Space Race.  A live-action show called Far Out Space Nuts gets an honorable mention because of its relationship to Gilligan’s Planet (Bob Denver). 

 

Let’s Go to the Moonvies: Apollo 13

Ron Howard’s film based on the third mission to put men on the moon is an amazing combination of historical facts and Hollywood effects that continues to stir the emotions of audiences today.  The 1995 film is mostly faithful to the events that transpired before, during, and after the “successful failure” of the Apollo 13 mission of 1970 that prevented Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) from completing their mission and landing on the moon.  SPOILER ALERT: Even though they didn’t land on the moon, these astronauts successfully returned to Earth after circling the moon. 

Also noted are other “moon landing” movies like First Man, The Right Stuff, and Airplane II: The Sequel. 

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  While you’re waiting for a brand-new episode, why not read (or lazy read) Michael Witwer's Empire of Imagination?  But don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_07.15.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Whether you’re returning from summer camp in hopes of a glorious reunion with your friends, coming home after a vacation at the beach, or just happy to be “Together Again” with your EarBuds after a week of fun and fireworks, shazbazzar and JediShua are serving up seventy-seven minutes of GenX news and discussion and large bowls of tasty cereal for your tum-tums on this Monday morning!

 

In the NEWS…

  • Goodbye, Willie.  Max Wright from ALF succumbs to cancer at age 75.
  • Hello, Hamill.  Cast and characters of the upcoming Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance are revealed.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and the Roving Spoonster, Shane in GR does, too!

  • Keto friendly cereals that will dent your wallet.
  • MELK Diner & Cereal Bar closes its doors.
  • Fire at the Battle Creek Kellogg’s facility.  What does burning cereal smell like?

 

Let’s Go to the Movies: The Muppets Take Manhattan

The summer of ’84 continues with cinematic hits like The Last Starfighter and The Muppets Take Manhattan.  But 1979 isn’t without a notable movie from this week — The Frisco Kid may have been the last movie starring Harrison Ford that doesn’t focus on the Han Solo/Indiana Jones icon in its trailer.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade: The Last Starfighter

JediShua asks which video games would make suitable trainers/testers for potential candidates to save the galaxy in an epic space battle as seen in The Last Starfighter. 

 

Science Lesson

Loads of cool, geeky stuff is going on in our world these days:

  • NASA makes their entire media library publicly accessible and copyright free.
  • NASA introduces Dragonfly, the quadcopter concept for a mission to Titan.
  • LightSail 2 has begun its mission.

 

Feedback

Swamp Angel sends in a message for JediShua.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.14.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Whether you’re celebrating Canada Day today or hurriedly getting work done in hopes of a four-day weekend beginning on the 4th of July, you’ve gotta make time for shazbazzar and JediShua before getting to work as the second half of 2019 begins.  The TechnoRetro Dads have a summer-packed show to kick of the month of July with Bernie, Beach Boys, and big boomers!

 

In the NEWS…

  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will have an accompanying comic book series to delve more deeply into the many characters from the Netflix series.
  • Don’t forget that Stranger Things 3 is coming to Netflix this Thursday.  Find out how Hawkins, Indiana deals with another attack from another dimension.
  • Tickets to Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2020 went on sale…and were quickly sold out.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and the Roving Spoonster, Shane in GR does, too!

  • Two new Cap’n Crunch flavors for your bowl!
  • The UK may have lost major holdings in North America, but they get the last laugh by getting white chocolate Coco Pops while the former colonies fill their bowls with empty wishes.
  • Evidence of the TechnoRetro Dads’ time-traveling tours is discovered by Austrian archaeologists who dug up three thousand year-old Cheerios (not Oreos, shaz).

 

Vinyl Scratchback: The Beach Boys

Summer time is a funner time with music blaring from your boombox at the beach — as long as it’s beach music.  And what could be more summer-centric than the tones of The Beach Boys?  From wave-riding songs like “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfin’ USA” to cruising songs like “Fun, Fun, Fun” and “I Get Around”, The Beach Boys have been an integral part of summer.  But boys will be boys, and therefore had to include songs about the girls like “California Girls” and the wistful “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”.  Rounding out the mix is their huge summer hit in the ‘80s called “Kokomo” (which, evidently, isn’t about white chocolate Coco Puffs).

 

Let’s Go To the Movies: Weekend at Bernie’s

Richard and Larry discover a discrepancy in their company’s financial records that reveals more than a clerical error.  To reward them for their diligence and vigilance in their work, their boss Bernie invites them to his beach house for the weekend — and plans to have them silenced…forever.  But when Bernie gets on the wrong side of his nefarious partner-in-crime, the hitman is given a different target and the two young employees spend a wild weekend trying to conceal the fact that their boss is dead so that they can enjoy a well-earned weekend on the beach. 

 

Fireworks!

Pack black powder into a paper cylinder, set it aflame, and watch it smoke, skip, snake, skyrocket, or simply go “BOOM!”  The first week of July is a great time for blowing things up at home, the beach, or dirt roads on the way back from another state with less-stringent laws regulating fireworks.  The ‘Dads and several EarBuds recall their experiences with sparklers, firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, and more as we celebrate national holidays this week.

 

Feedback: New Coke and the Cola Wars

New Coke turned Jeremy into a Pepsi drinker.  Norman speaks of the Cola Wars in coded speech.  Myles can’t find New Coke in Canada and needs help.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.13.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Whether you’re looking for sunny days or a funny joke, you can “Catch the Wave” with the old New Coke (and catch up on some exciting news, reviews, and stand-up comedy even if you’re lying down.  Where else can you get 77 minutes of foolish futility to kickstart your work week for zero dollars?  You’re sure to get what you pay for on TechnoRetro Dads this week!

 

In the NEWS:

  • New Arcade 1Up machines coming this year!
  • TRON action figures from Diamond Select.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

Put down your Coca-Cola for a few minutes and listen to some EarBuds’ scrapbook entries as they go to Galaxy’s Edge (not as far, far away as you might have thought).  Armando and Jack give their thoughts about Smuggler’s Run and more.

