Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro Podcast

Who would have ever thought that a Monday could be restful?  After the craziness that always seems to accompany Christmas, things have slowed down just a bit so shazbazzar and JediShua have a few minutes to talk about Rogue One.  Well, more than just a few minutes.  Get ready for Star Wars!

 

Rogue One

We spotted many of the same things other fans of the franchise saw and heard in Rogue One our first weekend with the movie, but we were keeping a watchful eye open for Easter Eggs, connections with other aspects of Star Wars (both canonical and legends), and cool things about this movie that took us right back to 1977 when Star Wars first hit the big screens. And we would like to hear your thoughts about the latest Star Wars movie, as well.  As always, you can call our voice mail line at (209) 878-7323 or send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

We Love Our Cereal…

…and so does our SuperFriend Steve Glosson of Geek Out Loud.  Tune in as Steve gives step-by-step instructions about how to make his own “Cereal Surprise”.  No kidding — his concoctions will surprise you!

 

Check out this week’s episode of TechnoRetro Dads as we prepare to close out 2016 and welcome 2017 with a blast from the Death Star as we steal some Beta tapes and watch FCTV videos featuring Jason, Pete, Boxy, and a few more surprises along the way.

 

Share and enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.38.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

’Tis the season of Star Wars with Rogue One, and of course the ‘Dads seen it…once or twice.  But shazbazzar and JediShua are itching to see the latest Star Wars story again.  But the bleak reality of winter has blocked their plans by trapping them inside during a blizzard.  What are ‘Dads to do?  Heat up the cocoa, make some cookies and Christmas cereal treats, and crank up some tunes on the stereo, that’s what.

Turn up the tunes on the turntable and get your Christmas mood amped up as we plunge into the final days before Christmas.  Whether you’re at work, school, or braving the weather, your holidays will be a bit brighter with some classic holiday tunes from long ago (and some from a galaxy far, far away).

With Sammy Davis, Jr., Billie Holliday, Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand and more, the retro gets even more retro as 40, 50, and even 60 or more years of Christmas music hang in the air.  So get your last minute shopping done, wrap the presents, and invite the whole family to share and enjoy this fourth version of UnScrooged from TechnoRetro Dads.

Merry Christmas, EarBuds!

Direct download: TRDads_UnScrooged_4_.mp3
Category:Holiday Special -- posted at: 4:18pm EDT

Professor Hinkle blamed a malfunctioning magic hat for his failure as an entertainer, but the truth is, he was just a bad guy. Of course, we all discovered that years ago watching Frosty the Snowman (another Rankin/Bass special), but we’ve never discovered why Santa Claus would bring any presents to evil magicians. There’s just something anti-canonical about that idea in Santa lore.  However, with a brand new Star Wars story in theaters, we can easily overlook this slight error in canon. Rogue One premiered this weekend, and the ‘Dads have enjoyed sharing the magic of 1977 with their families and friends — and boy, oh, boy it was AMAZING (more about that will come in later episodes)! To top it all off,  shazbazzar hit double-fours yesterday with some fun greetings from fantastic friends.  It’s all here for you on this last Monday morning before Christmas.  

 

We Love Our Cereal

The Monster Cereals election results are in, leaving one ‘Dad distressed as the other really rubs it in — but seriously, did the other candidates really have a chance against the unique hairstylings of the Count?  Nope.  And we have the numbers to prove it!  PLUS: Christmas cereals of 2016 get brief reviews as Cinnamon Crunch needs to keep the Toast in the title.  Both shazbazzar and JediShua bring their final holiday cereal recipes to the table with Holiday Chocolate/Peanut Butter Cereal Peanut Butter Bars and Frosty’s Flakes (this part of TechnoRetro Dads may be unsuitable for fearful listeners).

 

Frosty the Snowman

It’s time to rediscover another Rankin/Bass classic with Frosty the Snowman. With the voice talents of Jackie Vernon, Billy De Wolfe, Jimmy Durante, and John Goodman (nope, that was Frosty Returns, of which we will not speak).  While both ‘Dads remember watching this when they were kids, shazbazzar was traumatized by the melting of everyone’s favorite frozen man. 

 

Toys in the Attic

Classic boardgames deserve a look every Christmas.  This week, we name just a few — Monopoly, Risk, Clue, Candy Land, Mastermind, Chinese Checkers, and more are discussed briefly in this final gift-giving Christmas Toys in the Attic.

 

So plug in your ear buds, EarBuds, and head out to the stores for your final week of shopping before the big man squeezes his way down your chimney this weekend.

 

Share and enjoy.

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.37Frosty.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

The Miser Brothers unite to proclaim that this definitely isn’t The Year without a Santa Claus, because Christmas is coming early with Rogue One at theaters everywhere this week, so shazbazzar and JediShua get into the groove with a few (more or less) Star Wars references.  So whether you think the newest addition to that galaxy far, far away is cool or HOT, TechnoRetro Dads have something refreshing for all EarBuds on this mid-December Monday morning!  

 

In the NEWS…

Fat Kid Apparel announces their Holiday Giving event and food drive.  Check their T-Shirt offerings at fatkidapparelco.com.  Plus, buckle up for more excursions with Scrooge McDuck on all new episodes of Duck Tales!

 

The Year without a Santa Claus

A few years ago, JediShua introduced shazbazzar to a Rankin/Bass classic, The Year without a Santa Claus. And, since every good deed deserves a return (or is that “no good deed goes unpunished”?), shazbazzar introduces JediShua to a 2006 live action television special remake of The Year without a Santa Claus with John Goodman, Michael McKean, and Jack’s son from LOST.  It’s worth a watch, if for nothing more than to see just how strange a remake can be. 

 

Toys in the Attic

Visual entertainment in 3-D has been around for ages.  One classic toy that still has a place in every toy box or shelf is the ViewMaster.  With a collection of picture discs and a viewer, young and old eyes can disappear into imagination for several minutes or even hours.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook and Speculation

With the red carpet premiere of Rogue One behind us and expectations of what we will all see later this week.  The ‘Dads remember some of the “sneak peek” figures from other movies, from The Empire Strikes Back to Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens, and Rogue One.  We talk about things we would like to see on the big screen on December 16th as well as speculate about possible surprises — including rumors about a CGI character from Star Wars: A New Hope (with a special surprise from a certain red carpet VIP from an older episode of TechnoRetro Dads).

 

Feedback

We choose two reviews from iTunes as winners of two free copies of Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons from author Michael Witwer.  Let us know about your memories of The Year without a Santa Claus, other Christmas specials, and especially Rogue One via voicemail at (209) 878-7323 or electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_04.36.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

December is here and in full swing, but before the release of Rogue One in just ten days, shazbazzar and JediShua take time to talk about some favorite Christmas memories as well as some ideas for making this year great.  And they invite all EarBuds to Tweet pics from Christmases Past (especially with Santa Claus) this week!  

 

In the NEWS…

Dan Trachtenberg turns Houdini into some sort of superhero in The Secret Life of Houdini.  Star Trek Discovery gets its captain and some crewmembers.  We will finally get to see Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face in a Batman movie!

 

A Very Brady Christmas

The ‘Dads felt it would be a fitting tribute to our favorite #TechnoRetro sitcom Mom by looking back at the first Brady Bunch special (1969) as well as watching A Very Brady Christmas (1988) for the first (?) time.  Florence Henderson will always be cherished in our memories and after watching an episode of The Brady Bunch, everyone is hooked on the show again!

 

Toys in the Attic

Iconic Christmas toys persevere even decades after their inception.  Play-Doh has been a fragrant favorite since… oh, before you were born.  JediShua and shazbazzar talk about the appeal of Play-Doh for all ages for generations.

 

Don’t forget to review us on iTunes to be entered for a one of two free copies of Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons from author Michael Witwer.  Let us know about your memories of The Brady Bunch or other Christmas specials via voicemail at (209) 878-7323 or electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Share and enjoy.

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.35_Brady_Bunch.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

The Christmas season has officially begun.  Black Friday has passed, Cyber Monday is in full effect, and radio stations and TV channels are filled with holiday music and holiday specials. From National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to A Charlie Brown Christmas with a plethora of movies featuring Santa Claus, elves, and reindeer, the season is in full swing for the next four weeks.  And we’ll be revisiting some of our favorites as well as some newer fare, as well. 

 

In the NEWS…

Ferris Bueller gets a video game casino style. It looks like Legendary Films is planning for a long run of new Dune movies and television shows.  The long-awaited sequel to The Dark Crystal is coming very soon, but in a format we weren’t expecting, but makes a lot of sense.  Lost in Space gets a doctor.  And, of course Star Tours is getting another upgrade this year with the release of Rogue One (by the way, did you get your tickets, yet?).

 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

What could be more #TechnoRetro than some Rankin/Bass TV specials?  The holidays are incomplete without watching at least one of the toe-tapping, stop-motion musical features that have graced television screens for half a century.  We go back to watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer replete with violence, greed, and annoying sounds from the heroes of the movie.  Follow the sadistic Hermy the self-proclaimed dentist and the glowing schnoz of Rudolph as they embark on a journey that leads them to the freakshow called the Island of Misfit Toys as the backstory to the familiar song is told by folk artist Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman. 

 

Toys in the Attic

With Christmas just around the corner, we’ll be recalling some iconic retro toys that kids have been getting under their trees for decades.  This week, we look at water games like the TOMY Waterful and wonder how the electronic age will adapt to these often challenging games that predate GameBoy and other handhelds.

 

Review us on iTunes to be entered for a one of two free copies of Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons from author Michael Witwer.  Let us know about your memories of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or other Rankin/Bass specials via voicemail at (209) 878-7323 or electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

 

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_04.34.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:57am EDT

With Thanksgiving approaching, we would like to say, “Thank You,” to all our EarBuds, SuperFriends, and contributors to TechnoRetro Dads.  We’ve had a lot of fun releasing podcasts and hearing back from you over the years.  Thank you for your support.

On this Monday sandwiched between Life Day and Turkey Day, shazbazzar and JediShua are feeling somewhat musically inclined (but you’ll have to be the judge of that) as the ‘Dads talk turkey, TV, and more.  Preparations are being made for family gatherings, and the Cranberries are at the top of everyone’s playlist (or, at least, they should be).  Just make sure you don’t get the canned cranberry sauce, because that would be bad.  Very bad.

 

In the NEWS…

JediShua discovers a new game: Battlestar Galactica Squadrons.  It looks like it may blend the original series with the remake — we’ll soon find out.  And the search for Mark Hamill has succeeded — the Master has been found on Comic-ConHQ.com with a geektastic program where he visits pop culture collectors’ hoards and documents their collections on Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest.  The first episode has already dropped, but to watch it, you have to subscribe to the online channel.

 

Thanksgiving Specials

Halloween specials are many.  Christmas specials are legion.  But Thanksgiving specials…well, they’re kind of forgettable, and there aren’t too many, anyway.  Garfield’s Thanksgiving gets the ‘Dads talking about T-Day cartoon specials featuring Underdog, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Animaniacs, and a surprising comic strip adaptation: B.C.: The First Thanksgiving.  That’s something we’re not sure anyone has ever seen!

 

Toys in the Attic

The Toy Hall of Fame has recently perused their large list of 2016 nominations and has welcomed three new inductees to the Toy Hall of Fame.  Dungeons & Dragons, Fisher Price Little People, and the swing have all earned their places among the iconic playthings of childhood (Who are we kidding?  We still play with toys!).  Some nominees who didn’t make the cut this year were Transformers, Care Bears, and bubble wrap.

Listen for your chance to get a free copy of Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons from author Michael Witwer.

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_04.33.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:30am EDT

Thirty-Eight years ago, television audiences were invited into the quirkier side of life in that galaxy far, far away on the Star Wars Holiday Special.  Fortunate fans were welcomed into Chewbacca’s home to wait with his wife, son, and father for him to come home for Life Day, a celebration of joy and peace among Wookiees.  On 17 November 1978, before most homes had VCRs to record this one-time broadcast, eager Star Wars fans tuned in for an unexpected combination of aliens, stormtroopers, comedy sketches, musical numbers, and the heroes of the movie that captured the consciousness of the world over the past eighteen months.  The resultant two-hour special left some fans befuddled, some frustrated, and some gleeful just to see more adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2.

