GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!! Short Stories And Other White Lies (update and reshuffle)

Work continues on my proposed short story collection Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies. I've completed more stories, I've tweaked the blueprint, and I'm still crossin' the ol' fingers in hope of a May 2026 publication.

The biggest material change to this book's contents is to reverse my decision to include stories related to the Copperhead Kid and his heroic descendants. I had originally planned to collect the Copperhead chronicles as a separate book anyway. A few months back, I started to think those tales could enhance this short story collection instead. I've re-thought that, mostly because the Copperhead stories are appropriate for all ages; the potty-mouthed language in some of the rest of this short story book is definitely not intended for younger readers. The Western adventure "The Last Ride Of The Copperhead Kid" will appear in Guitars Vs. Rayguns!!, and I hope it will eventually join its kin in a potential YA The Legends Of The Copperhead's Kids book of its own.

(Of the remaining completed Copperhead stories, I may still include the short interlude "President Copperhead" in GvR!!, while "Bullets From The Copperhead Detective," "The Copperhead Strikes!," "The Copperhead Affair," "Chaos At The Copperhead Club," "Flight Of The Copperhead," and still-to-be-written chapters like "The First Ride Of Freedom's Whip" and "The Copperhead Kid's New York Adventure" are all being saved for the hypothetical Copperhead's Kids book.)

GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!! Short Stories And Other White Lies

Proposed Table of Contents

* notes a story not yet completed

+ notes a completed story I may decide to omit from the book

FOREWORD: Short stories and other white lies

Introduction: IT'S HARLAN ELLISON'S FAULT!

GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!

HOME OF THE HITS

THE LAST RIDE OF THE COPPERHEAD KID

POP FRICTION

MONTIE PYLON FINDS HIS HOLY GRAIL

THE PICTURE OF AMONTILLADO

TIME, AND THE JUNK FOOD OF YOUR LIFE

GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS! Last Stand On Uranus

THE GREATEST THUD NEVER HEARD

RAIN-HAT SAM

JACK MYSTERY (some truths and some white lies)

*THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MAGIC, CHAPTER 13

GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS! Battle Of The Band

THE BEATLES: The 1976 Reunion Concert

AN OPEN LETTER TO AN IMAGINARY ROCK BAND

THE LOVABLE LUNKHEAD RETURNS

SWORD OF THE CHOSEN ONE

+DREAMING DEADLY

*SEVEN MINUTES TO BLACKOUT

+PRESIDENT COPPERHEAD

JUSTICE FOR THE PUPPET MASTER

*GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS! Saturday Night At The Shootout

+I'M AT BAT!

APRIL REGRETS

THE TRAITOR'S TOURIST GUIDE TO HELL

YOU'LL BE JUDGED BY THE HEARTS YOU BROKE

*GUITARS VS RAYGUNS!! Live At BudoKHAAAAAAAANNNNN!!

+LAZARUS LIVES (opening sequence from an eventual novel)

AFTERWORD

The collection takes its title from "Guitars Vs. Rayguns!," my obscenity-laden farce about a rock 'n' roll group playing dangerously volatile gigs on distant planets. This was the first work of fiction I ever sold--thanks again, AHOY Comics!--and it inspired two sequels, "Guitars Vs. Rayguns! Last Stand On Uranus" and "Guitars Vs. Rayguns! Battle Of The Band." I think this book needs at least two additional new stories in this series, and I would probably postpone the book's publication if I can't get those stories scribbled out in time for May.

As for the other two asterisked entries seen above, "Seven Minutes To Blackout" is a reimagination of a story I wrote as a 17-year-old college freshman and "The Adventures Of Captain Magic, Chapter 13" is a more recent invention. Odds are that neither of those will be written in time for this book, but earlier this year I would have said the same about "The Traitor's Tourist Guide To Hell," and I did finish that one (and I'm delighted with it). As I like to say: Ya never know with me. I never know with me.

The last story listed above isn't a short story, but the opening sequence from a proposed novel called Lazarus Lives. I'm torn about whether or not I want to include that. I feel very strongly both ways. The decision to include or exclude the other tentative pieces--"Dreaming Deadly" and "I'm At Bat!"--will be determined by how well I think they fit in as part of the completed book.

In the midst of piecing together my short story collection, I'm also working on the nonfiction book Make Something Happen! The DIY Story Of A Power Pop Band Called THE FLASHCUBES. The Flashcubes book was supposed to be out last summer, but the work required to complete my 2025 various-artists Flashcubes tribute album (the similarly-titled Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes) made it impractical for me to do both Cubic projects at the same time. I have resumed work on that book, and while progress has been slow, it remains my goal to have this available at retail by the end of this year.

