Dad's retro phrase of the week..

"Crap or get off the pot"

Meaning.. hurry up!  A saying that I don't often hear too much these days (at least from folks under the age of forty).

Retro action figure sightings at Toys R' Us

I took the kids to Toys R' Us today and had just as much fun as they did.  Check out some of the retro goodness I came across while browsing the action figure aisles..

I love action figures, and really dig these types of throwback toys.  Did you notice how many of these toys had packaging that played up the retro aspect?  It is pretty cool.. but as a toy collector and action figure aficionado, I'm hoping the toy manufacturers kind of cool their jets.  I can see this trend easily getting out of hand, until all kinds of crappy toys are being produced with the hopes that playing up the retro angle will make them big bucks.

On a side note:  I do realize a few of these toys are throwbacks from the 90's, but seeing as the 90's were twenty years ago..  I've recently come to the harsh realization that they are now too becoming retro.

Hastings Greeley location to close in February. Another great book, music, and movie store bites the dust.

Hastings in Greeley Colorado is one of my favorite stores to frequent. They sell new and used books, music, and movies, as well as a hodgepodge of other items appealing to musicians, skaters, geeks, gamers, and pop culture fanatics.  I can honestly say that there is something for everyone in this store. However.. soon I will be talking about Hastings in the past tense, because they will be closing their doors permanently next month, joining the likes of Borders who closed down last year as well.

My world was truly shaken when I learned the news that Hastings Greeley was closing.  From the sound of it, employees were just as shocked by the news as I was.  They were told of the bad news just two days prior to when the general public was notified. Apparently their lease was up, and the landlord found another tenant that wanted to take over the retail space.  Rather than move to a new location, folks at corporate decided to cut their losses and close the store.

Conventional wisdom dictates that this is another classic case of how technology is changing the landscape of the retail market, in regards to virtually every type of media.  Like everyone else, Hastings has seen their video rental business steadily decrease thanks to Red Box, Netflix, and on demand programming.  Retail publication and music sales also continue to falter because of digital downloads. I guess stores like Hastings, Borders, and Barnes and Noble are becoming dinosaurs in this day and age.  It's a simple fact that can't be denied, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.  

I'm old school.  I love to spend hours browsing through music, book, magazine, and movie sections in stores.  However, being able to do so is becoming harder and harder to do.  An e-reader just doesn't do it for me, nor does an electronic copy of an album, or streaming movies from my phone or high tech device.  Mind you.. I'm not opposed to technology, I just don't believe that we need to replace all media with convenient streamlined digital alternatives.

I could go on and on forever about digital vs. traditional media, but I think I'll cool it for now.  Instead.. let's take a look at a few tings that made stores like Hastings so great..

What's better than browsing through a book store, knowing that there are all kinds of hidden treasures you never knew existed just waiting to be found? 

I loved taking my kids to book stores like this and letting them pick out books that we could read together.  Sadly.. the feel of more and more book stores these days is not an inviting one.

These boxes contain something called "Board Games".  It's a strange concept, but these are non electronic games of strategy and chance, played by following a set of pre determined rules.  It's what folks used to do for fun before Angry Birds and X-Box.

A cornucopia of music that you can pick up, see, and feel.  There's something to be said for a CD with it's dust jacket that can include lyrics, stories and insight from the artist's themselves, and of course.. the cover art!

I'm thinking Red Box doesn't have quite as extensive of a movie selection as this store has.

 

A lot of new artist's are getting their new albums pressed to vinyl these days in addition to digital and compact disc.  Now that Hastings is closing, I have no idea where I'm going to find vinyl in these parts.

I am a child of the 70's and 80's, and therefore appreciate a good comic book.  Hastings has a large section of floor space dedicated to new and old comics, as well as other comic related merchandise like action figures, collectibles, and apparel.  The closing of Hastings basically leaves the town of Greeley Colorado without a single comic book store.  Us geeks are going to have to put in some serious drive time to get our comic fix now.

I can't tell you how many oddball and wacky pop culture items I've bought from Hastings.  Here are some items readily available for purchase that are simply the Bee's knees! 

