Bantha Banter – A Star Wars Chat Show

Just a short update on the show!

Settle in, folks, this one is quite a journey! First, the guys discuss the possible legacy of the sequel trilogy as it relates to the growing adoration of the prequels from the generation who grew up with Episodes 1-3. Will 7-9 be re-evaluated in a decade? We'll see! Then, John takes Jeff to school for the first of a multi-part discussion about the beginning of the leitmotif concept that John Williams used to such great effect in his Star Wars scores. Prepare to be educated!

The guys look into their crystal ball this time out to discuss what origin stories of some of their favorite characters might look like, along with some non-origin stories that might fill in some gaps that they'd like to see.

Join us as we discuss what we consider to be truly iconic moments in the Star Wars saga. How long must it take for a moment to become iconic? Tell us what you think!

This time out, the guys discuss why all "I Love You, I Know"s are NOT created equal, and just why John Williams loves him some perfect fifths in his scores!

This time out, Jeff and John discuss just WHY Vader was so interested in the Millenium Falcon after the battle of Hoth, and whether the answer is the same now as it was in 1980. THEN Jeff quizzes John about his preferred format for listening to the scores.

On this edition of Bantha Banter, the guys discuss Watto's appearance in Attack of the Clones and marvel at the CG acting on display, as well as the live-action acting by Hayden Christensen! Then, they discuss John Williams attempting to incorporate "non-traditional" instruments into his Star Wars scores, and the relative success of each attempt. That's right, we're gettin' Nerdy!!!

This time around, the guys flip the script a little and talk music FIRST! WHAT??!?! This is madness!!! But somehow they made it work. John waxes on about the use of well-known themes from other Star Wars scores in the music of The Mandalorian, and Jeff lays down on the couch to discuss why the Han Solo cameo at the end of The Rise of Skywalker works for him but not for John. Enjoy!

This time out, the guys discuss their opinion on the VERY popular and not-at-all divisive sequence from The Last Jedi in which Leia flies from the vastness of space into her ship using the Force! After that lively debate, we take a bit of a left turn and discuss showtunes! Listen and learn!

This time out the guys decided to talk about some things they LIKE about the prequel trilogy to balance out all the criticism, and it wasn't as hard as you might think! Then, they spend some time discussing the score of Solo: A Star Wars Story and how it measures up against the other terrific Star Wars scores that we've heard. Enjoy!

Is Qui-Gon the father of the new Jedi order? The guys have a civil disagreement about it on this episode, followed by some nerdy talk, because they thought you guys might like a change of pace...

We're back from our end-of-year break refreshed and ready to dig deep again! This time out, Jeff makes the case for Luke having a death wish. He just doesn't do it very convincingly. But John is VERY convincing in his breakdown of John Williams's use of music being different in A New Hope than in any other Star Wars film. Intrigued? You should be. Listen to learn more!

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the guys wanted to celebrate Star Wars-style with a discussion of one of the greatest holiday albums ever: Christmas In The Stars!! Listen in and find out exactly what you CAN get a Wookie for Christmas when he already owns a comb!

This time out, the fellas venture in to the Sequel Trilogy to discuss Jeff's favorite moment from The Force Awakens and John takes us back to the days of bell-bottoms and platform shoes for a breakdown of the history behind Meco's hit "Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk"

"From a certain point of view" is a phrase that has caused much consternation on the part of Star Wars fans and Obi Wan Apologists. This time out, Jeff and John discuss whether it really was just a CYA for Old Ben, or if it is a valid explanation for what he told Luke. Then, John schools Jeff on some more music knowledge. This time out, John explains why what we hear on the soundtracks or in concert may not always match what we hear in the films. It's edifying and entertaining! And don't forget to stick around for the guys reveal of their favorite background character(s) from The Empire Strikes Back!

Greetings! On this latest episode of Bantha Banter, Jeff and John spend some time speculating about what went unsaid between Luke and Han at Echo Base when Luke was leaving to board his snowspeeder. Good luck? Get lost? I love you, I know? Who can say, really? Then, John schools Jeff on some trivia about Lapti Nek and the guys debate whether the new music in the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi is a step up or down, or maybe even a lateral move. Enjoy!