 

History Lesson: New Coke

In the late ’70s and early ’80s we experienced Star Wars, the Cold War, and the Cola Wars.  The Pepsi Challenge had evidently increased Pepsi’s market share of carbonated beverage business and Coca-Cola was feeling it in their wallet.  With the popularity of diet drinks rising, Coke needed to do something to bring more bucks home.  Brilliant minds came up with a solution: cease production of their hundred year-old formula and release a new recipe for the Coke brand with much more sugar and BOOM! New Coke was born.  But long-time Coca-Cola drinkers didn’t appreciate the change to a more Pepsi-like taste.  They wanted the classic taste back.  Seventy-nine days later, Coke announced the original formula would return under the name Coca-Cola Classic and would exist alongside the new Coke (which would carry the Coke name).  Eventually, demand (?) for New Coke waned enough to stop making it altogether — until now.

 

With the highly anticipated release of Stranger Things 3 coming to Netflix on July 4th, The Coca-Cola Company decided to rerelease New Coke for a limited run to coincide with the new season’s setting in 1985.  Coca-Cola produced 500,000 cans of New Coke which has been available for the past three weeks, and shazbazzar and JediShua have gotten their hands on some.  It’s time for a taste test, EarBuds.  Can you guess the results?  (Video available on YouTube.)

 

Vinyl Scratchback

What did you do in the ‘80s when you had trouble going to sleep in a quiet room?  Lie down and listen to stand-up comedy, of course!  JediShua and shazbazzar (with input from EarBuds) remember some comedy albums they heard when they were younger.  George Carlin, Robin Williams, Justin Wilson, Laurel & Hardy, Howie Mandel, Eddie Murphy, Sam Kinison, Gallagher, Cheech & Chong, and Steve Martin all make the list as we remember comedy on vinyl.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.12.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

As the summer solstice approaches in the northern hemisphere with the longest daylight hours reaching their zenith, shazbazzar and JediShua remember the summers of ’79, ’84, and ’89 with four movies that impacted them in their youth and beyond.  Tune in for 77 minutes of retro joy and techno hope with your EarBuds this Monday morning and get your week off (and summer) off to a great start!

 

In the NEWS:

  • Get caffeinated drinking “Coke with Coffee”.
  • Play in the Upside Down with Stranger Things games.
  • Experience the return of great LucasArts games.
  • Dare to strategize in the new Nintendo Switch adaptation of The Dark Crystal Resistance.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…but the Roving Spoonster (Shane in GR) may well have surpassed us this week as he chronicles his experience at the Battle Creek, Michigan Cereal Fest.  PLUS: John Schepler gives us a sneak peek at some new cereals in supermarket aisles and the ‘Dads give their takes on cereals they’ve tasted so far this summer (Fillows, Drumsticks, and Sour Patch Kids).

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies: Summer Movie Extravaganza

Anniversaries abound this week with four flicks from our youth hitting 30, 35, and 40!  JediShua and shazbazzar remember The Muppet Movie (1979), The Karate Kid (1984), Top Secret! (1984), and Batman (1989) with memories and interesting connections from actors and EarBuds in this banner week for fun summer movies.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Go online for more TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RetroZap.com, or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Pick up your TechnoRetro Dads merchandise at TeePublic.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.11.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Dads come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (even blue), so shazbazzar and JediShua take time for some Dad-discussions about fictional fathers from Saturday morning cartoons to movies on the big screen with an extended chat about the father who assumed the title of Mom… Mr. Mom, that is.

 

Saturday Mornings

For kids of the ‘70s and ‘80s, cartoon fathers were part of the cartoon watching experience.  From shows that were #TechnoRetro in the ‘70s like The Flintstones and The Jetsons to The Smurfs, The Chipmunks, The Transformers, M.A.S.K., Dungeons & Dragons, and Ewoks, animated fathers and father-figures on Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons took charge and taught lessons to the TechnoRetro Dads of today.

 

Let’s Go to the Movies

With a bit more “techno” than there was in the Saturday Morning discussion, Father’s Day is a good time to look at memorable fathers on the big screen like cinema icons Mufasa and Darth Vader, respectable Henry Jones, Sr. and the President of the United States, heroic Chief Brody and Mr. Incredible, and homemakers like Mrs. Doubtfire.  Dads can be funny and strong or scary and cuddly — in the end, these fathers are just like many dads today.

 

Mr. Mom

Before he took on the Joker in Batman (1989), Michael Keaton battled the stench of diapers, the temptations of neighborhood wives, the public address systems of supermarkets, and the comfort of the couch in Mr. Mom.  After losing his job, Jack Butler earned the title of Mr. Mom in this riotous comedy from 1983 as he made grilled cheese sandwiches with an iron, fed chili to a baby, competed in office olympics, and won his wife’s heart (again).  JediShua and shazbazzar have a blast reliving the laughs this Father’s Day with Mr. Mom.  Who says Dad can’t cook?

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Beware of Gremlins online when logging on to your favorite TechnoRetro websites on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, RetroZap.com or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.10.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Gremlins was on the marquis at theaters 35 years ago, but we all wanted a Mogwai in our rooms.  “I promise,” we all begged, “I won’t feed it after midnight.”  Nevertheless, Gizmo remained in our dreams and still looks the same even 35 years later.

 

In the NEWS:

  • Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge is open!
  • Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is coming soon.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…but we might like it more if it multiplied with popping-sweet goodness like Gremlins when you poured milk on it.  New cereals like Drumstick Cereal and Fillows get our attention while pizza challenges cereal to a healthy breakfast showdown.

 

Saturday Morning Crush

Mac from The Sandcrawler let us know about a Twitter thread about cartoon crushes and we discuss some possibilities.  Several EarBuds get into the swing of things with their own suggestions, too.  It begs the question: what will happen when the Gremlins cartoon comes out?

 

Gremlins

Billy’s dad finds the perfect Christmas present for his son who works at the local bank: a Mogwai he found at a curiosity shop in Chinatown.  But Gizmo, as he called him, comes with three important rules:

  1. Keep him away from bright light; sunlight will kill him.
  2. Don’t get him wet.
  3. No matter how much he cries, no matter how much he begs, never feed him after midnight.

