Lots of people are passionate about movies, but few people are as passionate about a single film as Kansas City’s alt-pop group Hembree, whose guitarist and drummer host a podcast entirely about the 1999 sci-fi action comedy Galaxy Quest. Since 2015, Alex Ward and his brother Austin have recorded over twenty episodes devoted to the burgeoning cult hit about the rabid fandom that tends to surround sci-fi series, which deserves a little rabid fandom of its own.
“As far as we know, By Grabthar’s Hammer… What a Podcast is the only podcast dedicated to the 1999 Tim Allen–starring epic space-adventure comedy Galaxy Quest,” Alex Ward says. “Hard to believe, I know. Galaxy Quest was the first movie that Austin and I bonded over with our friend RJ Schillaci, drummer for Chicago rock group Archie Powell & the Exports. Galaxy Quest is one of those crowd pleasers that a lot of people tend to forget about. We’ve been talking about it for years, and are still unraveling its magic in every new episode.”
Ranging in topic from speculations about the forthcoming GQ TV series for Amazon Prime to Justin Long’s recent ad campaign for Huawei, By Grabthar’s Hammer… What a Podcast raises the tough questions no one else is asking: Do Galaxy Quest and The Fifth Element exist in the same universe? Can a human and a squid find true love? Why won’t Tim Allen make surprise appearances at their public screenings?
Listed to the pod’s most recent episode below.
And below, read or download FLOOD’s Passion Issue, where Hembree’s tale of podcast and sci-fi movie love joins several other stories from our favorite artists with side hustles and obsessions.
