Q: Are we not men? A: We are DEVO! With that simple question, the world was introduced to one of the strangest, most unique, innovative and irreverent music/art projects of all time.. DEVO! So, put on your hazmat suit, monkey mask and don that energy dome, because this week your resident CFX spud boys, Sloppy Slip Tomato and Booji Boy Jeff, immerse themselves into the world of DEVO, covering the band from their humble, suburban beginnings in Akron, Ohio to the shootings at Kent State that first inspired the concept of “De-evolution” and their early experimental electronic years terrifying audiences with sights and sounds no one had ever heard before. We cover the influence that punk had on the band on their first, high energy albums to the streamlining and mainstreaming of their sound that resulted in some commercial success and then their gradual fall from grace. We also cover, in a twist ending that would make M. Night Shyamalan jealous, a very peculiar deviation (DEVO-iation?) late in the band’s career that the recent authorized documentary completely skips (and we’ll tell you why we think that is). We evaluate and rank all the albums and some of our opinions may not be what you expect. In the end, we decide, if all of this evolution and de-evolution will stand the test of time, and, as usual, along the way, we learn… How many different ways you can pronounce “Casale” and “Mothersbaugh” What song has Devo made the most money from over the years (it’s not what you think) Which host had long ago misheard the lyrics to “It’s Not Right” turning an average Devo deep cut into a CFX moment. What Neil Young, Pee Wee Herman, David Bowie, and movie director PT Anderson all had in common What is the source of one of the most epic, butthurt rants in CFX history And, finally if Devo was indeed the sound of sexual frustration set to synth music Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

This week CFX goes on the lam riding shotgun with that ragtag squad of noble ex-Special Forces mercenaries, The A-Team. One of the most popular shows of the 1980s, The A-Team combined ridiculously over the top action,broad comedy and larger than life characters into a “must see” TV formula that couldn’t fail…until it did. We go into the backstory of each of the characters and the actors who played them. We talk about the phenomenon that was Mr. T aka B.A. Baracus-–the cartoons, the breakfast cereals, the rapping! We go into what can only be described as the dark background and questionable character of George Peppard aka Hannibal (aka “Handibal”). We talk about Murdoch and actor Dwight Schultz’s many, often suspiciously mysterious, impersonations. We talk about Dirk Benedict aka Face and how many things the actor and character had in common. We even take a massive detour down the rabbit hole of creator Steven J. Cannell’s oeuvre - the Cannellverse…B.A. Baracus would say we were really “on the jazz” with this episode. But most importantly, does the A-Team’s plan come together when it comes to standing the test of time or is it just a whole lot of “Jibba Jabba”. We find out and also learn… Which cast member and his creepy black gloves struck terror into female cast members and guest stars Which cast member really had something against trees but was amazingly generous and gentle with seriously ill children What amazing episode of the series features the most interesting man in the world Who CJ Mack was, and his list of crimes that were committed while “not on drugs!” Which 80’s pop icon showed some rowdy hillbillies how to soft rock Which racist Hannibal Smith disguises amazed Slip the most, and how they rank in the recent cultural history About Jeff’s best (low bar!) impression since Episode 23 And, finally, we hear about how Slip hung out with one of the most ubiquitous, “that guy!” actors in TV and movie history (ok, he just met him at pizza joint)

We know what you’re thinking… PLATE OF SHRIMP! Are we right? That’s crazy, but since the fabric of the universe is just a lattice of coincidences, it’s only right that just when you were thinking that, CFX decided to cover Alex Cox’s 1984 film Repo Man, a satirical, punk rock, sci fi cult classic that would influence a whole generation of independent film. We talk about how this all came to be, the real life repo story, the casting, the cars, the aliens, the punk rock criminals, and, lest we forget, the REPO CODE. In fact, we do a walkthrough of the entire film including everything from the toppling Ralph’s plain wrap peaches of the Pick ‘n’ Pack to televangelist worshipping hippie burnouts to deadly scooter riding ska gangs to that extraterrestrial Chevy Malibu. We finally decide if the whole thing holds up, and along the way, we learn… Which CFX co-star’s wife effectively hacked this episode Who was never called an asshole How little Alex Cox knows about typical Mexican men’s names Which cast member insisted on using a real baseball bat during a fight scene If a lot of straight guys like to watch their buddies fuck The differences between Repo Men and regular people Why Slip was so surprised we did this episode If somebody peed on the floor…AGAIN! And, finally....what's the perfect thing to say when someone turns down one's romantic overtures Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

