This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1336

I wanna be your boyfriend

There is an element of yearning inherent in pop music. Sure, the phrase "rock 'n' roll" is specifically about sex, but rockin' pop can include a longing for love along with its lust for action. Hands to be held. Promises to share. Long walks, fate-filled dances, first dates, second dates, the tantalizing prospect of more. The more can be as chaste or as earthy as mutual hearts desire.

It would be disingenuous (to the point of outright fibbing) to claim that power pop isn't at least sometimes about gettin' it on. I mean, the Knack and the Raspberries (among others!) would beg to differ immediately. The Rubinoos' 1979 power pop classic "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" has always had it both ways, implying a one-night stand that can last forever. The song's presumed innocence is balanced by its sheer urgency. Hey, hey, you, you, I wanna be your boyfriend.

Brazil's phenomenal pop combo Banda AL9 have just released their own incredible cover of the Rubinoos' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," retaining the original oomph and deliberate dichotomy, as faithful as a good boyfriend must be, and as electrifying as consummation should be. Banda AL9's Rubinoos cover opens this week's show. 

And we follow Banda AL9's "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" immediately with a different song of the same title, courtesy of the Ramones. Playing against punk type, the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" feels even more emphatically innocent than the Rubinoos song; Dee Dee Ramone once claimed that the Bay City Rollers wanted to cover that very Ramones song, and while the claim is almost certainly nonsense...

...it's also plausible nonsense. Pop music. It is large. It contains multitudes. Just like love does. This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another Snday 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 # 1336: 5/10/2026

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

BANDA AL9: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Wicked Cool, single)

THE RAMONES: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Rhino, Ramones)                  

GIRLSCHOOL: 20th Century Boy (Lemon, The Singles)

YOUNG HOMEBUYERS: Boyfriend (Zero Hour, VA: Power Pop From The Garage: Austalian Power Pop, 74-86)

THE PORTUGAL JAPAN: Boy Meets Girl (Dionysus, VA: Innocence Is Bliss [A Female Frenzy Of Sensational Sounds!)

THE ANGELS: My Boyfriend's Back (Mercury, VA: Growin' Up Too Fast: The Girl Group Anthology)

--

GO TIME!: Rules Don't Apply (Kool Kat Musik, 11)

THE SHADOWS OF KNIGHT: Follow (Collectables, The Super K Collection)

AMOS MILBURN: Down The Road Apiece (EMI, The Best Of Amos Milburn--Down The Road Apiece)

NICK LOWE: When I Write The Book (Yep Roc, Quiet Please...The New Best Of Nick Lowe)

THE SEVEN AND SIX: The Wonder (n/a, EP # 1)

THE POPPY FAMILY: Beyond The Clouds (March, A Good Thing Lost 1968-1973)

--

THE ON AND ONS: Constance (Jem, Luminary)

DAR WILLIAMS: Teen For God (Razor & Tie, My Better Self)

P. P. ARNOLD: God Only Knows (Sequel, The First Cut)

TALK TALK: Talk Talk (Parlophone, The Party's Over)

THE LEGAL MATTERS: It Doesn't Matter (Big Stir, Lost At Sea)

TALKING HEADS: Love Goes To A Building On Fire [demo] (Rhino, Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live)

--

7 DOOR SEDAN: I'm On A Rocket Ship (Heading My Way Back Home) (single)

THE KNACK: Rocket O' Love (Big Beat, VA: Rockets Of Love! Power Pop Gems From The 70s, 80s & 90s)

THE ONLY ONES: Another Girl, Another Planet (Rhino, VA: DIY: Teenage Kicks - UK Pop I [1976-79])

THE PRODUCERS: What's He Got? (Big Beat, VA: Rockets Of Love! Power Pop Gems From The 70s, 80s & 90s)

THE SUPREMES: Stop! In The Name of Love (Motown, DIANA ROSS & THE SUPEREMES, The Ultimate Collection)

