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Welcome to Stuck in the Middle - the podcast about the music, movies, and culture of Generation X.
Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast
Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast
Stephen King - 70s & 80s Film Adaptations
24 LUG 2024 · Heeere's, Johnny!
Everyone knows author Stephen King. And while I have read many of his books, purely based on my age, I saw the movies adaptations long before I started reading his novels.
It is crazy how quickly Hollywood caught on to his work. His first novel was Carrie, published in 1974 - resulting in his first movie treatment just two years later - followed by the TV mini-series Salem's Lot in 1979. That one gave me nightmares for years!
From this point on, King's published works we almost instantly optioned to Hollywood. In fact, once the 80’s had arrived, there was a movie or TV adaptation every year except 1981 and 1988!
It has pretty much remained like this all the way through 2024, with new projects dropping later this year and in 2025. There has been a major appetite for King’s work, in both the literary & film worlds.
This episode is just about the 70s & 80s entries, with plenty of future material to cover!
Another Gen X Icon Gone Too Soon
17 LUG 2024 · It's been a somber week, Slackers.
The world has seemingly gone crazy, and we lost a true Gen X Icon - Shannen Doherty.
Her career is filled with movies and TV shows that were a part of our childhood into young adulthood - from her early role in Little House on the Prairie, the family drama Our House, the cult classic (and one of my favorites) Heathers, the Gen X primetime soap opera, Beverly Hills 90210, another cult classic in Mallrats, and finally her starring role in Charmed - Shannen Doherty was not only a star, but one of our stars.
After numerous heath issues, including Crohn's disease, it was a second diagnosis of breast cancer that ultimately led to her untimely passing.
Fairly or unfairly, Shannen was often times labeled as difficult to work with, a fact she readily acknowledged, but spent the last months (years really) of her life trying to set the record straight and repairing relationships. That is hard for anyone to face with death approaching, yet she did this with dignity and grace.
Rest in peace, Shannen Doherty.
What's in a (Band) Name?
10 LUG 2024 · What's in a band name, Slackers?
Isn't amazing how some bands can have the absolutely stupidest name and go on to sell millions of records? I mean, who thought FOO FIGHTERS was a good name? Certainly not Dave Grohl, who once said it's "a stupid f'n name"!
On this week's episode I'll break down some of the oddest names for bands that had some measure of success, in spite of - or is it because of - the name.
We're talking about ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK, OINGO BOINGO, and of course BUTTHOLE SURFERS! Plus, many more!
Let me know on socials some of your favorite weird, strange, or outright stupid band names.
BRATS: The Documentary
3 LUG 2024 · The past can be a difficult thing to face, and in the documentary “BRATS”, Andrew McCarthy tackles his past head on.
Through interviews with other members of the “Brat Pack”, McCarthy explores the impact that being part of this group of super famous, but very young, movie stars had on their lives.
While some viewed being labeled part of the “Brat Pack” as a negative influence on their careers, others found it to be a positive experience.
It is interesting how the documentary serves to chronicle a journey towards acceptance of the past that I believe we all go through, particularly in middle age. With the films of the “Brat Pack” all having such an influence on Gen X, this doc is part nostalgia, part behind the scenes, within a truly emotional story of how the perceptions of others can frame our perceptions of ourselves.
Was Andrew McCarthy’s career derailed by being labeled a “Brat”, or was this all in his own head? Why have others like Rob Lowe and Demi Moore managed to have wildly successful careers despite being a part of this group? And more importantly, who declined to be a part of the documentary?
It was quite an enjoyable watch and I recommend checking it out - or just check out this episode for my “review”!
1994: A Great Year for Music
26 GIU 2024 · It’s been 30 years, Slackers!
After watching a studio performance by WEEZER, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their amazing debut record, I looked into what other music dropped in 1994. Holy cow, that was a pretty good year for music!
Records from RANCID, THE OFFSPRING, and GREEN DAY all came out in 1994, moving past the “grunge/punk” aesthetic into the pop-punk era that would drive the later shift into emo.
Under the mainstream radar, were bands like BLACK TRAIN JACK, DOG EAT DOG, and LIFE OF AGONY, all on ROADRUNNER RECORDS, while huge legacy acts like THE ROLLING STONES, JOHNNY CASH, and TOM PETTY all had releases during the year.
And not to be thrown to the wayside, grunge supergroups SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM, and NIRVANA all had multiplatinum records. 1994 was also the year that KURT COBAIN took his own life, with “MTV Unplugged in New York” released posthumously.
Basically, 1994 was a great year for music. And a little shoutout to my buddy Coop up there in Heaven - I told you WEEZER was a better band than PAVEMENT.