This week CFX switches gears to evaluate the pop culture impact of the world’s most innovative maker of toilets, the Japanese company, Toto LTD.  Just kidding! We are of course talking about the band Toto. Started in the late ‘70s by a bunch of San Fernando Valley high school friends who also happened to be some of the most accomplished studio musicians in the world, Toto would peak in 1982, creating one of the biggest selling albums of that year in Toto IV, and, arguably, one of the most popular songs of all time in “Africa”. They won every Grammy in sight and then played a huge part in the recording of THE biggest selling album of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The members of Toto would split their time between the band and continued session work for just about every major artist in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s and beyond. That said, we’re not going to focus on the session work other than in passing. No, this week CFX puts the entire discography of Toto under the Evaluato-scope and we decide whether it has and will continue to “rise like Olympus above the Serengeti” or “become frightened by this thing” they’ve become. We decide that, and along the way we also learn… Which member of the band is most likely to sell you cocaine or a bag of Taco flavored Doritos How Toto once crossed the Alan Parsons Project with Dokken to create a song that nobody listened to Why listening to Toto made Slip realize he was really too hard on Billy Joel (in Episode 3: Glass Houses) Which musicians Steve Lukather thinks are really “great cats” and who he is “still really good friends with to this day” (i.e everybody except Rivers Cuomo) Why a band with faces made for radio, and who hated making music videos, wound up making so many of them Which member of the band turned a geographic exotica-inspired fantasy wank in a public library into one of the most popular songs/videos in history How Toto’s not-so-great looks led to an all-time funny burn from Jeff’s wife Why it's not only Toto's fault that dance fighting got "fucked out" Why Cynthia Rhodes still has PTSD from the making of the Rosanna music video (Hint: It’s related to Bobby Kimball’s offensive mustache)  Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

This week CFX covers one of the most popular OLD movies ever, Grease. This classic 1970s/1950s musical about a bunch of high school SENIORS, with its mix of fun musical frivolity and MATURE subject matter, seems to have AGED well....or has it? We do the usual..going into the whole 1970s/1950s nostalgia that birthed the original stage show and eventually, thanks to the growing popularity of actor John Travolta, led to the blockbuster film and soundtrack, a worldwide phenomenon. We also do a walkthrough of the entire film, adding in bits of trivia along the way, and, as you might imagine a few jokes at the expense of the cast, who, let’s face it, are the OLDEST HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EVER. We also talk about the social issues that Grease so obviously does and does not address and whether any of that matters. And, as usual, along the way, we learn… What the word, the time, the place and the notion are How the main premise of the movie make no logical sense whatsoever Who Olivia Newton John’s grandfather was (Hint: One of the most important scientists of the 20th century) What the term “false alarm” meant in the 1950s Why a muscular, handsome football star is more pitiful than the school’s quintessential nerd How not to be a high school guidance counselor Which character is so fat it’s hard to believe What saran wrap was actually used for back in the day Why Rizzo was actually cool and Sandy….well, maybe not How this supposedly kid-friendly movie was secretly pretty dirty…   Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

This week CFX takes you back to a simpler time, a time when bionically enhanced astronauts and former tennis pros saved the world from Bigfoot, aliens, Russian death probes and evil "robuts"—all while wearing fashion tracksuits and the finest fashions that the Sears Roebuck catalog had to offer. And doing it all in beautiful slow motion! That’s right, this week we are covering the very popular and successful mid-1970s show The Six Million Dollar Man and also a bit of its just as successful spinoff, The Bionic Woman.  Not only were these shows at the top of the Nielsen charts, but they were also the first shows to really get merchandising right. Partnering with Kenner toys they released a series of action figures that were not only the best selling toys of their day but also influenced all of the merchandising that came after, most notably Star Wars (though whether that’s a good thing is debatable). But as popular and influential as the show was at the time, how does it hold up now? Will the show’s reputation continue to grow bigger, stronger, faster or is it just barely alive? We find out and, as usual, along the way, we learn: Why you can name drop real life people in a fictional TV show, but naming geographical formations is a no go What show that featured a “gorgeous” Six Million Dollar Man guest star had even more legendary opening credits Which not-so-famous and not-so-talented “singer” guest stars in the second worse episode of the series How Mr. Hand makes TV history The ideal double feature at your local gay porn theater What Washington DC and Southern California have in common landscape-wise…(hint: NOTHING) Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