TOMMY TUTONE: 867-5309/Jenny (Big Beat, VA: Rockets Of Love! Power Pop Gems From The 70s, 80s & 90s)

--

CHROME AGNON: Ion You (Futureman, VA: Back In Time--Lost Hits Of The 80's Vol. 2)

RICHARD X. HEYMAN: Vacation (Big Beat, VA: Rockets Of Love! Power Pop Gems From The 70s, 80s & 90s)

THE CHELSEA CURVE: Ride (Rum Bar, The Rideout)

sparkle*jets u.k.: No One Rides For Free (Big Stir, Best Of Friends)

SAM AND DAVE: Soul Man (Atlantic, VA: The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968)

THE ENGLISH BEAT: Rough Rider (IRS, I Just Can't Stop It)

--

ROB MOSS AND SKIN-TIGHT SKIN: Everything In The World/Cement Man (single)

THE DUKES OF EARL: Him Or Me (Vivid Sound, VA: He Put The Bomp In The Bomp: Greg Shaw)

THE MONKEES: She (Rhino, More Of The Monkees)

THE REPLACEMENTS: Takin' A Ride (Sire, For Sale: Live At Maxwell's 1986)

THE SHIRTS: Tell Me Your Plans (Think Like A Key Music, Live At Paradise 1979)

NIKKI CORVETTE AND THE HELL ON HEELS: What A Way To Die (Vivid Sound, VA: He Put The Bomp In The Bomp: Greg Shaw)

--

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

HEADGIRL: Please Don't Touch (Lemon, GIRLSCHOOL: The Singles)

HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Time (Damaged Goods, Look Like Trouble)

SERGIO CECCANTI:  Leave The Past, Don't Look Behind (Kool Kat Musik, Leave The Past, Don't Look Behind)

THE REMAINS: Don't Look Back (Rhino, VA: Nuggets)

JOHNNY NASH: I Can See Clearly Now (Rhino, VA: Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience)

JOSIE COTTON: The Night Before (Cleopatra, Everything Is Oh Yeah)

--

THE RIFLEBIRDS OF PORTLAND: And Your Bird Can Sing (Regional, April)

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

FOXY: Not For Sale (Rum Bar, single)

SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PL:ANET: The Alouette (She Was Canada's First Satellite, Way Before The Americans Even) (Yep Roc, Dim The Lights, Chill The Ham)

THE HALF/CUBES FEATURING GLENN BURTNICK: Bend Me, Shape Me (single)

ELASTICA: Annie (DGC, Elastica)

JIM BASNIGHT: Get It Out (Kool Kat Musik, Under The Rock)

THE JAM: All Mod Cons (Polydor, Dig The New Breed)

--

BANDA AL9: She Calls Me Love (Wicked Cool, Hey! Hey! We're Banda AL9)

THE DAMNED: Smash It Up (Part 2) (Sanctuary, Smash It Up: The Anthology 1976-1987)

THE FLASHCUBES: Got No Mind (Northside, Flashcubes On Fire)

SQUEEZE: Vicky Verky (A & M, The Squeeze Story)

SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go (single)

THE SEARCHERS: Love's Melody (Omnivore, Another Night: The Sire Recordings 1979-1981)

THE CYNZ: Ghost Rider (Jem, Confess)

THE BEATLES: Getting Better (Apple, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)

--

THE METERS: Thinking (Rhino, Look-Ka Py Py)