Cover up that nasty new car scent with bacon air freshener!

Zombie Brain and Heart gelatin molds will ensure your next after dinner party will be a hit!

A Lucha Libre wrestling mask should be a staple in every man's wardrobe

Nunzilla.. a fire breathing, spark spitting wind up toy.

One of the coolest action figures I've ever seen.

Twilight Zone "Mystic Seer"

This is just like the little fortune telling machine that William Shatner got addicted to using in the 1960 Twilight Zone episode "Nick of Time".  I'd buy this cool little unit.. but it scares the crap out of me.

Wicked cool tee's are always abundant

Just a small assortment of Hastings head wear, for the discerning geek

Yes.. Hastings was way more than just a video and music store.  It felt as if they went out of their way to appeal to the masses.  They currently have a lot of their merchandise marked down anywhere from 10% to 30% off.  Some of the deals I am getting on music and collectibles are great indeed, but the deals are bittersweet.  I face the harsh reality that this great store I visit at least once a week, will soon be shutting its doors never to open again.  

It truly is an end of an era, and I believe Hastings will be sorely missed by many Greeley residents for a long time to come.

Disney Steampunk pins

I saw some really cool retro looking Disney pins last summer while vacationing at Disney World.  I'm not sure if they'd qualify as Steampunk, but they definitely exuded that type of vibe.  For those of you who may not be familiar with the term "Steampunk", here's a quick definition..

Steampunk   [steam-punk]
A genre of science fiction wherein the setting of the story takes place in a time where steam power is still used, usually in Victorian or Edwardian eras.  Many times stories incorporate futuristic or technological advances, during a period of time when they shouldn't exist.

 Steampunk Electric Guitar

Steampunk visual elements combine simplistic looking designs, coupled with elegance and sleek craftsmanship, to create a look exclusive to the genre.

Steampunk movie examples.. 

 The Wild Wild West

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Sky Captain and the world of tomorrow

Van Helsing

The Time Machine

Disney's The Rocketeer

That being said, on to the good stuff.. The Steampunk pins!!

 Stitch

Mickey Mouse

Donald Duck

Mickey's face

I remember getting lost in these pins while examining them at the pin trading station in Disney World.   Each one has their own distinct feel to them.  Stitch has a more technologically advanced look to him, while the Mickey Mouse face looks much simpler with inner workings consisting of springs, cogs, and an exterior steam pressure gauge.  Donald looks like a wind up toy, while Mickey appears to be a battery operated toy that you simply switch on.  

So here I am some six months later, lamenting over the fact that I didn't actually buy these pins when I saw them.  I believe these are an open ended release and not limited edition, so I shouldn't break the bank when I inevitably purchase them online somewhere next week!

Curious about Steampunk?

  

Check out this link at Tor.com

Every Gentlemen should be wearing one of these..

A ring with a built in bottle opener..

If your bride, significant other, or those who are bottle opener-less, are in desperate need of a drink from a capped glass bottle.. you can be the exemplification of chivalry when you come to the rescue with your bottle opener ring!  

• brushed stainless steel
• available wherever fine bottle opener rings are sold

Dad's Retro Phrase of the week..

"Good riddance to bad rubbish"

A saying with European origin from what I understand.  My Grandfather used this phrase on occasion, and I use it quite often.

Old Spice - a distinguished aftershave for the discerning retro Dad

Old Spice aftershave is one of those products that has truly stood the test of time.  Old Spice has been around since 1938, which should come as no surprise seeing as it does exactly what it's meant to do, and does so quite efficiently.

Old Spice has done a heck of a job retooling their image over the last few years.  Their line of products are now viewed as hip and cool.. a far cry from just a few years ago when their products were primarily thought of as being primarily used by old guys.

While I've tried out some of their new body sprays and shower gels, the only Old Spice products I buy are their classic scent aftershave and cologne.  For years however, I had an aversion to buying it because of the stigma that only old guys only wore it.

