THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO, VOLUME 1

 

One of the many great things about co-hosting This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl has been the opportunity for Dana and me to assemble the three This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation CDs. Putting together a weekly three-hour radio show is a blast in itself, but we don't put an awful lot of planning into the shows; on the other hand, a commercial compilation CD is planned meticulously, but it's just as much fun, and somehow feels like a more tangible accomplishment.  

Our first CD, Dana & Carl Present THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO, Volume 1, was released in 2004 by Jeremy Morris on his JAM Recordings label.  It's long since out of print, though there are copies flittin' about on your Amazon and your eBay, I'd guess.  It is still available as an authorized digital download from Futureman Records, so get thee hence:  This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 1. 

And lemme tell ya, I'd like to travel back in time about 38 years and tell my younger self, "Hey, Carl!  Your favorite band The Flashcubes?  Someday, they're gonna write a song about you!"  I'd believe it.  I was a gullible teen.  Here are the (very slightly-edited) liner notes from the disc that started it all.

DANA & CARL PRESENT:  THIS IS ROCK `N' ROLL RADIO, VOLUME 1

This really shouldn't be all that radical a concept:  you take DJs who are rabidly enthusiastic rock `n' roll fans, both knowledgeable and passionate about the music, you put `em on the air and let `em play what they want.  If a programming consultant comes near, you throw rocks at him; if someone mentions "market research," you turn the radio up to drown that moron out.  It's that simple.  We're Dana & Carl, and we're about as simple as you can get.  And we host a weekly radio show called THIS IS ROCK `N' ROLL RADIO, a mutant hybrid of the adventurous spirit of underground radio and the giddy rush of classic AM Top 40.   We say it's THE BEST THREE HOURS OF RADIO ON THE WHOLE FRIGGIN' PLANET, and it's on Sunday nights from 9 to midnight Eastern time in Syracuse, NY, on www.westcottradio.org.  The weekend stops HERE!

THIS IS ROCK `N' ROLL RADIO shows what rock `n' roll radio would sound like if it were...well, y'know, COOL!  Fueled by an unwise diet of caffeine, white sugar and beer, THIS IS ROCK `N' ROLL RADIO is a rockin' pop/punk/soul/bubblegum Shangri La, where Toots & the Maytals play poker with The Ramones, Little Richard arm-wrestles Liz Phair, Big Star is a household name, and a song by some group you've never even heard of before can change your life, or at least send you on an interstate dancing spree. 

We often joke about being on the air for six years with no discernible listenership, but there've actually been a lot of folks who've expressed their appreciation for whatever it is we do here each week; some actually tune in to hear our little dog `n' pony show, and some just respond to our weekly e-mail playlists (available by request from ccdatsme@aol.com).  Still, we keep looking for ways to raise our profile, expand our fanbase and maybe even generate some income to keep the perpetually cash-strapped Syracuse Community Radio itself on the air.  Toward that end, someone suggested we slap together a TIRnRR compilation CD.  "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight," we said confidently.

But what started as an idle pipe dream took shape with amazing speed.  We contacted Jeremy Morris (who was already a fan of the show), and he agreed to release the CD on his JAM Recordings label.  We e-mailed a few of our favorite current rockin' pop acts, to see if anyone might be interested in contributing a track, and the response was overwhelming from artists not merely willing, but eager to participate.  Almost immediately, all of the spots on the CD were filled.   

Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse THE FLASHCUBES wanted to do a new song about us (even though they already had a song called "Pathetic").  Past TIRnRR fave-raves by THE FINKERS, THE FLASHING ASTONISHERS, THE JOHNNY POPSTAR LUV EXPLOSION, unsung Swedish superstars HELLO HELEN and the mighty LUGLESS BOOTH (with a tirade against Joey Ramone's brother, mixed by...um, Joey Ramone's brother, Mickey Leigh) joined new tracks by CHRIS VON SNEIDERN, THE ROOKS, GARY PIG GOLD & SHANE FAUBERT, LISA MYCHOLS, ED JAMES, THE LOLAS, CHRIS RICHARDS, THE SHAMBLES, THE OOHS, SEX CLARK 5, THE JELLYBRICKS and JEREMY, plus previously-released goodies by POPDUDES (with Special Guest Villain Robbie Rist, another friend of the show), THE KENNEDYS, DM3, FLORAPOP, PHIL ANGOTTI & THE IDEA and JAMIE HOOVER & BILL LLOYD.  We found ourselves with a TIRnRR CD that surpasses even our own misguided hype. 