We all found out why these rules were so important in June 1984 when Steven Spielberg presented Gremlins, a horror/comedy that combined with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom to bring about the PG-13 rating we have today.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

June has been a busy month since Star Wars hit theaters a week before.  From Corvette Summer (1978) to comic adaptations and more, shazbazzar and JediShua talk about times they have filed away in the Star Wars Scrapbook.

 

Feedback

Chris the Arvadinian chimes in on Tim Conway’s passing.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Beware of Gremlins online when logging on to your favorite TechnoRetro websites on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, RetroZap.com or TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.09.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones.  This week, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade turns 30 and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom turns 35!  

 

In the NEWS:

 

SuperFriend: Antony Soehner

The author of Gather the Party, Unite the Party, and Assemble the Party stops in for a chat about Denver Pop Culture Convention, lessons learned in the adventure of writing, and what we are likely to see from him next.

 

The Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade

Indiana Jones returned to theaters in 1984 and 1989 with a prequel and a sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is set before the events of Raiders as Indy and Short Round end up rescuing enslaved children in India.  We get an even earlier look at our adventurous archaeologist in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when we see Henry Jones, Jr. as a Boy Scout in the sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark.  PLUS: shazbazzar and Jedi Shua remember the night they saw Raiders of the Lost Jedi Temple of Doom at Hollywood Studios in 2010.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

If arcade adventure has a name, it might be Indiana Jones.  In 1985, the arcade adaptation of Temple of Doom hit malls, pizza places, and skating rinks with a fun rendition of the movie that drove the MPAA to invent the PG-13 rating.  Rescue slaves.  Defeat Thuggees.  Return the Sankara stones.  All in the name of fortune and glory (the arcade makes a fortune in quarters by the guy who gets the glory for his high score on the game).

 

Feedback:

EarBud Jedi Holmes shares the origin story of the Mogwai from Gremlins and reveals Hondo in the next issue of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.08.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Whether you remember him from The Carol Burnett Show, The Apple Dumpling Gang, or his appearances as Dorf on The Tonight Show or home video releases, if you remember Tim Conway, you remember him fondly.  We remember the laughter and joy he brought us from childhood into the age and size of grown-ups.

 

In the NEWS:

  • TRON goes vertical in Walt Disney World
  • Muppet Babies are actual Muppets again
  • Comedian Tim Conway dies at age 85 

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and new kid-style adult-cereal claims to love us back.  Magic Spoon launches four flavors of “healthy” cereal with a hefty price tag.  PLUS: Toy Story 4 has inspired cereal makers to create Carnival Berry cereal.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

CONSPIRACY: The government used unsuspecting video gamers in arcades in the Pacific Northwest in psychological experiments in 1981 through a strange coin-operated game called Polybius.

CONTROVERSY: Polybius is an urban legend that has contributed to countless hours wasted in search of a fictional video game that never really existed.

Which side do you take in the ongoing debate about Polybius?

 

TIM CONWAY:

From The Carol Burnett Show to Saturday Mornings with The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Tim Conway lent his vocal talent as well as his knack for physical comedy to television screens across America.

But that’s not all!  When families said, “Let’s All Go to the Movies” in the ‘70s, it could have been in anticipation of lots of laughter in response to watching the comedic prowess of Tim Conway in The Apple Dumpling Gang or The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.

Thanks, Tim Conway, for years of funniness and fond memories!

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.07.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Chewbacca immediately connected with audiences, both young and old, when Star Wars first hit theaters in 1977.  Imagined by George Lucas and realized through Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca has continued to be the loyal friend and lovable copilot we always wanted to have.

 

In the NEWS:

Get scholarly with Gremlins 2Willow will likely return in a sequel series on Disney+.  Peter Mayhew, the big-hearted man who gave life to Chewbacca, left this life a couple weeks ago.   In other Star Wars news, Jeff Baucom shared a link to a fan edit of the lightsaber battle in Star Wars: A New Hope and Disney announces release dates for three new Star Wars movies. 

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

May has always been Star Wars month for fans of the saga.  Pop-culture has saddled the pun-laden “May the 4th” as Star Wars Day, but long before that, May 25th has been considered the more significant day, being the release date of the movie that started it all with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Ben Kenobi.  In this week’s Star Wars Scrapbook, JediShua and shazbazzar look back at major events in May over the past several decades.

 

Feedback

A brief note from Kali (“13K”) reminds us of the ever-growing number of EarBuds tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads every week.  Thanks for tuning in, EarBuds, and thanks for your input each week.  Let your voice be heard by calling (209) TR-TRDAD (209) 878-7323 and leaving us a voicemail.  Maybe you have a memory of (or with) Peter Mayhew that you’d like to share with other fans of Chewbacca.  Call soon!

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merchandise at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Direct download: TRDads_07.06.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

It’s been an adventurous week with the ‘Dads as shazbazzar took an unexpected trip to Ashland, Kentucky and JediShua battled strange magicks which had cursed his castle in Arvada, Colorado.  So this seemed like a good time to FLASHBACK to seasons 2, 3, and 5 of TechnoRetro Dads in some of the Dungeons & Dragons discussions from the past.

Toys in the Attic

JediShua and shazbazzar first talked about playing Dungeons & Dragons in July 2014.  From their first Basic Sets to their experiences with the “older kids” and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, shazbazzar and JediShua remember friends like Randy McClure, Jason Fisher, Jeff Grimm, Perry Lipker, and more.  Dungeons & Dragons was nothing like the ‘Dads expected (no one was actually killing anyone), it was all about becoming a different person in a moderated community story-telling adventure where players’ characters interact with foes and friends in a fantasy setting where magic is real, dragons exist, and it’s always good to have an interesting (and interested) Dungeon Master.  And try not to shoot your friends’ pets.

 

SuperFriend Michael Witwer

After last fall’s release of his second book about Dungeons & Dragons, it seemed fitting to revisit the first two times SuperFriend Michael Witwer appeared on TechnoRetro Dads.  Introducing his book, Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons, Mike gives some insight into what EarBuds can expect in the book.  Then, soon after its release, he returns for a more-informed discussion with the ‘Dads after they had both read the biographical history of Dungeons & Dragons.

