Kidd Video and Mekaneck

Remember Kidd Video?
Populating my playlist this week has been '80s cartoon theme songs. Honestly, I don't even have a playlist, I just search Youtube and listen to '80s cartoon music.

<Casey Casem's Voice>
The number one song on the countdown this week is from a little band who started in a garage, was taken to the Flipside and transformed into cartoons. Three no name musicians and Cousin Oliver from the Brady Bunch make up this band on a show most everyone either forgot about or never cared in the first place. It's Kidd Video with their hit theme song... The Theme Song from Kidd Video.​
​</Casey Casem's Voice>

So, that car that Cousin Oliver is driving is called a Subaru Brat which is like a baby El Camino. It's a mix between a car and a truck and its great for picking up friends who have guitar cases and other band paraphernalia. Here's one with a camper top.

 I love that everyone is super excited to be going to band practice. Excitement in the '80s was unlike any other decade before or since. It's partially because of the music and partially because cocaine. Commies were bad and MTV was awesome. Once they arrive at band practice they immediately uncover the mirror so they can see how rad they rock. Unfortunately, band practice is cut short by Master Blaster, an evil cartoon record executive who transports the band to the Flispide so that they can be his musical slaves. This is very similar to the music industry today in that normal people are transformed into caricatures and enslaved by record companies. Who ever knew that Kidd Video would be so prophetic? 

​I actually liked this cartoon as a kidd. I remember enjoying the music and I am planning to re-watch a couple episodes. I'll talk about this in the future.

Mekaneck
So, I'm a huge fan of He-Man and Masters of the Universe (MotU) and have been since all about 1982 when I watched it on a small black and white TV. Because MotU has played such a big part in inspiring me in the creation of Far Away Land, I thought I would highlight some things I find both awesome and terrible related to this universe. This week's feature character is Mekaneck...

Mekaneck = Mechanical Neck. Get it? Well that's witty and imaginative. Let's create a character who has a mechanical neck that can extend all of maybe three feet? He can be a spy. Replace the ch with a k so no one knows what were up to. Oh, and he wears Elton John glasses. Perfect.

I think this has to be one of the dumbest MotU characters and I love it. He has zero super ability save his mekanical neck. Why doesnt he just carry a box to stand on instead? And who was the jerk that built Mekaneck? Man-at-Arms? Was Mekaneck born this way? I can't really conceive of how he came to be either on Eternia or in real life. Plus, isn't the neck like a super vulnerable area? It does look to be made of metal, but still. Whats up with those silver boots? Why do almost all MotU characters wear furry panties? I mean, this guy has a mechanical neck and he's wearing furring panties. Apparently Mekaneck's first name was (I can't believe this is even true)... Spy Man. Yep. So if you thought Mekaneck was a terrible name, look what it started as. Spy Man.

Here's a nice video with the history and evolution of MEKANECK!