Tonight on THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO

It's the mother of all rockin' pop radio shows, with new music from BANDA AL9, GO TIME!, THE ON AND ONS, ROB MOSS AND SKIN-TIGHT SKIN, and 7 DOOR SEDAN, plus more by THE CYNZ, THE RAMONES, DAR WILLIAMS, THE JAM, THE SHADOWS OF KNIGHT, THE RIFLEBIRDS OF PORTLAND, AMOS MILBURN, NICK LOWE, THE SEVEN AND SIX, THE LEGAL MATTERS, THE POPPY FAMILY, THE SUPREMES, THE KNACK, THE CHELSEA CURVE, SAM AND DAVE, SPARKLE*JETS U.K., THE SHIRTS, THE REPLACEMENTS, THE MONKEES, THE FLASHCUBES, THE ENGLISH BEAT, HOLLY GOLIGHTLY, SERGIO CECCANTI, JIM BASNIGHT, JOSIE COTTON, THE HALF/CUBES FEATURING GLENN BURTNICK, SQUEEZE, THE DAMNED, THE SEARCHERS, and even that ain't all. Listen to your mother of all rockin' pop radio shows: We know what's good for you. Listen and like it! 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 (plus one): 5/9/2026

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 # 1335

THE GREENBERRY WOODS: The One That Makes You Happy

If you thought the release of another new single by long-standing power pop idols the Greenberry Woods would automatically occupy the lead-off slot in this week's show, you were correct in your thinking. You're pretty good at this thinking stuff. "The One That Makes You Happy" lives up to its titular hype, and we're happy to play it. "The One That Makes You Happy" serves as a sneak peek at the new Greenberry Woods album It's All Good, Sugar..., which is due out May 29th.

And that should make everyone happy. That's what we think.

T. REX: Cosmic Dancer

When T. Rex singer Marc Bolan was killed in a car accident in September of 1977, I was a college freshman and I was pissed that no one else in my dorm knew who Marc Bolan was. It's not like I was an expert on all things related to T. Rexstasy--at the time, I only knew "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"--but I did have at least an inkling of Bolan's importance, and I was disappointed to discover how alone I was in that setting. (Later, "20th Century Boy" assumed the permanent role of my favorite T. Rex track, as detailed here). I remain a Marc Bolan dilletante, and I owe myself a deeper Jeepster dive in the near future.

Although I've owned a copy of T. Rex's Electric Warrior album track "Cosmic Dancer" for decades, I didn't notice it until it popped up in an episode of the (now-cancelled) 2025 Amazon Prime TV series Étoile. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino (creators of Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Étoile details the dynamics of a pair of interconnected ballet companies, one in New York and one in Paris. Hijinks ensue, as they often do. The series is most definitely not for everyone, but one doesn't need any proper knowledge of ballet to follow what's going on here (nor in the Palladinos' previous ballet-set series Bunheads). For us rockin' pop enthusiasts, David Byrne makes a cameo appearance in one episode, and Sparks perform "I Married Myself" in the series finale.

In one episode, "Cosmic Dancer" plays in the background, the song's ethereal evocation of dance serving as accompaniment to the visuals while bellying up to the barre in its own right. That was sufficient inspiration to place "Cosmic Dancer" on this week's playlist.

SPECTRAFLAME: Yesterday (Jane)

Sometimes it take us time to get around to things. TIRnRR plays the music of Spectraflame with some frequency, as we oughta. We'd planned to program Spectraflame's "Yesterday (Jane)" a while back, but the track got lost in our self-inflicted shuffle. We're inept, but we're adorable. We got to it now! TODAY, Jane! Today!

GENERAL JOHNSON AND JOEY RAMONE: Rockaway Beach (On The Beach)

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

FIRST CLASS: Beach Baby

KIRSTY MacCOLL: He's On The Beach

THE GO-GO'S: Beatnik Beach

THE FLASHCUBES: Muscle Beach

THE 'B' GIRLS: Fun At The Beach

Segues are often capable of writing themselves, without much (if any) reliance on prior blueprinting. I had determined ahead of time that I wanted General Johnson and Joey Ramone's sublime beach-soul remake of the Ramones' "Rockaway Beach" to occupy this week's Greatest Record Ever Made! slot. This was the sum total of preplanning that went into the forging of what wound up being an entire beach-related set.

