The GeekDads

With the event itself just around the corner, Ken and I couldn't resist the opportunity to chat up the Nerdapalooza team. Herein we discuss this year's amazing artist lineup, the ever-changing nature of the Nerdapalooza festival and GeekDad's proud sponsorship of this year's iteration.

We also play some songs:

"That Boy Could Dance" by Insane Ian

An auto-tuned and uniquely danceable take on the Weird Al original, this Insane Ian track is one of 21 amazing selections from the new tribute album Twenty-Six and a Half. Ian will be appearing alongside fellow FuMPers Devo Spice, the great Luke Ski and the Consortium of Genius at next month's festival.

"Bhost Gusters" by Armcannon

This year's Nerdapalooza features an amazing array of geek rock and videogame cover bands. Among my most anticipated is Buffalo's Armcannon. Members of the group will also be performing alongside project creator Stemage as headliner Metroid Metal.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to the GeekDad podcast in iTunes (see the button on the sidebar), or directly through the RSS feed. You can also download GeekDad HipTrax #75 via this link.

The HipTrax theme song was created by Snake Eyes. He's what's strange in his neighborhood.

Oh, and lest I forget we're giving away two weekend passes to Nerdapalooza 2011. (Although you're on your own regarding travel and accommodations!) To enter just leave a comment below. A winner will be drawn at random next Tuesday, July 5th and contacted via email.i

Ken, Jonathan, and Matt chat about the 4th of July, the upcoming Nerdapalooza, and Comic-Con. Enjoy!

Special thanks to our sponsor Maphook, the location-based social network for geeks!

GeekDad.com is the parenting blog at Wired.com, edited by Ken Denmead, Matt Blum, Jonathan Liu and Chris Anderson. It is a community of like-minded geeky parents writing about our experiences raising our kids in the digital age, and about our obsessions with technology, family-friendly projects, and pop-culture. The GeekDads podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of anything and everything that impacts us as geeks and parents.

Ken, Doug, and Matt chat about Ken's appearance on The Nerdist, the new Weird Al album, and why learning Latin is so important. Enjoy!

Special thanks to our sponsor Maphook, the location-based social network for geeks!

GeekDad.com is the parenting blog at Wired.com, edited by Ken Denmead, Matt Blum, Jonathan Liu and Chris Anderson. It is a community of like-minded geeky parents writing about our experiences raising our kids in the digital age, and about our obsessions with technology, family-friendly projects, and pop-culture. The GeekDads podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of anything and everything that impacts us as geeks and parents.

It's HipTrax time again, my friends, and this edition is extra special. In addition to spotlighting a pair of new songs from two new HipTrax artists, we are also proud to present a GeekDad-themed track from one of our own!

Peep the hotness:

"Primary Function" by The Runaway Five

The Runaway Five is a four-member Tucson, Arizona-based synth-rock outfit. You read that right; there are only four of them. And I'm calling shenanigans.

"Soccer Practice" by Americans UK

Though the bulk of Americans UK's latest EP Luxuria isn't exactly what one would term "kid-friendly," this jazz-infused funk number will likely prove itself irresistible to listeners of any age.

"GeekDad" by John Anealio

I have long considered John Anealio the official troubadour of GeekDad. This song simply cements that position. All official-like.

Ken, Dave, and Matt chat about the announcements from E3 and the Apple WWDC, plus Phineas & Ferb, and Ken's upcoming appearance on The Nerdist. Enjoy!

Special thanks to our sponsor Maphook, the location-based social network for geeks!

GeekDad.com is the parenting blog at Wired.com, edited by Ken Denmead, Matt Blum, Jonathan Liu and Chris Anderson. It is a community of like-minded geeky parents writing about our experiences raising our kids in the digital age, and about our obsessions with technology, family-friendly projects, and pop-culture. The GeekDads podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of anything and everything that impacts us as geeks and parents.

Question: What's got four thumbs and loves chiptunes?

Answer: The GeekDad HipTrax team! (Although we would've also accepted a hideously misshapen mutant with discriminating musical taste.)

Get your bleep on with:

"We Throw Shapes" by Superpowerless

Oliver Hindle and Jaylyn Coffin, the same duo that brought you Tetrastar's amazing Songs We Didn't Write, are back with a shiny new Superpowerless single. "We Throw Shapes" is available for download now via iTunes, and the official video is presently blowing up the YouTubes.

