Lego

#1227: Steele Away the Night

RECORD STORE TALES #1227: Steele Away the Night

The roots of anxiety run deep.  Some things from childhood, I can remember vividly.  I have strong memories of some of the unhappy moments, frozen in time.  When I say “unhappy”, it’s important to stress that these stories might not seem like a big deal to you, but they obviously impacted me in ways that still have repercussions today.

I can pinpoint the year to 1980.  It might have been March break.  Lego was a favourite hobby.  Lego Technic, or what we called “Technical Lego”, was hot and new.  I had a couple sets, including the 1978 go-cart (set 854), a 1979 bulldozer (set 856) and a really cool motor (1979 – set 8858) that were challenging and interesting to a kid (and now adults too).  The holy grail was the 853 car chassis, which came with a similar motor, rack-and-pinion steering, adjustable seats, and the biggest tires that Lego made.  It was completely customizable and a challenge to assemble with little kid hands.  I never had one.  I did get to play with one, once.  This is that story.  But it’s not going to go how you think.

My mom begins the tale.  When you’re a kid, sometimes your “friends” are just your parents’ friends’ kids.  My mom tells me that one of these friends of theirs thought it would be a great idea for me to have a sleepover with her kid.  Mark Steele was his name.  I didn’t know him.  I had probably met him at one of those random things that parents did together sometimes, but I didn’t know him at all.  I was invited to do a sleepover, and I think is was for two nights.  My mom tells me that one of the other kids in the parent-circle went over for sleepovers and had a great time.

I have strong memories about the rest.

Adults always thought I was “shy”.  I guess that is true, but the truth is even back then, I had severe anxiety.  I did not feel comfortable around people I did not know.  I felt very comfortable around close family and friends, but very few people outside that circle.  My dad had this one childhood friend who moved out west and became a scientist.  I took a real shine to him.  Very few others were that fortunate with me.  I did not know these people and I was being sent away for two nights.  Rather than be a fun time that I was looking forward to, it was something that I had to make it through, so that I could go back to my own home and bed.

I was treated with nothing but hospitality, but I simply was never the sleepover type.  I had it pretty good at home.  I had all the Star Wars toys that a kid could want.  I had a sister that I adored, to play with every day.  I had parents that made food that I liked and let us watch whatever we wanted on TV.  I had my best friend Bob, only ever two doors down.  Why would I want to go anywhere else?

Mark was a very friendly and welcoming kid.  His bedroom had a giant poster of a hockey player on the closet door – it was cut in half in such a way that you could opens the doors.  It might have been Wayne Gretzky, but that would not have helped me at all.  I knew nothing about hockey, and had no interest in it.  I liked Star Wars.  Even though every effort was made to make me feel at home, I felt so homesick.

For lunch, Kraft dinner was served.  I have always been a picky eater, and very much so a Kraft dinner purist.  I loved Kraft Dinner.   Nobody made better Kraft Dinner than my mom.  I do today it the way she did it back then.  Lots of milks, extra runny sauce.  No hot sauce, no pepper, just the KD out of the box with nothing added.  Well, wouldn’t you know it.  I was being served Kraft Dinner…with hot dogs mixed in.  I don’t know what I said, but I know I was vocal in my dislike of the concept of Kraft Dinner with hot dogs.  I tried to eat it, and it was probably more psychological than not, but I did not like it.  I still don’t.

For entertainment, we all went out to see the film The Black Stallion.  I remember them trying to pump me up over this movie.  “You’re going to love it!”  I have never cared about horses, and I need not tell you, I did not enjoy The Black Stallion.  My mom loves the film, but I distinctly remember thinking, “This isn’t a kid’s movie, this is a grown-up movie that kids can watch with their parents.”  I liked Star Wars!  I had no idea who Mickey Rooney was, or why he was a big deal.  I didn’t understand the movie.  The horse didn’t seem particularly likeable and I had no idea why the kid in the movie wanted to ride the horse.  Like, who cares?  That was my attitude as a nine year old.

Sleeping was difficult for me in a strange bed in another kid’s room.  As a person with music deep in his soul, and in an age before personal tape players, I liked to hum myself to sleep.  Usually a John Williams soundtrack piece.  I couldn’t do that if I wasn’t alone.  I really had to…not be myself…if I slept over at someone else’s house.