Dana followed Johnson 'n' Ramone with First Class and their first-class Beach Boys homage "Beach Boys," a lovely track that earns its own chapter in my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). This prompted me to answer with Kirsty MacColl's "He's On The Beach," a fantastic track that I hadn't had any intention of playing this week. But...it fit! And so it played.

Game on.

Our Kirsty inspired Dana to play "Beatnik Beach," a vibrant li'l number that was the B-side of the Go-Go's' irresistible "Vacation" 45. HuzZAH! I was compelled to follow the Go-Go's with Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse the Flashcubes, represented by an incendiary 1979 live performance of Paul Armstrong's "Muscle Beach" from the album Flashcubes On Fire. Dana wrote finis in the sand of this beach trip with the 'B' Girls and "Fun At The Beach."

Does big-time TIRnRR DJing seem easy to you? It IS! We always follow the can't-miss two-step formula to programming the best rockin' pop radio. STEP ONE: Know which rockin' pop songs are the best rockin' pop songs. STEP TWO: Play those. Hodads! Honeys! Fall in! The sound of the beach awaits.

THE CHELSEA CURVE: Ride

The same self-inflicted shuffle that delayed us in playing Spectraflame's "Yesterday (Jane)" nearly did similar disservice to the Chelsea Curve's recent single "Ride." But we love the Chelsea Curve, and we made damned sure to navigate that imposing shuffle and guarantee that "Ride" secured its rightful place on this week's playlist. The Chelsea Curve's new album The Rideout is available now. The single rides again on our next show.

THE RONETTES: Be My Baby

Also The Greatest Record Ever Made! Godspeed, Nedra Talley.

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.

My Two Books-In-Progress: A short story collection, and a history of The Flashcubes

            As I've mentioned many, many, many times in previous posts, I currently have two books I hope to complete and publish this year: A short story collection called Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies, and an oral history of my favorite power pop group, Make Something Happen! The DIY Story Of A Power Pop Band Called THE FLASHCUBES. I have a number of other potential book projects assuming spitball formation after that, but those two are the ones I want to prepare for retail before 2026 clocks out for the year.

The short story collection will be out first. Last week, my paid supporters got a sneak peek at the introductory paragraphs of two more stories written for Guitars Vs. Rayguns!!: "Navigating" and "GUITARS VS RAYGUNS!! Live At BudoKHAAAAAAAANNNNN!!" I've since changed both titles--to "Lone Star Falling" and "GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS! Return To Uranus" respectively--and I finished the GvR! short earlier this week. On Thursday, I completed the first draft of "Lone Star Falling," and I have a current gut feeling that it's the best story I've ever written. I pity the story that has to follow "Lone Star Falling" in the book, but I've started work on that story, too. When that story's done, I think the book as a whole will just need final tweaks before I declare it ready for the world. The previously-announced May 30th publication date is a little unlikely, but not out of the question.

The Flashcubes book was originally planned for publication in 2025, but the amount of time and attention needed to get the Flashcubes tribute album to market just made it impossible for part-time writer me to work on the 'Cubes book at the same time. With the tribute album accomplished, my own pressing personal need to concentrate on a fiction project made Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! the immediate priority. I know I'll be lucky to sell a couple dozen copies of it (if that!), but it's the realization of a dream that dates back more than fifty years. I can't overstate how important the short story collection is to me.

Then, Make Something Happen! can finally take center stage in my schedule. I will always regret the fact that I couldn't complete the Flashcubes book before 'Cubes guitarist Paul Armstrong passed away last month. But nor do I see a set of circumstances where I could have finished it sooner. The book is a lot--a lot--of work, work I delight in doing, but still more work than any other project I've ever attempted. Most of that work is still to be done. But by God, I will make this specific something happen, and it will be something that does the Flashcubes' legacy the justice it deserves. 

In the mean time, next week I will be offering the first public look at the Flashcubes book's two introductory sections, the parts that will appear in the book right before we get to the interviews. Here's to bright lights that never fade.

