The Rocklopedia Fakebandica

Guest hosts Kelli and Michal join Charles once again to talk about fictional music in recent Korean dramas.  After the longest five minutes ever to discuss Yumi's Cells, they tackle Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Twinkling Watermelon, and Idol I.  

On this episode of The Rocklopedia Fakebandica, we celebrate the birthday of Gary Gygax, the brains behind Dungeons & Dragons, the role playing game that brought RPGs to the mainstream.  We talk about his life, his game, his novels, and the novels of others inspired by his work.   

We celebrate one of our own by wishing happy birthday to T. Mike!  We try to find a band to play his birthday party, and we look for the bands all over pop culture, including The Simpsons, Parks and Rec, Metalocaypse, Z Rock and even greeting cards. 

The Rocklopedia Fakebandica wishes Cameron Crowe a happy 69th birthday by looking into his fake band legacy.  From Singles and the birth of grunge, to Almost Famous and the nostalgia of the rock gods of the 1970s, and even one of the hardest TV shows we've ever attempted to find, we discuss Crowe's fictional music universe, including one of the bigger fake bands out there: Stillwater.

Once again, we take a subject and give you a fictional band for every letter of the alphabet!  This time, we look at alien bands, since it's around the anniversary of the Roswell discoveries.  We look at fake bands from all the different Star Trek shows, Doctor Who, Marvel Comics, Daft Punk, Futurama and Future Folk.  Be sure to listen before you get abducted again!

Usually it's pretty easy to identify what is and isn't a fake band.  Sometimes, though, the lines can be blurred.  We look at Ricky Nelson, Tenacious D and Flight of the Conchords and decide once and for all where they fit in the Rocklopedia Fakebandica.

To celebrate the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, we compare the fictional musicians with the longest names.  With entries from Kids in the Hall, Wayne's World, Arrested Development, George Carlin, Adult Swim, Ray Stevens, Marvel Comics, and Monty Python, there has to be at least one entry that you're curious about, right?

The Rocklopedia Fakebandica is sending out secret messages to the special listeners out there, full on spy stuff, you know?  We discuss Austin Powers and his band Ming Tea, The Man from UNCLE, Get Smart, and maybe the greatest Arch Hall, Jr movie ever, if there is such a thing.

Sure, the worlds may be a bleak grayish hellscape, but there's always music!  We look at 1984 (The Orwell book, not the Van Halen album), Brave New World, the collected works of Philip K. Dick, and Frank Zappa and his rock opera Joe's Garage.  Then we get mad at a comic book.  

The Rocklopedia Fakebandica spends this episode discussing an assortment of fictional bands that don't quite fit into the show topics.  We look at musicals, podcasts, RuneScape, the Tudor era, and even the greats of Finnish cinema.  It's a mix that even we don't quite understand how it happened, but it works.

We look at some fictional bands from animated shows that are geared more for adults and kids.  You know, like BoJack Horseman or The Boondocks, or even a show based on the hometown of The Rocklopedia Fakebandica!

If you think Fred Armisen is the GOAT of fake bands, let us offer another candidate: Noel Fielding.  From The Mighty Boosh to Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy to even The Great British Baking Show, Fielding has created a legacy of fictional music to rival the best in the fake band biz.  So sing a crimp to our latest legend, and Happy St. Fielding's Day to those that celebrate!

We talk with Mario DiGeorgio (syrupgraphics.com; mockbandtees.com) and Brad Albright (albrightillustration.com) about their amazing work in clothing and art that further the fake band cause, and we marvel that some people are smart enough to get money through fake bands.

Let's celebrate Star Wars with a deep dive of fictional bands in the movies, TV shows, books, video games, and anyplace else we can find them in the Star Wars Galaxy.  We look at Gaya, DJ-R3X, The Agasar, Shag Kava, and even... Hakko Drazlip and the Tootle Froots?

Hello world, there's a podcast we're doing... on The Partridge Family!  We look at the show, the band, the albums and that iconic bus.  This is one of the big fake bands in pop culture, so it's why we made sure to discuss them on one of our first 111 episodes.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Ramones' debut album, we find fake punk rock bands and musicians from A to Z.

The Rocklopedia Fakebandica talks record stores again because the geniuses behind Record Store Day can't just put their celebration on Rex Manning Day.  We look at Hearts Beat Loud with Nick Offerman, and discuss whether Logic's movie Paradise Records even counts as a fake band movie.

We celebrate our favorite holiday by analyzing the movie Empire Records, and then we decide the show isn't long enough and we add in every version of High Fidelity too.