The one thing I do remember, and is definitely a happy memory, is that Mark owned the 853 car chassis.  I got to play with it.  I got to handle it and experience it for myself.  I remember thinking that, visually, it wasn’t very striking.  It was just a red bare-bones chassis. Yes it was everything you stared it in the little Lego catalogue photos, except up close in real life.  At the time, the 853 car chassis was the most desired of all the technical Lego sets.  It had the motor with four pistons that moved as you pushed it over the carpet.  It had loads of big technical pieces, a ton of gears, and was massive in hand.

As hard as they tried, the only thing I really remember enjoying that weekend was the Lego.  The lesson here is that Lego is just plain good for your mental health.

VIDEO: Hello! My Name is LEGO Blotto! Artwork breakdown!

BEHOLD!  The inspiration and artwork of the Mad Metal Man, Harrison Kopp, knows no bounds.

In this incredible piece of art, Harrison has paid homage to Albany’s greatest band, BLOTTO, in Lego form! This is a first of its kind for the band.

In the artwork you can clearly see the five core members of the band, with their images paying tribute to the “Metal Head” music video (and the Combo Akimbo album in Bowtie Blotto’s case). Their backdrop is a reference to their Across & Down EP, with a crossword puzzle painstakingly made by Harrison. Even the audience members in the photo contain Easter eggs and references to Blotto songs, and maybe even the artist himself.

No AI was used in this image, and only minimal Photoshop was employed.  The lighting itself is made in a very creative and cool way, with physical lights.  Harrison breaks down all the details in the video below. Can you spot them all yourself?

As thanks for creating this art, Harrison has been honoured with the privilege of choosing his own Blotto name.  Watch the video to see what name he chose!

VIDEO: Going Ape – A Brickfilm Horror Short

My talented friend and co-host Harrison Kopp has spent the last several months not just working on 50 Years of Iron Maiden, but also his own original animated Lego horror story called Going Ape.  Entirely built, animated and scored by Harrison, his first completed Lego animation is 100% his own original work.  He felt that for his debut short film, it should be him doing all the creative work.  He was obviously right, because it turns out young Harrison is not bad at music either.

The top secret lab setting of Going Ape gives it an impending apocalyptic feel.  Just another day at the office?  Not this time as things gradually go awry at the San Jacinto Research Laboratory.  Not even the solid brick-built walls of the lab can protect the hapless scientists tonight.

Please enjoy Harrison’s first completed animated short, Going Ape.  Grab some popcorn!

REVIEW: “Alien Facehugger” – LEGO 31162 “Cute Bunny” alternate build (2025)

LEGO Cute Bunny 31162 “Alien Facehugger” – alternate build (2025)

I’m certain that normally, the Lego Creator 31162 “Cute Bunny” set would make an adorable centerpiece for your Easter display.  I had no intention of using it as-is.  No friends, for a wise Lego fan realized early on that you can do a complete alternate build with this set, not listed in the instructions.  Normally, with the instructions included, you’d either be building a bunny, a baby seal, or a deer.  With the alternate instructions, you can build a Facehugger from Alien with no additional pieces!

In fact you’re left with enough pieces to perhaps build the decimated remains of an Alien Egg to go with your Facehugger.  Or, at least a carrot and a flower.

The build itself was very Lego-like.  The instructions are laid out exactly like official instructions, each page showing the piece counts for the piece you need to find.  There were a few steps that felt un-Lego like, but I just did those steps in my own way.  My instructions had a few errors and missed pieces compared to the photos, and there was one major error where the pieces were placed in the wrong order.  I had to rip the bottom details apart to get the sides on, because the sides should have gone on first.  It’s impossible to do it the way it was shown in the instructions I used.  (I also added some leftover pieces from mine for more detail.)  Finally, perhaps it was the screen I was using, but greens looked yellow and it was hard to tell pinks from beige in the instructions.

The final toy has some movement in each leg, plus a poseable tail.  It’s fragile.  The legs are as flimsy as they appear, but that is to be expected.  In an official Lego set, there would likely be more flat plates to sturdy them up, but a Lego Creator set always uses only what’s in the main model (the bunny) to build the alternate models.  In that spirit, this set is perfect.

I may never build the bunny.

4/5 stars

 

REVIEW: Marvel Lego Spiderman Advent Calendar 2024 [24 VIDEOS Day-By-Day]

Merry Christmas!  Here is a special set of 24 videos, one for each day on Lego’s Spiderman Advent Calendar.

 

MARVEL LEGO SPIDERMAN ADVENT CALENDAR 2024

I used to enjoy candy Advent calendars as a kid, since they helped us pass the boring December days a bit.  As an adult, I enjoy them as something to look forward to during a December at the office.  Regardless of motive, I didn’t enjoy the Lego Star Wars calendars as much.  Too many fragile mini-ship builds.