In 2027, as I hit my 67th birthday, I will probably reduce my day-job commitment from full-time to part-time. I have at least three novels I want to write. I have an exciting collaborative project that I pray won't be derailed by my extended delay in getting around to it. I have things to do.

Guess I better do them.

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.

THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! Rihanna, "Shut Up And Drive"

Drawn from previous posts, this is not part of my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1).

An infinite number of track can each be THE greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Today, this is THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE!

RIHANNA: Shut Up And Drive

Written by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, based on "New Monday" by Stephen Morris, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, and Gillian Gilbert

Produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken

Single from the album Good Girl Gone Bad, Def Jam Records, 2007

Rihanna's "Shut Up And Drive" is a stupid song about sex. But it's a great stupid song about sex, probably the best-ever stupid song about sex, and a legit contender for my all-time Hot 200. Yeah, even among songs that may or may not be stupid and may or may not be about sex.

I remember hearing Rihanna's hit "Umbrella" in 2007, and not being especially taken with it. In 2008, the updated version of her Good Girl Gone Bad (Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded) landed into my consciousness via my then-teen daughter, whose interest in "Take A Bow" and "Disturbia" brought those songs to my attention as well. I was a little surprised to discover I liked them (especially "Disturbia"), but I did indeed like them.

I missed out on the track "Shut Up And Drive." I'd heard it, but I never noticed it until a random search for playlist ideas brought me to it again. It was like a brand new song to me, and I loved it.

(How did I know I loved it? The fact that I played it on obsessive repeat would be a pretty clear clue to that.)

Wikipedia describes "Shut Up And Drive" as a new wave song--no, really!--based on "Blue Monday" by New Order. No offense to the mopey British guys, but I prefer it the way Rihanna did it.

"Shut Up And Drive" strikes me as a sort-of equivalent to "Heavy Music" by Bob Seger and the Last Heard, a track I initially dismissed as a stupid song about sex before realizing it was--you guessed it!--a great stupid song about sex. 

Rihanna's song is greater. Drive, baby. Drive.

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.

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: The Best Of The THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Compilation CDs

 This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

In the time span from around 2004 through 2022, Dana and I had the pleasure of compiling and curating five various-artists This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation CDs. Each of these was released commercially; the first two volumes were issued by JAM Recordings, the final three by Kool Kat Musik, and the first four albums are also available as digital downloads from Futureman Records (Kool Kat handled digital distribution of Volume 5). Details on how you can add 'em to your music library appear below.

I am very proud of these compilations, especially the last two, and most especially This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5, which I firmly believe is one of the greatest rockin' pop compilation albums of all time. Modesty? Doesn't apply in this situation. All of the individual tracks shine, and the flow of track to track makes the whole feel like a cohesive artistic work. Think of Volume 5 the way we intended it, as a concept album about listening to a love story play out on the radio.

One should never say never, but it's very likely that Volume 5 will be the last-ever TIRnRR compilation album. We loved doing them, but they're expensive to do properly. I'm satisfied that we ended the series on such a high note.

Today's exercise in imaginary playlisting gathers tracks from the five TIRnRR compilations and plays 'em all together. Could have easily added a fourth hour of drop-dead primo material. As a bonus, we also give you TIR'N'RR Allstars' exquisite cover of the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset," which a bunch of our talented friends put together as a fundraiser for us. We have great friends!

And our friends have made it possible to produce some fantastic compilations. Here's a playlist of some of the best from This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio Volumes 1-5. And you know what else these gems have in common?