Me doing research for a future book

So: Two books in 2026. True stories about the Flashcubes. White lies about everything else. More books to come after that, including a 2027 collaboration with another creator for a project I really hope we can bring to the light of day. First up: Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies, a book I've wanted to write for more than fifty years.

That long-standing wish looks to be granted in May.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. You can read about our history here

COMIC BOOK COVER GALLERY: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, Part 4: Issues acquired new in the late '70s and the '80s

Concluding a four-part retrospective of issues of The Brave And The Bold I acquired in the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Part 1 remembered B & B back issues I snagged within the time frame, Part 2 reapplied covers to coverless comics I picked up in the same era, and Part 3 chronicled issues I bought new in the '60s and early '70s. Let's pick up from that point and take this home.

In my 1970s capacity as an adolescent and teen comic book fan, I wrote a fair number of letters to B & B. As I recalled in my letterhack memoir "Dear Superguys:"

"...I was only, like, twelve or thirteen when I began writing these letters in earnest, but I cringe to look back on them now. No physical copies survive, thank Rao, but I remember the sheer pimply cluelessness I exhibited therein. I wrote a letter to The Brave And The Bold's editor Murray Boltinoff, demanding that he explain his editorial policies to me, 'cuz I di'n't like his and B & B writer Bob Haney's disregard for continuity. I recall a letter to JLA which casually used profanity to make this immature soul seem mature. I signed off most of my letters with "Thanx," an attempt to create a signature gimmick for what I hoped would be an abundance of published letters of comment. Not a one of them saw print, nor did they deserve to see print. I cringe at their memory, and recognize them as the work of a square-peg kid in dire need of a girlfriend...."

When I was fifteen, I started getting a few letters published. My only B & B lettercol appearance was in The Brave And The Bold # 120 (pictured up top), wherein a request from "Carl Cafrelli" begged for a team-up of Batman and the Shadow. I have no recollection of making that request, but I will presume I must have.

As the '70s continued, my Brave And Bold purchases slowed and eventually ceased. When I was in college, I all but stopped buying comics entirely. I returned to my beloved funnybooks after graduating in 1980, and I've stuck with them ever since. B & B again became an occasional purchase, then a frequent purchase, and finally an automatic purchase through its 200th and final issue in 1983.

One of the later issues--1983's The Brave And The Bold # 197--presented writer Alan Brennert's "The Autobiography Of Bruce Wayne," which remains one of my five all-time favorite single-issue Batman stories:

"...In the early 1960s, DC Comics canon established that there were multiple Earths, with DC's then-current main continuity of the Justice League of America occurring on Earth-One. Earth-Two was the home of the Justice Society of America, the JLA's counterparts (and forebears) from the 1940s. Earth-Two had its own Batman, about twenty years older than the Earth-One Batman. The Earth-Two Batman had retired long ago, and he'd married the love of his life, his former adversary the Catwoman. Both characters had perished in the comics before 1983.

"But Alan Brennert wanted to go back and reveal the untold story of how Batman and Catwoman got together all those years ago.

"The result was 'The Autobiography Of Bruce Wayne!,' a flashback related in the first person by the retired Caped Crusader himself. It's an amazing story of action informed by emotion, a story of love and dedication, sacrifices, fear, bravery, commitment, mortality, and love's potential power to transcend for whatever time this finite world allows us.

"It is difficult for me to write this, even now. In 2008, my niece was killed in a stupid accident that angers and saddens me still, as I'm sure it always will. Some wounds don't heal. Maybe some wounds shouldn't heal.

"She was living in New York at the time. Yes, Gotham City. The funeral would be in Syracuse. Her parents, my sister and brother-in-law, live in England, and it made sense for me to make as many of the local arrangements as I could. My pain was, frankly, nothing compared to the pain they were going through.

"Part of the arrangements was writing my niece's obituary. God, it still pains me to say those words. It had to be done. And it had to be worthy of what a great person she was. 