UHF Television
12 GIU 2024 · Time to adjust the old rabbit ears, Slackers!
This week is dedicated to the old ultra high frequency television channels of our youth. Kids these days have no idea what VHF or UHF even mean, because even broadcast TV went digital in 2009! But we had two dials, one on top and one on the bottom.
The cool stuff was always on the lower dial and in New England we had channels like 25, 38, and 56. Some of my fondest memories are of watching TV on Saturday afternoons - after the cartoons were over - and seeing the “Creature Double Feature” or later, “Kung Fu Theater”.
The “Creature Double Feature” gave us Japanese monster movies (kaiju) like Godzilla and Gamera, or classic horror from Universal and Hammer Studios. Think Christopher Lee’s Dracula. And lots of Roger Corman flicks.
“Kung Fu Theater” brought the best of Chinese martial arts to America. Remember Pai Mei from Tarantino’s “Kill Bill”? Do you remember that same character from the martial arts movies in the late 70’s & 80’s? Check out the Shaw Brothers “Shaolin” films.
And with the advent of cable TV, similar shows were broadcast nationally with “Commander USA’s Groovie Movies” and Elvira’s “Movie Macabre”.
Such a fun time to be a kid and getting to watch some really absurd, totally surreal filmmaking!
Late Night Talk Shows
5 GIU 2024 · Here’s Johnny, Slackers!
Starting all the way back in 1954 with the Steve Allen led “The Tonight Show”, there has been a steady succession of late night talk shows - and hosts. What is so surprising is how much behind the scenes drama occurred, particularly when it comes to that “Tonight Show” gig.
Starting with the retirement of Johnny Carson, much has been said about the internal struggles at NBC, ultimately leading to the departure of Dave Letterman from the network after not getting the “Tonight Show - which of course went to Jay Leno.
Similar themes have played out over and over again at NBC, but also at CBS where Letterman launched his direct competitor to the “Tonight Show” called “The Late Show”.
Names like Conan O’Brien, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Fallon, and many others have sat in the host’s chair throughout the years - and that’s just NBC & CBS!
Don't worry, FOX, ABC, TBS, and others, will be covered!
Browsing r/GenX
29 MAG 2024 · Hey, Slackers! This is one of those, “I couldn’t decide on a topic” episodes - so why not take a look at the latest posts on r/GenX?
If there is a social media platform that feels both morbidly right and intuitively wrong for Gen X, Reddit is the one!
I tried to keep it light - because you can go down some dark paths on that site - and it was mission accomplished.
Some nostalgia, personal anecdotes, music, movies, a little bit of everything, really. Just what you would expect from r/GenX!
BON JOVI
22 MAG 2024 · Raise your hands, Slackers!
After being prompted by a listener to check out Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, this week I give my thoughts on this legendary band and try to answer the question, “were they a hair band or just lumped in with them”?
This is actually a really good question, and to be honest, it’s hard to ignore the time in which they broke through, the sound of albums like Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, and the bands they toured with, when making that assessment. I think a case can be made that they were a hair band, but they didn’t stay a hair band.
While some bands tried to radically change their sound and image, Bon Jovi managed to shift ever so slightly within the framework of their existing catalog and sound. These subtle shifts kept fans interested, maintained the band’s integrity, and allowed for them to continue producing platinum albums, with massive tours.
There are only a few bona fide stadium level acts these days, and by sheer hard work and determination, Bon Jovi has remained one of the top tier rock acts for over 30 years. Not bad for a “hair band” out of New Jersey!
Jingle Time!
15 MAG 2024 · I don't wanna grow up, Slackers!
This week is dedicated to the some of the best jingles from the 70s & 80s. I don't know about you, but I consider jingle writing to be an art form. Some of these are instantly recognizable and many actually occupy a place in my jaded little heart.
From the Toys R Us theme to the the classic "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke", many of these jingles have stood the test of time. Sure, they were written to help sell some consumer goods, but when the songs are this catchy, I can't help but have a certain sentimental reaction. I mean, doesn't your balogna have a first & last name!? And who doesn't love short shorts?
Some of the commercials featured actors that would go on to have classic roles on stage and screen - everyone starts somewhere - but the Jaleel White sighting threw me for a loop!
Anyway, check it out. I really enjoyed this one!
Welcome to Stuck in the Middle - the podcast about the music, movies, and culture of Generation X.
Informazioni
| Autore | Jason Ek |
| Organizzazione | Jason Ek |
| Categorie | Cultura e società , Storia della musica , Film e TV |
| Sito | - |
| stuckinthemiddlepod@yahoo.com |
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