 Staples in my arsenal of grooming tools

I've loved the smell of Old Spice ever since I was a young boy and my old man used it.  Once I began shaving in my early teen's, I started splashing on Dad's Old Spice after every shave.  The product served two purposes.  It quickly acted as an astringent keeping my skin irritation free, and provided a subtle and pleasant smelling scent.  My Dad used to say that Old Spice was the best aftershave ever made.  He even used to keep a bottle in his barber shop for the times he'd perform straight razor shaves on his clientele.

Once I hit the age of 17, I abandoned Old Spice and opted for hipper and swankier aftershaves like "Brut".  Shortly thereafter I switched to using non scented aftershave lotion, and would slather on colognes like Obsession or Polo.  It wouldn't be until early 2010 that I began using Old Spice aftershave once again.

A gift any retro dad would be proud to receive

Curious to see what retro male grooming products were still available on the market, I started perusing different drugstore shelves.  I came across Old Spice aftershave, immediately started to reminisce, and snatched up a bottle solely for old times sake.  I fully expected to use it only one time, and then re-purpose the rest for something else like lighter fluid for the charcoal grill.

Much to my surprise, the aftershave worked way better than anything I had used in recent years.  I was also impressed by the scent.  Mellow, smooth, and of course.. familiar.  I'm sure the ladies can attest to instances where guys smell like they've taken a shower in AXE or similar products.  Some cat's just don't realize that sometimes less is more.  They douse themselves with their scent of choice so heavily, that you can taste it.  In this day and age of sinus twisting body sprays which linger forever even after the person wearing them has long since left the room, the mild scent of Old Spice is truly refreshing.

As for the old guy stigma attached to Old Spice?  Heck.. I've already embraced my inner "Old Guy" so that's really a non issue for me now.  At a time when I was wondering what reactions I would garner by wearing my new go to retro scent, something happened on two occasions which surprised me.  While I was shopping one day, a gal probably in her early thirties actually expressed to me that she liked the cologne I was wearing.  Also.. while at work, a co-worker said my cologne smelled pretty good, and asked what brand I wore.  It seems that Classic Old Spice has been out of the mainstream for so long, that many folks from "Generation Y" very well might not be familiar with the product.  Which makes me wonder, is it time for Old Spice to once again make a comeback?

The folks in marketing and advertising for Old Spice have done a superb job of generating interest in their products to a younger generation.  At the same time, they may be missing a niche that other manufacturers have picked up on, which is retro and throwback merchandising.  Many retro toys, clothes, food, and forms of transportation have enjoyed immense success in recent years, so it makes me wonder if Procter and Gamble could spin a retro ad campaign that could reintroduce Classic Old Spice to the masses.

Touting the retro goodness of this product could be just what it needs to reinvigorate the classic line of products.  Whether it's wishful thinking on this retro Dad's part, or a real possibility.. remains to be seen.  Nevertheless, I'll continue to proudly use classic Old Spice products, and sing their praises for years to come.

1977 Disco hit - "Ain't gonna bump no more" by Joe Tex

Yes friends.. it's another edition of "Crap that's stuck in my head".  This tid bit comes directly from the music file in my memory banks.  When I was seven years old, I vividly remember a song that took the Disco world by storm.  The song is called "Ain't gonna bump no more (with no big fat woman)".

You see, back in the 70's there was a dance phenomenon known as "The Bump".  This dance basically consisted of dance partners bumping their hips (and sometimes other body parts) in sync with the music they were dancing to.  "Ain't gonna bump no more" was singer Joe Tex's account of what happened one night in a disco when he was doing the bump with a larger than life gal.

My friends would laugh their heads off whenever this song came on the radio.  I also remember Joe Tex performing this song on all kinds of television shows of the day.  My brother owned the album and we'd play it over and over, giggling for the duration of the song.  Heck.. my parents would even reluctantly crack a smile when they'd hear it. 

Here's a YouTube video with pretty good sound quality so you can listen to the lyrics..




And here are the lyrics, so you can memorize the song and sing it at your leisure!