"My pop culture inspirations are never far from my mind. I remembered the closing passage from 'The Autobiography Of Bruce Wayne!,' as the Batman looked back on the death of his beloved Selina, and I offered that in my niece's memory as well:

" 'Her death was pointless, tragic...but I have long since given up trying to find meaning in death. The meaning is in life, not death. And [her] life was as full of meaning as it was of love, and spirit, and courage. And when my time comes to join her...I would only hope the same could be said for me....' "

Across the four parts of this Brave And Bold cover gallery, we'll be sticking exclusively to the '60s-'80s era of acquisition I've established for these galleries. The selections include books I bought new, back issues I acquired after the fact (but within the timeline), and B-stock contraband originally purchased without their covers. These aren't actual photos of comics in my collection; most images are courtesy of the Grand Comics Database, which is grand indeed. But I did have each and every one of 'em at some point in time.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. You can read about our history here.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1328

As I write this, last week's Fake Spring in Syracuse has ceded its ground to Second Winter: A bit of snow returns to the air and ground, and an unwelcome chill reasserts its grip on climate and bones. Winter did not need an encore, man.

But this coming week, the Surfrajettes are coming to town for a show this Thursday March 19th at Middle Ages Beer Hall. One of the preeminent instrumental groups of our day, the Surfrajettes will be bringing their twangin' guitars, bass, and drums to frost-kissed Syracuse, and also hangin' 10 with their beach-approved vibe of fun in that (currently elusive) sun. 

Surf is freakin' UP.

It will likely still be cold. In Syracuse, it's usually cold until it gets too hot, and I hate that, too. When the weather outside is frightful, we'll still have music. We'll still have community, fists in the air, and the driving urge to embrace delight even in times that are anything but delightful. 

Surf's up. Play on, you Surfrajettes, and play on all you other merchants of delight, from Motown to CBGB's to the Cavern and to all points in all directions. BEACH PARTY! And this is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another Second Winter Sunday night in Syracuse this week.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream, and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. 

You can read all about this show's long and weird history here: Boppin' The Whole Friggin' Planet (The History Of THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO). You can follow Carl's daily blog at Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do).

TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

Carl's latest book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get Carl's previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

The many fine This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation albums are still available, each full of that rockin' pop sound you crave. A portion of all sales benefit our perpetually cash-strapped community radio project:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download

Volume 5: CD or download

TIRnRR # 1328: 3/15/2026

TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold

THE ON AND ONS: Speck Of Smiling Faces (Jem, Luminary)

THE NERVES: When You Find Out (Alive, One Way Ticket)

THE SPONGETONES: So Long (Big Stir, single)

JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO/PLASTIC ONO BAND: Move On Fast [live] (Mercury, Power To The People)

SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go (single)

BLUE ASH: Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her) (Collectors' Choice Music, No More, No Less)

--

MICHAEL SLAWTER WITH JULIAN VOLPE: Give It All Up (n/a, The New Technicolor)

LES HANDCLAPS: Barbarella Pop Club (Handclaps, Ouh Ouh Ah!)

THE DRIFTERS: Saturday Night At The Movies (Atlantic, All-Time Greatest Hits & More: 1959-1965)

LEW LEWIS: Do Just What You Want (Stiff, Save The Wail)

THE HOLLYWOOD STARS: King Of The Night Time World (Rum Bar, single)

ELTON JOHN: Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock & Roll) (MCA, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)

--

THE GLIMMER STARS: Run Away (Rum Bar, Someday's A Long Time)

ULTRAVOX: Sleepwalk (Demon, VA: 100 Hits Punk & New Wave)

THE MONKEES: Love Is Only Sleeping (Rhino, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.)

WRECKLESS ERIC: Reconnez Cherie (Salvo, Born Stiff)

THE FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION: Grazing In The Grass (Rhino, VA: Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience)

MAGAZINE: Shot By Both Sides [single version] (Demon, VA: 100 Hits Punk & New Wave)

--

THE COCKTAIL SLIPPERS: Joyride (Wicked Cool, single)

THE MOSQUITOS: Darn Well (Kool Kat Musik, This Then Are The Mosquitos!)

THE SURFRAJETTES: She Loves You (Hi-Tide, Roller Fink)

X-RAY SPEX: Oh Bondage, Up Yours! (Sanctuary, Germ Free Adolescents)

RIHANNA: Shut Up And Drive (Def Jam, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded)

WIRE: Three Girl Rhumba (Pinkflag, Pink Flag)

--

THE GREENBERRY WOODS: Whenever You Want Me Too (Big Stir, single)

YO LA TENGO: Watch Out For Me Ronnie (Matador, I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass)

GENERAL JOHNSON AND JOEY RAMONE: Rockaway Beach (On The Beach) (Forward, VA: Godchildren Of Soul: Anyone Can Play)