"Tickle Tickle!" by seal of quality

The latest release from our friends at netlabel Pterodactyl Squad is the epic Fate Patterns by French chiptuner seal of quality. Boasting eleven tracks of crisp Game Boys, sharp guitars and delightful vocoder, it's available as a free download and as a limited edition physical pressing.

"Reformat the Planet" by Bit Shifter

While this song shares its name with the phenomenal chip culture/Blip Festival documentary, its source EP recently inspired a tribute project of its own. Though five years old, Information Chase still stands out as a textbook example of the beauty and accessibility of contemporary lo-fi electronica.

All the GeekDad podcasts are sponsored by MapHook.com!

Ken and Matt recap Maker Faire 2011, talk about PotC:OST and X-Men, and get generally silly about a bunch of stuff. Enjoy!

Special thanks to our sponsor Maphook, the location-based social network for geeks!

GeekDad.com is the parenting blog at Wired.com, edited by Ken Denmead, Matt Blum, Jonathan Liu and Chris Anderson. It is a community of like-minded geeky parents writing about our experiences raising our kids in the digital age, and about our obsessions with technology, family-friendly projects, and pop-culture. The GeekDads podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of anything and everything that impacts us as geeks and parents.

This edition of Hiptrax is firmly dedicated to cover songs. Of course since this is GeekDad only the strangest and most dorktastic covers will do!

Explore your rock 'n' roll roots with:

"Back in Your Life" as covered by Marc with a C

Though not a geeky artist in the traditional sense, Jonathan Richman blazed a proto-punk trail with his band The Modern Lovers. His music has inspired acts as diverse as punk pioneers the Sex Pistols and lo-fi troubadour Marc with a C thanks to his whimsical, childlike approach to lyricism and his refusal to operate within the bounds of the aggressive musical conventions of the age.

"I Never Go to Work" as covered by Nuclear Bubble Wrap

With a fine blend of off-kilter originals and irreverent parodies, Nuclear Bubble Wrap's Exploding Head Syndrome is a pitch-perfect example of funny music at its finest. Also included in that 2010 release is this slightly amended and thoroughly enjoyable They Might Be Giants cover.

"Melanie" as covered by Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire

This track (as well as selections from the aforementioned artists) appears on the new Weird Al tribute album Twenty-Six and a Half. Along with contributions from MC Frontalot, mc chris, Devo Spice and Al's own backing band, it pays due respect to the most successful and influential geek musician of all time.

Ken, Matt, Curtis, and Jonathan chat about the sale of Skype to Microsoft, Thor, and Maker Faire 2011. Enjoy!

Special thanks to our sponsor Maphook, the location-based social network for geeks!

GeekDad.com is the parenting blog at Wired.com, edited by Ken Denmead, Matt Blum, Jonathan Liu and Chris Anderson. It is a community of like-minded geeky parents writing about our experiences raising our kids in the digital age, and about our obsessions with technology, family-friendly projects, and pop-culture. The GeekDads podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of anything and everything that impacts us as geeks and parents.

In this edition of GeekDad HipTrax we celebrate Free Comic Book Day. It's like a High Holy Day for geeks where our only obligation is to hit up our favorite comics retailers. Is that really too much to ask?

Those looking to get the skinny on local FCBD events are encouraged to check out these handy resources from our sponsor MapHook. Individual hooks have been put in place for the American northeast, southeast, west coast and the broad, doughy center of our great nation. Check 'em out now for lists of events and participating vendors, and use the free MapHook app to share photo memories of this year's festivities with your fellow comic lovers.

Enjoy the comic book camaraderie of:

"Uncanny (feat. MC Lars)" by Beefy

Admittedly this track from Beefy's 2010 release With Sprinkles concerns X-Men: The Animated Series, which took its fair share of liberties with proper comic book canon. Still, it's an amazingly fun little song that spotlights a great cartoon with an even better theme song.

"Ring Capacity" by Kirby Krackle

This epic Green Lantern tribute served as many fans' proper introduction to Seattle's foremost comic book rockers. With two phenomenal albums under their belt, 2009's self-titled LP and last year's E for Everyone, the boys are now diligently writing for their forthcoming follow-up.

"The Sixth Gun" by Adam WarRock

Earlier this year Adam WarRock honored one of my favorite publishers with his Oni Press Mixtape. In addition to repping Oni classics (like Jen Van Meter's Hopeless Savages) in verse, Adam also managed to turn me on to a new title, specifically Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt's creepily awesome The Sixth Gun.