 

The Star Wars Holiday Special is a tribute to the late 70s, preserving the flavor of popular television shows and the gaudy glam of disco culture.  Featuring well-known television stars Harvey Korman, Art Carney, and Bea Arthur, what worked well with audiences week after week on sketch comedy shows has been widely panned among viewers since then.  Perhaps it brought the Star Wars galaxy just a little too close to our own.  Musical guests Diahann Carroll and The Jefferson Starship lit up the imagination through sight and sound with their “in universe” performances — one of which, at least, seems entirely inappropriate for family viewing and will make you squirm in your seat.

 

Since first seeing it, shazbazzar and JediShua have held a special affection for the Star Wars Holiday Special, resulting in annual tributes to this memorable moment of our childhoods.  This year, the TechnoRetro Dads Holiday Special remixes segments from the 2014 Holiday Special into a TechnoRetro Special Edition that shows other homes were experiencing the same anticipation and anxieties about friends and families arriving in time for Life Day as Malla, Lumpy, and Itchy experienced in their home.  Hopefully, the dialogue will be easier to understand than the grunts and growls of the Wookiees on this special.  Reprising their roles from the earlier version are Sheldon and Chase Norton, Mike MacDonald, Chris Hamilton, Joe Tavano, the Shualings, and musical group High Adventure.  Additionally, the shazlings join in to prepare a meal with help from Steve Glosson, Scott Ryfun lends his voice to the mix, and a few more songs by High Adventure find their way into the story prepared especially for our EarBuds for this Life Day Celebration.

Direct download: TRDads_Holiday_Special_2016.mp3
Category:Holiday Special -- posted at: 7:04am EDT

SuperFriend Sheldon and his trusty sidekick ShutterSpeed chase down the elusive Cinnamon Toast Crunch donuts from Country Style in Canadia.  Tune in for the hunt for delicious cereal covered pastries on today’s TechnoRetro Dads!  

 

In the NEWS…
JediShua looks forward to the opening of the Star Wars costume exhibit at the Denver Art Museum and chaperones his students as they get cultured with storytelling music featuring some of the Oxygen of Star Wars (Star Wars Oxygen is, or should be, a Trade Mark of Rebel Force Radio) with the “Imperial March”.  Discover the meaning behind the newly discovered ‘droid ND5-XGL and why we think that’s not a good thing.  PLUS: Young Justice finally gets a third season!

 

We Love Our Cereal
JediShua and shazbazzar fill your big breakfast bowl with the last box of Project 19 before a recently discovered #Retrospective of Disney Puppet Cereal. Star Wars cereal boxes continue to be hunted down by collectors of cardboard #newstalgia with Rey on Star Wars cereal and many more Star Wars crossovers with General Mills (of course, there are boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch involved).

 

History Lesson
TechnoRetro Dads have the ABCs in this week’s totally fictional History Lesson with Aliens, Lord Blackwood, James Cole, and Delta Fraternity all playing a part in this week’s history and future history that all EarBuds need to know.

 

Feedback
What’s better than Mr. McFeely making a speedy delivery to Mr. Rogers?  Tweets, posts, voicemails, and electronic-Ms from EarBuds!  We weren’t able to open them all, yet, but we will be sure to get to more of your Feedback over the next couple Mondays. Thanks for sending in your responses to the show as well as sharing cool #TechnoRetro pics and news for us to peruse.  Keep sharing your feedback on Facebook, Twitter, electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com), or voicemail by calling (209)878-7323. We want to hear from you!

 

Share and Enjoy.

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.32.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:26am EDT

Travel through time with shazbazzar and JediShua as they celebrate thirty-five years of Time Bandits with Fidgit, Randall, Strutter, Wally, Og, and Vermin. Star Wars costumes were back in full force last week,  

 

In the NEWS…

Sequels and reboots take center stage this week on TV and at the movies as rumors persist about Sky High, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Willow, The Incredibles, Muppet Babies, Wayne’s World, Paddington, and Captain Planet. Although sequels and reboots are nothing new in any sense of the word, some of these #TechnoRetro classics are sure to tickle the fancies of many EarBuds!

 

Time Bandits

Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin teamed up to make a “kids’” movie from a smallish perspective in 1981’s Time Bandits. Led by Randall (David Rappaport), rogue employees of The Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson from Dragonslayer [1981]) use a stolen map to travel through time in pursuit of wealth and the most fabulous thing in the world.  With Fidgit (Kenny Baker), Wally (Jack Purvis), Og (Mike Edmonds), Strutter (Malcolm Dixon, and Vermin (Tiny Ross), this little gang of time-traveling bandits encounter young Kevin (Craig Warnock) in an orchestrated effort to conquer Evil (David Warner from TRON [1982]). With cameos by John Cleese, Michael Palin, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, and Katherine Helmond, and Jim Broadbent, this satiric comedy is unsurprisingly like many Monty Python offerings.  JediShua and shazbazzar have long been fans of this movie and continue to sing the praises of Time Bandits, regardless of its potential to “freak out” young viewers in the early ‘80s.

 

Star Wars Scrapbook

Trading cards have been staples of TV and movie franchises for decades. Join Steve Glosson (Geek Out Loud, Big Honkin’ Show) and shazbazzar on the streets of Rome, Georgia for the second part of their recent trading card discussion as they play “need ‘em got ‘em” with the Star Wars: Rogue One Mission Briefing trading cards. Where else can you find two grown men getting giddy over pieces of cardboard in public?  Nevermind — that’s not unlike many other episodes of TechnoRetro Dads.  The discussion goes well beyond simply talking about the cards, though; shazbazzar and Big Honkin’ Steve talk about the saga itself and some of the scenes depicted in these cards.  For more of this discussion with Steve and shaz opening a box of TRON cards from 1982, check out episode 197 of Geek Out Loud this week. 

Pull out your trading cards before the Time Bandits make off with your collection  before you can say, “SARK really is Evil!”  And be sure to send us your feedback on Facebook, Twitter, electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com), or voicemail (209-878-7323). We want to hear from you!

Share and Enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_04.31.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Even if you’ve been tuned in to TechnoRetro Dads since the beginning, you haven’t heard a Spooktacular like this: From Charlie Brown to Orson Welles and lots of Halloweenish tunes from cartoons.  And since Halloween falls on a Monday, it’s a special trick and treat from shazbazzar and JediShua to get your morning started right.  With 77 minutes of truly #TechnoRetro tributes to the fun side of the spookiest night of the year, Spooktacular 2016 pumps up pumpkins, drags out Drac, freaks out Frank, and even takes a trip to Riverdale with Archie and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.  Whether you’re bustin’ ghosts or groovin’ with ghouls, plug in your earbuds and you’ll be ready to hand out candy or take the kids around the block for a great day and night of kooky creepiness and wacky zaniness.

 

Top 13 Halloween Cartoons tunes:

13.  Theme from Archie’s Weird Mysteries

12.  Theme from Sabrina, the Animated Series

11.  “The Haunt of Room 402” 

10.  Theme from Groovie Goolies

9.  “Frightening Frankie, Dangerous Drac, and Weirdo Wolfie”

8.  “What’s in the Bag?”

7.  Theme from Big Wolf on Campus

6.  Theme from Ghostbusters

5.  Theme from Casper the Friendly Ghost

4.  “Lights Out”

3.  “Monsters on Parade”

2.  “You Can’t Hide from Me”

1.  “Go Away and Don’t Come Back”

 

History Lesson

Orson Welles made H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds real for thousands of listeners in 1938.  With cacophonous complaints and loads of lawsuits, it looked like CBS and Mercury Theater on Air were headed for disaster and Orson Wells thought he might have ended his career.  Today, the iconic radio show is an well-known example of how easily people will believe anything popular media corporations put on the air.  But what would it have been like for those who heard it for the first time?  Through the amazing method of time-travel taping, TechnoRetro Dads present a brief record of two listeners who were taken in by the false news reports of Martian invaders at Grovers Mill.  Listen to Shawn and Zeke as they sip on sodas and hear Orson Wells’ broadcast live.  This exclusive coverage can only be heard on TechnoRetro Dads.  Catch it today…while you can!

 

Why limit yourself to one Spooktacular, when you can listen to three?  Check out Spooktacular 2013 and Spooktacular 2014 at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com.

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.30_Spooktacular2016.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Thanks to our SuperFriends north of the border, Chris Hamilton and Mike MacDonald, we’ve all become aware of the ‘70s kids variety show The Hilarious House of Frightenstein.  With various segments of sketch comedy tempered with a few doses of educational material, HHoF entertained kids through the ‘70s and ‘80s and beyond — all from material filmed within a nine-month span of time.  Now, for the first time, shazbazzar and JediShua explore the corridors, crypts, kitchen, and radio station (?) of Castle Frightenstein with outbursts of gleeful surprise with this totally retro mix of kooky camp and inventive talent from Billy Van, Billy Van, Billy Van, Billy Van, Vincent Price, Billy Van, Billy Van, Fishka Rais, Billy Van, Joe Torbay, Billy Van, and more.  (Did I mention Billy Van?)  Cereal Connoisseur Sheldon Norton joins the ‘Dads to lend a Canadian point-of-view to the discussion.

 

History Lesson

From the present to the past and Back to the Future, this week’s history lesson involves remarkable firsts by Einstein the shaggy dog, the people from the Green Planet, Frodo Baggins, classy Classic X-Men, and Michael Myers.  PLUS: major thirds, augmented fourths, and a bit more time-traveling with Jean-Claude Van Damme.  Some of these tidbits of fictional facts are bound to stir your memories about things that happened in history this week.

 

So strap your monster on the operating table, get your latest, greatest invention, and dust the cobwebs off your library books for guaranteed fun with the Count, Igor, Gronk, Grizelda, Dr. PetVet, and the Wolfman (who may be a previous incarnation of Dave Filoni) for a return to brown couches, green carpet, and polyester double-knit leisure suits for 77 minutes of #TechnoRetro pleasure with Doublemint gum.

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.29_HHoF.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

As pumpkin spicy as autumn has become, shazbazzar and JediShua still remember the reason the season is called “fall” — falling leaves!  TechnoRetro Dads remember that toys not only grow on trees, they fall from them and can be used to build mountains, forts, or soften jumps from tree limbs.  Plug in your ear buds, EarBuds for an audio excursion into the past with bits of nostalgia and a the possibility of bites from vampires and leave the raking to us!

 

In the NEWS…  

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock is remastered and returning to HBO soon.  James Bond and Boba Fett would be proud of a current crowdfunding project by JetPack Aviation.  Take a peek at some incredible concept art from the original live action Batman series from the ‘60s.  ThinkGeek presses R2-D2 into action yet again with a coffee maker.  The Beatles live in a LEGO Yellow Submarine.  J.C. Reifenberg pops up with “Scum & Villainy” next spring.

Science Lesson

New York Comic Con was the place to be for Star Wars fans’ science questions about that galaxy far, far away.  Lightsaber tech (including Kylo Ren’s crossguard), hyperspace travel, and planet-obliterating suppressers are all discussed while the tougher questions about jet packs, rocket boots, and astromech communications are left up to the scientific ingenuity of our own JediShua.

History Lesson

Travel through time with DC’s Batman, Flash, and Watchmen.  Flashback to the forties with Highlander.  Flux your capacitor back a year with Back to the Future II.  

Get your work week started off right with 77 minutes of #TechnoRetro goodness and leave the raking to us! In the meantime, tell us your #TechnoRetro memories via electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com) or via voicemail at (209)TR-TRDAD.  We want to hear from you!

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.28.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Southern Showcase, the Marching Band contest in Dothan was this past weekend.  Schools in Arvada are ending their first quarter and parent/teacher conferences are happening this week.  JediShua and shazbazzar need a bit of magic to get through the next few days and the ‘Dads figure the Earbuds could use something to give them a break, too.  It’s time for another “Awesome Mix” with an October flair.  Witches and magic are on the airwaves with tunes from yesterday and today in this Awesome Magic Mix.

 

Check out expurgated versions of these tunes and get in the mood for the season with a genuinely #TechnoRetro mix tape:

Thriller (Michael Jackson)

 

Really Retro

Season of the Witch (Donovan)

The Witch’s Promise (Jethro Tull)

Wicked Old Witch (John Fogerty)

Black Magic Woman (Santana)

Witchy Woman (Eagles)

I Put a Spell on You (Nina Simone)

 

Truly TechnoRetro

Abracadabra (Steve Miller Band)

Magic (Olivia Newton John)

Magic (Cars)

 

More Techno than Retro

Magic (Selena Gomez)

Rotten to the Core (Descendants)

Witch Doctor (Alvin & the Chipmunks)

 

Magic Dance (David Bowie)

Bewitched (Theme)  

 

Just a bit of warning: be especially cautious when walking in a scary forest looking for that perfect costume for Halloween.  And try to bring some music along to keep your spirits up.  Don’t forget the extension cords!