 

Saturday Mornings

JediShua and shazbazzar reminisce about watching Dungeons & Dragons, an animated series from the ‘80s that featured a group of kids at an amusement park who were magically transported into the world of Dungeons & Dragons when they rode a specific rollercoaster.  As one of the last cartoons of their childhood, the ‘Dads fondly remember the short series as their imaginations ran wild with ideas of how to incorporate some ideas from the television show into their gaming experiences.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and the younger versions of our kids did, too!  The shazlings and the Shualings join in for a cereal challenge, long ago, as the ‘Dads sat down for a bowl of Corn Pops in a Cereal Challenge from years ago.  Part of the Cereal Challenge was to eat cereal while watching some classic cartoons from the ‘70s and ‘80s.  While eating Corn Pops, the TechnoRetro families tuned in to the animated Dungeons & Dragons cartoon from the mid-eighties. 

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  While you’re waiting for a brand-new episode, why not read (or lazy read) Michael Witwer's Empire of Imagination?  But don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_07.05.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

The gasps from watching the “Heart of Glass” video in 1979 and Pet Sematary in 1989 were likely equal in volume, but radically different in emotion.  These two blondes (Gage from Pet Sematary and Debbie from Blondie) both affected pop-culture in their time and continue to have fans decades later.

 

In the NEWS:

We’re back with news this week — Back to the Future news, that is. 

 

We Love Our Cereal…

Does the overabundance of sweetness in Cap’n Crunch’s Cotton Candy Crunch make it really crunchy or a phenomenon of galactic proportions?  Does a box of Blueberry Cheerios remind you of a certain gum-chewing girl who visited a chocolate factory?  Will Bob Ross really bring us The Joy of Breakfast with painted marshmallow goodness in a new cereal from FYE?  All these questions, along with the new Mikey for Life, are addressed this week!

 

Vinyl Scratchback

She’s blonde, she’s beautiful, she’s broken-hearted…and maybe she even has a bit of a stalker in her.  She’s Deborah Harry and she found a place at #1 on American Top 40 this week in 1979 with “Heart of Glass” from the Blondie album Parallel Lines.  Blondie (the band, not the girl) entranced listeners with her sultry, other-worldly voice which juxtaposed passion with passivity in the ‘70s and ‘80s.  Ranging from punk reggae to pop disco, Blondie seized our attention with raucous riffs, awkward raps, and a hypnotic sound that separated music aficionados from their cash in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.  The band continues playing today with a fan following that fell in love with the lead singer four decades ago.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies: Pet Sematary

Speaking of a blondie, the young toddler Gage Creed (he was so cute!) met with tragedy while playing in the front yard with his family in Maine when he wandered into a busy road and met with an accident.  From the mind of Stephen King and the vision of director Mary Lambert came a story that turned hope upside-down in the haunting horror flick that drew audiences to the box office to see Pet Sematary.  Whether you loved it or hated it, it became an instant classic for movie-goers.  Featuring Tasha Yar, Herman Munster, and that vocal know-it-all from Kindergarten Cop, Pet Sematary spawned a sequel in the ‘90s (not good) and even a remake which is in theaters now (in case you can’t get tickets to Endgame).

 

Science Lesson: The Voyager Golden Record

When Voyager was launched, scientists (hoping for contact with alien life forms) included a golden record with sounds from Earth in the deep space probe.  Now, for the first time on earth, you can get your own copy of this record for $100.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.04.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Last Monday, Star Wars Celebration Chicago was still in swing.  This Monday, we just can’t let go of a good thing.  And if you have thoughts to share about all the Star Wars news (or anything else you’re looking forward to), give us a call at (209) 878-7323.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

Star Wars Celebration Chicago is the newest addition to our scrapbook with pins, buttons, swag, pics, and lots of experiences that have generated lots of speculation…  

  • The Rise of Skywalker Teaser Trailer
  • Galaxy’s Edge 
  • The Mandalorian
  • The Clone Wars Saved

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

Star Wars Celebration Chicago revealed first looks (and even opportunities to play) upcoming additions to the TechnoRetro Arcade with Jedi Fallen Order (think of the Jedi Purge with Inquisitors and a Jedi-in-hiding reminiscent of Canaan Jarrus in John Jackson Miller’s A New Dawn) and Vader Immortal (a tether-less VR experience where the player is a smuggler conscripted into the service of the Dark Lord of the Sith).  

 

Toys in the Attic

From Hasbro’s Retro figures to new 6" Black Series figures (Hondo Ohnaka as he appears at Galaxy’s Edge) to a playset from Jabba’s Palace, Star Wars Celebration Chicago revealed some exciting toys we would like to add to our collections.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.03.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

It’s Monday, but Thursday’s coming as Star Wars Celebration Chicago is just a few days away.  So pack your bags, double-check your reservations, raid your bank account, and then plug in your ear buds and let the TechnoRetro Dads take the edge of with fun memories of the past and happy hopes for the future packed into 77 minutes of audio.  Yep.  That means we would fit on a cassette tape or compact disc.  But don’t speak too loudly about tape recorders; Shua still feels the impact of what his dad did to his first tape player.

 

In the NEWS:

  • a musical rendition of The Princess Bride
  • streaming Farscape
  • Mark Hamill’s other current and upcoming projects
  • Vinyl Scratchbacks of TechnoRetro Tunes
  • Masters of the Universe set to start shooting
  • Dungeons & Dragons Art &Arcana nominated for a Hugo award
  • Indy-Cast produces a real radio drama 

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and thanks to our Roving Spoonster (Shane in GR), we’ve found others who love cereal (and arcade games) just as much!  Discover peanut butter and chocolate Easter bunnies in Reese’s Puffs in stores near you.  Stare with amazement at Toucan Sam’s replacement on some boxes of Froot Loops cereal (she has a tail).  Best of all, if you’re anywhere near Wichita Falls, Texas, you’re going to want to check out Maniac’s Mansion, a truly TechnoRetro cereal cafe/video arcade that is one man’s realization of a childhood dream.  So cool!

 

Lazy Book Club: Read-Along Books

After the feedback from last week’s “read-along book” special, shazbazzar and JediShua take time to recall the magic of read-along books and their history.  Sometimes, they were on record.  Sometimes, they were on tape.  They’ve even made it to compact disc!  The magic is the same every time, though.  Linking technology to the written word on a page has been a winner for generations.