Well, we know where we’re going and we know where we have been. It may seem like we were on a road to nowhere with Talking Heads Part 1 since it’s been a while, but the future is certain because here we are with Part 2. We start things off with a bang, with 1980’s Remain in Light and then cover the Talking Heads’ most commercially successful years including their landmark concert film, Stop Making Sense. Then we cover their detour into commercial, American-influenced pop on albums such as LIttle Creatures and True Stories and end with their adventurous final album, Naked. We continue our evaluation from part 1 and things get a little contentious as we disagree (slightly) on what truly was the band’s artistic peak and, as usual, along the way, we learn… Who was more sophisticated musically, Bach or The Talking Heads (ok, it’s Bach) How much of a prima donna Brian Eno was during this time Why we are changing the name of the podcast to the Cultural Funk Exchange Which member of the band thinks he came up with every idea Finally we take a look at these hands and figure out who's a tumbler Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

This ain’t no party. This ain’t no disco. This ain’t no foolin’ around. This is CFX. Episode 56: Talking Heads and we get so “lovey dovey” that “we ain’t got time for that now”. That’s right,  we had to split this into two parts. In this first part, we go into our personal histories, the zeitgeist that created Talking Heads and a detailed history of the band. We also cover the bands’ 1970s albums, Talking Heads ‘77, More Songs about Buildings and Food, and Fear of Music. We take you on a journey from the galleries of the Rhode Island School of Design to the rat-infested industrial lofts of the boweries and the early days of CBGBs to the exotic Compass Point Studios in Nassau where the band started their collaboration with Brian Eno that would culminate in…well, that’s in Part 2. But as usual, we decide if this music and the band as a whole stand the test of time or whether “they are talking a lot” “but not saying anything”, and, along the way, we learn… Why the drummer is always smiling What utensil Lou Reed used to eat a pint of Haagen Dazs ice cream. Which member of the band did a performance art piece that involved shaving off his beard using beer foam as shaving cream Which member of the band has “science hair” Why the Ramones had a sudden need for Carbona Spot Remover Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

Alright, internet! How y’all doing out there? You wanted the best and you got the best…stage banter that is. That’s right, this week we take a look at the best and worst stage banter in history for the first (and maybe only… we’ll see…) time. There’s no Grammy award for best stage banter and we attempt to rectify this grave oversight as a quasi-awards show that I guess you can call THE BANTIES! We start way back in the past and cover all the way to the present day. We cover the most skilled practitioners, the true giants of this often overlooked art form. And we cover those who might want to skip the talk and just get on with the damned song. And, as usual, along the way, we learn… How to properly introduce your band after 5 hits of acid Why the laser pointer is probably the most important technical innovation in the history of stage banter Why too much Newcastle Brown Ale may be the best way to defeat Satan  Why political stage banter is always such a bummer How to get around having your stash taken from you by your wife/manager How (not) to organically incorporate the city your band is playing into your banter Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

Are you there Judy? It’s us, CFX, and this week we are here to ask you, when will we grow? Haha, all kidding aside. That’s right, we are covering the great Judy Blume, an author who has influenced several generations with her frank, honest and realistic books for kids and young adults. We go into her history, highlighting a few of the books that are both her most notable and also most controversial. Of course, we talk about Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret, Blume’s breakthrough and most famous book and we also touch on the recent film adaptation. We cover the followup to that book, Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, Blume’s one stab at dealing with teenage boys. We talk about Blubber, probably one of the darkest books not only on childhood but on human nature. And, how could we do an episode on Blume without covering her most banned book, Forever…, possibly the first book to depict first time sex from a female perspective? We also talk about how Blume is not only a writer but an anti-censorship champion and how she went above and beyond to correspond with thousands of kids who looked up to her for guidance. In this episode, we really go out of our way to tackle Blume’s work with a mature and academic approach or… then again, MAYBE WE DON’T. As you’ve come to expect, while we respect these books, we also have a lot of fun with them, and along the way, we learn… What male body part should not be covered in aftershave Which of our podcast hosts didn’t actually learn anything from Blubber What a nymphomaniac is and how it nearly got a 19 year old B. Dalton bookstore employee fired Why Slip never had a wet dream What medical condition led to Jeff’s biggest sound FX fail yet How Slip, momentarily, became cool via literature and liberal parenting Note: Apologies for the shitty sound as we had a microphone technical failure at the CFX studios :(  Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.  