 

Share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_04.27_Awesome_Magic_Mix_Vol_5.mp3
Category:Awesome Mix -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

October has arrived, and black is the new orange…or something like that. JediShua and shazbazzar delve into a variety of topics and get sidetracked along the way in this witchy episode of TechnoRetro Dads. With input from awesome EarBud Armando and a massive Pumpkin Spice crossover with The Big Honkin’ Show with Superfriend Steve Glosson will ensure you are entertained in this Monday afternoon release. 

In the NEWS…  

Collegians from ASU New College artistically represent what Ready Player One means to them as production on the movie continues.  Jon Favreau directs Gnomes & Goblins, a virtual reality movie.  The Dark Crystal gets more love from Funko as ReAction figures.

We Love Our Cereal…

MrBreakfast.com continues to poll cereal lovers to discover the public’s favorite cereal.  In the end, we wonder whether favorites are truly favorites, or are they simply chosen because of nostalgic memories of childhood. Cinnamon Toast Crunch makes it to the top ten, but fails to secure the number one spot…so far. 

Family Circle

The ‘Dads try to get their kids to watch the very dated 1986 made-for-tv movie, The Worst Witch. With Tim Curry, Fairuza Balk, and Mrs. Garrett, the slow pace and lackluster green screen special effects make this first onscreen adaptation of Jill Murphy’s books less-than-ideal entertainment this October. Never fear, though, The Worst Witch has had various onscreen versions since 1986 and with a new Netflix series in the works for 2017, we haven’t heard the end of Mildred Hubble.

History Lesson

Creepiness continues with The Evil Dead, Prometheus, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  PLUS: Take flight with Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Airplane II: The Sequel.

So strap on a witchy nose, glue on a wart, frizz your hair, adorn a pointy hat, grab your favorite flying broom, and tune in to TechnoRetro Dads.  In the meantime, tell us your #TechnoRetro memories via electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com) or via voicemail at (209)TR-TRDAD.  We want to hear from you!

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.26.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 2:40pm EDT

Although our regular Monday morning episode has been a bit delayed due to extenuating circumstances, Teresa Delgado from Fangirls Going Rogue, Star Wars Bookworms, Disney Vault Talk, Rebel Yell, and more fantastic podcasts joins shazbazzar and JediShua to talk about this year's Rogue One Force Friday (and whether it had a sufficient amount of Pumpkin Spice).  From Hasbro toys to Funko POP figures and more, Teresa, JediShua, and shazbazzar talk about their take on the 2016 version of Force Friday and "midnight madness" experiences. 

What did they take home from the initial launch of Rogue One toys?  Listen to find out in this hastily edited and produced special edition of TechnoRetro Dads.

Direct download: TRDads_ForceFriday2016.mp3
Category:Special Edition -- posted at: 12:28am EDT

The incomparable pairing of Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski began thirty years ago today (at least, here in the States) when Mick “Crocodile” Dundee attracted the attention of roving reporter Sue Charlton, boosting Australia’s tourism dollars and sales of bowie knives skyrocketed.  Ryan Stampfli joins shazbazzar and JediShua to revisit the classic 1986 Aussie film, “Crocodile” Dundee.  With ABLE from TRON: Uprising wielding an antenna like a boomerang and a kangaroo shooting back at drunk drivers with amazing accuracy, this adventure comedy is as good today as it was at the box office when it became the second top-grossing movie of 1986 in the United States. 

Get out your duct tape and open your Swiss Army knife because MacGyver is back on the air (with the original series playing on NetFlix).  Lethal Weapon and Lost in Space get reboot treatments as well.  Transformers are represented on TV again as Dan Shaffer lands a spot on The Voice.  Think Geek opens another brick-and-mortar store — this time in Oklahoma City.  The Dark Crystal and The Golden Girls get exclusive treatments at NYCC, and the ‘Dads make plans for custom figures (think Holiday Special).

Pumpkin Spice continues to dominate cereal aisles as the seasons change around the globe.  Football players not only eat cereal, but get their own brands in Denver, Cincinnati, and other cities boasting NFL teams. Magically delicious eclairs keep the cereal-to-doughnut craze going strong with Lucky Charms.   

The man of steel and stone-carved creatures feature heavily in fictional history with Superman Returns, Man of Steel, and Gargoyles.  PLUS: Phileas Fogg embarks on a world-wide tour encompassing the globe in less than three months.  All this in this week's TechnoRetro Dads History Lesson.

So drop off your dirty dishes at Natalie’s Platter Palace, grab your bowie knife, tip the bellboy, wash your backside, spread up a Vegemite sandwich, and tune in to TechnoRetro Dads.  If you get a chance, tell us your #TechnoRetro memories in your best “Crocodile” Dundee voice via electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com) or via voicemail at (209)TR-TRDAD.  We want to hear from you!

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.25.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

JediShua and shazbazzar put on their best pirate impressions for a bit of fun and a bite of free donuts from Krispy Kreme.  After all, it’s Talk Like a Pirate Day on this autumnal Monday morning.  How long can the ‘Dads keep these roguish, scoundrelous voices going?  Not for 77 minutes, that’s for sure.  So join TechnoRetro Dads for lots of news, cereal news, random zaniness, and . . . pirates!

In the NEWS:  Hulu delves into a time-traveling comedy miniseries that mashes up TRON with The Last Starfighter, featuring Josh Hutcherson.  Ally Sheedy sees the other side of high school in X-Men: ApocalypseThe Crow is the next movie to get a reboot.  Indiana Jones gets a fanimation tribute from a talented artist.  Captain EO celebrates thirty years.  Star Wars Rebels season three premiers this Saturday.

 

Pumpkin Spice dominates the cereal aisles as fall gets started this week.  Collegians in Pennsylvania recycle their cereal boxes as wallpaper.  Stephen Colbert’s monologue gets remixed by Skrillex.  Canada gets the exclusive Cinnamon Toast Crunch doughnut at Country Style (and we haven’t heard from any EarBuds who have tried it, yet).  PLUS: Silverhawks go great with Kellogg’s Apple Jacks for a tasty trip back in time with the Cereal Gourmet.   

James Bond, spaceships, and Tom Hanks dominates the week in history as we learn about fully fictional history in our sometimes future history TechnoRetro Dads History Lesson.

Strap on your boots, put on your striped shirt, slap on an eyepatch, raise the blacklight flag, and head for the “Hot and Ready” fresh donuts sign at your local Krispy Kreme and talk like a pirate this morning with some free glazed donuts.  And if you get a chance, send us your #TechnoRetro memories via electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com) or via voicemail at (209)TR-TRDAD.  We want to hear from you!

Share and Enjoy (your free donuts)!

Direct download: TRDads04.24.mp3
Category:Talk Like a Pirate Day -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Jack Burton gears up for adventure and excitement with his friend Wang, a Mannequin, a Tibetan Monk, and Azmorigan from Star Wars Rebels in John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. This cult classic from 1986 continues to entertain fans and first-timers in a wacky sci-fi action flick that keeps audiences guessing about what will come next.  Kurt Russell channels John Wayne to create a convincing Han Solo(ish) hero for this cornball excursion into the underworld of Little China to rescue not one but two green-eyed ladies from the clutches of a two-thousand year-old demon worshiper and his minions. Joe “Joey-Wan Kenobi” Tavano from RetroZap.com and Brews & Blasters joins shazbazzar and JediShua for a rousing discussion (and distractions) of this fun-filled film.

PLUS: Discover Star Trek connections with Jason Swank of Rebel Force Radio. Find out how Captain Kirk pronounces “sabotage”. Unveil the links between Big Trouble in Little China, The Golden Child, and Conan the Barbarian.  

In the NEWS…  
JediShua goes bonkers for a newly announced Netflix talk show with his hero Bill Nye.  Paul Meyers depresses shazbazzar with news about more TRON experiences on the other side of the globe. Rogue Friday will have a Midnight Madness at Toys ‘R’ Us.

Feedback
We open the mailbag for a couple of messages from EarBuds Armando and Chris.  And with more messages coming up next week, send us your #TechnoRetro memories via electronic-M (podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com) or via voicemail at (209)TR-TRDAD.  We want to hear from you!

Travel back to the ‘80s this week with Calgon, the California Raisins, Kool Aid, Mutual Fidelity Insurance of Sacramento, Star Trek II, TRON, Zuckuss, and 4-LOM (pronounced el-oh-im).  Your Monday morning will be better because you’re listening to TechnoRetro Dads.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.23.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Since 1971, no childhood has been complete without meeting the gentle spirit in the strange and sadistic candy man as portrayed by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Although the 2005 remake (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) is noted for being more faithful to the Roald Dahl novel, and Johnny Depp’s performance was intriguing and enjoyable, Gene Wilder will always be the face and voice of Willy Wonka for generations. This week, we remember the Music-Maker and the Dreamer of Dreams with his “Pure Imagination”.

Come with me and you'll see
In this world of Pure Imagination,
Our friend Gene has defied expectations!

If you think a smile is paradise,
Go into show world and show it —
Grin from ear to ear and grow it.
You can change the world, if you just know it.

There is no one I know
Who compares with Gene's imagination.
He’s the kind who’ll be kind ‘cause he wants to.

If you want to view paradise,
Simply look around and view it —
Anything you want to, do it.
Want to make the world?
There's nothing to it.

There is no life I know
To compare with Pure Imagination.
Living there, you’ll be free
If you truly wish to be.

In the NEWS…  
Marcia Brady puts on her dancing shoes to compete on Dancing with the Stars. NetFlix announces season two of Stranger Things. SuperFriend Michael Witwer becomes a dad — again!

We Love Our Cereal…
Go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs while bouncing here and there and everywhere with Disney’s Gummy Bears in this week’s edition of the Cereal Gourmet.

SuperFriend Dave Dollar from The Deucecast…
The Deucecast Movie Show is striving to find the best movie year ever in an ongoing tournament, but Mikey, Pinky, and Dave have run into a snag: the vote is split (2:2) between 1982 and 1995. We invite D$ to make his best argument for 1995 over 1982 (even though we all know he has no argument) and announce the tie-breaking listener vote. JediShua and shazbazzar strongly endorse the candidacy of 1982 for this round in the tournament because of the longevity and significance of films such as TRON, E.T., The Dark Crystal, The Secret of NIMH, The Last Unicorn, Poltergeist, and many, many more. Vote this week on their Twitter feed, then watch their Facebook page and TheDeucecast.com for other voting opportunities. #Vote1982.

There are surprises around every corner on this week’s show with memories of innocence and the days of youth and an unhealthy dose of sugary sweetness — just what you need on Labor Day!

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.22.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:23am EDT

Thirty-five years ago, Andrew Wyke (Sleuth) ruled Olympus, much to the chagrin of Professor McGonagall (Harry Potter) and that Bond Girl, while Michael Kuzak (L.A. Law) battled various Ray Harryhausen creatures to save Vicky Gordon (The Adventures of Black Beauty) from Ymir (20,000 Miles from Earth).  Clash of the Titans (1981) appealed to our appetite for more mythological movies while we awaited the third movie in the Star Wars saga.  JediShua and shazbazzar remember and revisit this classic movie from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and talk a bit about the more recent reboot as well as the short-lived line of toys.

 

In the NEWS…  

Weird Al voices the titular character in the upcoming Disney XD series, Milo Murphy’s Law.  Various rumors surround the Beastmaster reboot.  Star Wars Rebels Season 2 hits stores tomorrow.  The story behind the Curious George books is in development.  And SuperFriend and Concept Artist Paul Bateman introduces us to the most amazing D&D map ever created!

 

We Love Our Cereal…and shoes

Kith your hunger good-bye with a shoe full of cereal on Broadway in an upscale shoe store/cereal bar.  The ‘Dads heap tablespoons of stereotypes on the Millennials who, according to a recent study, find eating cereal to be “too much work” (Inside Indiana Business).
PLUS: Lucky Charms teams up with the Wacky Races for colorful fun for a dose of Saturday morning nostalgia in this week’s edition of the Cereal Gourmet.

 

Flashback Games TechnoRetro Flashback

Play Donkey Kong, Jr. with shazbazzar and JediShua at Flashback Games Retro Arcade & Grill as you celebrate the 25th anniversary of the initial release of Super Nintendo in America.

