Skullboi is an independent multimedia project exploring how our analog past continues to shape our digital future… or, nostalgic archaeology.
nos•tal•gic ar•chea•ol•o•gy
Noun
The act of excavating, documenting, and preserving the cultural artifacts, media, and physical relics of the 1980s, 1990s, and the Y2K era.
The exploration of how our analog past continues to shape our digital future.
I wonder if this dude had any influence on why I have a Bachelors in Anthropology?
Through the movies, television, music, toys, and technology of the ‘80s, ‘90s, and Y2K, Skullboi digs into the objects that still define Gen X, Xennials, and Millennials, and the cultural worlds that shaped them. These memories, communities, and experiences continue to influence how we create and connect today.
Where other nostalgia projects ask “remember this?” Skullboi asks “why is this nostalgic?” Because nostalgia isn’t just about remembering an object—it’s about understanding why it mattered in the first place.
This pic is me from probably 1983, still love MOTU and I got my online start creating a Star Wars Podcast called Pink Milk!
I’m Bryan Barry, a Xennial creative exploring our analog past versus our digital future… honestly, I don’t know which is better. Now that I've said that, does one even have to be better than the other? Can two things exist at once? I think this project is going to help me out just as much as it does you!
I’m of the right age to remember a time when the future of technology felt purely exciting. Today, we live in a world where it's hard to tell if you're connecting with a real person or an AI bot.
While I’m not anti-tech—I’m actually incredibly excited by it—I do believe there is a lot to discuss about how we move forward in this ever-evolving digital world. I believe there is a lot to borrow from the last of our analog days. We are in a time of change, and we must actively decide what our future looks like for human connection and human creativity. I look forward to those discussions with you!
That’s why this project exists. One of the greatest gifts of those retro eras was the love of connecting for the sheer sake of it. We weren’t trying to build a "side hustle," and we weren’t obsessed with creating "content." We were just sharing ideas… and, maybe even learning about something we had never heard of!
To keep that spirit alive, this project is not monetized, and there are no plans to ever monetize it.
Whether you grew up during these decades or are just fascinated by them, I want to hear from you. What pieces of our analog past should we take with us into our ever-evolving digital future, and what do we need to leave behind?
I can’t wait to read your stories and connect.
KIT,
Bryan Barry from Skullboi
No, I wasn’t on drugs. Does it look like I was…. yes, yes it does. But this is what a gay club looked like in the late 90s and Y2K (This was my ‘Raspberry Swirl Girl’ Tori Amos necklace and that tank was a Cibo Matto tour shirt from 1997.
🎙️ Coming Soon: The Skullboi Podcast
On the website, you’ll find newsletters, vintage articles, and retro ads exploring the stories behind these decades. But you can get an even deeper conversation with our upcoming video podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.
This isn't your standard "remember this?" nostalgia pod. In a world where it's getting harder to distinguish between human and machine, we’re looking back at what makes pop culture… well, human. Because no matter how digital our future gets, there will always be an analog footprint left behind.
Every episode, I'll sit down to dig into the specific objects or cultural feelings that defined us—from VHS tapes to dial-up tones. I will often be joined by a guest to discuss the latest newsletters, diving into additional personal stories and more.
💻 Newsletters & More: https://www.skullboi.com
🎙️Podcast: Coming Soon!
✉️ Contact: [email protected]
