KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#39: The Music of Our Youth Nov 15, 2018

Show notes

For many kids, music is a gigantic part of life, and the bands, albums, and songs we grow up listening to and enjoying often help shape the people we end up becoming as adults. With that in mind, we dedicate the longest episode of KnockBack to date to 10 albums each (or 20 albums total) that indelibly influenced us as children and teenagers. Indeed, much of our focus is on our middle school and high school years, represented by an enormously eclectic collection of music... an assortment of music we'd still gladly listen to today, from hip-hop to rock, and just about everything in between.

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#38: Lunchtime and Recess Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

For virtually all students, lunchtime (and the recess that often followed) was a pivotal moment of each school day. Indeed, going off to eat and goof off with your friends acted as the perfect respite from never ending waves of math problems and reading assignments. Today's episode of KnockBack -- framed heavily around listener comments -- is all about lunchtime and recess, and the many, many stories we (and all of you) have about those times. This episode is full of laughs, and tons of nostalgic memories, too. So grab your lunchbox or bagged lunch, and take a seat with us: The cool kids. (Only kidding. We're not cool.)

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#37: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Nov 01, 2018

Show notes

It's almost always true that "the book is better than the movie." But when it comes to the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory -- which is based on the 1964 Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- the movie is definitively better than what inspired it. Starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a timeless mix of humor, music, and zaniness, and, nearly five decades after its release, it's as amazing as ever. So join us as we take a trip down the Chocolate River and remember the unusual adventure of a young boy named Charlie, his grandfather Joe, and a group of terrible children intent on inheriting a lifetime's supply of goodness, goodness that eludes all but one of them.

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#36 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

For a decade, Castlevania fans knew their beloved series as something traditional. You'd go through a stage full of bad guys, you'd fight a boss at the end, and you'd move on to the next level, where you'd do it all again. But then, in 1997, Symphony of the Night came to PlayStation (and Saturn!), and changed the formula forever. Widely considered one of the very best games ever created, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night took influence not only from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest on NES, but Super Metroid on SNES, and fused RPG and non-linear elements with the atmosphere, characters, and story Castlevania fans were so familiar with. The result was -- and is -- something totally unforgettable. So let's take some time and talk about Alucard's famous adventure, one he undertakes on behalf of a family hellbent on killing his own father.

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#35: Random Childhood Memories Oct 18, 2018

Show notes

Almost every episode of KnockBack is focused on something: A topic, or a product, or a place and time. Today's episode is a bit different, though. Each month, CLS Patrons get to vote on what we should cover in a future episode of this show, and you guys and gals voted for us to tell some of our favorite childhood memories. So we've done just that. From feats of hockey heroism and snowball fights with the older kids, to fake-out birthday gifts and family vacations, to school assemblies and fights with bullies, this episode kinda lacks focus. But then again, that's sorta the point.

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#34: Akira Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

In the late '80s, Katsuhiro Otomo changed animation forever with the release of Akira, the film adaption of his manga series of the same name. His Akira manga began in 1982, and wouldn't conclude until 1990, two years after the movie was released. But one thing was true then, and remains true now: Akira, as a film, is one of the most impressive and important pieces of long-form animation ever created, and continues to inspire artists around the world to this day. So let's delve into all things Akira, why it's important, why it's awesome, and why it's still so relevant today, not only through the lens of a fan, but through the eyes of a professional animator who was deeply influenced by it as a teenager, and remains influenced by it today.

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#33: Calvin and Hobbes Oct 04, 2018

Show notes

From late 1985 until the very end of 1995, immensely talented artist Bill Watterson produced Calvin and Hobbes, a beloved comic strip all about a young boy and his imaginary tiger friend. During the decade it ran -- and in the decades since -- Calvin and Hobbes has touched millions, but even more fascinating than the strip itself is the reclusive man who made it, a man who voluntarily walked away from it all and refused to capitalize on the potential, untold success of his creation. Today's KnockBack is dedicated not only to Watterson's seminal work of art, but to his story. Indeed, this episode circulates around a single theme: If it's okay to sell out.

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#32 | The Lord of the Rings (novels) Sep 27, 2018

Show notes

In 1954, J.R.R. Tolkien -- British writer, scholar, and Oxford professor -- released the most important and influential piece of fantasy in literary history: The Lord of the Rings. As a follow-up to The Hobbit, which Tolkien published nearly two decades earlier in 1937, the so-called Trilogy represents some of the most beloved fiction in the entire English language. A mere podcast cannot and will not do these seminal works justice, but for roughly two hours, we gush over a trio of works so essential that the entire fantasy genre, and everything that's spun off from it -- including video games, tabletop games, card games, and more -- would be far, far different (and possibly non-existent) today. But thankfully, we don't live in a Tolkien-less alternate reality. So let's celebrate, shall we?

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#31: Guilty Pleasure Movies Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

There are films we really love. Other flicks we totally hate. And a mass of movies in the middle that just kind of exist. Then, there are the so-called Guilty Pleasure Movies, films that, regardless of critical reception and box office draw, have us coming back for more... even if we try to keep our adoration of these films to ourselves. As requested by CLS Patrons, this episode of KnockBack is all about our secret (and perhaps shameful) cinematic loves. 10 of them in total, in fact. So let's make the case for some could-be gems, shall we?

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#30 | Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

In 1983, the original Star Wars trilogy wrapped up with Return of the Jedi. From Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett to Emperor Palpatine and Admiral Ackbar, Episode VI is chock-full of great characters, but it also happens to be the culmination of a story that, at the time, was six years in the making. So let's delve into what was once assumed to be the final Star Wars film and talk about our favorite and not-so-favorite moments, spanning from the assault on Endor (with those cute Ewoks!) and a near-death experience on Tatooine to the attack on a new Death Star and a fairer Vader-Luke battle. Oh, and there's lots of Episode VIII talk here, too, because The Last Jedi and The Return of the Jedi share one important feature: They're both the most disparaged entry in their respective trilogy. There's much to explore there, too, contentiousness and all.

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