Even some EarBuds get in on the conversation online with some of their memories as well as future endeavors in acquiring some classic read-along books.  

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

Beginning in April 1976, the ‘Dads travel through the years for a history lesson in notable moments of Star Wars history.  

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.02.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

For nearly forty-two years, pop-culture has been populated with images, sounds, and hundreds of plastic characters.  Yet, there always seem to be new opportunities to explore the original Star Wars among fans of the franchise.  The seventh season of TechnoRetro Dads continues this tradition of exploration as shazbazzar and JediShua (and the talented voice of narrator Scott Ryfun) find themselves in this special version of the Star Wars Read-Along….

 

Star Wars Stuff to Enjoy…

  • Vinyl Scratchback of TechnoRetro Tunes
  • Memorable Toys in the Attic
  • Space Games in the TechnoRetro Arcade

 

No, the words to the book aren’t found here.

But, yes, we know that it’s April 1st.  After all, we released our first for-the-public episode on 1 April 2013, the last time Monday marked April Fool’s Day.  And while we didn’t really prank you, we hope you’ll find fun in our foolishness in this bonus-length episode of TechnoRetro Dads.  After all, if it hadn’t been for Star Wars, we might never have started this crazy show to start with.  It certainly wouldn’t normally be 77 minutes long!  So sit back and let yourself go as Scott Ryfun narrates the TechnoRetro Dads’ Star Wars Read-Along (when shazbazzar and JediShua went back in time far enough to actually see that galaxy far, far away).

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_07.01.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In the season finale of TechnoRetro Dads (season finale, not series finale), shazbazzar and JediShua look back at various iterations of Batman from the days of Bob Kane and Bill Finger to Neal Adams and Frank Miller, Batman has changed over the past eight decades in comics.  In film, from the ‘40s serials to the camp-ridded ’66 movie to the ’89 Tim Burton reimagining to the darkest depths of his persona in Nolen’s trilogy, Batman has gone from black and white, to light, to darkness along with cultural shifts.  Yet the character continues to connect with readers and viewers throughout the generations.

 

In the NEWS

  • RUMOR has it that a new Star Wars trilogy set in the days of the Old Republic will begin shooting this fall.
  • Jim Henson’s Labyrinth has become a role-playing game.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and cereal candles, too!  Jovial Jay Shepard lets us know about a scented candle that looks and smells like a half-eaten bowl of Froot Loops cereal.  Shane, the Roving Spoonster, reports another Lucky Charms giveaway for free boxes of totally marshmallows.  Good luck!

PLUS: we remember some amazing prizes found in boxes of cereal from our childhood even into adulthood.  From a Batman bank to diving frogmen to lightsaber spoons to records to flying discs and rings, the ‘Dads and EarBuds recall some memorable toys that made opening a box of cereal on Saturday mornings even better.

 

Batman

JediShua and shazbazzar revisit the Batman of their youth on TV, in comics, and on the big screen while diving into some of the history of the Dark Knight and the Dynamic Duo.  Even SuperFriend Adam O’Brien chimes in with some memories of Batman.  Travel through the inception of the character on the pages of Detective Comics to the oft-forgotten movie serials of the 1940s, the campy zaniness of the Batman TV show in the ‘60s, the animated team-up with the Super Friends, as well as the various actors who played Bruce Wayne/Batman since 1989: Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck.  And with a new Batman movie slated to release in 2020, we’re sure to get a new impression on this Dark Knight fairly soon.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.47.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

If the living creatures around you seem a bit twitterpated, it's because the seasonal changes are finally happening this week as the sun crosses the equator to bring more daylight to the northern hemisphere and more dark to the southern hemisphere.  But wherever you may be, TechnoRetro Dads will brighten your day with memories of the past and hopes for the future, even if it means telling tall tales the likes of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

 

In the NEWS

  • New Dungeons & Dragons animated series in the making by the good folks at Critical Role.
  • Disney may give subscribers a digital doorway into the “Vault” when the Disney Plus streaming service goes live.
  • Terry Gilliam (director of Time Bandits, Brazil, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen) slated to work with Taika Waititi in the upcoming Time Bandits series.

 

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

When, in an Age of Reason, it seems reasonable to order capital punishment for remarkable acts of heroism and bravery (because, after all, we wouldn’t want “ordinary people” to become demoralized because their lives are absent such feats), it takes outlandish tales of fiction (it must be fictional, after all, for all is governed by the age’s intellectual rationalism that must not tolerate anything that cannot be explained by “science, progress, laws of hydraulics, laws of social dynamics, laws of this, that, and the other”) to set straight the path to victory over what simply must be true because the superior minds of elitists insist that they know more than what is clearly evident to a child.  Such a victory is relished in Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen from 1988.  JediShua convinces shazbazzar to watch this amazing adventure for the sake of EarBuds around the world.  Aren’t you glad he did?

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

In anticipation for the upcoming Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, shazbazzar and JediShua cover what was happening in our galaxy the third week of March from 1977 to 2008 relative to Star Wars.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.46.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Try on your best Irish accent, fill up a bowl with beans (but not too full), and pull your flashy, splashy green suit out of the closet for next Sunday as shazbazzar and JediShua travel back and forth through time in TechnoRetro Dads.

 

We Love Our Cereal

The Roving Spoonster finds places to eat cereal all round the United States while shazbazzar risks injury to his still recovering gums with a bowl of Cap’n Crunch’s Chocolatey Berry Crunch splashed with milk.  A singular question arises: “How powerful are the Soggies?”

 

Saturday Mornings: Video Games Cartoons

Sure, you remember Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. Super Show, but were you around when Pole Position seemed like Speed Racer and Knight Rider made a guest appearance on M.A.S.K.?  Was the Legend of Zelda the adventure you craved?  Maybe you’re one of several EarBuds who witnessed Kevin splash into the games like Flynn into TRON in Captain N: The Game Master.  Whatever your interest, from cute to captivating, ‘80s and ‘90s Saturday mornings (and weekday afternoons) were able to capitalize on consumers’ interest in video games whenever and wherever possible.  SuperFriends and EarBuds remember some shows that made a lasting impact on them back in the day.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies: Splash

Tom Hanks is rescued by Darryl Hannah as John Candy and Eugene Levy seek their own interests in this thirty-five year-old romantic comedy that had us rolling as kids and continues to provide a good time in Ron Howard’s Splash.  This very well might have been your father’s The Little Mermaid if he was part of Generation X.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

In anticipation for the upcoming Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, shazbazzar and JediShua cover what was happening in our galaxy this month in the ‘90s with the likes of Steroid Luke, Hahnold Swartzenegger, and Yoda Garcia and other memories from twelve to twenty-two years ago when Star Wars was making a big splash twenty to thirty years after its inception.