Dearly beloved CFX fans, we are gathered here today to evaluate this thing called Purple Rain. Will it stand the test of time forever or just a mighty long time…well, we’re here to tell U. That’s right, we evaluate the film, the music and the artist (thankfully known as Prince which is good because I don’t know how to print that damned symbol…). What about the movie? Should U “dig” the picture or “smash” it? Is the music “sheer perfection” or is there “something wrong with the machinery”? Is Prince a genius, a “Messiah”, something “that we’ll never comprehend”? We go all the way back to the beginning, from Prince’s troubled childhood in Minneapolis, to his slow rise in crossover popularity that eventually led to his commercial (and probably artistic peak) in the 1984 film and album Purple Rain. We also discuss the aftermath of his career and discuss whether Prince was a musical genius or just really talented. Let us guide U and, hopefully, along the way, U will also learn… Who “Darling Nikki” is and what inspired Prince to name his lead actress Apollonia How to commandeer an official university vehicle so you and your friends can go see the Prince concert How Slip’s concert dance moves inspired deep admiration (ok…more like laughter) Who was the unlikely inspiration for Purple Rain’s iconic theme song Which Jim Henson creation film critic Vincent Canby compared Prince to in his less than favorable review of the film Who the real star of Purple Rain was…and it wasn’t Prince…. And, finally, how Siskel and Ebert covered their boners with....humanity… Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

When we first came up with the concept of the show, namely leveraging our pop cultural expertise to put cultural artifacts under the CFX microscope to see if they will stand the test of time, the short lived early ‘80s sitcom, Bosom Buddies, was one of the first shows we both thought of covering. Well, in episode 52, we do just that. We dig into not only the production history of the show, the before and after careers of all cast members, including the conspicuously successful Tom Hanks, but also the rich tradition of cross dressing as a plot point both in comedy and drama, going all the way back to Shakespeare and beyond. See, it's all perfectly normal.... Is this show an underappreciated classic full of edgy satire or just another hackneyed sitcom full of tired plots and well-worn comedy tropes? We answer this question by analyzing every single episode of the show and then “speak our minds” to decide if this short lived show deserved “a second chance” or if we should tell the show’s creators and actors to “keep it yourself”! And, as usual, along the way, we learn… Who is the one major cast member who didn’t appear on The Love Boat How a very stoned Martin Scorcese may have stolen the plot of one of the episodes for one of this best films How Billy Joel and Stephanie Mills taught Slip a very painful lesson about karma How Buffy and Hildy, Kip and Henry’s brothers, are from Saskatchewan, Canada while Kip and Henry are from Shaker Heights, OH… How the coffee shop at the Susan B Anthony Hotel for Women is the hippest, most happening place in all of NYC…maybe even all of the USA What it means to be a sitcom art critic What "horrible" CFX legend and poo bomb victim was wearing Donna Dixon's pink chiffon outfits before she ran off with Dan Aykroyd And, finally, the lengths one will go through to avoid being sued by Gary Gygax  Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