 

Fully Fictional History Lesson

Doc Brown and the townsfolk of Hill Valley (1885) feature heavily in this week’s History Lesson alongside Skynet and a legendary wizard’s first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

 

Feedback

New EarBud Hasan lends his thoughts about Transformers and school supplies in an electronic-M.  The Ska Geek, LionsForge, RaisingFangirls, and Chef Armando tweet #TechnoRetro greatness on social media.  Let us know what you’re thinking, too by sending us your messages via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com or calling us at (209) TR-TRDAD or (209) 878-7323 right away!

 

Don’t miss out on the myths and mythters in this limping and lisping epithode of TechnoRetro Dads.  Remember the past and look forward to the future while laughing at the present in your Millennial Falcon or riding Pegasus the winged horse.  Just don’t look at Medusa’s Eyes! 

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.21.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Almost forty years after Disney introduced an invisible animated dragon into the small New England town of Passamaquoddy with snake oil salesmen and sloshed singing, Pete’s Dragon is rebooted with a friendly, fuzzy dragon in a lumber town in the northwest.  Chris Hamilton from Star Wars KidsCast joins shazbazzar and JediShua to remember the 1977 Disney musical.  But that’s not all!  From Falcor to the EberSisk, the ‘Dads fly through some of the most memorable dragons on screen over the past five decades.  Put on your purple wings, grab your Tic-Tac-Toe stick, and warm up your vocal chords for a time-traveling trip back in time to a memorable (whether cherished or not) movie from the minds of ‘70s kids.

 

In the NEWS…  

Ready Player One is in the news with a signature version of the book and pictures from the set of the movie in Birmingham (England, not Alabama).  John Williams confirms he’s working on Star Wars Episode VIII.  Clancy Brown wants to play an Egyptian Spanish peacock in the rumored reboot of Highlander.  The Batman animated movie with the voices of Adam West and Burt Ward is coming this November.  

 

We Love Our Cereal

USA Gymnasts will soon appear on boxes of Kellogg’s Special K while ice cream is flavored with cereal milk, and it sounds like it will be “licking the cone good!”  PLUS: a new segment is introduced as two captains team-up for a classic combination of great tastes in your bowl on your TV in the Cereal Gourmet.

 

Next week we will feature some feedback from EarBuds, new and old, so send us your messages via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com or voice mail to (209) TR-TRDAD or (209) 878-7323 right away!

 

Your day won’t be draggin’ when you remember your favorite dragons from days gone by! 

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.20.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Lunchboxes, backpacks, Trapper Keepers, pencil cases, ornamental erasers, and a Little Professor calculator are but a few of the things you absolutely had to have when you went back to school after a summer of fun in the sun.  Start your work…er…uh…school week off right with 77 minutes of TechnoRetro Dads as we take a trip back in time to our own school days with essential supplies from the annual “Back to School” sale.

 

In the NEWS…  

Continue your education after school with an updated version of the ‘70s classic edutational PBS program The Electric Company, now on HBO (alongside Sesame Street) with a new cast featuring schools of superheroes.  Play Dungeons & Dragons online with your friends via Roll20 — a fully interactive and graphically-enhanced way of playing hundreds of classic role-playing games on the GRID (thanks for the heads-up, Sheldon).  The middle school kids from Hawkins may make their way into an 8-bit video game to bridge the gap between the first and second seasons of Stranger Things (thanks, Ryan, for this bit of info).  And, of course, everyone watched the Olympic Games in Rio last Thursday night to see Michael Phelps win another gold medal (while millions awaited the premiere of the latest Rogue One trailer).

 

We Love Our Cereal

We finally review and rate Tiny Toast according to the TechnoRetro Dads Official Cereal Connoisseur Rating System and find both flavors curiously sweet (shaz thinks they taste like Monster Cereals).  And speaking of Monster Cereals, in an election where you can actually vote in support of a candidate rather than against the one you feel is less qualified than the other, General Mills offers voters a real option online at MonstersVote2016.com.  Plus, Darth Taxus tweets some pics of new cereals hitting stores this month.

 

Back to School (1986)

JediShua and shazbazzar revisit Rodney Dangerfield’s Back to School (PG-13) featuring Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Ned Beatty, Keith Gordon, M. Emmet Walsh, Sam Kinison, Robert Picardo, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Robert Downey, Jr.  A wealthy clothing entrepreneur decides to venture into the realm of academia as he enrolls in college with his son (that guy from Christine) and a young Tony Stark.  The laughs still resonate, but the color is certainly “off” in the vintage ‘80s style.

 

Celebrate the beginning of the school year with TechnoRetro Dads this Monday morning! 

 

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.19.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

“We got Decepticons at the gates!  Decepticons in the air!  Decepticons inside the walls!  Decepticons, Decepticons, Decepticons!  If we beat them off the walls, they’re still in the air.  If we shoot them out of the air, they’re still at the gates!  So where does that leave us?  Nowhere, that’s where!” (Blurr)

After two seasons on television, in the midst of a wildly successful line of toys in stores, Hasbro and Marvel do the unthinkable — they kill off several Transformers in Transformers: The Movie.  Even the leaders of the Autobots and Decepticons aren’t spared from landing in the junkyard.  The death of Optimus Prime is the stuff of geek legend, and JediShua was there to experience it all!  On the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Transformers: The Movie, Steve Glosson travels through time and space from the GOLiverse to join TechnoRetro Dads to rewatch, relive, and…  Wait a second!  Not everyone saw Transformers: The Movie in 1986?  Tune in as TechnoRetro Dads meets Geek Out Loud for discussion of the cartoon, the movie, and the toys that transformed metallic vehicles into one of the most popular franchises from the ‘80s onward.

 

In the NEWS…  

Harry Potter has a Cursed Child in a new book, Oregon Trail leaps from the digital realm to a tabletop near you, and Halloween decorations hit stores.  PLUS: shazbazzar and JediShua get ducky with Richard and Sarah on Skywalking through Neverland as they remember thirty years of Howard the Duck.

 

With jokes, music, vocalized sound effects, and more, your Monday will be fun today with 86 minutes of nostalgic memories of 1986.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.18.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

When there’s something strange in the neighborhood, which Ghostbusters are you gonna call?  The latest version of Ghostbusters landed in theaters with controversy stirring up sufficient public intrigue and curiosity among moviegoers.  While the reviews of this movie are mixed for multiple reasons, shazbazzar and JediShua talk about the various incarnations of ghost-busting movies and TV shows from the past forty years (and maybe more, if you count Mickey, Goofy, and Donald) as they take on traffic and revisit the “remakes and reboots” discussion again.  Is the “original” Ghostbusters really original or was it a tribute to The Ghost Busters TV show from the ‘70s?  Which 1986 cartoon series really was the “real” Ghostbusters?  Do you like brownies and refried beans?  The ‘Dads try to make sense of it all as the third week of Ghostbusters has slowed online accusations from all sides of fandom to a trickle.

In the NEWS…  
BBC America announces Douglas Adams’ own Sherlock Holmes is coming to television soon with Dirk Gently.  Sega enters this year’s gift-giving for gamers competition with their minuscule Sega Mega Drive going head-to-head against the previously announced retro Nintendo system.  ComicCon reveals cool virtual reality games, Star Trek Discovery, and exciting peeks at the upcoming Kong: Skull Island.

Flashback Games TechnoRetro Flashback
Listen in as shazbazzar and JediShua take turns on the classic 1983 Star Wars arcade game at Flashback Games in Loganville, Georgia.  You can almost feel the controller when you hear the music and sound effects and buttons clicking on the stand-up cabinet as the ‘Dads play a couple of rounds of one of their favorite arcade games.  Listen in for more gaming flashbacks in future episodes, as well.

So plug in your earbuds, EarBuds, and join in the conversation about Ghostbusters and more on this week’s TechnoRetro Dads.

Share and Enjoy!

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.17.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Jet-setting JediShua landed in Atlanta last week for a conference that concluded with a couple days of games, comics, rollercoasters, and reptiles with shazbazzar and shazzyLuke.  Ride along in shazbazzar’s Mazda 3PO for a rare road trip that reeks of nostalgia as the ‘Dads roam around North Georgia meeting friends old and new. 

The first stop on this road trip was in Loganville for a few hours of truly TechnoRetro arcade gaming at Flashback Games Retro Arcade.  With something for everyone, from cabinets to consoles and more, this arcade truly takes you back to the best days of ‘80s arcades with classics like Space Invaders, Missile Command, Donkey Kong, and Ms. Pac-Man.  Consoles and games covering decades of home entertainment are available, as well.  And of course, Star Wars, TRON, and Joust are all there and set to “free play” for hours of enjoyment.  

But the fun doesn’t stop there!  The next road trip stop took the ‘Dads to Six Flags over Georgia for some rides, games, and SuperHero capes as JediShua sees the Superman ride close up and wanders into a Monster Mansion.

Then the trio take a trip to Titan Comics and Games in Smyrna for some comics and collectibles that bring back the joys of their childhood with memories of ‘80s comic shops before meeting up with SuperFriend Steve Glosson for pizza and another few hours at Flashback Games.  Topped off with a tour of Repticon in Lawrenceville (“Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?”), shazzyLuke schooled the old guys on the world off reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, and sugar gliders.

The sound quality is lacking, but the fun never ends in this whirlwind tour of Atlanta for high speed action and arcade games in this Hub of the South (and shazzyLuke caught loads of Pokemon, too).  Come along for the ride on this road trip that will not be soon forgotten.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.16.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Road Trip -- posted at: 6:47am EDT

Greetings Programs!

Part of being a kid in the ‘70s and ‘80s was imagining ourselves as Super Heroes from comic books or cartoons.  We tied blankets and towels around our necks, wore our underwear on the outside of our pajamas, proudly displayed our Underoos undershirts on our sunken chests, and even donned masks as we jumped out of swings, exhibited superspeed by running in slow motion, and performed many other mighty acts worthy of these classic characters.

This week, shazbazzar and JediShua mix Spider-Man with Batman, the Hulk with the Flash, Captain America with Shazam, and Magneto with Titanium Man.  Yes, it’s unlikely, but with some cool tunes that match these cool toons, even Rocket Raccoon soon will swoon.  (No, I didn’t use a rhyming dictionary for that — I’m just that good.)

Mondays can be super when you’re joining your EarBuds for pop-culture songs about familiar and obscure Super Heroes and Villains punctuated by a few actual show themes.  

If you’re looking for the original versions of the songs on this Awesome Mix from TechnoRetro Dads, here’s a list of the song titles and artists heard here:

“Spider-Man” Ramones (1995)

“Web-Slinger/Hope Bringer” Kirby Krackle (2012)

“The Ballad of Barry Allen” Jim’s Big Ego (2003)

“Nobody Loves the Hulk” The Traits (1969)

“Ring Capacity” Kirby Krackle (2010)

“Catch Me Now I’m Falling” The Kinks (1979)

“Lifespan (Rocket’s Song)” High Adventure (2015)

“Iron Man” Black Sabbath (1970)

“Batdance” Prince (1989)

“Brainiac’s Daughter” The Dukes of Stratosphear (1987)

“Sipping” from Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog (2008)

“Magneto and Titanium Man” Paul McCartney and Wings (1975)

 

Don’t be stingy; share and enjoy.

Direct download: TRDads_04.15_Awesome_Hero_Mix_Vol4.mp3
Category:Awesome Mix -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Forty-five years ago today, JediShua took his first breath into a larger world.  Celebrate with TechnoRetro Dads on 7/11 as the older ‘Dad spins another year on the turntable of life on this JediShua Day!

SuperFriend Aaron Goins, cohost of Star Scavengers: A LEGO Star Wars Podcast, joins shazbazzar and JediShua for a peek into the latest LEGO Star Wars creation, The Freemaker Adventures.  Then the conversation moves upstairs to the attic in hopes of retrieving some LEGO bricks and reliving our own LEGO adventures of the past with our earliest memories of the building blocks from Billund as well as our ongoing fascination with the ever-popular creative toys.  From gas stations to tump trucks to space men minifigs and, of course, Star Wars sets, these three ‘Dads revel in the days of multi-colored, interlocking plastic bricks and the promising possibilities they represent.

HISTORY LESSON
Timetravel through the annals of fictional and film history this week with Aaron Burr, Agent K, Agent J, Alexander Hamilton, Billie Holiday, Billy Dee Williams, Billy the Kid, and the balding Captain of the Enterprise: Jean-Luc Picard.  

BIRTHDAY SURPRISES
But that’s not all!  Celebrities, characters, friends, and EarBuds join in the fun for 77 minutes of celebrating 45 years of JediShua on this 7/11 special occasion: JediShua Day!