I thought I’d give Spiderman a try in 2024, and I enjoyed this one a lot more.  There were a lot of parts and settings that might work well in future customs.  It could work as a “Christmas village” of sorts.  There were come cool minifigs and accessories.  Lots of webbing to play with, and a lot of spare parts.

As for value?  These packages are not cheap, so don’t expect a lot of parts for your money.  What you will get are some rarer minifig parts like an ugly Christmas sweater and a neat Spider-Gwen, not to mention her drum kit.

 

3.5/5 stars

REVIEW: LEGO Transformers Bumblebee 10338 (2024)

LEGO Bumblebee 10338 (2024)

The set that got me “back” into Lego was 2022’s 10302 Optimus Prime.  The fact they made a fully transformable Prime out of Lego bricks was unbelievable, and it was incredibly fun to built.  It took two years, but a second toy in the line has now emerged:  everyone’s favourite yellow Volkswagon, Bumblebee!

‘Bee featured heavily in the first two issues of the Marvel comics but soon faded in importance.  Meanwhile, in the Sunbow cartoon, he was a main character.  In both iterations, he was friend of a human boy named Witwicky:  Buster in the comics, Spike in the cartoon.  As a toy, Bumblebee was a “minicar”:  less detailed, smaller, and affordable.  He was a “penny racer” Volkswagon, small and compact, but could transform into a robot in two or three seconds, unlike bigger toys.

The Lego version of Bee has 950 pieces and costs $120.  Prime had 1508 pieces at double the price.  Bee is also far more complex in terms of construction and transformation.  Prime has always been a simple design:  fold out the legs and arms and that’s the most of it.  Bee has to fold up from a tall robot to a compact car.  There are a lot of steps and tricks to transforming Bee.  He has a lot of hinges and flaps that have to be moved out of the way.  Bee, however, has one weakness that Prime did not:  partsfotming.  Partsforming is a derogatory term for a transformation that involves removing segments and putting them back again in a different place.  On Bumblebee, that would be his windshield/backpack.  The first step of transformation is to remove the windshield segment, and fold it up.  It will eventually become Bee’s jetpack.

Building was fun without a lot of repetitive steps.  There are also some new parts in this set, parts that are new in particular colours, and lots of printed details including two Autobot logo tiles.  We start at the feet.  Once both feet are complete, we clip them together.  This becomes the front of the car.  From then on, we are essentially building Bumblebee in car mode.  In that sense, it’s not that different from building other large Lego kits.  As you build, you’re not entirely sure what is going to go where when he transforms, and that is part of the fun.  When you’re done, you have a really nice Volkswagon model with the curves more or less in the right places.  Leeway must be given for some gappiness in front and back, but it could pass for a Lego Volkswagon model in this mode.  Lego also gives you some extra pieces:  Two plain yellow tiles for those who want the Autobot logo hidden, and an alternate license plate.  The license plates allow you to name your car Goldbug or Bumblebee.  Goldbug was a name that Bee went by when a new toy of his was issued in 1987.  Bumblebee was the first Transformers character ever reissued with a brand-new toy.

Putting this toy together was finicky, since there are so many hinges that clip into place.  Getting to the head and seeing the printed face was a nice surprise.  Lego could have included an alternate toy-accurate face to go with the license plates, but that of course would add to the cost.  The windows are transparent blue, which looks so cool and matches up with some later toy versions of the character.  There is also a tiny transparent piece with a little cartoon bee printed on it.  That goes behind the windshield, as if a little bee was loose inside.

Bee also comes with a name plate, and a blue blaster gun, similar in design to his Sunbow character.  The original toy and comic versions of Bee were unarmed, but later toys include weapons, some similar to this blaster.  It clips onto a bar hidden on his hands.  You don’t need his fingers to hold it, but all eight fingers do move – something that Lego Optimus can’t do.  Lego have learned from that model, listened to fans, and the improvement is here in Bumblebee.

Bee has limited articulation in robot mode.  The knees and feet cannot move.  The hips can, and there is a little bit of an elbow hinge, with about 90 degrees of movement.  You can rotate the arms 360 degrees at the shoulder, and get a little bit of poseability there.  He can stand very sturdily in robot mode, with rubber pads on the bottoms of his feet keeping him from slipping too much.

Prime rated an easy 5/5.  Bee has more value in price per parts ratio, and has a more complex transformation, while still including plenty of printed pieces.  The only thing Bee has going against him is the partsforming, but that’s it.

