Friday, April 3, 2009

Zero Hour on Highway 44

This near future diorama is evidence of a huge collection of laygoes, many cronies to do your bidding and a sick mind,. Yes I admit to being one of the cronies. Check out the latest bloated diorama from Keithlug, "Zero Hour on Highway 44."



Keith's Mocpages here "High Octane Mix"

Brian's Mocpages here "Dawn Forge Mix"

High Octane Mix on Flickr

Dawn Forge Mix on Flickr


And because this is a Lego cars blog, you might want to check out the credits post, detailing each vehicle contributed.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Play that funky music round up.

Rock and Roll is all about angst, rebellion...and breaking the rules. This challenge follows the Rock and Roll spirit and didn't disappoint. Lets check out the line up, shall we?

Fe2cruz opened the stage with a sleek bike inspired by the synth composer Giorgio Moroder and his song The Chase...which happens to be the theme music to the Movie Midnight Express. That movie teaches a valuable lesson...stay off the goof balls, kids...and DO NOT get yourself landed in a Turkish prison!

charger money

Midnight Express video

Mr. Cruz also shows us his humorous side with this Ford Timelord cop car that looks suspiciously like a 1968 Ford Galaxie. The low budget video that goes with it is one NOT to be missed! I get a HUGE chuckle out of it. I've watched it several times already and lets just say you'll be cursing Dr. Who and Gary Glitter for quite some time.

we are the superior beings

Doctorin' The Tardis

For such a Hip Hop lovin' dude, Aaron Dayman has a couple of decidedly Rock and Roll entries. First Aaron takes us way back in time for some Space Truckin'. It turns out Deep Purple had another song besides Smoke on the Water and its almost as good.

Space Truckin'

Space Truckin' video

Then later in the challenge, just when I've lost all faith in humanity and figured LUGNuts was all talk and no action, The AHOL Man-Child saves the day with an entry depicting a bunch of happy dudes in a white convertible. (As the military used to say, don't ask...don't tell) The band is called Trooper and is...um...ok if you like watered down hair metal from a band less famous than Winger. Damn, Aaron, and I was hoping you'd bust out some G-Unit, Snoop Dogg, or Outkast. ;)

For Lino

Boys in the Bright White Sports Car


nolnet shows us an awesome little Power Functions truck that can pull wheelies. Naturally its Overpowered...which happens to be his musical choice by the always intriguing Roisin Murphy. Nolnet warns that the chick is totally crazy...which ought to make her feel right at home with most of the women I've ever dated.

RC PF Truck

Overpowered video

Then later Nolnet shows us a White Wheeled Limousine inspired by classic rocker Bruce Honsby. He thinks its a total fail but I'm digging it...especially the money license plate. His limo inspired discussions of an Aphex Twin video and a Peter Gabriel video...both of them featuring super sized limos. Yanno, if I had a limo I'd have to call it...a Linousine.

PF RC Limo
White Wheeled Limousine video

For his first entry, Raphy shows us what happens when your band is too poor to have their own touring van or bus. You hire this generic white Amusivan to schlepp around your stuff. Instead of it saying Metallica or Motorhead along the side it has some musical note...g-clef...or half note...I don't know. I never was good at studying music and apparently for the band who has to hire this van...neither are they. ;)



Then Raphy shows us some international flare and posts the much talked about (after like 60 posts with everyone talking about it, thank God he finally posted it!) Lincoln inspired by Polish rapper Pezet who dreams of a black Lincoln. The song...is actually pretty good and the video includes written lyrics so you can follow along...in Polish, of course.



Ukryty W Miescie Krzyk
video

Then later Raphy gets inspired by a song way before his time (and mine)with his Little Deuce Coupe. This is my personal fave of the trio of cars Raphy built as he went for some pretty advanced shapes for such a little car. I'm sure The Beach Boys would get some Good Vibrations off of this one.



Li'l Deuce Coupe


Rabidnovaracer somehow lives up to his Chevy lovin' name with this decidedly awesome '41 Willys Coupe. Its powered by a Chevy 409 which happens to be his Beach Boys inspiration for the build. This car is chock full of not-to-be-missed details! I've wanted to build a Willys coupe for quite some time but have been too...um...what's that word I seldom use? Ah yes...intimidated. Rabidnovaracer shows us how its done.

