THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE: About The Author (Hey, How 'Bout That Author?)

I'm still working on the formal book proposal for The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Part of that is an autobiographical section. I speak fluent hype (as evidenced by my continued insistence on billing This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl as The Best Three Hours Of Radio On The Whole Friggin' Planet), but it still felt odd to talk myself up to this degree. However, I believe in this book, so lemme put my big shoes on so you can meet the author. I tell ya, as I read this (and it's all true), I'm impressed by me. Granted, I'm easily impressed. I hope a publisher will share that sense of awe.

Awwww...!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carl Cafarelli has written about rock ‘n’ roll, pop music, and pop culture for 35 years. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame cited his interviews with The Ramones as “essential reading.” Not Lame Media referred to Cafarelli as “one of the world’s most respected power pop scholars,” Rex Broome of Los Angeles record label Big Stir Records called him a “scene legend,” and critic Bill Holmes described him as “[one of] the most trusted names in pop journalism.” Legendary rock critic John Mendelsson “flipped out” over Cafarelli’s personal reminiscence of discovering the music of Buddy Holly as a teen in the ‘70s. These quotes make Cafarelli blush and preen, all at the same time. Cafarelli’s byline is viewed by fans of pop journalism as a guarantee of passionate, informed, and accomplished writing about the music they love.

Since 1998, Cafarelli has been the co-host (with Dana Bonn) of the weekly radio show This Is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio, which airs Sunday nights in Syracuse, NY on SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, sparksyracuse.org. Cafarelli and Bonn have assembled, designed, annotated, produced, and promoted four nationally-released, critically praised This Is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio compilation CDs to date, featuring contributions from artists including The Cowsills, The Smithereens, and The Rubinoos. Cafarelli was a regular contributor to Goldmine magazine for 20 years, and is currently a contributor to AHOY Comics, one of the most buzz-worthy publishers in the current market. He maintains his own daily blog, Boppin’ (Like The Hip Folks Do), which he started in the immediate aftermath of David Bowie’s death in 2016.

  

Cafarelli’s writing for Goldmine was seen by an average readership of 30,000 music fans and record collectors, and Boppin’ (Like The Hip Folks Do) has nearly a half million views. Cafarelli’s work has been referenced in Billboard, Rolling Stone, the venerable UK rock magazine Bucketfull Of Brains, and in the books Cult Rockers, Sound Tracks: A Musical ABC, Play On! Power Pop Heroes, The Popular Music Teaching Handbook, and Boys Don’t Lie: A History Of Shoes.

In addition to his work for Goldmine, AHOY Comics, and Boppin’ (Like The Hip Folks Do), Cafarelli has written for Rhino Records, The Syracuse New Times, DISCoveries, REET! magazine, Warner Brothers Records, BMG Europe, Amazing Heroes, The Buffalo News, Big Stir magazine, Yeah Yeah Yeah magazine, The Comics Buyers’ Guide, The Power Pop Hall Of Fame, Jem Records, Kool Kat Musik, Comics Collector, Wizzard In Vinyl (Japan), Air Mail Recordings (Japan), International Pop Overthrow, Audities, and Love Letters To Rock N Roll. He contributed to the books Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth, Shake Some Action, MusicHound Rock, and Lost In The Grooves, and still revels in the memory of the letter from a pair of disgruntled Goldmine readers insisting “Carl Cafarelli ought to have his head examined!”

In his home town of Syracuse, NY, Cafarelli was the promoter, co-organizer, and co-host of BRIGHT LIGHTS!, a  phenomenally successful series of live performances reuniting acts from Syracuse’s late ‘70s and early ‘80s punk and new wave scenes. As an expert on pop music, he has been interviewed for TV, radio, newspapers, books, and magazines in Syracuse, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Brooklyn, and the Hudson Valley, with a radio interview for Maui’s KMNO-FM Mana’o Radio planned for the near future.  

Dorothy Parker said she hated writing, and loved having written. Cafarelli loves both parts of the process, from inspiration through perspiration, rewrites, honing, crafting, getting it right, encouraging the work to speak in its own voice. Writing is nearly as much fun as music. And writing about music? That pleasure is infinite.

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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 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. A digital download version (minus The Smithereens' track)