4.5/5 stars

 

 

 

#1147: Dream On (At The Cottage) Goodbye to Aerosmith

RECORD STORE TALES #1147: Dream On (At The Cottage)

“Aww, crap!” I explained upon arrival at the lake on Friday night.  “I forgot my drone!”

I should have known.  When we packed the car, I said “I’m surprised everything fit so easily.  I thought we had more stuff.”  Because we did have more stuff!  Sitting in a box in the living room…

Drone photography has been the highlight of the summer this year.  Now we’d have to rough it!  Back to regular earthbound cameras for us.

As it stands, without the drone we didn’t do much photography this time.  Last week’s video was so epic, there really wasn’t a need for it this time.  There were plenty of other activities on hand.  For the most part, we focused on music.

Twisted Sister, Kiss and Alice Cooper…all were interrupted by the news that Aerosmith had called it a day for touring.  Cutting short their 50th anniversary farewell tour, the Bad Boys from Boston have been forced to end it due to Steven Tyler’s insurmountable vocal issues.  It’s over – the man can no long sing live.  It felt right to put on the debut Aerosmith album and listen to the beginning again.  It was a bittersweet, but important album to listen to that night.  I’m sure everyone did their own tributes to Tyler that day, but mine was the only one with lake breezes and sunsets.

Come dinner time, and with a fresh tank of propane, I put on the best burgers of my life.  If you bought these burgers in an upscale restaurant, you’d be paying $20 each.  My secret ingredients included thick cut bacon, chopped and added to the mix, as well as minced mushroom, minced onion, and roasted (not raw) garlic. I don’t think these burgers can be topped.

We also bought a beautiful T-Bone and Porterhouse steak for Sunday night, but Saturday night’s dinner had gone bad.  Some wretched pork chops from Farm Boy (in Kitchener) had spoiled, so what do we eat?  Unprepared for this moment, we ordered in Domino’s Pizza, and they delivered right to the front door.  Also delivered right to the porch was a cool set of Lego Speed Champions, which kept me busy in the absence of a drone show.  Ah, the modern conveniences of life.

It’s funny how few people seem to understand how cool it is getting deliveries to the front door.  “I prefer to buy it myself at the store, it is close by.”  Well, for 50 years, there was no such nearby convenience here as “record stores” or “toys stores” or “pizza delivery”.  This is all new to us.

We hope that Steven Tyler is able to enjoy a relaxing retirement, just as pleasant as our weekend at the lake.

 

 

 

A Friday Hang with Johnny Metal & Mike Ladano – Classical Music, Quiet Riot, Lego Jazz, Movie Props and more!

Thank you to John Clauser of My Music Corner for joining me for an impromptu Friday afternoon!  I wanted to finish showing off my birthday hauls, because there was some cool stuff still to be seen.  Possibly the coolest of them was a Star Trek:  Strange New Worlds plaque made by the propmaster on that show and purchased directly from him.  I also received a replica lamp from the Star Wars series Andor, and a Tchaikovsky CD.  This led to an informative back-and-forth about classical music in the comments, led by Pete Jones.

John Clauser brought with him some personal stories and rare copies of his own music.  One is an album that he played some guitar on, one is an album of his own making, and another is a live DVD recorded at a coffee house!  He also has a demo tape of his early W.A.S.P.-influenced solo music.

Quiet Riot was an artist that John spotlighted, with a bonus Randy Rhoads bootleg.  He also brought a double live Accept — a prelude to his next big deep dive series on My Music Corner!

The final thing I had to show off was my Lego Jazz quartet, which ironically, Aaron received for his birthday a few days ago.

Thanks to everyone for the lively comments.  This is why I love going live.  See you next time!

VIDEO: Work in Progress demo: Audi RS Q e-tron Lego Technic 42160

Back into Lego for a little over a year now, I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to do something with gears, the more complex the better. Ideally I wanted something motorized. The Lego Audi was an affordable option.

Powered by three motors and six AA batteries, the motorized parts these days are quite different from my time.  I recall having a giant Lego brick that you could turn into a tank, which was handy since that’s how it was shaped.

Building a set like this is a process of discovery.  You’re not sure what exactly you’re doing at first, until things comes together.  The front end, with two motors, came first.  One motor is dedicated to the rack and pinion steering.  There are a pair of nice heavy shocks for the front suspension.  The rear end has another pair of shocks, and a bluetooth power box that syncs up to a phone app.

The controls are simple and even have brakes.  These might come in handy if racing indoors!

Just wish the car was a little faster.

5/5 stars