This week we bring BUTT FEST 2000 over to the MDC feed where Alexander, Tony, and Bryan Quinby dive into the potential genre of Bowling Rock. Bowling Rock: what is it, who is it, and why is it? We trace the origins of the 1950's-and-60's-influenced genre (think board shorts, bowling shirts, Hawaiian culture, semi-ironic Americana, maybe even a little Elvis) in surf rock, ska, and swing, and we analyze the pop-punk, irony, and SoCal bro vibe it brought to millions nationwide. ----------------------------------- Listen immediately by signing up for $5/month and get a weekly bonus episode of Minion Death Cult as well as our brand new weekly live show: DEATH CHAT 500 (also available in podcast form). That's TWO bonus episodes a week. Also get access to our entire back catalogue including BUTT FEST 2000 with Bryan Quinby; live-reads of My Antifa Lover, Rodham, and Ladies First: A MAGA Hat Romance; movie episodes like Believe, To Die For, and Loqueesha; and hundreds more. Sign up at http://patreon.com/miniondeathcult
At least two of them were wearing Hawaiian shirts.
You know what I got to say?
I think they look cooler than I remember them looking.
Like some of them look like legit like mods, you know?
Had the little bowl haircut and their little, you know, so maybe they were like more legit than I remember them being.
I don't dislike Real Big Fish.
I think Real Big Fish is super fun.
I love this song.
It's just called Beer.
It's like, uh, you know, I think I'll have myself a beer.
Pretty good, but Bowling Rock, it's Bowling Rock.
It's a song about beer with horns in it and guys wearing Hawaiian.
It's like, what's, you know, just another American pastime, beer and, and pretending to be Hawaiian.
You know, these are all very like American throwback because the Hawaiian thing is also goes back to Elvis.
Elvis had a Hawaiian connection.
What was his, was he?
Through his movies, right?
He just played in movies a lot where he was stationed in Hawaii.
Was he stationed?
Yeah.
I think he played in a couple movies where he was stationed in Hawaii.
I mean, he has that song, you know, Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaiian.
Yeah.
Yeah.
He's a- On goes.
All part of that Hawaiian culture.
Man, I think we're finding the through line.
When did bowling become a past?
That's like 1950s, right?
So it's all around the same time?
I don't know.
Also, arguably, bowling is one of the few things that has remained, like, predominantly white.
Like, it's one of the only sports that hasn't been, like, you know, I think most of the champions are still going to be of Anglo descent.
So that's kind of interesting to think about.
I haven't looked in a long time, but I will say, and this is just on my end, that like, when you go to league night, it is not all white, is what I'm trying to say.
Like every season.
Everybody I knew that was in a league was black.
Friends of mine, and they would just go crazy.
But I think you're probably right about... Oh no, black people bowl, I'm just saying professionally.
Like, I'm just saying, like, but like, for instance, like the best black bowler I'm aware of is Mookie Betts, who's also one of the best baseball players in the world.
So like, he just plays professional baseball instead.
Yeah.
That video of him picking up that, is he picking up a split or he's picking up a spare or something?
It's cool.
Yeah.
It's real casual.
Okay.
But then when you think of the legend, you think of, uh, who do you think you are?
I am like, that's, That's a goaded white man with all the sauce right there.
And that's bowling culture to me.
Who do you think you are?
I am.
I don't know that.
Is that a bowling reference?
Yeah, this guy like gets his bowl his perfect game and looks in the camera and says that.
Okay.
Do you think you are?
I am.
He's like, no one can fuck with me.
He's so stoked.
He's a legend.
So apparently the Automatic pin setter was introduced to bowling in the 1950s and 60s, which made bowling of, you know, obviously much more believable sport recreation to play.
So, yeah, all wrapped up in that 1950s culture.
Let's look at the rest of Basketball's soundtrack.
Because there's a couple names on here I want to point out to you guys.
Not all of these are Bowling Rock in my mind.
See, they have Cherry Poppin' Daddies on here, which is...
Too sick to be Bowling Rock?
Like, Cherry Pop and Daddy's are, like, too disgusting to be Bowling Rock.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think so.
Like, even... They're not chill.
Like, Voodoo Glow Skulls is disgusting, but, like, in a good way, you know?
Like, scary, kind of.
Yeah.
But Squirrel Nut Zippers, still kind of gross, still kind of disgusting.
Yeah.
Not as fun-loving.
But a name popped out at me, and that name was Goldfinger.
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