This week CFX covers Warren Zevon, an artist that the general public, if they’ve heard of him at all, usually think of as a one hit wonder and associate him with one that song, “Werewolves of London”. As great as that song may be, CFX, as you’ve come to expect, digs deeper to discover the real Warren Zevon, the oftentimes frustratingly brilliant and brilliantly frustrating songwriter and musician’s musician who went from childhood classical prodigy to ‘60s flame out to the peak of popularity and critical acclaim in the late ‘70s, all to have it go up in flames in one of the most alcohol soaked, debauched and drugged out careers the world has ever seen (and the world has seen a lot of them)! In the end, he “stood in the fire” (to quote him) only to be defeated by cancer. But he didn’t even let that stop him, keeping his sardonic sense of humor and incomparable wit and insight intact until the end. But what can CFX say about the prospects of an artist who most people haven’t heard of? Will his work stand the test of time? We go into his unbelievable story and evaluate the highs and lows of his long career, and, as usual, we learn… How many times it’s possible to fail rehab Where are the best and worst places to hide your empty vodka bottles What is the best opening line of a song ever Why you should be careful of those Hawaiian hotel employees What is JEFFCORE? How not to treat Jackson Browne And, finally, lyrical ruminations describing chronic incontinence problems of the elderly Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Part 2 picks up right where we left off on Part 1, by tackling the post-Moving Pictures journey of our Canuck music heroes. They’ve just experienced their greatest commercial success (artistic as well, at least according to CFX) to date and ready to fire the up the synths for some emotion transmission on 1982’s Signals. How do the next 11 albums over 30 years of the band’s studio recording history go down? Are they cool with their rapidly growing, hard-won, post-Moving Pictures fan base? Or will they be cast out? We cover it all, have major disagreements agreements along the way, and learn: How not to make music videos What famous drummer (ok, look-alike) starred in the Subdivisions video How disco might have been Rush’s secret weapon What happens when Neil Peart and Jeff go head-to-head in a lyric writing contest How everyone is entitled to Geddy’s opinion Why Big Money has no soul And, finally, how exactly, abnormal shapes and forms contribute to life in two dimensions becoming a mass production scheme Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

ATTENTION PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION! WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL! WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL! That's right, eh! This is the big one, episode 50, and so, it's time to grab a Molson Golden, don that kimono, and tuck into some poutine, because CFX are covering one of the all time greats, Canadian rock gods, RUSH. This is an episode so huge and magnificent, that we couldn't do it in one go, but had to split it in two. That's right, for a total of 5+ hours, we dive into the history, zeitgeist and take on the whole discography of these virtuosic prog wizards from the Great White North. In part 1, we chart the rise of the band, from their humble beginnings as heavy riff rockers to hash oil imbibing prog rockers to multi-platinum FM radio rulers. RUSH are great, we all know that, but how well do they stack up really? In the first part, we cover everything from the early days of the band with drummer John Rutsey before Neil "The Professor" Peart would blow everyone away with his Objectivist philosophical beliefs and superhuman drumming all the way to the band's megablockbuster Moving Pictures album (in part 2, we'll cover the rest). We decide if the band really does mold a new reality or if their music is just a silly whim (that doesn't fit the plan). And, along the way, as you've come to expect, we also learn... What rush song nerds listen to to get "in the mood" How to pronounce Alex's real last name (actually, we could never figure that out) What band wouldn't allow Rush to have a soundcheck and, let's face it, were total hoseheads What cartoon character did critics say Geddy Lee sang like What was the most difficult album to record? The easiest? And the most hash-influenced? How your esteemed hosts rank the albums of this era And, finally, will we be dining on honeydew or will this episode end in Tears… Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Teen archetypes! Melodramatic method-inspired soliloquies! Stepford Wives teen makeovers! Flaring nostrils! Hairy butt loving sportos! Quarterflash sound-alikes! And, who could forget… Neo-Nazi Zoom DWEEBIES?! If you’re wondering what we’re talking about, you’ve obviously never seen the 1985 classic John Hughes film, The Breakfast Club! We were bound to get to this one sooner or later and this week we do, diving into the history and zeitgeist of this film and deciding whether it is indeed one of the great and enduring teen-centered films ever made or if we should just ignore the advice of Simple Minds and just FORGET ABOUT IT. We also have some fun talking about which of the teen archetypes we most resembled (it’s not hard to guess… we’re looking at you, Brian Johnson) and go through a meticulous walk-through of just about every detail and event of the film, and, as you’ve come to expect, we also learn… What the Brat Pack was and what a Rat Pack version of this film might be like Who originally was cast as rebel John Bender and what physical characteristic led to Judd Nelson getting the part Which of your CFX hosts also took shop and how he messed up his project worse than Brian About Jeff’s foreign film movie career starring alongside of Molly Ringwald and Patrick Dempsey Which character was probably most interested in what, besides Bender’s weed, was in Johnson’s underwear How to not fake being stoned What happens when you mess with the bull… Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