BUDDY LOVE: Why Can't We Make Believe We're In Love? (Big Deal, VA: Yellow Pills: The Best Of American Pop! Vol. 1)

THE GRIP WEEDS: Spinning The Wheel [live] (Jem, Soul Bender [deluxe edition])

XTC: Statue Of Liberty (Virgin, White Music)

--

THE VIBEKE SAUGASTAD BAND: 2nd Avenue (Rum Bar, The Sun Sessions)

THE LEGAL MATTERS: What Is Life (SpyderPop/Big Stir, VA: We All Shine On: Celebrating The Music Of 1970)

TAJ MAHAL: Six Days On The Road (Columbia, The Best Of Taj Mahal)

GRAHAM PARKER AND THE RUMOUR: Saturday Night Is Dead [live in New York 5-11-79] (MOJO, VA: Up The Junction [15 Sharp Turns])

THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Saturday Night (Arista, The Definitive Collection)

THE SEARCHERS: Almost Saturday Night (Omnivore, Another Night: The Sire Recordings 1979-1981)

--

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

MADONNA: Dear Jessie (Sire, Like A Prayer)

THE CHURCH: The Unguarded Moment (Rhino, VA: Children Of Nuggets)

THE HALF/CUBES: Whenever You're On My Mind (Jem, Found Pearls)

TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS: Mirage (Rhino, Anthology)

JOHNNY JOHNSON AND THE BANDWAGON: Blame It (On The Pony Express) (Kent Soul, Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache: The Best Of 1968-1975)

CREAM: I Feel Free (Polydor, Those Were The Days)

--

SERGIO CECCANTI: I'll Run Through The Rain (Kool Kat Musik, Leave The Past, Don't Look Behind)

THE MUFFS: That's For Me (Omnivore, No Holiday)

SPECTRAFLAME: I Always Wanted You To Stay (single)

BIG STAR: ST 100/6 (Ardent, # 1 Record/Radio City)

MAURICE WILLIAMS AND THE ZODIACS: Stay (Time-Life, VA: The Rock 'n' Roll Era: 1960)

THEE HEADCOATEES: The First Plane Home (Damaged Goods, The Kids Are All Square--This Is Hip & Girlsville)

THE CYNZ: Love's So Lovely (Jem, Confess)

ELASTICA: Smile (DGC, Elastica)

--

THE DOLLYROTS: Attention Span (Wicked Cool, single)

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: Refugee (MCA, Anthology: Through The Years)

SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Stand! (Epic, Greatest Hits)

PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS: Silly Love Songs [demo] (Capitol, Man On The Run OST)

THE RAMONES: I Don't Want To Grow Up (Radioactive, ¡Adios Amigos)

AIMEE MANN: Long Shot (DGC, I'm With Stupid)

MIKE BROWNING FEATURING ELENA ROGERS: Over And Under And All Around (single)

THE BEATLES: Baby, You're A Rich Man (Apple, Magical Mystery Tour)

--

THE LITTLE GIRLS: How To Pick Up Girls (ValleyPop, Thank Heaven For ValleyPop)

Tonight on THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO

We open with a brand-new single from TIRnRR poster lads THE ON AND ONS, and we keep right on a-pummelin' with more groovy new stuff by THE GREENBERRY WOODS, MICHAEL SLAWTER AND JULIAN VOLPE, THE COCKTAIL SLIPPERS, THE DOLLYROTS, THE GLIMMER STARS, and THE HOLLYWOOD STARS, and we accompany all of that sheer freshness with a barrage of recent and classic tracks by THE SPONGETONES, THE DRIFTERS, JOHN AND YOKO, ULTRAVOX, THE MONKEES, THE GRIP WEEDS, THE LEGAL MATTERS, THE MOSQUITOS, X-RAY SPEX, THE VIBEKE SAUGESTAD BAND, TAJ MAHAL, GRAHAM PARKER AND THE RUMOUR, TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS, THE HALF/CUBES, THE CYNZ, SPECTRAFLAME, THE NERVES, SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE, THE RAMONES, and our prerequisite MORE, MAN, MORE!!! All this, and we continue getting set for THE SURFRAJETTES' eagerly-anticipated Syracuse appearance this week. Let the beach party commence at will. Sunday night, 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming via sparksyracuse.org, and as WESTCOTT RADIO on the Radio Garden app. The weekend stops HERE!

10 SONGS: 3/14/2026

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1327

THE SURFRAJETTES: Easy As Pie

I swear to Joey Ramone that I chose this as the opening track for this week's 10 Songs before realizing today is Pi Day. It's not that I wouldn't sink to the level of making that joke; it's just that I didn't think of it.