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.14.mp3
Category:Holiday Special -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Two Hundred Forty years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation.  Three days ago, Canadian 'Dads overran our feed with a Canada Day special.  Today, we invite you to round out the National Day celebrations with 76 minutes (Get it? 1776 instead of 1977?  I knew you would.) of Independence Day, Fireworks, and the Fourth of July.

In the NEWS:

Hannah John-Kamen is cast in Ready Player One as an unknown character, listed on IMDB as F'nale Zandor.  JediShua and shazbazzar consider the possible implications of a name like "finale's ender" on the identity of the character this young actress will portray.  Archaia is set to publish a new Labyrinth book this September, focusing on some of the characters from the thirty year-old Jim Henson feature.  Rogue One brings The Clone Wars back in focus with Saw Gerrara, a revolutionary leader from Onderon from season five.  Maybe Hondo Ohnaka can supply him with weapons once again...

FAMILY CIRCLE

Twenty years ago, aliens invaded our planet, devastating population centers in hopes of eradicating us from existence.  With the help of Bill Pullman, Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Cousin Eddie, we were able to fight back and defeat the city-destroyers with a well-placed virus in their mother ship.  This week, shazbazzar and JediShua share Independence Day with their kids in celebration of The War of 1996 and in anticipation of watching Independence Day Resurgence later in the day.  The story, effects, and characters are not diminished by the years that have transpired -- the next generation is as impressed with the movie as we were twenty years ago.

TOYS IN THE ATTIC

Sparkling, spinning, and explosive fun is always a part of July 4th, and shazbazzar and JediShua reminisce about fireworks shows they watched when they were young as well as revisit the various kinds of burning, smoking, and flaring fireworks they would set off on their own.  

Finishing off this patriotic episode with JOKES, a HISTORY LESSON, and some School House Rock tunes, TechnoRetro Dads hope you will have a fun, fulfilling time with family and friends on this Fourth of July.

Direct download: TRDads_04.13.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

In commemoration of the foundation of the country, TechnoRetro Dads celebrates with this special episode from Canadia, by Canadians, for Americans…and anyone else who wants to tune in.  For Canada Day, Chris Hamilton and Mike MacDonald invade from the Great White North to confiscate the mics from shazbazzar and JediShua and create a Strange Brew of CanadianRetro memories that even Yanks can appreciate (however, shazbazzar does not appreciate the insinuation that he is a “Yankee”).  From Rick Moranis to Bryan Adams to John Candy to Rick Moranis (again), Chris and Mike complete the circle with some expected favorites and some surprises (What?!  I never knew that _______________ was from Canada!  How did they let him cross the border?)

Since most of North America is celebrating holidays anyway, why not bookend this weekend by celebrating our nations’ foundations?  So grab a hockey stick, pull out the Burger King Empire Strikes Back tumblers, put your feet up, and enjoy the polite tones of Canada.  After all, you have all weekend to wait for another regular episode of TechnoRetro Dads.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_Canadiana_Extravaganza.mp3
Category:National Holiday -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

They’re big, scaly, and breathe fire.  They growl, slumber, and lumber about on the ground.  Some can fly.  Some can talk.  They hoard treasure.  They live in caves, caverns, and dungeons.  They’re multicolored ducks on your Atari.  You guessed it.  They’re DRAGONS.  And if they live in your neighborhood, you probably want a Dragonslayer.  Thirty-five years ago, Disney and Paramount teamed-up to create an imaginative tale of swords and sorcery with damsels in distress in a muddy medieval realm with the most impressive dragon ever seen on screen.  With Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clark, Ralph Richardson, and Ian McDiarmid, Dragonslayer introduced new faces to the screen and included some of our favorites.  JediShua and shazbazzar invite their families to watch this nearly-forgotten classic as well as remember their introduction to Dragonslayer in the FAMILY CIRCLE.

After two long months, the ‘Dads finally mix their “Draggin’ Milk” with Kellogg’s Apple Jacks and review the EarBuds’ responses to the latest CEREAL CHALLENGE.  Discover the origins of the name change from “Apple-Os” to “Apple Jacks” as well as the story behind the two kids which graced the front of the cereal box for decades.

In the NEWS, George Lucas is named Executive Producer of another Indy movie. No, not an independent film — Indiana JonesBuck Rogers gets the Blu-Ray treatment.  The Dark Crystal action figures finally get produced over thirty years after the movie’s release.  

JediShua and shazbazzar listen to your FEEDBACK about magicians, comic conventions, TRON, and Raiders of the Lost Ark toys.

Be sure to check out JediShua’s own dad’s Dragonslayer artwork on Facebook and Twitter, hear more of Wooden Robot’s hard-rockin’ ‘80s stylings with Dragonslayer on BandCamp.com, and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes for your chance to win a signed copy of Ernie Cline’s Armada and voice your opinions about General Mills Tiny Toast in our online survey.  As always, you can be a part of TechnoRetro Dads by leaving a message at (209)TR-TRDAD or with an MP3 sent via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.12.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Rusty, dusty, dirty and fun-in-the-sun, the swingsets of our childhood backyards were the great play places of youth.  Swings made of wood, plastic, and rubber could make us queazy or launch us into the sky.  Slides were for running up or sliding down trucks and X-Wings.  Teeter-totters and glide swings filled the the gap.  But eventually, every swingset became an object to be climbed.  We all have our memories of summers gone by, and for many of us, those summers included the backyard swingset.

Inside our houses, we were setting up our Star Wars toys for display on bookshelves, serving trays, dressers, and closets.  While Boba Fett was loading Captain Solo in the cargo hold at shazbazzar’s house, TIE Fighters and X-Wings battled above JediShua’s bed with colored yarn.  And Cris Macht beats it all with several curio cabinets in the loft and the basement.

Speaking of Cris Macht, his newest project is currently on Kickstarter.  The Real Fans of the Saga is a serial style reality show about four fans of Star Wars and their families.  You have only two days to help fund this series following Alphie, Beau, Cris, and Sean from Celebration Anaheim to The Force Awakens and beyond.  PLUS: All of Cris Macht’s documentaries will soon be available to stream through Amazon.com.

In the NEWS: John Williams is scoring some of our most anticipated movies while ALF and the Jetsons mourn their losses this week.

Be sure to review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes for your chance to win a signed copy of Ernie Cline’s Armada and voice your opinions about Apple Jacks in our online survey.  As always, you can be a part of TechnoRetro Dads by leaving a message at (209)TR-TRDAD or with an MP3 sent via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.11.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:30am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Archaeologist — A person who searches for Lost Arks, Noah’s Ark, and ark-i-texture while craving adventure and excitement.

When Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered thirty-five years ago, audiences were reintroduced to the kind of swashbuckling adventure stories that had inspired George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as children.  In his alter-ego dressed in tweed, this unassuming college professor masked the heroic adventurer who traveled far and wide in search of artifacts to bring home to the museum.  Since 1981, Indiana Jones has been a household name in homes across the United States and around the world.  With a fifth movie in the works (starring Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones), the magic of the franchise hasn’t diminished at all, even though many decried Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  JediShua and shazbazzar are joined by SuperFriend Jorbex to take a look back at Raiders of the Lost Ark with  behind-the-scenes interviews from 1981 as well as some well-known and not-so-well-known trivia.

In the FAMILY CIRCLE, the ‘Dads show their kids Raiders of the Lost Ark, some for the first time — others for another glimpse into the edge-of-your-seat excitement that doesn’t get old even thirty-five years later.  The results: no one doesn’t like Raiders of the Lost Ark.  It’s a hit with every generation. 

JediShua digs into his collection of Indiana Jones artifacts in TOYS IN THE ATTIC, with new and old figures and toys, with stories about how he and his brother used to reenact the movie and imagine more adventures from the fantastic archaeologist.  Kids in the ‘80s embraced the 1930s action hero with leather jackets, bullwhips, and fedoras as they journeyed to a place where fact meets fiction with Indiana Jones.

In the NEWS: More Ready Player One cast announcements, a documentary about the Mississippi-based Raiders fan-made tribute, Star Wars fan films, Doc Savage, and the PowerGlove Ultra.

Be sure to review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes for your chance to win a signed copy of Ernie Cline’s Armada and voice your opinions about Apple Jacks in our online survey.  As always, you can be a part of TechnoRetro Dads by leaving a message at (209)TR-TRDAD or with an MP3 sent via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Join TechnoRetro Dads for a bonus-length fantastic adventure in the name of fortune and glory beginning with The Ballad of Indiana Jones by High Adventure that is limited only by your imagination.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.10_Jorbex.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:59am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Remember when rock stars recorded that actually told the plot of the movies?  From 1980’s Flash Gordon to the glut of mid-eighties “on-the-nose” theme songs for Back to the Future, Barry Gordy’s The Last Dragon, Footloose, and more, some of the biggest names in music lent their sound to describing themes and plots of movies in unforgettable lyrics.  Sometimes, we were even left wondering if songs like “Ghostbusters” actually existed in the fictional world on the silver screens (it could have been a jingle for their commercial, after all).  JediShua and shazbazzar welcome back SuperFriend Michael Witwer to explore some of the most glaring examples of plot-literal theme songs as performed by bands like Huey Lewis and the News, Queen, Cheap Trick, and Survivor.  Why don’t we still hear these today?

In the FAMILY CIRCLE, the ‘Dads take their kids to Space Camp, where an all-star cast of ‘80s regulars took a rather unlikely voyage to the stars.  With Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Tom Skerritt, Larry B. Scott, and a breakout performance by a very young Joachin Leaf Phoenix, Space Camp celebrates its 30th anniversary in a very campy ‘80s way — complete with loads of Star Wars references.  

With NEWS about a live-action adaptation of a series of graphic novels and a Red Nose Day Holiday Special with The Walking Dead, your earbuds will blast you with memories of the past and hopes for the future in this extended edition of TechnoRetro Dads.

Be sure to review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes and chime in with your thoughts about Apple Jacks.  As always, you can be a part of TechnoRetro Dads by leaving a message at (209)TR-TRDAD or with an MP3 sent via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.09.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

It’s a three-day weekend for most folks in the USA as the country unites to honor those who sacrificed all for the cause of liberty and self-government, so shazbazzar and JediShua celebrate the occasion with Goose, Maverick, Iceman, and Merlin as these fighter aces take to the skies in Top Gun.  With Tom Cruise enjoying his early prime, Meg Ryan, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards lead this all-star cast for the most profitable movie of 1986, and shazbazzar believes he knows why it was so popular with both men and women.  What do you think?  Is Top Gun an action movie or a chick flick?  Let us know!

The flying continues as the ‘Dads open the Star Wars Scrapbook to remember starships and flying toys from their childhood and today.  From X-Wings to TIE Fighters to Folded Flyers, the pilots in that galaxy far, far away had the machines to satisfy anyone’s need for speed.  

But there is more… lots more!  Angry Birds can be a fun distraction for the day, on your phone, tablet, or in the theater.  Just make sure you prepare yourself for the experience.  Keanu Reeves is attacked in 1897 before playing Wembley stadium with his band Wyld Stallyns in 2001 — on the same day that RoboCop was born.  And if those things don’t seem to fit together, you have a pretty good picture of what’s going on in our minds this week on TechnoRetro Dads.

In the NEWS, Ernie Cline and Steven Spielberg call for talented artists to submit their 3D avatar designs for Ready Player One.  Star Wars Celebration Tickets are scooped up by anxious fans — and a few lucky fans score some highly desirable VIP tickets (let’s hope that no one decides to scalp them).  The equally addictive, entertaining, and frustrating game TETRIS may soon find its way into movie theaters.  And the sounds of Kmart can now be found online thanks to the thoughtful preservation of a former employee.

Be sure to review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes and chime in with your thoughts about Apple Jacks.  As always, you can be a part of TechnoRetro Dads by leaving a message at (209)TR-TRDAD or with an MP3 sent via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.08.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:13am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

After a couple weeks of Technological Issues, shazbazzar and JediShua are back in the saddle again.  Join the TechnoRetro Dads as they return to The Jungle Book to reminisce about Disney’s 1967 animated classic as well as make new memories with their families watching Disney’s brand-new live-action version.  Surrounded by elephants enjoying Peanuts on Boomerang, comical Monkees in music videos, high-scoring gorillas named after belligerent horse-like creatures, animated animals jamming in space, 8-Bit centipedes, and a rabbit that used to be a stormtrooper, this Monday morning is sure to be wild and (possibly) dangerous.

