This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume Zero

As we barrel ahead to This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 900 on Sunday, here's a peak into an alternate reality.

There have been four TIRnRR compilation CDs released commercially, beginning with Volume 1 in 2004 through Volume 4 in 2017. Each volume has been a source of pride and delight for Dana and me, and I think Volume 4 is the best rockin' pop compilation of the year. TIRnRR # 900 will open with an eight-song celebration of the TIRnRR CDs, an introductory victory lap through Dana & Carl's contributions to your essential power pop home library.

In the real world, our compilations were slapped together with an understanding that there was great stuff we could secure permission to use, and also great stuff that was absolutely beyond our reach. But what if we could use anything, anything we wanted? What if money were no object, licensing no challenge, the archives of all acts and labels open for us to sift through and select for our own selfish use? That random thought occurred to me this week, and I felt compelled to have a go at it.

Even in a fantasy, some parameters applied. We'd be trying to craft a compilation with commercial appeal to our targeted audience (whoever the hell you are), so we would want to give preference to tracks not readily available elsewhere. As tempting as it may be to load up on gems by The Beatles, The Ramones, The Kinks, et al., those would not make sense in this context. I mean, you'd want to hear 'em all on This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, of course, but you may not want to buy a TIRnRR CD overrun with so much material that you already own.

So I came up with some ideas, jotted 'em down, started an iTunes file for convenience, and whittled it all down to the length of a single commercial compact disc, instantly mourning the loss of tracks by The Mosquitos, The Crickle, Fanny, Bullet, The Poptarts, and many more. I didn't spend a lot of time on it (and therefore immediately regretted the omission of "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" by Styx, a flat-out fantastic power pop track from a group I normally loathe). Nonetheless, I dig the result. I give to you:

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume Zero

1. PAUL McCARTNEY: Not Such A Bad Boy
2. PARTHENON HUXLEY: Double Our Numbers
3. JOEY WILSON: If You Don't Want My Love
4. HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES: Don't Leave Me This Way [single version]
5. FOTOMAKER: Come Back
6. THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: Don't You Realize
7. FOOLS FACE: Nothing To Say
8. THE OHMS: License To Kill
9. THE OHIO EXPRESS: Had To Be Me
10. THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Summer Breeze [single version]
11. HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Time Will Tell
12. THE MONKEES: Terrifying
13. THE KEYS: I Don't Wanna Cry
14. THE STALLIONS: Why
15. THE SPINNERS: My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)
16. RACHAEL GORDON: Drop By And Stay
17. THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: New Beginnings
18. STANLEY FRANK: S'cool Days
19. THE ZONES: New Life
20. COLOR ME GONE: Lose Control
21. DAVID WERNER: Too Late To Try
22. FEAR OF STRANGERS: Shopping For A Dog
23. PEZBAND: Come On Madeline
24. THE ROMANTICS: Keep On Running
25. EYTAN MIRSKY: This Year's Gonna Be Our Year

Of the 25 tracks, I believe that 13--by Joey Wilson, The Dave Clark Five, Fools Face, The Ohms, The Monkees, The Keys, The Bay City Rollers, Stanley Frank, The Zones, Color Me Gone, David Werner, Fear Of Strangers, and The Romantics--have never been issued on CD. Of those 13, "Terrifying" by The Monkees has only been issued as a digital download and a limited edition 45, "New Beginnings" by The Bay City Rollers has only been issued on a very rare cassette release (under truncated billing as "The Rollers"), and neither "Keep On Running" by The Romantics nor "License To Kill" by The Ohms has ever been officially released in any format. I think there may have been CD releases of Parthenon Huxley's Sunny Nights and Fotomaker's Vis A Vis albums, but both are currently out of print, and Pezband's albums are only available as the original vinyl (if you can find 'em) or as rather pricey Japanese import CDs.

Most of the rest presents a mix of tracks that may or may not be easily scarfed up on other CDs. The single edits of The Isley Brothers' "Summer Breeze" and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes's Forgotten Original of "Don't Leave Me This Way" are not all that common. I was torn between using Rachael Gordon's terrific cover of "Drop By And Stay" or the great original by Piper (featuring a then-unknown Billy Squier). A lesser-known (though commonly available) Motown B-side by The Spinners, and less-celebrated album tracks by Paul McCartney, The Ohio Express, Holly Golightly, and The Stallions help to complete a compelling package.

The set closes with "This Year's Gonna Be Our Year" from Eytan Mirsky's 2012 Year Of The Mouse album. This incredible track, one of the defining songs of TIRnRR, was penciled in to appear on the real-life This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4, but had to be omitted due to time constraints. It belongs on a TIRnRR CD; it takes its place on this fictional set for the time being, at least.

I've burned TIRnRR Zero onto a CD-R, supplemented by an old recording of my daughter (who introduced all four of the genuine TIRnRR CDs) singing the chorus of "Ruby Tuesday," and by three TIRnRR IDs (one apiece by One Like Son and Vegas With Randolph, and a brand-new 900th show ID by Steve Stoeckel, which you'll hear on Sunday's show). It sounds good in the car, and that's all I've ever asked of a pop compilation. I hope you enjoyed this alternate Earth version of a TIRnRR compilation, and I hope you'll join us Sunday, December 3rd, for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 900.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl, Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse on The Spark WSPJ-LP 103.3 and 93.7, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/

Spark Syracuse is supported by listeners like you. Tax-deductible donations are welcome at http://sparksyracuse.org/support/

You can follow Carl's daily blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at 
https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/

Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-Op, Ray Paul, Circe Link & Christian Nesmith, Vegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie Flowers, The Slapbacks, P. Hux, Irene Peña, Michael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave Merritt, The Rubinoos, Stepford Knives, The Grip Weeds, Popdudes, Ronnie Dark, The Flashcubes, Chris von Sneidern, The Bottle Kids, 1.4.5., The Smithereens, Paul Collins' Beat, The Hit Squad, The Rulers, The Legal Matters, Maura & the Bright Lights, Lisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here.