You guys! In case you didn't hear, our good friend Dan Zehr of Coffee With Kenobi co-wrote a terrific new tome called The Star Wars Book that tells you everything you need to know about the Galaxy Far, Far Away! Dan stopped by to talk to Jeff about how the book came about, the challenges of writing and self-editing, and how it felt to see his name in print on a book about Star Wars. Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Book-Expand-knowledge/dp/1465497900/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=The+star+wars+book&qid=1604860451&sr=8-2Big thanks to DK Publishing for providing a review copy.

In this outing of Bantha Banter, John and Jeff discuss Vader's operation in Revenge of the Sith and the lie that Palpatine tells him. After that, the lads dive into everything Shadows Of The Empire and weigh in on how well it worked to have an entire set ofmovie tie-ins without a movie.

There was a time when you'd open up the latest issue of Mad magazine and find a wickedly written and cleverly illustrated parody of big-time Hollywood blockbusters, including eight of the nine Skywalker Saga films.Alas the magazine has become a reprint vehicle nowadays, the victim of downsizing and budget cuts. Lost amid this change? Mad's adaptation and satirical take on "The Rise of Skywalker," leaving completists bereft of one final story. But not for long. Tom Richmond and Desmond Devlin, both of whom charted years working for Mad, have undertaken an IndieGogo project -- Claptrap -- (https://bit.ly/2HCz3lk) that aims to expand upon Mad's vast library of film takedowns by adapting several films that, at the time, were overlooked or ignored. We sat down with the pair to discuss what it was like being a part of Mad, what prompted the IndieGogo and just how rich a vein "The Rise of Skywalker" was for a new version of "Mad Goes to the Movies."

This time out, the guys have a semi-lively debate about award-worthy performances in the saga as well as the last John Williams music we'll get for the Star Wars universe, and they wrap things up with a chat about the first round of Star Wars novels before "canon" was really a thing.

We're baaaaaack! After a longer-than-planned hiatus, Bantha Banter is back in a slightly new flavor! Starting today, each show will feature your trusty host Jeff joined by his even trustier co-host Dr. John Norine for discussions of all shapes and sizes relating to the Galaxy Far, Far Away. First up: They discuss the Twin Suns sequence of A New Hope and try to figure out why Jeff has never been as moved by it as everyone else, and the discussion continues with an in-depth discussion on the music for this scene, and how it has been used in other scenes throughout the saga. Finally, Jeff asks a series of inane questions about bounty hunters, and John gamely plays along.It's good to be back, and we hope you enjoy the new format!

We’re back! Don’t get TOO excited, this is a teaser for Season 2 of Bantha Banter. The rest of the “season” will commence in early 2017, but we wanted to share this show with you early. This time out, Jeff … Continue reading →

Jeff sat down with his buddy Taylor to discuss their thoughts on The Force Awakens, and now YOU get to listen to it! Merry Christmas!!!!

Jeff really LOVES music. However, Dr. John Norine Jr. really LIVES music. Seriously, guys, he knows so much about music, he’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know. He’s also a really cool guy, and a Star Wars fan, to boot! Sit … Continue reading →

On the latest Bantha Banter, Jeff sits down with Eric Molinsky from WNYC public radio in New York! Eric has a great podcast of his own called Imaginary Worlds, which you can find at the link below. Eric also has … Continue reading →

Garr!!! No, he’s not a pirate, he’s even COOLER than a pirate! Garr Van Orden is a theatre teacher who also happens to be a huge Star Wars fan, so of course Jeff had to have him on the show. … Continue reading →

So, you think YOU’RE a hardcore Star Wars fan? Have you ever typed out the script from an audio transcription you recorded from TV? I didn’t think so. But Jay Krebs has, and that is just ONE example of her … Continue reading →

Cole Houston, aka Jedi Cole: Possessor of the wisdom of the aged, along with a TON of cool toys and comic books. Of course, you know the man has stories, and he sat down to share a few of them … Continue reading →

Jeff knows lots of talented people. Most of those people love Star Wars. Eddie Medina is one of those people. His art is amazing, his show, The Rantcor Pit is also amazing, and best of all, he’s a heckuva nice … Continue reading →

It’s about to get EPIC up in here! Jeff sat down with Marcus Dohring, a member of the 501st and an all-around-awesome guy. They talk about their first and second meetings at Celebration Anaheim (one of those was more interesting … Continue reading →

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with a group of kids who had just seen Star Wars, some of them for the first time. They asked me questions I had trouble answering, because I had never thought about things … Continue reading →