 

Feedback

The EarBuds and RetroZappers are making their own splash on TechnoRetro Dads this week as Stuffedy tries to let us in on a free play point-and-click adventure online and Joey of the Animanicast finds his Indiana Jones role-playing game book as well as Palpatine and Shmi in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.45.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Grab a pencil, paper, and some six-sided dice for High Adventure in the past, present, and future as the TechnoRetro Dads kick off the month of March with role-playing games, Star Wars Scrapbook, young Indiana Jones, news, Cereal Day, and ridiculous Dad jokes.

 

In the NEWS

  • Gremlins will soon invade your technology in Warner Media’s new streaming service.  
  • Jim Henson’s The Storyteller is returning with an all-new series.
  • Terry Gilliam will finally complete his dream story about jousting windmills in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.
  • Star Wars clothing on display in a preview of Galaxy’s Edge.

 

We Love Our Cereal

JediShua prepares us for the upcoming Cereal Day later this week.

 

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

What do Sean Patrick Flannery, George Hall, Corey Carrier, and Harrison Ford have in common?  They all shared the small screen playing the same character in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.  JediShua and shazbazzar share their thoughts on the series and bemoan the lost scenes from the original airing of the two-season television show from the early 1990s.

 

Game Master Day

Today is Game Master Day, and whether you played Dungeons & Dragons, Star Frontiers, Palladian, Indiana Jones, Toon, or some other role playing game, it’s a great day to remember and recognize those game masters who kept the stories flowing in these imaginative games.  Several EarBuds and SuperFriends chime in about their experiences with role playing games.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

In anticipation for the upcoming Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, shazbazzar and JediShua cover what was happening in our galaxy as Star Wars hype began and the fascination with the franchise continued in the month of March.

 

Special thanks to High Adventure for use of their song “The Ballad of Indiana Jones” from their incredible Acoustic Prog Pop album. 

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.44.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Time-travel with Kirk, Spock, Bones, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, and Scottie to bring the future to San Francisco in 1986.  SuperFriend Jovial Jay Shepard joins shazbazzar and JediShua for some whale songs as they remember (or misremember) the conclusion of the Genesis/Khan trilogy in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

 

In the NEWS

  • Find out how to get a “fast pass” to the Rancho Obi-Wan exhibit at Star Wars Celebration Chicago.
  • An original, sealed-in-package Super Mario Bros. cartridge sells for a record high price that will send you down the pipes in unbelief!

 

We Love Our Cereal

  • Exclusive Caticorn Berry cereal hits shelves at Sam’s Club.
  • Maple Bacon Donut comes to Walmart.
  • Chocolate and Berries in new boxes of Cap’n Crunch.
  • The World’s Largest Breakfast Table is coming this summer.

 

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

In one of the most down-to-earth Star Trek features that showed the crew of the Enterprise in perhaps the strangest surroundings, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home pits the Federation of the future against the crazy culture of the ‘80s as Kirk and Spock are unleashed on the streets of San Francisco in 1986.  Jovial Jay Shepard joins the ‘Dads for a fun trip to a past “today” as Spock strives to get into the groove of punk rock and capitalism that seems completely alien to the crew of the recently destroyed Enterprise.  Though our memories are a bit sketchy, the fun flavor of the fourth feature film shines through the banter between the three Gen-Xers.

 

Toys in the Attic: Toy Fair 2019

JediShua and shazbazzar take a peek at pics and slideshows from the recent Toy Fair in New York.  Loads of retrotastic four-inch fun for fans of ‘70s and ‘80s action figures.  Someone needs to win a lottery.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.43.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

On this Presidents’ Day (Presidents Day, President’s Day), a day designed to give federal employees a three-day weekend (yes, that’s the real purpose of the holiday), the ‘Dads invite all EarBuds to pull their VHS copies of ThunderCats off the shelf, get their LJN action figures out of that dusty old attic, and get into the spirit of Thundera here on Second Earth for a time-traveling trip back to 1985-1989 with the unforgettable ThunderCats!

 

In the NEWS

  • Howard the Duck Hulu series greenlit
  • Upcoming Muppets series is an ‘80s sequel
  • Sesame Street may celebrate 50th anniversary with a movie

 

Saturday Mornings: ThunderCats

From 1985 to 1989, kids were treated to a sci-fi/fantasy cartoon about cat people fleeing their destroyed home planet of Thundera to a futuristic Earth as they battled evil mutants who wanted to get their slimy (or furry) hands on the Sword of Omens.  Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, Panthro, Wilykat, Wilykit, and Snarf were pitted against the evil mutants S-S-Slithe, Jackalman, Monkian, Vultureman, and their terrifying undead leader Mumm-Ra.  The combination of a kicking theme song, an amazing style that blended Rankin-Bass designs with Japanese animation, cool characters, fantastic weapons and vehicles, and a story that captured the imaginations of kids, teens, and maybe even some parents for fun afternoon television viewing.

 

Toys in the Attic: ThunderCats

LJN toys produced loads of figures, vehicles, and even a couple playsets alongside the ThunderCats animated series.  More in scale with He-Man figures than Star Wars and G.I. Joe, ThunderCats followed the pattern of Mattel, Hasbro, and Kenner to fill toy aisles with plastic versions of the heroes and villains kids were watching on TV sets in their homes.  Some of these toys can even fetch a hefty price with collectors.  Be sure to watch garage sales and flea markets for bargains on these classic toys.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

As Celebration Chicago draws ever nearer, and the future of Star Wars is yet to be seen (no trailer or title as of yet), shazbazzar and JediShua dust off Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle in the Star Wars Scrapbook to look into the history of Star Wars and the people and events surrounding the 42 year-old franchise.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.42.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

George Lucas pushed to capitalize on cuteness after Return of the Jedi left theaters with two made-for-television Ewok features and two seasons of animated Endorians in Nelvana’s Ewoks. Both shazbazzar and JediShua love every incarnation of the little furry guys and share their appreciation for the tribe from Bright Tree Village before taking another trip through time in the dark comedy/love story/science fiction movie, Time After Time.