Pro-Street 41 Willy's w/ 409

"409" video


Ozzy Osbourne posts a non-descript black car with no title, video, or write up. Then 20 hours later we find out its Black Sunshine based on that pretty cool song by Rob Zombie. Definitely check out the video...oh and while you're at it, be sure to rent The Devil's Rejects. Seeing Sid Haig come back 30 years after his prime as an older, fatter, scarier character was amazing. And the end scene orchestrated to Skynard's Free Bird...I don't want to spoil it for you but it was well done.

Black Sunshine

Black Sunshine video

Then Ozzy presents a rather boxy lead sled based on the classic Led Zeppelin tune Stairway to Heaven. Then a couple of other boxy white cars linked to some electronic noise. I get the feeling our Prince of Darkness has a lot of white pieces...and none of them curvy.

Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven


When Proudlove first posed his yellow and black van inspired by the 80's Christian hair metal band Stryper, I shook my head and grinned. I thought it was a joke. A groaner to some...but to others this Lego dedication was the best thing in the history of the world ever! Closeted...and not-so-closeted Christians came out in droves to praise Jesus, praise this Stryper van, and to give Nathan hallelujahs right onto the annuls of flickr Explore. Ya gotta hand it to Nathan, he sure knows how to pick a winner.

Stryper van

Soldiers Under Command


If I've learned only one thing in this life, its that Germans love David Hasslehoff...oh and the uber-efficiant synth pop electronic stylings of Kraftwerk.
Ralph a.k.a. Mad Physicist was inspired by their tune Autobahn to construct these two German autos...the Mercedes W112 and the VW Bug in contrasting black and white. They're a great homage to the song and to German culture. Hmmm...I wonder if Ralph has ever heard of Rammstein?



Kraftwerk Autobahn album art

Sometime before I was born a darling gal named Janis Joplin pleaded in a wailing, husky voice "Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz!" Then 39 years after she was plucked from this Earth, Ralph and his friend Ed finally pull through with the whole Mercedes thing...but in Lego. They throw in a Porsche 911 for good measure as the Porsche was also mentioned in her song...and yanno a lady can never have enough exotic cars. Miss Joplin would be proud of you two. Now if only you had long hair, bell bottoms and was in your prime 45 years ago...you would have had a chance to win her heart.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes Benz video


Just when we thought we'd have to put his face on a milk carton as a missing kid, Apple Pie busts all up in this piece with the challenge's first hip-hop influenced creation...a truck based on Akon's "I'm so paid" and "Ridin' Dirty" by Chamillionare. Yanno...that one song that helped introduce white and nerdy types to hip-hop with Weird Al's rendition of..."White and Nerdy". Good to see Apple back in the game...even if just for a while.



Ridin' Dirty and I'm So Paid


No stranger to flickr Explore himself, Lino takes inspiration from the band Queens of the Stone Age who advise to just Go With The Flow on this one. The video features a high speed game of chicken in a stark red desert between two classic Chevy pickups which then somehow represents life, sex, death, rebirth...and...um...something. I don't know. Cool tune though.

Go With The Flow

Go With the Flow


Dylan Denton finds inspiration from a song before his time (but not before mine!) with this cool RC drift car that appropriately goes with the tune "You Spin Me Round (like A Record)" by Dead or Alive. That song was so catchy that there was a time in the 80's I wanted to be a 6ft tall androgynous guy with a British accent, an eye patch, and hair that defies conventional physics. Then I come to find out I wasn't gonna grow that tall, my British impersonations are mediocre at best and make up irritates my skin. Probably for the best. Still, don't miss Dylan's self made video.

R/C Drift Car

You Spin Me Right Round

Dylan's second entry is a heavy duty APC called a Casspir that can run over mines and its unique V-shaped hull helps divert the bomb blast away from the vehicle. Neat! It was also predominantly featured in the video called "Dirty Harry" by the only band ever made up entirely of cartoon characters...The Gorillaz. For some reason they have a lot of Clint Eastwood inspired songs that have nothing to do with Clint Eastwood. Maybe they're punks who're feeling lucky.



