"Mr. Roboto"

Episode #106

Joe talks about some old Kiss demo clips that he found on YouTube, Mike bemoans the cardiac event monitor that he has to wear for two weeks, and they both share their top four identifiable villains in this episode's "Mount Retromore". After that, it's time to get into the nuts and bolts of the episode as the guys look back at electronic devices that made their debut - or at least became affordable and commonplace among consumers - in the 1970s. So grab your Sony Walkman and pop a cassette copy of this episode in and give it a listen! 

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/Uphill_Both_Ways_106_Mr._Roboto.mp3

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!

"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

Saturday Morning Cartoons?!?

 

Okay, yeah - we know. With dedicated TV channels like Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and almost all of the streaming services having some type of animated show(s), watching cartoons on Saturday morning is something that you can still do today.  Much easier, in fact, than it was back in the 70s and 80s.

But back then... it was a ritual. Wake up, grab a spoon and bowl, a box of cereal, the milk, and plop down in the living room in front of the TV with your game plan ready.  CBS for a half hour, then NBC for an hour and a half, and the the final hour over on ABC - or some combination along those lines, depending on where your favorites shows were at on the dial.  THOSE days are gone now, but MeTV is doing their part to bring a little of the magic back by starting their own Saturday morning cartoon block.

Starting on January 2nd, and every Saturday at 7AM, they will have a three-hour "all cartoons, all the time" block that promises to be "reminiscent of the Saturday morning broadcasts from your childhood"!!

We're big fans of MeTV here at Uphill Both Ways thanks to their great line up of classic shows and we're looking forward to this long-awaited addition to their schedule.

Check out a few more details HERE.

Interjections!

 WOW!

"Double Vision"

Episode 86

It's time for a new regular feature (at least for now) as Mike and Joseph debut "Mt. Retromore" - their take on the game of coming up with your own "Mt. Rushmore" of a given topic. For this first shot they come up with their four professional wrestlers who they each feel were important to the sport in the 70s and 80s. A couple might be obvious, but the big question is if there are any duplicates between the lists! Then it's off to the main topic where the guys discuss remakes and reboots of TV shows and movies from the 70s and 80s. Are they in favor of this practice or do they bash it to bits? And more importantly, why did they forget Bingo's favorite movie, "King Kong"?!?

https://traffic.libsyn.com/…/wheni…/UBW086_Double_Vision.mp3

"Mr. Big Stuff"

Episode #85

It's August and that means it's time for "Dragon King Karl Month" at the palatial When It Was Cool estate as everyone celebrates Karl's birthday. Mike and Joe do their part to liven up the festivities as they program the WABAC machine to Karl's birth year of 1971 and discuss everything from the price of a Malibu Barbie to the confetti showers of Rip Taylor. Of course there's also the usual 'What's New' and 'Mix-Tape Challenge' segments that you've come to love and look forward to as well. We've said it before, but we really mean it this time when we say "This one's got it all"!

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW085.mp3