PLUS:  New reviews on iTunes give EarBuds a chance to win a signed copy of Ernest Cline’s latest novel, Armada.  So be sure to get on iTunes to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads (hopefully positively)!

Topping this NEWS-heavy episode off with a HISTORY LESSON that travels through time with Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, revisits the release of Star Wars in the long-anticipated 5-25-77, and follows the Earth Space Defense build-up as it has progressed since Independence Day.

If you want to know more about The Jungle Book and its various representations on the silver screen, you can check out shazbazzar’s latest TechnoRetro Connections on RetroZap.com.  From 1942 to 2016, Rudyard Kipling’s book has been represented and reimagined by movie makers for nearly seventy-five years.

And in the meantime, stay out of the jungle after 5:00 PM unless you want to risk being flattened.

Thanks for joining us for another visit to the fun and fandom of youth combined with eager expectations of the future in this episode of TechnoRetro Dads.

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Direct download: TRDads_04.06.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:10am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

This week we retro'd TechnoRetro Dads with an idea introduced four years ago this week on the show.  With Summer Vacation just around the corner, we want to hear what games our EarBuds played when they were kids and games they're playing today.  Let us know!

But that's not all we're talking about.  No way!  Since JediShua's computer has been a bit on the fritz lately, shazbazzar enlisted a guest co-host for the Lazy Book Club segment.  In fact, he's the busiest member of the Lazy Book Club, because he always has to do the reading for other members.  Enter: Teddy Ruxpin, the bane of Brews & Blasters' existence -- a cuddly sweet Teddy from the '80s that talks to you...as long as his gears are working well and batteries hold out.  Teddy Ruxpin reads a children's story book from Pete's Dragon called The Best of Friends.  

PLUS: In the Star Wars Scrapbook, shazbazzar added his most recent collectible to his scrapbook with a recording of shazzyLuke's 8th Grade Spring Concert while JediShua reads along with the Star Wars Read Along Book & Record.

With summer knocking at the door, TechnoRetro Dads are getting ready to let the sunshine in with loads of fun from the past, mountains of hope for the future, and plenty of laughs in the present.

Share and Enjoy! 

Direct download: TRDads_04.07.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 3:35pm EDT

Greetings, Programs!

It’s only May second, but May the Fourth is coming.  Be sure to choose your Star Wars ensemble wisely.  This week, shazbazzar and JediShua get ready for Captain America: Civil War by taking a peek at earlier incarnations of Captain America in movies and serials.  In a stunning revelation, JediShua discovers that the Captain America of today is often very different from the Captain America of the past.  He’s not even Steve Rogers!

Since this Friday marks the release of the latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems only appropriate to dig into the attic and dust off some Marvel-centric toys from our childhood.  From The Incredible Hulk to Spider-Man and Secret Wars, the ‘Dads had a variety of MARVELOUS playthings from that era, and not all of them were action figures! 

In the NEWS, shazbazzar mentions a couple upcoming releases that EarBuds might find interesting: Jim Henson’s Labyrinth will be released in a special 30th anniversary edition in September and Jon Spira’s Star Wars documentary, Elstree 1976, will be available digitally this Friday.  JediShua notes that Sid and Marty Croft’s highly-anticipated reboot of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl is already available through a YouTube subscription service.

You can be a part of TechnoRetro Dads by leaving a message at (209)TR-TRDAD or with an MP3 sent via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  PLUS: Share your opinions about Apple Jacks in our Cereal Challenge this month in the Facebook poll.

Share and Enjoy!

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.05.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

Greetings, PROGRAMS!

Silly Rabbit!  Trix are for kids!  The poll results have been tallied and the more than sixty year-old cereal has divided the ‘Dads.  They told us never to talk money or politics, but who knew cereal could be so polarizing?  Discover whose taste buds didn’t appreciate the “fruity” taste of Trix.

And more tricks are in the lineup as shazbazzar and JediShua remember watching the likes of David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Lance Burton, and Harry Anderson when they were kids and give props to magical duos Penn & Teller and Siegfried & Roy.  Which tricks did you enjoy?  Did you have a magic kit when you were a kid?  Can you still read the back of a marked deck of cards?  Let us know via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

JediShua pulls his red TONKA Jeep down out of the attic to reminisce about toy trucks.  Who doesn’t think of TONKA when remembering building roads in their sandbox or pushing big metal cars and trucks around their room?  With nods to Nylint and BuddyL, shazbazzar and JediShua take you on a trip down Memory Lane in the back of a green pickup truck pushed down the playground slide.

In the NEWS, Amazon Prime has a Thunderbirds reboot available now and Disney parks will eventually have an immersive Star Wars dining experience.  R.I.P. Colonel Hiller from Independence Day.

So pour yourself another bowl of Trix and invite that silly rabbit to listen in with you for a tasty treat this Monday morning!

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.04.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:31am EDT

It’s TAX DAY in the U.S.A. and while for some, there is hope for a refund from the government, for most who have put off filing their taxes until today, it’s time to pay.  (Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.)

But speaking of NEWS, there has been so much #TechnoRetro News this week that we hardly have time to talk about anything else in this NEWSAPALOOZA episode!  

First, JediShua discovers an upcoming art book that EarBuds are sure to love.  The Art of Atari: From Pixels to Paintbrush is currently being developed by Tim Lapetino as a coffee table book featuring (hopefully) cover art from all 136 game boxes and labels commissioned over the years by Atari.

Next, shAbbeyzzar tweeted her ‘Dad a link to the trailer for this November’s return to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  Not only do we get a glimpse of Newt Scamander and some American magic users, but Hutch from Kyle Newman’s FANBOYS is evidently featured prominently in the film.

SuperFriend Jovial Jay Shepard linked JediShua with an intriguing story about reboot of the Hanna-Barbera Universe.  With a Scooby-Doo animated film set to kick off the promising franchise, DC hopes to challenge Disney’s growing power at the box office with S.C.O.O.B. and more animated features with characters like Jonny Quest, Yogi Bear, and maybe even Space Ghost.

Of course, Star Wars is in the news with recent wins at the MTV Movie Awards, the original trilogy’s return to theaters via The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, and the ongoing legal struggles George Lucas has with his proposed Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago.  Discover more from SuperFriend Michael Witwer at EmpireOfImagination.com and sign the petition at change.org.

With warmer weather just around the corner, Sperry hopes to help beach-goers and boaters look their best in a line of shoes inspired by Steven Spielberg’s JAWS.

T-Bird tweeted a bulletin announcing a job opportunity (volunteer only — no salary) with the Roald Dahl Museum in Buckinghamshire, England.  However, the ‘Dads can’t agree on the pronunciation of Buckinghamshire.  But that’s not news to EarBuds, is it?

David Dollar from The Deucecast Movie Show on RetroZap.com chimed in with a recently discovered Easter Egg in Mike Tyson’s Punchout.  For those still playing the nearly thirty year-old game, this clue will help you beat Piston Honda and Bald Bull.

Fans of Ernie Cline will be thrilled to hear about the latest contest that began last week with the paperback release of ArmadaPhaëton, a heretofore fictional video game is now playable online at PhaetonWasReal.com where players can compete to win real prizes, like patches for gamers’ jackets, copies of both of Cline’s novels, or a complete Oculus Rift VR setup with headset and Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog joystick.

With even more news from #TechnoRetro favorites like Animaniacs and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, you’re sure to find something to look forward to this year and in the future when you listen to TechnoRetro Dads!

If you find something that deserves our attention, tweet all about it (#TechnoRetro), post on Facebook, and rate/review the show on iTunes and Stitcher.  You can even leave us a voicemail at (209) TR-TRDad (209)878-7323 or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  Be sure to take this month’s cereal challenge and let us know whether TRIX are just for kids.

Share and Enjoy!

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.03_NEWSapalooza.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:30am EDT

Greetings, Programs!

Sith with us and enjoy the first new Star Wars home video release in years!  The Force Awakens has hit the shelves and promotional displays at various stores in various forms (differences in packaging, not in the discs) and most of us have picked up our copy (or, in the case of some of our friends, a copy of each version), put it into our DVD/Blu-Ray players, and enjoyed the movie (again) and the bonus features.  In the TechnoRetro Dads STAR WARS SCRAPBOOK, shazbazzar and JediShua recount all the various home video releases and play a round of “need ‘em, got ‘em” with all the versions sitting on our shelves.

In the NEWS, another “Star” franchise is in the works.  SuperFriend Jeremy the Spider-Pan from The Neverland Podcast let us know that Shawn Levy (Real Steel, Night at the Museum) is set to direct a remake of 1984’s Starman (a favorite of ours).  Beymax is coming to your TV screen in a Disney XD Big Hero 6 series, Warner Brothers’ Animaniacs are on Netflix, and Dungeons & Dragons tries to find success on the silver screen as producer Roy Lee (The LEGO Movie, The Ring) promises a Guardians of the Galaxy styled film with The Lord of the Rings look.

But the biggest NEWS this week is Star Wars. The highly-anticipated Rogue One trailer is finally released, The Force Awakens comes home, and the ‘Dads talk about the Rebels season finale. With Rex, Maul, Anakin, and Ahsoka, this stellar episode of Rebels measured up to the standard set by The Clone Wars and leaves the question of  “The Fate of Ahsoka” up to interpretation…for now.  JediShua and shazbazzar revisit Ahsoka’s past (with our very first reactions to her departure from the Jedi Order three years ago) and reach their conclusions about her current status.

Building on last week’s comments about Star Wars arising from Lucas’s desire to make a Buck Rogers movie, shazbazzar corrects his former assertion and points out that it was Flash Gordon that George Lucas intended to make. However, the sound effects mentioned in last week’s episode are in both of those classic serials from the 1930s.  

“The FlashBuck Menace” is filled with memories of the past and hopes for the future with loads and loads of Star Wars talk. If you like what you hear, tweet all about it (#TechnoRetro), post on Facebook, and rate/review the show on iTunes and Stitcher.  You can even leave us a voicemail at (209) TR-TRDad (209)878-7323 or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  Be sure to take this month’s cereal challenge and let us know whether TRIX are just for kids.

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_04.02.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:53am EDT

As those of us who didn’t purchase the digital download of Star Wars: The Force Awakens last Friday while away the hours until tomorrow, shazbazzar and JediShua recall Star Wars comics from 1986 — specifically the Droids comic books.  These bi-monthly continuations of Nelvana’s Droids cartoon (which sadly lasted only one season), were the final breaths of Star Wars in pop culture before the infamous “dark times” of the mid-late ‘80s.

The future is in the NEWS with tomorrow’s BluRay release of The Force Awakens, a 2019 release date for Indy 5, and an amazing holoportation device that is coming closer to the present than the far away dreams of tomorrow!  But we may have to wait for the 25th century to resolve the question of rights to Buck Rogers in court.  

PLUS:  Bike-riding FEEDBACK from EarBuds has been pouring in for two weeks on Twitter, Facebook, and via electronic-M.  So let your animalistic desires loose as you get down and dirty with the TechnoRetro Dads’ zany zoo.

We love to hear from our EarBuds! If you like what you hear, tweet all about it (#TechnoRetro), post on Facebook, and rate/review the show on iTunes and Stitcher.  You can even leave us a voicemail at (209) TR-TRDad (209)878-7323 or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  Be sure to take this month’s cereal challenge and let us know whether TRIX are just for kids.

Share and Enjoy!

 

Direct download: TRDads_04.01.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:10am EDT

Mysteries abound in this NON-LINEAR release of TechnoRetro Dads.  Loyal EarBud and SuperFriend, Chris Hamilton (Star Wars Kidscast) recently uncovered evidence that suggests the TechnoRetro Dads podcast is a knock-off of a 1930’s radio show entitled The Fathers of Henceforth and Whenceforth.  A record from 1932 reveals striking similarities to the ‘Dads’ program, including discussions of childhood toys, looking to the future, a freaky obsession with cereal, and perhaps most shocking of all…one of the hosts is named “Shua”!  Shenanigans!

But that’s not the only mystery afoot, EarBuds.  No!  JediShua and shazbazzar have gone missing and it’s up to the TechnoRetro Kids to find them.  In a nearly tragic turn of events, shazzyLuke (shazzy reptiles) and shAbbeyzzar accidentally take off for High Adventure and “Light the Sky on Fire” in the ‘Dads’ DeLorean and are joined by JediAri and Little A’s for a millennia-spanning adventure in just over fifteen minutes (no salamanders were harmed in the process).