This week, you’re either in for a treat or some disappointment. Or maybe a bit of both. MarvinDog Media would like to present the listeners of Bantha Banter with a taste of another MDM production: Talking Toys with Taylor & … Continue reading →

You can find interesting Star Wars fans anywhere! This time, Jeff sits down with his new friend Harry Perales. Harry loves Star Wars. Jeff loves Star Wars. They have a mutual friend who is lukewarm to Star Wars. That is … Continue reading →

We’ve heard a lot of great stories about how Star Wars has influenced people’s lives from an entertainment and community perspective, but today we have something a bit different: Chris Cape’s love of the Galaxy Far, Far Away has served … Continue reading →

Ryder Waldon, DDS. No, it’s not a new dental crime mystery series (although it SHOULD be), it’s the official title of one of the busiest men in the galaxy. Ryder is a dentist (of course), podcaster, DOUBLE blogger (for Coffee … Continue reading →

Parental Advisory:  When you hear a reference to Oola, you might want to make sure there aren’t any tiny ears about, it gets a wee bit randy for a minute.  Bantha Banter goes INTERNATIONAL!!!! This time out, Jeff chats with … Continue reading →

The SWIC Invasion continues!!! Matt Hunsworth sat down with Jeff to discuss how his love of Star Wars and his fondness for his high school chums led to a podcasting juggernaut on the NeoZaz network, as well as try to … Continue reading →

I love doing this show. Every episode holds at least one surprise for me. This time, I was amazed to learn that my guest, Jeremiah Stewart of Bombad Radio grew up listening to the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back … Continue reading →

There are those who call him “Ian” and there are those who call him “Cory” and there are still OTHERS who call him “Tim” (not really), but Jeff just calls him “friend” (cue the “awww”). This time out, Jeff sits … Continue reading →

It’s time for another SWIC-tastic episode! This time around, Tim Spaulding, from Star Wars: In Character and Pass The Popcorn on Neozaz.com sits down with Jeff to discuss his work with the Nashville Music Archive, country music, and a little … Continue reading →

In case you hadn’t heard, MarvinDog Media had to say “see you soon” to their mascot this week. Marvin led a full life in a short time, and Taylor sat down with Jeff to discuss just how Marvin and Jeff … Continue reading →

The parade of Chrisses continues with Mr. Chris Cullnane! Chris has a podcast called The Unboxed Creative where he highlights other creative individuals to find out what makes them tick (you should totes check it out, even though I just … Continue reading →

It finally happened, we got Chris from Star Wars:In Character on the show! Chris is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and as nice of a guy as you’re gonna find on the internet. If you haven’t checked out SWIC yet, … Continue reading →

Carlos Orosco: Super Collector, Super Cosplayer, Super Dad. He’s a renaissance man, folks, and he’s here today to talk about how much he loves Star Wars. Here’s a guy who walks the walk when it comes to his fandom, despite … Continue reading →

The things we do for the people we care about. This week, Bridgit Sharpe joins us again as our Star Wars Guinea Pig to watch Episodes 1 and 2 for the first time. We know she enjoyed the OT, but … Continue reading →

It’s a CROSSOVER!!! This week, Jeff wanted to introduce you to some of his other work. Talking Toys with Taylor & Jeff is another MarvinDog Media joint, and they talk Star Wars toys from time to time. This time out, … Continue reading →

This week, Jeff continues the Coffee with Kenobi love by welcoming CWK co-host Cory Clubb on the show! Cory is a legit author, and his thoughts on the saga are thoughtful and interesting. As a bonus, you get the Secret … Continue reading →

You guys like comic books? Me too! And so does Mr. Matt Moore! He likes them so much, he writes about them! Matt Moore, or “Matt-At” as he’s known in the Coffee With Kenobi blogosphere, sits down with Jeff to … Continue reading →

So, did you guys know that there are people in the world who HAVEN’T seen Star Wars?!?!?! I know, I was surprised, too. I recently learned that one of my good friends was one of the great unwashed masses. So, … Continue reading →

Jeff loves Star Wars. Jeff loves toys. Jeff loves Star Wars toys best of all. Mark Bellomo may love toys more than Jeff. He most definitely knows more about Star Wars toys than Jeff. I know, I was as shocked … Continue reading →