Bally's Kiss Pinball Game (1979)

On the latest episode the guys talked about famous quartets from pop culture in the 70s and 80s and one of them, without any question, was Kiss.  As the conversation ambled, as they often do, the Kiss pinball game came up and both Joseph and Mike shared stories of playing (or not being able to play because of its popularity) the game.

According to the Internet Pinball Database, there were 17,000 of these made in June, 1979.  There was even a prototype of the game built that featured speech!

Just looking at this thing you can see why it was so popular.

Do you have any memories of playing this table? Or NOT being able to play, as the case may be?  Share your memories in the comments!

"Four Sticks"

Episode #101

Creeping up on us from out of the darkness... our FOURTH ANNIVERSARY SHOW! Where did this come from? Why, it seems like it was just last episode the guys marked one hundred episodes and now they want to celebrate another anniversary? To do so, they look at schoolyard games for this installment of Mt. Retromore and then to tie into the 4th anniversary they discuss famous and influential quartets from the 70s and 80s. It's 76 minutes of pop culture nostalgia Uphill Both Ways style.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW101_Four_Sticks.mp3

Retro Movie Review - "They Live"

 

“Put the Glasses On!” - They Live

Released in 1988, and directed by John Carpenter, They Live is one of those movies that is easy to define and categorize upon first glace; it’s science fiction. But the more you watch it – and I mean REALLY watch it, you’ll see that it transcends being pigeon-holed. Yes, the heart of it is, without a doubt, pure sci-fi, but it has elements of horror, comedy, political intrigue and action. It’s a buddy-cop movie wherein the cops are a couple of Everyman drifters and the bad guys are the ones in power.

Bands That Deserved Better, Part 2

 

European Rock Circa 1978-1980

By Joseph W. Perry

The late 1970s through the early 1980s were interesting years for rock music. Punk rock, new wave, and no wave were rising in popularity and making more traditional forms of rock seem old hat and out of vogue. Some bands that relied on traditional blues or boogie riffs were dismissed as dinosaurs, while others playing the same style of music were embraced as cutting-edge purists. Unfortunately for some bands, fickle record labels looking for The Next Big Thing and fans who leaned too heavily on following trends ignored or missed out on some groups that weren’t easily categorized. Sometimes poor management was to blame for low record sales.

For this installment of “Bands That Deserved Better,” I’m going to discuss five European bands - focusing on their debut U.S. albums, with one exception - that fell between the cracks in the American market. They sometimes did the same in their home countries, while some groups still soldier on to this day. They should have all been international superstars in my humble opinion, and I hope that if you haven’t heard them before, you will give them a try and perhaps find some new favorite bands --- better late than never!

"Kiss on My List"

Episode #100

No joke, it's finally here! Episode #100! Joseph and Mike present the Uphill Both Ways 100 Essential Pop Culture Things from the 1970s and 1980s. It's a topic that only an extra sized episode could contain!

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/Uphill_Both_Ways_100.mp3