Discover the truth behind the controversy in this SPECIAL BIRTHDAY EDITION of TechnoRetro Dads with special thanks to Chris Hamilton of Star Wars Kidscast, Glen Nelson, Brian Rabeuse, and Dave Connelly of High Adventure, and special vocal artist Rebecca Hofmann.  

We love to hear from our EarBuds! If you like what you hear, tweet all about it (#TechnoRetro), post on Facebook, and rate/review the show on iTunes and Stitcher.  You can even be like Chris and leave us a voicemail at (209) TR-TRDad (209)878-7323 or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_April_Fools_Day_2016.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Kids -- posted at: 6:30am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Wake up from your sugar rush slumber to some great news and other noise from TechnoRetro Dads.  JediShua is living large with his summer plans (in spite of having a snow day in the middle of Spring Break) while shazbazzar bemoans the popular squishy Easter treats: Peeps. So whether you’re losing your sweet tooth or overdoing the jelly beans this week, you’re sure to find something to satisfy your craving for fun with your EarBuds with TechnoRetro Dads. 

In the NEWS:  We get out the correction tape on The Tick, a Dad documents his family’s struggle with his son’s terminal cancer in a video game,  and casting continues for Ready Player One (for better or worse), and the writer of The Martian has a short story added to the official RP1 canon. 

Tom Hanks and Shelley Long experience the joys of home ownership and remodeling in the 1986 film, The Money Pit…and it isn’t as easy as HGTV makes it look week after week.  In the classic physical comedy stylings of Tom Hanks, this movie may not win a major award, but the fun memories flow freely as the ‘Dads remember this movie from thirty years ago.

But it goes back even further, as shazbazzar brings his… not-quite-a Mr. Microphone down from the attic to broadcast his voice on any FM radio.  The premise was better than the presentation for little shaz in 1979, though, when his generic wireless microphone failed to achieve the same effects (and results) of the Mr. Microphone advertised on television. 

And, with the release of Batman v Superman, we reveal the winner of the “Battle of the Bowls” in this month’s cereal challenge.  Our EarBuds’ taste buds were seriously challenged with the task of choosing one over the other in the categories of crunch, flavor, appearance, and more.  

We love to hear from our EarBuds! If you want to leave us a voicemail, be sure to call us at (209) TR-TRDad or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_03.48.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:35am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Spring is here and the ‘Dads are a bit feverish to get outside and play in the warm sunshine.  Take a trip back to the carefree days of riding your bike with your friends from morning till night as shazbazzar and JediShua recall the bicycles of their youth.  Whether it was a Schwinn, Huffy, Murray, Free Spirit, or Kent, a bicycle was a two-wheeled ticket to freedom — even if you were restricted to simply riding around the block.  Bicycles could become anything you imagined, from horses to cars to X-Wings or TIE Fighters, and as we got older, our bikes carried us to friends houses, movie theaters, and even Carter Caves!  With the weather getting warmer, it’s time to get out your bike and ride.

PLUS: Entertainment is the NEWS this week!  Indy 5 has been announced with an expected release date in 2019 (since Spielberg is tied up in the OASIS with a certain futuristic film at the moment), shazbazzar speculates on Tim Burton’s anticipated sequel to Beetlejuice, and JediShua reveals Amazon’s plan to resurrect The Tick with Patrick Warburton, whom shazbazzar somehow confused with that guy who played Brisco County, Jr. and starred in Army of Darkness

Astronaut Scott Kelly stars in the TechnoRetro Dads’ SCIENCE LESSON as we discover the effects a year in space has on the body, as well as the impact of returning to Earth after twelve months away from gravity.  One impressive fact: you’ll come home taller than you were when you left!

Be sure to participate in the Battle of the Cereals with Batman v Superman cereals in this month’s TechnoRetro Cereal challenge on our Facebook page.  And if you want to leave us a voicemail, be sure to call us at (209) TR-TRDad or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  

Share and Enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_03.47-bicycle.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:05am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Are you ready for an hour and pi minutes of great music to celebrate Pi Day on the 14th of March?  The choices on this very special episode will make you deliciously dizzy with some favorites, both old and new, informative and quirky.  Let’s go!  

From Archimedes to Einstein and beyond, the songs are spinning on our record players Monday with numbers that will go on and on and on and on in a most irrational way on this week’s TechnoRetro Dads.  If you want to get in on the fun and add the full versions (or official versions) of these songs to your TechnoRetro turntables (digitally, of course), you can click on the links below to purchase them on iTunes. 

 

"Pi Song" (Mr. R)

“Roundabout” (Yes)

“American Pie” (Don McLean)

“Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” (Jay & The Techniques)

“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” (Dead or Alive)

“Round and Round” (RATT)
“Custard Pie” (Led Zeppelin)

"Pi" (Ari Zizzo)

“Circle of Life” (DConstructed)

“Circumference” (Breakage)

“Wild Honey Pie” (Beatles)

“Will It Go Round in Circles?” (Billy Preston)

“What Am I Doing Hangin’ ‘Round?” (Monkees)

“Circles” (Captain & Tennille)

“Pi Song” (Bryan Oden)

“Geometry” (PBS Kids)

“Circumference (It Just Makes Sense)” (Rhythm, Rhyme, Results)

“Circles” (Edie Brickell & New Bohemians)

“The Circle Is Complete” (High Adventure)

Don’t forget to voice your opinion in the Battle of the Cereals with Batman v Superman cereals in this month’s TechnoRetro Cereal challenge on our Facebook page.  And if you want to leave us a voicemail, be sure to call us at (209) TR-TRDad or record a message on your computer or phone and send us an electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.  

JediShua and shazbazzar will return next week with 77 minutes of NEWS, CEREAL, SCIENCE, and more next Monday.  Until then, plug in your EarBuds and sing along until you remember the first hundred or so digits of pi.

Direct download: TRDads_03.46_Pi_Day.mp3
Category:Music Special -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Time passes by so quickly when you’re immortal.  It’s hard to believe that it’s been thirty years since the sword-clashing battle between Connor MacLeod and the Kurgan ended with Clancy Brown losing his head and Christopher Lambert winning the Prize.  Crowned with rock anthems and ballads by Queen, Russell Mulcahy’s 1986 classic stand-alone film ushered in decades of sequels, series, and controversies with Highlander, the story of a Scottish boy with a French accent who just wouldn’t die.  Instructed by Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez, an Egyptian with a Scottish accent, Connor MacLeod squared off against the Kurgan, a Russian with an inexplicable American accent way back in the 16th Century.  It’s a tale that spans the centuries and continues to thrill fantasy fans today.

Michael Nipp from The Deucecast Movie Show joins shazbazzar and JediShua for a glimpse of the kind of magic that made Sean Connery, Christopher Lambert, and Clancy Brown the Princes of the Universe in an imaginative game of life and death where the Prize is the ability to grow old and die. 

But that’s not all there is to this week’s TechnoRetro Dads!  Starlog Magazine makes the  NEWS with a complete digital collection of past issues online.  PLUS: JediShua shares a cereal recipe for National Cereal Day that’s sure to be an Escape that’s both cheerful and fruitilicious.  And don’t forget to join in the Battle of the Heroes in the Batman v Superman Cereal Challenge this month!

In the SCIENCE LESSON, a real-life Solar Sail is almost ready for it’s maiden voyage among the stars…or at least to the space surrounding our planet.  Find out how you can get involved in the next wave of space travel before it gets off the ground.

With musical memories and international versions of a cult classic, today’s TechnoRetro Dads is 77 minutes of energy that might make you lose your head…figuratively speaking, of course.

Direct download: TRDads_03.45.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

What happens when mortal enemies are stranded alone in a life-threatening hostile environment?  Will they overcome their animosity towards each other in their efforts to survive?  Will they choose to take their chances on their own?  Will they continue their fight against one another in spite of their common plight?  Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr. explore the possibilities in 1984’s Enemy Mine as a human and a Drac choose temporary tolerance over continued animosity in a story that shows how enemies can become true friends when they are put in a position in which they must rely on each other for survival.  More recently, a human and a Lasat explore the same story as Agent Kallus and Zeb from Star Wars Rebels forego their long-standing battle in order to survive being marooned on a Geonosian moon in last week’s, “The Honorable Ones”.  This week, shazbazzar and JediShua revisit the somewhat forgotten movie from their youth as well as take a brief look at its similarities with the latest episode of Rebels.

On this “Leap Day” episode of TechnoRetro Dads, the ‘Dads explore the solar reasons for having an extra day added to the calendar almost every four years, revealing some truths (and some possible “false facts”) about Leap Year that you may not know, making sure to provide all EarBuds with opportunities to wow their co-workers and friends with mostly unimpressive trivia.  (After all, most of us won’t be around to see the next time there isn’t a Leap Year on its regular 4-year schedule in 2100.)  

But there is some NEWS that may be significant to children of the 70s and 80s.  Funko makes a return to The Dark Crystal, Bill the Cat goes solo with his own picture book, Mondo makes Madballs, a young MacGyver is presented his first Erector Set, and Wade Watts is cast for Ready Player One.     

Most importantly, TechnoRetro Dads satisfy their sweet tooth cravings around the campfire with Kellogg’s SMORZ and Malt-O-Meal’s S’mores cereals.  Jeremy the Spider-Pan from The Neverland Podcast submits a guest review as Armando sends in a S’mores cheesecake recipe and several EarBuds send in their thoughts about the marshmallow, chocolate, graham cracker tasting (?) cereal in this month’s cereal challenge.

Topped off with Doc Brown’s discovery of a ninth planet in our solar system (yep, the same Doc Brown that challenged the planetary status of the last ninth planet in our solar system, Pluto) in the SCIENCE LESSON, this episode is one that won’t be repeated for at least four years!

Don’t skip your 77-minute bowl of TechnoRetro goodness as you start your Leap Day.  It’s sure to get your extra day off on the right foot — or left foot — whichever you prefer.

Direct download: TRDads_03.44.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Hey, Hey, all you Monkees!  

It’s hard to believe, but The Monkees have been in our collective consciousness for fifty years!  Way, way back in 1966, a nifty comedy featuring four Ben Frank types trying to make their way in a world overpopulated by bands of all shapes, sizes, sounds, and silly names.  And even though TechnoRetro Dads shazbazzar and JediShua weren’t around when the show premiered in color on NBC, they remember The Monkees from their youth through records, reruns, and their very first rock concert (not The Monkees’ first concert, obviously, the ‘Dads’ first concert).

This week on TechnoRetro Dads, SuperFriend Richard Woloski (Skywalking through Neverland, Talking Apes TV) lends his expert opinions on the “Pre-Fab Four” for 77 minutes of going bananas with good times, trivia, and tunes as they gush in their fandom for the four musical primates as they celebrate the ingenuity of inventing a band for a TV show and ending up essentially launching a musical career that has spanned six decades with fans of all ages. 

But it’s not all talk.  JediShua and Richard get their chance to prove their expertise as shazbazzar quizzes them Jeopardy-style with Monkee-centric categories like “THAT GIRL”; “COLORS”; “EVERY ‘DAY’ IS GETTING BRIGHTER”; “LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION”; “STATUS SYMBOL LAND”; and “THEY’RE ANIMALS!” Find out who is the big winner in this less-than-impressive imitation of the game show where you ask the questions.  

What was your experience with The Monkees?  Did you have a favorite song or memorable episode?  Let us know by tweeting us @TechnoRetroDadds or sending us an electronic-M to podcast@technoretrodads.com. PLUS: Don’t forget to chime in on our February Cereal Challenge by eating “SMORZ” cereal and reviewing it in our poll on Facebook.  We’ll be talking all about the chocolatey, marshmallowy, graham-cracker cereal next week on TechnoRetro Dads.   

Have a Pleasant Valley Monday with 77 minutes of fun with TechnoRetro Dads as you wake up and take on the day. We guarantee your smiles will be brighter and your Head will be filled with songs from a long time ago that are as good today as they were in the late ‘60s! Share and spread the love!

Direct download: TRDads_03.43.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:15am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Hopefully you remembered to find a Valentine over the weekend, but today we change gears just a bit to cut loose with some Presidents to the tunes of Kenny Loggins with Footloose.  JediShua and shazbazzar take a TechnoRetro look at the dance movie that made Kevin Bacon in 1984.  While the ‘80s music and feel of the film are undeniably dated, the generation-gap, small town versus big city story is as real today as it was 32 years ago.  So kick off your Sunday shoes this Monday morning and turn up the fun with TechnoRetro Dads.