This disc offers a taste of some of the many fine acts played regularly on our hardly-humble little show.  To approximate the full effect of our rock `n' roll radio alchemy, feel free to hit shuffle play on the disc, and mix in more from the likes of Chuck Berry, The Velvet Underground, George Jones, The Kinks, The Undertones, The Bevis Frond, Solomon Burke, KISS, Amos Milburn, XTC, The Bay City Rollers, OutKast, The Lyres, Mary Lou Lord and the ragin' punk sound of "Why" by The Stallions (our most-played track EVER!).  Better yet, tune in to us on Sunday night, or on our Wednesday playback, and revel in The Joy Of Radio, in the tangible thrill of nonpareil rock `n' roll records played by two guys who love rock `n' roll radio.  If you're a programming consultant, beware:  we've got a big pile of rocks, and the will to use `em.  And this is what rock `n' roll radio sounds like on Sunday nights in Syracuse each week.

IN MEMORY OF DAVE EGAN, RICK McBRIEN, GREG SHAW and JOEY RAMONE

THIS IS ROCK `N' ROLL RADIO, hosted by DANA BONN and CARL CAFARELLI, airs Sunday nights from 9 to midnight Eastern, exclusively at www.westcottradio.org. 

DANA & CARL would like to thank Jeremy Morris and all of the artists who donated tracks for this collection--you guys is swell!  We'd also like to tip our hats to Fritz Van Leaven, Dave Murray, Brenda Nuremberg-Cafarelli, Eric Strattman, Danny Danhauser, Keith Klingensmith, Larry Hoyt, Paula Van Houten, Bill Hamler, Ray Paul, Adam Marsland, Scott Jameson at CNYRadio.com, Greg Loescher at Goldmine magazine, Pat Pierson, Jim McGarry and Tracey ["TRES!!"] Maloney at Rainbow Quartz, Jim Freek at Teenacide, Kelley Ryan [astroPuppees!], Anna Borg, Mike Paduana, Scott Thurling at Popboomerang, Daiichi Shida at Wizzard In Vinyl, Mr. Encrypto, Eytan Mirsky, Frisbie, Joe Mannix, Peter Murray, The Charms, Kathryn Francis, Beth Woodell, David Bash, Gael McGear & Dave Soule, Michael Lynch, The Villas, Anny Celsi, Bill Holmes, Mark Hughson, Kevin Gibson, Harper Payne, Dr. Carl E. Williams and Jay Hammond, the guy who years ago said to Carl, "You should meet my friend Dana; he's into that music stuff, too."

If we forgot anyone, it's Carl's fault.  Yep, just like everything else.  We'll getcha on Vol. 2...

PRODUCED BY DANA BONN & CARL CAFARELLI

Executive Producer Jeremy Morris

Liner notes by Carl Cafarelli

Graphic design by Dana Bonn

          

Dana & Carl Present:

THIS IS ROCK `N' ROLL RADIO, VOLUME 1

The first official soundtrack to THE BEST THREE HOURS OF RADIO ON THE WHOLE FRIGGIN' PLANET!