This week CFX takes on the short-lived cult sci-fi show, Firefly. We dive into the history of the show, explore its eleven TV episodes and the 2005 fan-driven film Serenity to decide whether this oddball mix of western and space opera is “shiny” or just a whole lot of “Fei-oo”. What about this show made fans dress in space cowboy outfits, speak bad Chinese to each other, serenade Renaissance Faire crowds with Firefly-inspired ballads, and finally wage an internet battle against the evil Hollywood “alliance” to save their show? Will CFX join in the rebellion by proclaiming Firefly as the greatest show that never was or try to “take the sky” from all of these dedicated fans by pointing out that maybe this is just Star Wars meets Battlestar Galactica meets The A-Team and Have Gun WIll Travel? You may be surprised, and, as usual, along the way, you’ll learn… What Simon and Simon and Simon LeBon have to do with this saga How NOT to speak Chinese Who didn’t cry when Wash died What it means to be a "good" smuggler How to conduct business as a space prostitute What it takes to be lured away from Klingon fandom And finally, the fan favorite liaison that had us headed to our bunks with Jayne Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

This week CFX tackles one of the most popular and controversial books of all time, J.D. Salinger’s 1951 coming of age novel The Catcher in the Rye. This is a book that nearly everyone has read and we talk about how the book affected us when we read it as teenagers and how we view it now. We got into Salinger’s incredible life story, including his harrowing experiences in World War 2 and how his experiences influenced his writing and his difficult relationship with success  eventually led him to live life as a recluse and to stop publishing altogether. And, more importantly, we decide if this novel really knocks us out, really kills us, if you know what we mean, or is just phony and corny.  And, as usual, along the way, we also learn… Why Jeff’s favorite character in the novel is (good ol’) Edgar Marsala   Why Salinger might have identified with the more perverted residents at the Edmont Hotel What famous actor wanted to adapt the book and play Holden himself even though he was a 40 year old man (actually, we forget to include this fact but it’s JERRY LEWIS!)  What a butt-twitcher is and why we care How Paul Stanley’s hairy chest plays into the story And finally, will we be able to get past all that David Copperfield shit and channel our inner Stradlater to give Jane Gallagher the time or will we regress to our outer Ackley kid and get punched in the gut by Maurice the pimp?   Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

This week CFX celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by covering the greatest Irish band in history, Thin Lizzy! And if you consider that to be a controversial statement, we understand because as great as Thin Lizzy were, they weren’t nearly as popular as they should have been. Why weren’t they absolutely huge? Why wasn’t Phil Lynott, their charismatic leader and brilliant songwriter and bassist, a household name? Why did American FM radio barely play them? We dig into the band’s troubled history and do an analysis of their very interesting discography. We talk about the innovative twin guitar attack that spawned a thousand bands, Lynott’s poetic lyrics and brilliant storytelling, and what’s got to be the most under-appreciated drumming of all time. We talk about all the sex and we talk about all the drugs. This is a tragic story, but is there a happy CFX evaluation in the end? We decide that, and, as usual, along the way, we also learn… How tough does a town have to be to have more than one jail? What the deal is with ‘70s rock stars and their obsession with buffaloes? Why Dean Martin may be the new Steely Dan of CFX How does one get chocolate stains on one’s pants? Why Phil Lynott missed his chance to write 70’s sitcom theme songs Finally, are there any “gurls” who want a little more Irish in them? (Asking for a friend) Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.

This week, the power of CFX compels you to listen to our second Satanic episode in a row! That’s right, for Episode 45, we take on 1973 horror classic, The Exorcist! Is this the greatest, most shocking horror film ever made or just a pile of pea soup colored puke? We answer this by digging into every detail of the incredible story of how this film was made, its impact at then and whether it still stands the test of time. And, as always, along the way, we also learn…. Which CFX host has something creepy in common with Rick Springfield, Rick James and CFX alumnus Neil Giraldo. What William Friedkin would do on set to get the best performances from his cast How Mercedes McCambridge prepared for her role as Pazuzu What words Jeff used to make the Ouija board spell out back in the day (and no it wasn’t Steely Dan Rules!) Check us out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/culturalfutures/) for links and additional content related to this and other episodes as well as clues to upcoming shows or write to us at culutralfuturesexchange@gmail.com All audio clips are used under the "Fair Use" Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. All rights and credit go directly to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.