As always, though, there’s much more to this episode as the ‘Dads reveal upcoming releases: a new Monkees album, Armada makes its paperback debut, and more movie dates change — specifically, Ready Player One and The Flash.  Also in the NEWS, Voltron returns with a new series on NetFlix, and shazbazzar and JediShua make an appearance on Rebel Force Radio.

Kellogg’s makes an appearance in CEREAL NEWS with recipe ideas, specifically a tropical concoction we renamed “Krispies Colada”.  Don’t hesitate to send us your cereal recipes via electronic-M to podcast@technoretrodads.com.    

In celebration of the end of football season, the ‘Dads pull out some bubble gum machine helmets from the ATTIC and reminisce about some favorite (and not-so-favorite) helmets they had.  One question lingers, though: Will these helmets fit 12” figures from the ‘70s and ‘80s?  

It’s a blend of new and old as the kids get a day off from school on this Presidents’ Day.  So sit back for a rousing round of “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” with TechnoRetro Dads.

Share and enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_03.42.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 5:30am EDT

With a brilliant victory over Cam Newton’s Panthers, Denver’s Broncos claim another SuperBowl championship for Peyton Manning and football lovers need to find another object for their affection.  No need to worry, EarBuds!  TechnoRetro Dads is here this week with some advice to ensure a lovely Valentine’s Day for you and your significant other in plenty of time for you to be a romantic love hero as February’s holiday approaches.  Feel like staying in next Sunday night?  We’ve got a few ‘80s romance movie suggestions for you to cuddle up with your cutie on the couch and watch together while snacking on some Valentine’s Day Chex Mix.

And for those who may be feeling a little lonely this February 14th, if you find yourself always nagging, bragging, complaining about things, take a good look at Kathleen Turner — now there’s one hekuva girl!  JediShua and shazbazzar take another look at 1984’s Robert Zemeckis film Romancing the Stone with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, and the always handsome and hilarious El Guapo.  If you’ve seen it before, it maintains all the charm and humor that you remember.  If you’ve never seen it — it’s well-worthy of a Valentine’s Day viewing.

IN CEREAL NEWS, General Mills gets real with an actual rabbit to support TRIX cereals.  Cinnabun wins Big G’s search for a live mascot to roll-out their growing line of naturally-colored cereals — not all of which are shades of brown!  PLUS: the latest craze in alcoholic beverages use used cereal milk as a mixer.     

Romance abounds in that galaxy far, far away with three couples in The Force Awakens discussion.  Discover the answers to these perplexing questions: Which of these couples have the best chance to find love?  Which couple will go down in history as icons of romance? And just when you thought you knew everything about Star Wars, TechnoRetro Dads uncover the in-universe origins of the Ewoks.  

This is an episode you can’t afford to miss — unless you want to be in the dog house next Monday morning.

Share and enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_03.41.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:11am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

When Barbie was topping the toy charts, Hasbro decided to try out a “boy’s version” of the doll and G.I. Joe was born.  For over fifty years, G.I. Joe has occupied store shelves and toy boxes throughout the United States.  In the ‘70s, Joe evidently studied martial arts and earned his Kung-Fu Grip.  Once Kenner’s Star Wars line captured the market, Joe underwent major plastic surgery, shrinking him down to less than one third his size and giving him many more points of articulation.  Since then, G.I. Joe has demanded attention from kids and collectors with hundreds of figures, numerous vehicles, and not a small number of playsets.

But that’s not all!  G.I. Joe became A Real American Hero in 1983 with Sunbow’s five-part mini-series featuring the toys in animated form.  With another hit mini-series in 1984, G.I. Joe escalated to television stardom as fifty-five new episodes of the show released in 1985.  Since then, G.I. Joe has put his name on several iterations of animated television programming as well as a couple of live-action Hollywood features.  

IN THE NEWS, General Mills offers Star Wars fans a chance to attend Star Wars Celebration in London, any new Labyrinth movies will continue the story, not retell it, and new DeLoreans will soon be in production.  

JediShua and shazbazzar review Wheaties, a cereal that’s nearly a century old (the cereal itself, not the actual flakes they consumed over the past month).  Did Wheaties make them more athletic?  Will their faces grace future orange boxes on shelves in the cereal aisle in your local grocery store?  Discover the answers to other questions in the TechnoRetro Dads Cereal Challenge this week.

So pour yourself a bowl of Wheaties, get your toys down out of the attic, and turn on some classic G.I. Joe cartoons and celebrate G.I. Joe Day with shazbazzar and JediShua as your work week (and February) kick off!

 

Direct download: TRDads_03.40.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:53am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Whether you want to bewitch the mind or ensnare the senses, bottle fame, brew glory, or even put a stopper in death, there’s only one potion master that will do: Severus Snape.  We remember some of our favorite roles of Alan Rickman, from Hans Gruber in Die Hard to the Sheriff of Nottingham, to his portrayal of an actor portraying an alien crew member of a very Trekkish television show, Alan Rickman delighted audiences for decades with his precision command of every aspect of himself on screen.

IN THE NEWS, J.J. Abram’s vision of WestWorld has been delayed, Darkwing Duck does not get a movie voiced and animated by Jim Cummings, but it looks like he will get a comic book.  Concept designer and animator of such visually mesmerizing projects as TRON: Uprising, Aeon Flux, Gorillaz, and The Beatles: RockBand, Robert Valley, provides fans with an opportunity to help him realize the transfer of a graphic novel to film through a Kickstarter for Pear Cider and Cigarettes

The bulk of this week’s show, however, is the discussion and debate about Rey’s heritage, spurred by a post by Joe Tavano at RetroZap.com. As Maz Kanata put it, “Who’s the girl?”  JediShua, shazbazzar, and Joey-Wan Kenobi put forward their best (and worst) thoughts for consideration, with reasons supporting or derailing some of the most common and most outlandish theories about Rey’s parents that they’ve heard.  Although the next saga installment of Star Wars has been pushed back to December 2018, these three throw out enough speculations (with or without evidence) to keep fans talking for 23 months.  PLUS: new questions arise, like “Is Kylo Ren a Star Wars version of TRON’s CLU?” and the identity and origin of Snoke.  There are many things about Star Wars we don’t know since this sequel trilogy started over a month ago, and speculation is a blast!

So sit down with your bowl of Wheaties, plug in your ear buds, EarBuds, and tune in for 77 minutes of family, friends, and fandom this Monday morning as you get ready to start another work week.

Share and enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_03.39.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:11am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Whether you’re off to the rodeo in the middle of winter or you’re watching a preschool neighborhood Mardi Gras parade, there’s always time to share some favorite memories with your EarBuds.  Join shazbazzar and JediShua as they take a mind trip to 1986 with memories of the Jim Henson/George Lucas collaboration, Labyrinth.  With the recent passing of David Bowie, it only seemed appropriate to talk about some of the more influential aspects of his work on the lives of the ‘Dads, and both agree that his portrayal of the Goblin King Jareth will always remain in the forefront of their minds.

But there’s more!  Cereal sales are down in the NEWS.  Is it because of increased droughts?  Is too much grain going into our gas tanks taking its toll on the breakfast food industry?  Or are the ‘Dads to blame because EarBuds are living vicariously through them and not consuming as much sugary-sweet, brightly colored cereals as they did before the CEREAL segment began?  But never fear, General Mills hasn’t been in business for a century and a half because it can’t endure an economic downturn from time-to-time. 

TechnoRetro Dads discover a new way to organize some of your favorite movies by watching them in alphabetical order.  Because, because, because, because, because JediShua finds Of Oz the Wizard online, he follows the Yellow Brick Road to Arst Arsw, enduring hours of oddly edited versions of the films according to alphabetically arranged dialogue.  Really, who thinks up these things?!

In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of Audible, you can get your 30-day free trial and a free download of an audio book of your choice through this #TechnoRetro link: AudibleTrial.com/TRDads.  We suggest lazy reading the novelization of Star Wars: The Force Awakens as you continue to feel the awakening of the Dark Side and the Light.

So get up, put 2 Euros in the LEGO Cheerios cereal vending machine, and tune in to 77 minutes of delicious TechnoRetro crunchiness — it’s part of your balanced breakfast every Monday morning.

Share and enjoy!

Direct download: TRDads_03.38.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:33am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Have you ever tried to have a discussion about a single topic with a friend and he keeps interrupting the flow of the conversation with movie quotes, song lyrics, or side-bars about odd words or names?  Did you find it frustrating?  Were you wondering if this only happens to you?  You’re not alone.  All the evidence you need is wrapped up in 77 silly minutes of this week’s technology-centric TechnoRetro Dads.  JediShua and shazbazzar prove their attention span stinks nearly as much as sulfur (soon-to-be known to all mankind as shazbazzarium) as their deficiency is paraded with pride for all the world to hear in this podcast filled with problematic prognostications and spurious speculations. 

But that’s not all!  Their disorderly conduct continues throughout the NEWS about Star Wars in concert, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, in-universe books from the wide world of Ghostbusters, and newly discovered invented elements synthesized by chemists dedicated to completing each and every level of the Periodic Table of Elements.

And if that’s not enough to satisfy your appetite this Monday morning, sit down with Nephew Joe for a mixed bowl of cereal as JediShua hosts Sunday Cereal Bar Brunch for his extended family.  Listen in as the two of them (and others) make their plans for RetroFuture cereal restaurant that charges by the bowl instead of by the pound.  (POUND?  Just how much cereal does it take to fill Shua’s belly?!)

PLUS: shazbazzar unearths an eleventy-five year-old article by civil engineer John Elfreth Watkins, Jr. published in the December 1900 issue of Ladies’ Home Journal.  The imaginative mind of yesteryear proves to be rather accurate in his predictions of the technology that would be familiar over the next century.  From wireless telephone networks spanning the globe to pre-packaged cooked meals delivered to the (evidently kitchenless) homes of our century, the pre-tech visionary had a firm grasp on the direction technology would take in the post-industrial age.

The questions that will plague EarBuds’ after tuning in this week are not limited to:

  1. How much cold medicine did shazbazzar take?
  2. Who is Solomon Grundy and why is JediShua’s dad eating him for breakfast?
  3. When will shazbazzar find the elusive multi-colored BB-8 droid viewer?
  4. What is a single-cell phone?
  5. Where exactly is a woman’s boudoir?

So listen in and listen again to this technically silly technological episode of TechnoRetro Dads and make your Monday a fun day.

 

Direct download: TRDads_03.37.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 6:56am EDT

Greetings, Programs!  

Did the movie live up to the hype?  Did the hype affect your first screening?  your second?  How important is it to see Star Wars on opening night?  Of course we’re talking about The Force Awakens in this first episode of 2016.  Both shazbazzar and JediShua see the most highly anticipated movie in ten years with friends, family, and first-timers time and again in 2D, 3D, and 3D IMAX and they begin their conversation with initial comments after a few times seeing a truly J.J. Abrams Star Wars movie.  SPOILER ALERT!  If, for some strange reason, you have not yet seen the newest addition to the galaxy far, far away, BEWARE!  This episode of TechnoRetro Dads contains spoilers, speculations, and surprises that may make your first viewing of The Force Awakens better or worse (depending on who you ask).

Might as well let you know now: Finn’s last name is Calrissian, Rey’s last name is Kenobi, and Kylo’s real name is Ben.  Or maybe not.  It’s a new movie.  We can’t reveal such things in a podcast blurb!  It would be a travesty.

But the new year brings more than expected!  After the “last call” at ShotGlassDigital.com, TechnoRetro Dads have found a new home at RetroZap.com with long-time SuperFriend Joey Tavano alongside other great podcasts like Brews and Blasters, The Collectors Hutt, Skywalking through Neverland, The Trade Federation, We Know Nothing, The Deucecast Movie Show, and more…

IN THE NEWS: Is Star Trek: Axanar getting the ax?  Independence Day makes a resurgence with Resurgence.  PLUS, X-Men, video games, Batman, Superman, Captain America, Star Trek, and Jungle Book trailers hit theaters before The Force Awakens.

TOYS IN THE ATTIC:  Christmas 2015 had some real hits, including a pie-in-the-face from 1964.

Wake up in a new year with 77 minutes of retrotastic technolove this Monday morning!  So pour yourself a bowl of Wheaties (since you’re still set on keeping those New Year’s resolutions), hop on the treadmill, and walk across the TechnoRetro bridge from the past to the future as the old joins the new at a very appropriate time of year.

 

Direct download: TRDads_03.36.mp3
Category:TechnoRetro Dads -- posted at: 7:52am EDT

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