No, this week's radio show and today's blog post start with the Surfrajettes because that incredible rockin' instrumental combo is coming to Syracuse next week for a show at Middle Ages Brewing. HuzZAH! That will be Thursday March 19th, a splendid time will be forcibly mandated for all, and you can get your tickets here. Do so! NOW...!!

Given all that, it was a no-brainer that we were gonna program some Surfrajettes music. And speaking of no-brainers, I was mortified to discover that this is the Surfrajettes' TIRnRR debut. Man, what the hell's wrong with us? But we're gonna make up for our lapse, starting now with the title tune from the Surfragettes' 2024 album Easy As Pie. We'll hear another fine Surfrajettes selection on Sunday night, and we promise more Surfrajettes to come.

Who wants pie? 

THE FLASHCUBES: Reminisce

On the air this week and in the commentary accompanying the posted playlist, I mentioned that Paul Armstrong--really loud guitarist for Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse the Flashcubes--was once cited by a local journalist (probably Russ Donahue) as the one person most responsible for bringing punk and new wave to Syracuse in the '70s. In my (eventually) forthcoming book Make Something Happen! The DIY Story Of A Power Pop Band Called THE FLASHCUBES, PA is referred to as the Godfather of Punk in Central New York. Ain't no one more deserving of that billing.

"Reminisce' was the first of three new original Flashcubes recordings I solicited to enhance Big Stir Records' 2025 various-artists blockbuster Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes. It's a testimony to the group's ongoing Cubic mojo that the three new songs--PA's "Reminisce," bassist Gary Frenay's "The Sweet Spot" (written with the late B.D. Love), and guitarist Arty Lenin's "If These Hands"--can stand with pride alongside other great songs the lads have written from 1977 to date. As I've said elsewhere:

The Ramones remembered rock 'n' roll radio. KISS vowed to rock and roll all night. The Bay City Rollers promised a rock 'n' roll love letter. Power Pop Hall of Famers THE FLASHCUBES were there, and they saw it all. And now? They wanna reminisce.

ORBIS MAX: Don't Lose Me Now

Pop music can swing, pop music can punch, and pop music can ache with loss and longing, fueled by its own regret and desire. The latest Orbis Max single "Don't Lose Me Now" aces the trifecta, built by guitars standing on the shoulders of guitars and driven by the desperation to make things right, or at least make one last stand in the effort. Heart on sleeve. Let the teardops fire at will.

THE CYNZ: Love's So Lovely

An absolutely dynamic cover of Tom Petty's "You Wreck Me" is the current single off Confess, the dynamic new album from the Cynz. We played "You Wreck Me" on last week's show, but this week and next we're returning to one of the album's previous singles, the irresistible original song "Love's So Lovely." Yes! ORIGINAL Cynz! I slay me. But I confess that we can't go wrong either way.

TAVARES: It Only Takes A Minute

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE SPONGETONES: So Long

Like the Flashcubes, North Carolina stalwarts the Spongetones are for damned sure also in The Power Pop Hall Of Fame. And whenever the Spongetones release something new, TIRnRR is for damned sure going to play it. An advance copy of their latest fab single "So Long" reached us after this week's show was already programmed, but just in time for us to make a quick substitution and squeeze it in. (Our apologies to the Dave Clark Five, but you'll be back.) "So Long?" Hello!

SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go

As the country and the world seem increasingly eager to leap into the abyss and take us all with it, I've been trying to draw strength from my current favorite phrase: The audacity of joy. It takes a lot--a lot--to even attempt any kind of positive outlook. But we can't give up on hope. That would mean giving in, and that's what the bad guys want us to do. I refuse. We need to do much more than just hold hands and sing "Kumbaya"...but we DO also need to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya." If we lose joy, we lose everything.

Slyboots' sublime 2024 single "If We Could Let Go" has become my top song choice to accompany the audacious pursuit of delight when delight feels elusive. Join hands. Let go of everything else.

DAVE EDMUNDS: Get Out Of Denver

CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode

Dave Edmunds covering Bob Seger, and Chuck Berry inspiring the Seger tune that Mr. Edmunds is covering. In or out of Denver, they play that guitar like a-ringin' a bell. Go GO!!

THE RAMONES: Do You Wanna Dance?

Yep. Always. In times of trouble, we maintain a steadfast embrace of the audacity of joy.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. You can read about our history here.