1. MEGHAN JEAN CAFARELLI:  Intro

2. CHRIS VON SNEIDERN:  This Is Rock `n' Roll Radio ID

3. THE FLASHCUBES:  "Carl (You Da Man)"

            (Paul Armstrong/Gary Frenay) Cubic Music BMI; www.theflashcubes.com

4. DM3:  "1 x 2 x Devastated"

            (D. Mariani) Mushroom Music; www.dommariani.com

5. THE LOLAS:  "Sticker"

            (Tim Boykin) Tim Boykin BMI; timboykin@hotmail.com

6. THE JOHNNY POPSTAR LUV EXPLOSION:  "Oh Renee"

            (Johnny Popstar); jpopstar1@aol.com

7. ED JAMES:  "Shiver & Shake"

            (Ed James)  Ed James Music BMI; www.edjames.net, meetedjames@yahoo.com

8. JEREMY:  "What God Wants"

            (Jeremy Morris) Jeremy Morris Music ASCAP; www.jamrecordings.com

9. CHRIS RICHARDS:  "It Doesn't Sound Like You"

            (Richards)  Happy Horse Music 2003; www.chrisrichardsmusic.com

10. HELLO HELEN:  "Fall's Far Away"

            (Persson/Carp) Sadako Music; hellohelen@mail.com

11. THE SHAMBLES:  "Warm This Winter"

            (Hunter/Barkan) Embassy Music Corp./Mount Pocono Music BMI; www.theshambles.net, mail@theshambles.com

12. JAMIE HOOVER & BILL LLOYD:  "Screen Time"

            (Jamie Hoover/Bill Lloyd) Snowzer Music BMI/Bill Lloyd Music BMI, administered by Bug Music Worldwide; www.jamiehoover.net, www.billlloydmusic.com

13. THE OOHS:  This Is Rock `n' Roll Radio ID

14. THE OOHS:  "Mr. Cliche"

            (Brian Cutright) Oohsongs/Oohszone Layer Music; www.theoohs.com; brioohs@sbcglobal.net

15. THE FINKERS:  "Last Thing On My Mind"

            (Baty/Carpenter) The Finkers; thefinkers@hotmail.com

16. THE ROOKS:  "Sometimes [alternate version]"

            (Michael Mazzarella); www.therooks.com

17. LUGLESS BOOTH:  "I Blame His Brother [Mickey Leigh mix]"

             (Lugless Booth) Girls Village; luglessbooth@hotmail.com 

18. SEX CLARK 5:  "She's The End/Great Sheiks"

            (Butler/Storey) BMI; missile8@aol.com

19. THE FLASHING ASTONISHERS:  "Period Exclamatory"

            (Musclow/Yeti); www.koalasyndicate.com; koalasyndicate@hotmail.com

20. THE JELLYBRICKS:  "She Can't"

            (Wehler/Kennedy)  Torqueplay Music BMI; www.thejellybricks.com, jellybrick@aol.com

21. GARY PIG GOLD & SHANE FAUBERT:  "Gotta Get In Touch"

             (Shane Faubert) To M'Lou Music ASCAP; www.tomlou.com, tomlou@tomlou.com (Shane) and pigprod@aol.com (Gary)

22. THE MASTICATORS:  This Is Rock `n' Roll Radio ID

23. LISA MYCHOLS:  "Cactus Boy"

            (Lisa Mychols) BMI; www.lisamychols.com

24. CHRIS VON SNEIDERN:  "Lonely Tonight"

            (Chris von Sneidern) Pop Gem Factory BMI; www.cvsmusic.com

25. THE KENNEDYS:  "And Your Bird Can Sing"

             (John Lennon & Paul McCartney) Northern Songs Ltd. BMI; www.kennedysmusic.com

26. PHIL ANGOTTI & THE IDEA:  "The Only Reason"

            (Phil Angotti); www.philangotti.com

27. FLORAPOP:  "Who Can Really Know?"

            (Mark Flora) BMI; florapop@aol.com

28. POPDUDES:  "Desperation Time"

            (K. West/J. Borack) # 37 Music/JFB Music; popdude@aol.com

29.  DANA & CARL (with DAVE MURRAY):  "The Ballad Of Jah Clampett"

            (Paul Henning) Carolintone Music Company, Inc. BMI.  Arranged by Dana Bonn & Carl Cafarelli