Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro Podcast

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!

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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

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