Volume. Proceed accordingly.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: The Best Of The THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Compilation CDs

LAURIE BIAGINI: Hey Mr. DJ

SCREEN TEST: Sound Of The Radio

MANNIX: Highway Lines

IRENE PENA: Must've Been Good

THE FINKERS: Last Thing On My Mind

AMY RIGBY: Tom Petty Karaoke

--

JOHN WICKS AND THE RECORDS: Edges Of A Dream

HAWAII MUD BOMBERS: Office Crush

PERILOUS: Rock & Roll Kiss

1.4.5.: Your Own World

THE COWSILLS: She Said To Me

THE RICHARDS: Five Personalities

--

CHRIS VON SNEIDERN: Goodnight Sailor

POP CO-OP: You Don't Love Me Anymore

THE SPONGETONES: Anyway Town

ARIELLE EDEN: Sagittarius

ANNY CELSI: Empty Hangers

DM3: 1 x 2 x Devastated

--

THE RULERS: I Want My Ramones Records Back

LUGLESS BOOTH: I Blame His Brother

THE BLONDES: Suzi Quatro

BALLZY TOMORROW: Out There

POPDUDES: Desperation Time

MAD MONSTER PARTY: Can't Stop Loving You

--

THE JANGLE BAND: So Long

RAY PAUL: I Need Your Love Tonight

CAROLYNE MAS: In The Rain

STEVE STOECKEL AND HIS THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO ALL-STARS: I Could Be Good For You

HOOVER AND MARTINEZ: What The Heart Wants

THE CATHOLIC GIRLS: Should Have Been Mine

--

THE RUBINOOS: Nowheresville

KID GULLIVER: Forget About Him

GARY FRENAY: Just Like Me

MAURA AND THE BRIGHT LIGHTS: Maybe Someday

THE GRIP WEEDS: Strange Bird

THE SMITHEREENS: Got Me A Girl

--

THE TEARJERKERS: Syracuse Summer

HELLO HELLEN: Fall's Far Away

TALL POPPY SYNDROME: Come Some Christmas Eve (Or Halloween)

UNCLE GREEN: I Don't Wanna Know About It

MICHAEL OLIVER AND THE SACRED BAND FEATURING DAVE MERRITT: You Won't Do

THE LEGAL MATTERS: Don't Look Back

--

KELLEY RYAN: The Church Of Laundry

IN DEED: Peace & Quiet

P. HUX: Better Than Good

JUSTINE AND THE UNCLEAN: Vengeance

CHRIS RICHARDS: It Doesn't Sound Like You

STEPHENSON AND COMPANY: Talking Down To Me

THE SLAPBACKS: Make Something Happen

RONNIE DARK: Sarah

--

MICHAEL CARPENTER: I've Been Loving You

PAUL COLLINS' BEAT: She Doesn't Want To Hang Around With You

THE HIT SQUAD: Best Of Me

THE VILLAS: Someone To Hold On To

LISA MYCHOLS: Almost Didn't Happen

CIRCE LINK AND CHRISTIAN NESMITH: I'm On Your Side

MR. ENCRYPTO: The Last Time [a cappella]

EYTAN MIRSKY: This Year's Gonna Be Our Year

--

THE FLASHCUBES: Carl (You Da Man)

TIR'N'RR ALLSTARS: Waterloo Sunset

COMIC BOOK COVER GALLERY: Issues # 55 acquired in the '60s, '70s, and '80s

                       

Observing this fifth day of the fifth month sets up the contrived circumstances leading this week's edition of Comic Book Cover Gallery to spotlight the 55th issues of various comic book series. Yeah, like this is the first time you've ever run into something comics-related that was an eensy bit contrived.

The challenge was finding qualifying comic books I acquired within the chosen timeline. By the time I started accumulating comics in the mid 1960s, long-running titles were already waaay beyond their fifty-fifth issues, and a lot of newer titles just didn't reach that number. In later years, it became more and more common for books to restart numbering to create a new hot collectible # 1. See my above comment about contrivances.

As always, we'll be sticking exclusively to the '60s, '70s, and '80s era of acquisition I've established for these galleries. Today's 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.

Batman # 208...but also 80-Page Giant 3 G-55

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.