Dirty Harry video


Firas never fails to impress! This time he's concocted the concept Hummer HX and inspired by the song "Hummer & A Jacob" by OJ Da Juiceman. I'm still drooling over this fine creation. Firas will be going places in life. In 5 years we'll all know his name. I'm not sure I can say the same about that OJ DA Juiceman guy.

Hummer HX concept

Hummer and a Jacob


Lego911 slows the tempo down to a saunter with this fine Ferrari 250 Testarossa Sports Racer parked in front of an Italian villa. its for the song "Girl In A Sportscar" by Chris Rhea. 911 tells us the car is noisy, hot and cramped but if you're looking to woo a pretty girl in Italy you'd better have one of these. Wouldn't a girl prefer a 60's era Galaxie? I mean, they had the biggest back seats out of any car ever built; suitable for...um...yanno...sitting. ;)

Ferrari 250 TR at Italian Villa

Girl In A Sports Car

So it turns out Sheryl Crow wrote a song about the King of Cool, Steve McQueen. I know, who would have thunk it! This is why 911 built the iconic Bullitt '68 Mustang Fasback in hunter green...with a little help from photoshop, and the Ford GT40 LeMans sports racer in blue. Cool, eh?





Steve McQueen

Then 911 takes us back to the world of Chris Rhea and his movie called 'La Passione'...but this time Shirley Bassey performs a tune full of intrigue, mystery and...um...passione. A tune suitable for Agent Janus had that challenge had a sound track. For this track, he builds three cars; one is the Ferrari 330 P4 LeMans Sports Racing Prototype. Lovely yellow rims on that one. The next is the Dino 246 GTS Spyder and lastly he pulls out the Italian villa again to showcase the Ferrari 156 F1 Formula 1 Monoposto. Ahh...La Passione has so much luxury, beauty and intrigue. Somebody should edit in my dad's 86 Aries K wagon as a joke.







La Passione

Remember when I said Germans love David Hasslehoff? Well its damn true. This video proves it. Here we see The Hoff coaxing pretty young maidens into his car then getting all devilish about it with the brimstone and the horns. What's even better is the link I clicked on didn't have any sound...which made it funnier and probably more tolerable. Anyway, to commemorate the video, 911 builds the cool Kitt car.




Jump In My Car


But wait, there's more! 911 kicks up the pace and races along with car nut Jay Kay of Jamiroquai in the song Cosmic Girl. The video features cars from Jay Kay's own collection (oh, now he's just showing off!)One being the Ferrari F40 Berlinetta and the other being the Ferrari F355 Berlinetta. And not a Dodge Aries K in the whole lot!





Cosmic Girl

And if you thought 911 was done building, you'd be stupid wrong. The automotive maestro comes back for an encore performance of Janis Joplin's "Oh Lord Wont You Buy Me A Mercedes Benz" Proving that great minds think alike, like Team Ralph and Ed, 911 makes sure the songstress is also provided for with a matching Porsche. Sweet!



Mercedes Benz... Again

Kwycstix seeks inspiration from The Man In Black himself...the great Mr. Johnny Cash and his song Walk The Line. Man, old Mr. Cash was always in full black attire...black pants, black jacket, black shirt. You'd think during a heat wave he'd put on black shorts, but no. Anyway, cool car.

Walk the line

Walk the Line


And flying in just under the deadline for this challenge's encore performance is Duq and his famous Bluesmobile..."Our blessed lady of acceleration". "It’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant. It’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It’s a model made before catalytic converters, so it will run good on regular gas." These Blues Brothers jokes just write themselves! What would a music based challenge be without this?

Dodge Monaco

Best clip ever!


Great job, everyone! Now we're gonna see what you're made of in top gear. In this next challenge called "At The Races", we're hopefully gonna see some of the fastest racing vehicles on the planet. What will yours be? Baja Racer? Dragster? Formula 1? The sky is the limit. Let's see what you got!