 

In the NEWS

  • Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge may open with little pomp and circumstance — perhaps with even a single tweet.


We Love Our Cereal…

…and so will you.  It seems that these days, time after time we discover new cereals in supermarkets across the nation.  Today, JediShua quickly reviews several new cereals as EarBuds and the Roving Spoonster chime in on what they are finding in store aisles, home pantries, and cereal bowls everywhere.

 

Saturday Mornings: Ewoks

From fall 1985 to spring 1987, shazbazzar and JediShua enjoyed Ewoks on Saturday mornings — with and without Droids.  Wicket W. Warwick is joined by Princess Kneesaa and all their friends time after time on Saturdays in this short-lived cartoon by Nelvana.  

 

Time After Time

Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, and Mary Steenburgen star in this week’s time-traveling tale about inventor H.G. Wells’ pursuit of villainous Jack the Ripper through time in the machine he created.  1979’s Time After Time is an unforgettable story that many remember seeing on cable or renting at the video store.  Whether this movie is a sci-fi flick, a love story, or a dark comedy is your guess.  One thing is certain, Time After Time is clearly a product of the disco era.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

Answering the popularity of Nintendo’s NES, Sega pushed its Sega Genesis to retail outlets in 1989, hoping to gain some of the home console business with its 16-bit system. Children of the ‘80s will remember such classics as Sonic the Hedgehog, Mortal Kombat, and Toejam & Earl.

 

(Don’t forget Aunt Marge!)

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.41.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

 

Whether it’s the Rams vs the Patriots or the Cowboys vs the Steelers, Extreme asks the pertinent question: “Do You Want to Play?”  The results are finally in, and the final score was 35 -31 — Pittsburgh wins Super Bowl XIII.  We know (and you know) who won Super Bowl LIII, so we thought you should know who won forty years ago.  After last night’s battle between Bill & Ted (Belichick and Rath, respectively), it’s time to sit back and relax for fun with shazbazzar and JediShua.

 

In the NEWS

  • The Dude invades Super Bowl LIII
  • The Lost Boys will be coming to the CW
  • Starship Troopers also may become a TV series
  • Bill & Ted Face the Music soon — maybe Christmas


Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

In just a couple weeks, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure turns thirty, and with a threequel in the works, it’s a great time to return to San Dimas in 1988 for some most excellent riffs by Wyld Stallyns.  JediShua and shazbazzar dig into their teenage years and revisit this just-for-fun-but-better-than-many-Oscar-nominees movie from 1989.  Featuring Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, RAM (from TRON), the French foreign exchange student (from Better Off Dead), and Jane Wiedlin (from the Go-Go’s), Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure follows two rock star wannabes who must get an A+ on their history final in order to pass the class, avoid Alaskan military school, and keep the band from breaking up (before it ever happens).  Bill & Ted have less than a day to travel through history (thanks to a time machine from seven hundred years in the future that resembles a phone booth) and put together a bodacious history presentation.  Spoiler Alert:  They succeed and come back for a sequel (and the aforementioned threequel).

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure made it to home consoles for gamers who couldn’t get enough Bill & Ted in the movie.  As an adventure game somewhat resembling the key parts of the movie, players had to talk to NPCs (kind of like in Zelda) to accumulate what they need to ace their history presentation.

 

Feedback

We finally get to some feedback from our EarBuds covering a variety of topics from video games to G.I. Joe memories.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.40.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

After you titillate your taste buds with a Cuppa Joe or some bubble-gum with a Bazooka Joe comic this morning, treat your ear buds with memories of G.I. Joe with Retro Joe Tavano on TechnoRetro Dads as shazbazzar and JediShua dig into the toys and cartoons of the ‘80s that made fighting Cobra fashionable.

 

In the NEWS

  • Ghostbusters III teaser trailer

 

Saturday Mornings
Weekday Afternoons: G.I. Joe

It’s been a while since the Daddio of RetroZap.com has been on TechnoRetro Dads, but SuperFriend Retro Joe Tavano joins shazbazzar and JediShua at the perfect time as we approach G.I. Joe Day this Friday, February 1st!  Although Saturday mornings were not typically the time these weekday afternoon cartoons aired, memories of Duke, Flint, Scarlet, Lady Jaye, Mutt, Roadblock, and Snake Eyes are full of fun times, cool music, informative PSAs, and rockets.  Hasbro’s marketing machine churned out a winner with this half-hour show featuring toys that were on shelves and pegs in stores across the nation when G.I. Joe made an epic return after some serious plastic surgery to reduce his size, making him more attractive to consumers in the 1980s.

 

Toys in the Attic: G.I. Joe

Since the cartoon was invented as a launching platform for Hasbro’s redesigned G.I. Joe line, it only makes sense that shazbazzar, JediShua, and Retro Joe head up to the attic to see if their G.I. Joe figures have survived the test of time or if their internal organs have dried up due to age and they’ve fallen to pieces.  We talk about the toys we had, the toys we played with, and the toys we wanted.  From the Cobra H.I.S.S. to the Killer W.H.A.L.E. to the Defiant, we’re spanning a range of several years of prime G.I. Joe collecting.

 

Vinyl Scratchback

Forty years ago, Chic returned to the number one spot on Billboard’s charts for a third time with their song “Le Freak”.  The first song to top the charts three times, this disco ditty is an earworm almost everyone will remember.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.39.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

When you want to make Monday mornings great again, you get some pretty strange looks and people start to ask questions like, “When were Monday mornings ever great?”  While we may not be qualified to give documented histories about great Monday mornings, we do know where to get the answers to the tough questions.  We call Chris Luby (the Specialist), cohost of The Geek State podcast and long-time SuperFriend for answers to life’s most challenging quandaries…  

“How does a vampire select his prey?”

“What flavor are the red Funkos?”

“Who composed the music for the top five vampire movies in 1979?”

“Which version of Zelda best encapsulates the totality of Hyrule lore?”

