Not long ago, my Mom asked me which was a more important creative outlet for me: my writing or this radio show?
I don't really have an answer to that. I've known since my earliest teens that I wanted to be a writer more than I wanted to do anything else I could think of doing. On the other hand, I've loved music my entire life. Becoming a musician myself was a non-starter. But I could write about music, and I started doing so in the '80s, technically as a professional freelancer, though never for very much money. I started co-hosting radio shows with Dana in 1992, strictly as a community radio volunteer; there was never, ever any place for me in commercial radio. Neither path has provided a career. Both have provided moments of satisfaction and personal fulfillment.
And each interest has fed the other. My small notoriety from pop music proselytizing generated a platform to promote This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio and its '90s predecessors; TIRnRR in turn made more people aware of my writing. I think of myself as primarily a writer. When I was one of a handful of DJs among the power pop performers and pundits interviewed by Aaron Kupferberg for his book Songs Stuck In My Head, Aaron mentioned that he considered me to be primarily a radio guy. That's the story among the relative few who have heard of me. Some know me as a writer. Some know me as a guy who spins records on the radio.
I guess I'm both, just like Dana's both a visual artist/photographer and a radio guy. We do other things to make a living. But our passions are in the arts. And every Sunday night, we have a few songs we wanna play for you. We follow the paths that get us there. Music's always the right choice. This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on a Sunday 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, 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:
PS: SEND MONEY!!!! We need tech upgrades like Elvis needs boats. Spark Syracuse is supported by listeners like you. Tax-deductible donations are welcome at
http://sparksyracuse.org/support/ TIRnRR # 1103: 11/14/2021
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold
THE RAMONES: Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? (Rhino, End Of The Century)
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HAYLEY MARY: Like A Woman Should (Universal, The Piss, The Perfume)
SAM PHILLIPS: Baby, I Can't Please You (Virgin, Martinis & Bikinis)
THE JAYHAWKS: She Walks In So Many Ways (Rounder, Mockingbird Time)
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THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: Venus In Furs (Polydor, Peel Slowly And See)
ANDY WILLIAMS: A Fool Never Learns (Columbia, single)
MANDY MOORE: Moonshadow (Epic, Coverage)
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XTC: Respectable Street (Virgin, Upsy Daisy Assortment)
LITTLE RICHARD: Good Golly Miss Molly (Specialty, The Georgia Peach)
THE OSMONDS: Crazy Horses (Curb, 21 Hits)
SODA MACHINE: Want Ads (Atlantic, VA: Vinyl: Music From The HBO Original Series Vol. 1)
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TOMMY GUNN: Can't Stay Here Tonight (single) THE TOURISTS: Blind Among The Flowers (BMG, Greatest Hits)
THE HONEYCOMBS: Have I The Right? (Rhino, VA: The British Invasion: The History Of British Rock, Vol. 1)
THE STRANGLERS: 96 Tears (EMI, Peaches)
STEVIE WONDER: Higher Ground (Motown, The Definitive Collection)
THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP: Keep On Running (EMI, VA: The Cavern: The Most Famous Club In The World)
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THE SMALL FACES: Song Of A Baker (Snapper, The Definitive Collection)
GUIDED BY VOICES: Glad Girls (Matador, The Best Of Guided By Voices: Human Amusements At Hourly Rates)
JILL SOBULE: Claire (Beyond, Pink Pearl)
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THE KINKS: She's Got Everything (Sanctuary, The Ultimate Collection)
THE GO-BETWEENS: Was There Anything I Could Do? (Mushroom, 16 Lovers Lane)
ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS: I Hope You're Happy Now (Rykodisc, Blood & Chocolate)
X-RAY SPEX: The Day The World Turned Day-Glo (Castle, Germfree Adolescents)
FISCHER-Z: So Long (United Artists, single)
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FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE: Survival Car (Atlantic, Fountains Of Wayne)
THE DOORS: Hello, I Love You (Rhino, The Future Starts Here)
THE FLASHCUBES: Alone In My Room (single)
THE DIODES: Tired Of Waking Up Tired (Epic, Tired Of Waking Up Tired)
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THE JAM: But I'm Different Now (Polydor, Direction Reaction Creation)
THE RAMONES: Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (Rhino, Ramones)
THE APPLES IN STEREO: On Your Own (Yep Roc, Electronic Projects For Musicians)
THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY: I Can Feel Your Heartbeat (Razor & Tie, The Partridge Family Album)
THE PRIMITIVES: Out Of Reach (BMG, Lovely)
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LES HANDCLAPS: I'm So Into You (Handclaps, Sessions: Brooklyn) LEW LEWIS: 1-30, 2-30, 3-35 (Stiff, Save The Wail)
CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode (MCA, The Anthology)
KISS: Shout It Out Loud (Mercury, Destroyer)
THE LINDA LINDAS: Oh! (single) --
THE MONKEES: You Just My Be The One (Rhino, Headquarters)
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