Monday, March 20, 2023

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1173

This past week marked the third anniversary of our last live radio broadcast. Within a few days after our March 15th, 2020 show...well, you know. Things changed. In the playlist commentary that week, I wrote:

"We live in interesting times. And 'interesting' is waaaaaay overrated. 

"It's been pointed out elsewhere, but it's worthy of repeat play here: no one in the media is paid to say 'We don't know.' Nor would such an admission inspire confidence, but it's something that should be said more often than it is. We don't know. We don't know.

"And as we acknowledge our uncertainty, we can try to be vigilant, responsible...good. We can heed the advice of experts. We can try to do the right thing, even if we're still struggling to figure out precisely what that right thing is. We can for damned sure refrain from hoarding stuff. We can practice social distancing. Respect. Consideration. Remaining calm, keeping our heads, and washing our freakin' hands. These are things we can do. There is a light ahead. We'll get to it in due time, together. Maybe we shouldn't hold hands right now. But we'll still get there together. Stronger. Healthier. Together."

Yeah. I had no idea. I posted the above on Monday, March 16th. I still couldn't wrap my head around any understanding of what was happening, nor what was about to happen. Schools closed. Stores closed. I was furloughed from work. I couldn't visit my mom in her nursing home. I couldn't see my daughter. And Dana and I certainly couldn't continue doing a silly radio show. 

The community center that housed our studio locked its doors for the duration. I have not set foot inside the building since driving away a few minutes after midnight on 3/16/2020. It's likely I'll never go there again.

Some places that closed never reopened. The convenience store across the street from the studio, where Dana and I used to stock up on junk food just before showtime, went out of business. No retail operation could possibly survive that sudden drastic loss in Sunday night Cheetos sales. 

The center itself has reopened. We don't do shows there anymore. As we pass the third anniversary of our last live show, we approach the third anniversary of our current run of prerecorded shows. We skipped one week in 2020, then did a live Zoom show with Pop Co-Op on March 29, 2020. We figured out how to record shows at home, collaborating from remote locations, and TIRnRR returned with an isolation edition on April 5th. 

We adapted to our circumstances. It's a minor thing, and it means absolutely nothing against the stories of lives disrupted and lives lost in a pandemic. Life during wartime. I didn't see it coming.

We keep on making our way as best we can. We have records to play, and some friends we hope to bring some smiles, some camaraderie, and some chances to sing and dance. Interesting times. It's not like it was. But it's what is. We're grateful for that much.

This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another 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, streaming at SPARK stream, and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

HEY! Looking for something to read? Check out Carl's book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones You can also follow Carl's daily blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/ If you would like to receive links to each day's blog, please reply to this email.

TIRnRR # 1173: 3/19/2023
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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POPSICKO: No Better Time (Big Stir, Off To A Bad Start)
GARY PIG GOLD & SHANE FAUBERT: Gotta Get In Touch (Futureman, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 1)
CAT STEVENS: Another Saturday Night (A & M, Greatest Hits)
FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Reno, Nevada (Hannibal, Heyday: BBC Radio Sessions 1968-69)
TOWER OF POWER: You Ought To Be Havin' Fun (Sony, VA: Soul Hits Of The 70's)
LITTLE FRANKIE: Happy, That's Me (Rhino, VA: One Kiss Can Lead To Another)
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RICH CHAMBERS: I'm A Fool For Lovin' You (single)
LO & THE MAGNETICS: Sooner Or Later (JAM, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 2)
MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS: Nowhere To Run (Motown, VA: Hitsville USA)
BADFINGER: Look Out California (Permanent Press, Airwaves)
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: Green River (Fantasy, Chronicle)
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ROBIN SCHELL: Lost In America (Kool Kat Musik, The Macchiato)
GLADHANDS: Half The Battle (Futureman, La Di Da)
EYTAN MIRSKY: If I Could Only Draw (single)
GRAHAM PARKER: Help Me Shake It (Polygram, Heat Treatment)
THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Twist And Shout (Epic, The Essential Isley Brothers)
KING CURTIS: Makin' Hey (Razor & Tie, Instant Soul: The Legendary King Curtis)
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EYTAN MIRSKY: Lost You In The Jet Stream (single)
JOHN FOGERTY: I Can't Take It No More (Fantasy, Revival)
DAISY JONES & THE SIX: Regret Me (Atlantic Mod, Aurora)
JOSIE COTTON: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Cleopatra, Everything Is Oh Yeah)
THE RAMONES: I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind (Rhino, Pleasant Dreams)
LAURIE & THE SIGHS: Face To Face (Wounded Bird, Laurie and the Sighs)
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DEADLIGHTS: Spiderwall (single)
LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: I Can't Stop Thinking About You (Big Stir, Handclaps & Tambourines)
THE FOUR TOPS: It's The Same Old Song (Motown, The Ultimate Collection)
LINDA RONSTADT: Heat Wave (Rhino, Greatest Hits I & II)
STEVE STOECKEL: Laura Lynn (Big Stir, The Power Of And)
LOU REED: Crazy Feeling (RCA, Coney Island Baby)
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GAVIN EIMERMAN: No Reason To Feel (single)
MICHAEL CARPENTER: I've Been Loving You (Futureman, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 3)
DEAR STELLA: Time Machine (n/a, Time Zones)
LITTLE RICHARD: Ooh! My Soul (Specialty, The Georgia Peach)
THE FLASHCUBES FEATURING RANDY KLAWON: Get The Message (Big Stir, single)
MOD FUN: Open Your Eyes (Get Hip, Past...Forward)
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AMY RIGBY: Dancing With Joey Ramone (Signature Sounds, Little Fugitive)
OLD 97'S: Turn Off The TV (ATO, Twelfth)
THE TOYS: May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone (Sundazed, A Lover's Concerto/Attack!)
OLD TOWN CRIER: You Got Me So High (n/a, A Night With Old Town Crier)
STEPHEN LAWRENSON: Here & Now (Kool Kat Musik, Chants Of A Lifetime)
PATTI SMITH: Dancing Barefoot (Arista, Land)
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THE DANGTRIPPERS: Someone New (Zero Hour, Days Between Stations)
THE GANTS: I Wonder (Rhino, VA: Nuggets)
RANSOM & THE SUBSET: Don't Remember What Was Her Name (Futureman, Perfect Crimes)
THE CRICKLE: Place In My Heart (ROIR, VA: Garage Sale)
MILLIE SMALL: Killer Joe (Caroline, The Best Of Millie Small)
THE MOSQUITOS: Darn Well (ROIR, VA: Garage Sale)
THE MONKEES: I Can't Get Her Off My Mind (Rhino, Headquarters)
THE MUFFS: Big Mouth (Warner Brothers, The Muffs)
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CHRIS CHURCH: I Think I Think I Like You (Big Stir, Radio Transient)
THE ROSEBUDS: 10am (Bomp!, VA: Pop On Top!)
MIKE BROWNING: Blood Of Oblivion (single)
WEDNESDAY WEEK: Sometimes (Enigma, What We Had)
THE DECIBELS: Why Bother With Us (Kool Kat Musik, When Red Lights Flash)
THE BANGLES: Crash And Burn (Columbia, Everything)
CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode (MCA, The Anthology)
XTC: Earn Enough For Us (Ape House, Skylarking)
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THE RULERS: I Want My Ramones Records Back (Kool Kat Musik, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4)
THE RAMONES: Do You Wanna Dance (Rhino, Rocket To Russia)
THE BEAT: Rock And Roll Girl (Wagon Wheel, The Beat)

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