Fandom Planet 39: Rock-A-Fire EXPLOSION!

In the 1980’s, the cool kids all went to Showbiz Pizza to see the animatronic actions of the robot performers collectively known as The Rock-A-Fire Explosion. Like the Atari 2600 and the Commodore VIC20, the Showbiz Pizza of the 80’s gave way to corportate giant Chuck E. Cheese, but the Rock-A-Fire Explosion lives on. Billy Bob, Fats the Gorilla, Mitzi the Mouse and the rest are held in esteem by fans all over the world, and their leader is small-town DJ Chris Thrash.

The Rock-afire Explosion Documentary film reveals how Chris came to revive this fallen 80’s gem, explores his and a number of other fan’s obsessions with the animatronic band, and chronicles the rise and fall of Showbiz Pizza and what was once a 20 million dollar per-year venture for inventor Aaron Fechter. More than this, the film is a look at the importance of nostalgia, ever-changing media culture, and the eternal quest to stay young.

Tim and Sax are joined by Producer/Director Brett Whitcomb and Writer/Editor Brad Thomason to discuss the glimpse into the human condition, American commerce, and a man’s dream that refuses to die.

You can learn more about the Rock-A-Fire Explosion Showbiz Pizza documentary here: http://www.rockafiremovie.com/

Also, at the end of this episode is Tim’s tribute to the late Davy Jones, the Monkee.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:06 — 43.1MB)