I've been the happy recipient of a lot of warm 'n' fuzzy validation in the past week or so. It began last Wednesday, when my This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio co-host Dana Bonn and I learned the details of Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, a super pop compilation our talented friends and listeners put together to raise money for our perpetually teetering-on-the-brink radio operation (and which you can purchase for download from Futureman Records, with all proceeds benefiting our station SPARK! in Syracuse). It continued after the release of Waterloo Sunset, with immediate interest from another party wishing to...well, more about that when the time comes. And on Tuesday night, when I was out playing trivia in a group that included an editor familiar with the short stories I've been writing, the editor took me aside just to say how much he enjoyed--loved--one story in particular, and how he wished he could see more writers submitting stories like that.
Is it possible to blush and preen at the same time? It must be. And I've been getting some practice doing it lately.
But I really didn't expect to read about me in this month's Pop Geek Heaven newsletter. Pop Geek Heaven is Bruce Brodeen's baby; fans have known and cherished Bruce as power pop's most faithful flamekeeper for decades, starting with his fab Not Lame record label and mail order service in the '90s. Bruce's dedication has continued unabated, as Not Lame evolved into the broader and even more ambitious Pop Geek Heaven. You can check out his website Pop Geek Heaven and you can subscribe to the free monthly newsletter at musicgeekheaven@gmail.com
And I was not at all prepared to read the following in the July newsletter, with a picture of your Boppin' blogger under the headline "Carl Cafarelli's This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:"
"One of the long-time luminaries in the power pop intelligentsia world, Carl Cafarelli is the genre's 'everyman' because he does...everything. Author, radio show host, blogger, podcaster, speaker, music historian, liner note scribe and...what might be the important epitaph on his resume..."The World's Biggest and Most Passionate Fan of The Flashcubes".
"Yup, no one knows more about the band than Cafarelli - including the members of the band, I suspect.
"Anyway, the body of work that he's accomplished with his radio show is...stunning. Best displayed with the most recent link to his latest show - Show #983.
"Don't try this at home, indeed.
"I was not aware of this until a few minutes ago (and just before hitting 'send' on this newsletter), diving into his blog a bit further but he's working on a book, too. Seems like it's 'close' but not definitely not too far off. When I hear more specific details, I'll pass 'em here.
"So let's get to the linkage for y'all.
AND
Syracuse Music Hall of Fame Induction Speech for The Flashcubes - Click HERE
The Ultimate Interview of The Flashcubes - Click HERE
Um...wow?
As flattering as all of this is, I do need to point out that I cannot take all of the credit for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio. The show was Dana's idea to begin with, and the show itself is literally half Dana's. People who primarily know me because of my writing or my online presence or my costumed war on crime sometimes give me more credit than I deserve for TIRnRR. There would never have been a This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio without Dana, and he should be acknowledged as the show's co-architect. It's not just me, it's not just him. It's the Dana & Carl show.
But otherwise? Yeah, I'm, flattered. And validated. And I guess I better get back to work.
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Fans of pop music will want to check out Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, a new pop compilation benefiting SPARK! Syracuse, the home of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. TIR'N'RR Allstars--Steve Stoeckel, Bruce Gordon, Joel Tinnel, Stacy Carson, Eytan Mirsky, Teresa Cowles, Dan Pavelich, Irene Peña, Keith Klingensmith, and Rich Firestone--offer a fantastic new version of The Kinks' classic "Waterloo Sunset." That's supplemented by eleven more tracks (plus a hidden bonus track), including previously-unreleased gems from The Click Beetles, Eytan Mirsky, Pop Co-Op, Irene Peña, Michael Slawter (covering The Posies), and The Anderson Council (covering XTC), a new remix of "Infinite Soul" by The Grip Weeds, and familiar TIRnRR Fave Raves by Vegas With Randolph, Gretchen's Wheel, The Armoires, and Pacific Soul Ltd. Oh, and that mystery bonus track? It's exquisite. You need this. You're buying it from Futureman.
Hey, Carl's writin' a book! The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) will contain 100 essays (and then some) about 100 tracks, plus two bonus instrumentals, each one of 'em THE greatest record ever made. An infinite number of records can each be the greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Updated initial information can be seen here: THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (Volume 1)
Our most recent compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is still 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. A digital download version (minus The Smithereens' track) is also available from Futureman Records.
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