Three nights ago I was at a disco
Man, I wanted to bump, I was rarin' to go
And this big fat woman, bumped me on the floor
She was rarin' to go, that chick was rarin' to go

Man she did a dip, almost broke my hip
She was gettin' down, that chick was gettin' down
She wanted to bump some more, but I told her, no
You done knocked me down once
You done knocked me down once
Said, if you want to dance
Find you a big fat man
Ya'll both can get on down
Ya'll both can get on down, huh

I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
Lord, I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman

Somebody take her
She's too big for me
She'll knock me down
She came over to me, snatched me out of my seat
She wanted to get on down, still wanted to get on down
I told her to go on and leave me alone
I ain't gettin' down
You done hurt my hip once

I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
Lord, I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman
I ain't gonna bump no more with no big fat woman

Somebody take her, I don't want her
She done hurt my hip, she done knocked me down
Done hurt my hip, she done knocked me down
Somebody take her, I don't want her
Say, Leroy, you can have this one, dude
This big fat woman, dude
I don't want her


On a side note.. Joe Tex had a distinct style of singing where he actually talked over his music.  He called his style of singing "Rap".  From my research, it appears that he was the first artist ever to use this word to describe this style of music.

Three music videos with a retro feel..

The right kind of music can really lift ones spirits.  After the Denver Broncos 55-10 loss against the New England Patriots last night, my spirits can definitely stand some lifting.  While browsing through music videos for the last three hours today, I found three newer videos with a definite retro feel to them.

The first is a superbly done fan video of the song Just one Kiss by the British electronic dance music duo The Basement Jaxx.  I actually dig this video more than the official video put out by the band.  The VW bug in this video is exactly like one I had as a kid, and the groovy 70's vibe is truly "far out".  Plus, if this song doesn't get you moving.. you must be dead.

I like a lot of the Foo Fighters music, and their song Rope is one of my favorites.  The minimalistic style of the video shoot relies heavily on the bands performance skill, and for some reason screams 1980's to me when I watch it.  This is a classic example of how sometimes.. less is more.






Remember afternoon dance shows?  American Bandstand and Soul Train were pretty main stream, but when I was a teen in the 80's, there were tons of local dance shows that were broadcast in cities across the nation.  I remember rushing home from school and tuning in to watch.   I loved seeing all of the fashionable hip kids dancing, as well as catching up on the latest music.

This Mayer Hawthorne video below is pretty awesome.  One of his newest songs called Long Time from his latest album 'How do you do?" is layed over an actual Detroit dance show filmed in the 80's!  The dance moves, the clothes, and the classic dance lines where dancers showcase their best moves while they mosey between the two lines of people, gets me grinning from ear to ear every time.  If nothing else.. fast forward to the two minute mark of the video to get a load of James Brown Jr.!






On a side note.. I watched this video with my daughter and bride to poke fun of the women's fashions that my wife surely had in her wardrobe back in the day.  Much to my surprise, she didn't see anything wrong with most of the fashions the gals were wearing back then.   Sheesh.. and I thought I was retro!

Retro Hot Wheels

I'm not sure why it is, but I've been on a toy buying kick lately.  The flavor of the month happens to be cars like Hot Wheels.  In my pursuit of cars that are unique and retro looking, I've come across quite an assortment of little cars that may be of interest to retro enthusiasts, even if they don't collect these type of toys. 

Hot Wheels currently has a "Cars of the Decades" line that are supposed to be exclusively sold at Wal Mart stores.  The line of cars showcases four different cars from each decade since the 30's.  Here's some of the cars I've seen so far..

Next are Hot Wheels lineup of General Mills Cereal inspired cars.  I bought Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula cars from this set, but am eying a couple others that are pretty cool looking.

There's also some pretty interesting Hershey's themed Hot Wheels cars out there, although.. that snowman on the backing card kind of creeps me out..

"The Hot Ones" Hot Wheels line has some pretty cool retro card art, and some pretty groovy models of cars!

Some other miscellaneous models that made their way home with me..

I'm usually not a big Matchbox fan, but I really dig their Lesney line of cars.  They even come with their very own match boxes just like back in the day!

1981 Delorean

 

Back to the Future Delorean

I'm just glad as is my bride that this hobby is an affordable one (so far).