You’ll have to be the judge of how well Chris answers questions like these, even though we don’t dig that deeply ourselves, in this federal holiday Monday morning episode for January 21st.

 

In the NEWS

  • Eddie Murphy reprises his royal role in the upcoming Coming to America sequel.
  • The crew of The Muppet Show had some fun at the end of the first season of the program and we get to watch it!  Muppets not included.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and EarBuds do, too!  Russ “Honey Buns” Doutt and RealtorAngie report on finding new cereals in the aisles of their local stores and even give a review of Honey Bun cereal for the insatiable appetites of cereal lovers everywhere.  The Roving Spoonster warms up a story from Europe that has JediShua ready to let Dracula turn him into a vampire bat to cut back on the cost of flying overseas for a morning cup of coffee and cereal at Starbucks Europe.

 

SuperFriend Chris Luby

After a prolonged absence from TechnoRetro Dads (and a hiatus from his own podcast, S’more Geeks), the Specialist Chris Luby returns with a brand-new show, The Geek State.  Chris and cohost James take their podcast to the next level with a revamped and reimagined weekly podcast that keeps listeners attuned to the state of affairs in geek culture.  Today, Chris shares his fondness for Funko Pops as well as Funkos cereal and even samples a box on the air.  From Boba Fett to Elvira (is she a vampire?), Chris has become obsessed with the vinyl figures that fill store shelves in stores everywhere.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

Before the break of dawn signals all vampires to hurry home, Chris tours the TechnoRetro Arcade with shazbazzar and JediShua to play various Zelda games in the console room.  Tune in for Hyrule-ing excitement in these adventure games by Nintendo.

 

Let’s All Go to the Movies: 1979 Vampire Movies

Forty years ago, vampires were all the rage at the cinema as well as at the disco.  From genuine horror flicks like Salem’s Lot and Nosferatu the Vampyre to the romance of Dracula to more humorous approaches like Nocturna and the fondly-remembered Love at First Bite, the ‘Dads give a brief overview of the bloodsucking box office of 1979.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.38.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

The adventure continues whether you’re turning back and forth through the pages of a book, making decisions digitally, or playing with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toys from the ‘80s on TechnoRetro Dads — this week with a Big Honkin’ dose of Steve Glosson from Geek Out Loud.

 

In the NEWS

  • Dave Bautista joins the cast of Denis Villeneuve’s version of Dune.
    (Maybe someone will seek him out for a He-Man movie.)
  • Walmart welcomes pop culture cars to their parking lot.
  • William Morgan Sheppard departs.

 

Toys in the Attic

SuperFriend Steve Glosson joins shazbazzar and JediShua in the attic to play with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toys by Mattel from the 1980s.  These action figures were a huge departure from the popularity of the incredibly successful 3 3/4” action figures from Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and of course G.I. Joe.  Beginning with several characters, a couple of vehicles, a non-articulated green tiger, and a large castle playset, the Masters of the Universe toys 

 

Saturday Mornings: Black Mirror “Bandersnatch”

JediShua and shazbazzar remember the fun of Choose Your Own Adventure books when they check out the latest Netflix addition to the Black Mirror series, “Bandersnatch”.  This dark, weird interactive movie allows viewers to choose the actions of an on-screen character to determine the plot and end of the movie.  “Bandersnatch” is a quality first effort at merging game books with digital technology for an effective Choose Your Own Adventure experience.  Definitely for “mature audiences”, the back-and-forth feel of this movie is a genuine throwback to the joy of reading Choose Your Own Adventure books.  Perhaps more of these will be created soon.  Maybe bring in some of our favorite franchises like G.I. Joe, Transformers, or even He-Man.  The possibilities are only limited by imaginations at this point.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.37.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

The last year of the twenty-teens begins with an amazing blend of new and old with feedback from EarBuds, new TV shows focusing on ‘80s culture, AI reminiscent of HAL from 2001, boxes of cerealicious breakfast food, and new video games in a classic style.

 

Feedback

Discover the intrinsic relationship between Speak & Spell and the Little Professor.  TRON goes X-Wing thanks to Mark Ham All.  Mark Hamill jokes about Joker cereal.  Several EarBuds chime in with fond memories from 2018, ranging from Solo to Spider-Man to Pac-Man to chicken walkers to vacations in O’Lando.

 

In the NEWS

The International Space Station has a floating half-spherical artificial intelligence who behaves like a toddler.  Thankfully, it’s named CIMON and not HAL, and “Daisy” doesn’t seem to be on its playlist.  The ‘80s get turned upside-down again this year on July 4th when Stranger Things 3 shows up on Netflix.  Speaking of sequels, They Live may finally have one in the works according to John Carpenter.  Python Michael Palin is to be honored by the British Crown this year and gain the knightly honorific, “Sir”.  We think he maybe knighted at sunset.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and the pics we’re getting from EarBuds!  From exciting wall decor in the image of favorite retro cereal mascots to boxes of marshmallowy grandeur to stockings backed by boxes of favorite cereals, there are bowls and bowls of breakfasts just waiting to be poured over milk.  Suddenly, our bowls overflow with reports from the Roving Spoonster: new GM cereals hitting shelves, Netflix goes viral with a cereal question, a principal feeds kids over the holidays with gift boxes of…yep — cereal!  Still, some cereal aficionados might give the rest of us a bad name; specifically with frivolous lawsuits.

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

The Super NES game console was Nintendo’s 16-bit submission to the home video game market.  SNES and Sega Genesis battled head-to-head thirty years ago for a bigger piece of the pixelated pie.  With Street Fighter II and Donkey Kong Country, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was popular with gamers of all ages, even as the 32-bit systems came into the market.

 

Toys in the Attic

If you ventured into Walmart anytime during the past couple months, you may have noticed some larger than desktop sized arcade games featuring side art and classic marquees reminiscent of the mid-eighties with Pac-Man, Galaga, Rampage, Centipede, and more.  A new retro idea — 3/4 scaled arcade games — hit the pallets in November and continue making their way out retail stores even today.  With a $300 price tag, these aren’t cheap , but they might just satisfy your craving for a bit of the old arcade in a corner of your office.

 

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Direct download: TRDads_06.36.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

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