In Episode 7 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Andrew Bulthaupt, owner and administrator of BZPower, one of the longest-running Bionicle fan communities on the internet. Andrew shares how Bionicle’s rich mythology and transmedia storytelling pulled him in at just the right moment in the early 2000s - and how BZPower grew from a merger of early fan sites into a 25-year-old community that predates YouTube, Wikipedia, and modern social media. They discuss how fandom evolved from message boards to today’s content-creator landscape, why Bionicle remains a small but fiercely loyal niche, and how fans—including former Bionicle builders who are now LEGO designers—continue to shape the hobby.

The conversation also dives into Bionicle’s convention roots (especially BrickFair), the evolution of Bionicle MOCs into more organic, sculpture-like builds, and the ways the community still gathers today through the Bionicle LUG.

The episode closes on a heartfelt tribute to Joe Meno (our guest from episode 2), reflecting on his warmth, his passion, and the lasting impact he had on the LEGO community - from Toy Fair memories to the simple joy of catching up at conventions.

📍 Find BZPower & BioniLUG: • bzpower.com • bionilug.com

Until next time… play well.

In Episode 6 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Erin Landry, Season 3 LEGO Masters contestant and owner of Bottomless Bricks in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Erin shares how she found LEGO as an adult through family life, garage-sale brick hunts, and pop-culture favorites like the LEGO Ideas Yellow Submarine—eventually turning that passion into a community-focused LEGO business.

They talk about what it’s really like to run an independent LEGO shop, navigating a three-year shutdown, reopening stronger after LEGO Masters, and why staying authentic matters when building both a business and a community. The episode also dives into LEGO education, FIRST LEGO League, events, and how LEGO continues to bring people together at every age.

📍 Find Erin & Bottomless Bricks: • 163 South Street, Pittsfield, MA • bottomlessbricks.com • Instagram: @bottomlessbricksberkshire | @folkybrick

Until next time… play well.

In Episode 5 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Ridwan, better known as Ridzbricks, a professional creative director, filmmaker, and LEGO content creator who breaks down what actually makes great LEGO content online.

Ridzbricks shares his LEGO journey—from childhood hand-me-down bricks and classic sets like Blacktron, through his dark ages, and back into the hobby via building with his daughter. He talks about how moving into a dedicated LEGO space reignited his passion and eventually led him into content creation, first through minifigure photography on Instagram and later across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

The conversation dives deep into practical, no-nonsense advice for creators: what a “hook” really is, how to stop the scroll, why editing and cutting the fat matters, and how content should entertain, educate, or inspire (ideally more than one at once). Ridzbricks explains why you don’t need expensive gear to start, how lighting and audio actually work, why phones are more than good enough, and how overthinking equipment often stops people from creating at all.

They also talk candidly about LEGO’s explosion in recent years—set volume, rising prices, shrinking discounts, and how the flood of content has changed the community. The episode closes with honest advice about authenticity, not being precious with your content, learning from failure, and why the most important step is simply pressing record and making the video.

📍 Find Ridzbricks online: • TikTok / Instagram / YouTube: Ridzbricks

Until next time… play well.