The This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio debut of Peter Frampton falls well short of earth-shattering status, but I don't think Frampton was high on anyone's list of acts they expected us to play here. I mean, I did own a copy of Frampton Comes Alive! when I was in high school, and I may have also picked up its slick studio follow-up I'm In You. No shame, and no lame stab at iconoclasm, either. We dig what we dig.
But I don't think I ever got around to listening to either record in its entirety. Punk came along. My rockin' pop focus shifted. I haven't owned any Frampton records in a very, very long time.
The other day, though, a Frampton song from 1979 popped into my head. I have no idea what put it there in the present day, but I remember this track: "I Can't Stand It No More." Syracuse's 95X played it a lot that summer. It was, in its way, as much a part of my soundtrack at the time as the Ramones, the Flashcubes, the Police, Screams, Joe Jackson, Anita Ward, Grease, the Sex Pistols, Greg Kihn, and--what the hell--the Village People. All pop music. All playing, in the air and in my head.
So last week I tracked down Frampton's "I Can't Stand It No More," and listened to it for probably the first time in 44 years. I liked it. I bought it. I played it on the radio.
I associate the song with hearing it on the radio while working at my '79 summer job, packaging hot dogs for Hofmann Sausage Company. My first full-time job, even if it was just for the summer. Money in my pocket. A steady girlfriend in my heart. Rock 'n' roll groups to see in the clubs. An immediate present, and a possible future.
I've written too many times about the summer of 1979 to want to repeat its tropes yet again here. Summer did not last forever. Nothing does.
We're left with the fraction of forever we can create. That girlfriend--now wife--and I are still together. Our daughter will be getting married in less than two months. Whatever manages to last does so by standing tall as so much falls to dust. Determination. Belief. Love. Music.
I could stand to do more of that.
Welcome to the show, Mr. Frampton.
NEXT WEEK: THE ALL COVERS SHOW! And 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:
TIRnRR # 1193: 8/6/2023
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold
THE FLASHCUBES: Forget About You (Big Stir, Pop Masters)
THE PAUL COLLINS BAND: Going Down Again (Wagon Wheel, From Town To Town)
PETER FRAMPTON: I Can't Stand It No More (A & M, Anthology: The History Of Peter Frampton)
HUMBLE PIE: Growing Closer (BMG, SMALL FACES AND HUMBLE PIE: The Ultimate Collection)
THE KINKS: You Really Got Me (Sanctuary, The Ultimate Collection)
sparkle*jets u.k.: He's Coming Out (Big Stir, Best Of Friends)
--
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: Really Really Light (Merge, Continue As A Guest)
THE HI-RISERS: I Got It Made (Rocket Racket, VA: Flower City Pop)
THE O'JAYS: Back Stabbers (Epic, Love Train: The Best Of The O'Jays)
THE SUPREMES WITH THE FOUR TOPS: Function At The Junction (Motown, THE SUPREMES: The '70s Anthology)
ELVIS PRESLEY: Promised Land (RCA, Elvis At Stax)
TOM JONES: She's A Lady (Deram, The Complete Tom Jones)
--
PERILOUS: Name In The Paper (perilousny.bandcamp.com, single)
THE TREND: Peer Pressure (Hate, Batman Live At Budokan And The Complete Trend)
LITTLE RICHARD: Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Specialty, The Georgia Peach)
THE TROGGS: I Can't Control Myself (Fontana, Archeology)
THE CYNZ: I Need You (Jem, VA: Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies)
ULTRAVOX: Saturday Night In The City Of The Dead (Island, The Island Years)
--
KID GULLIVER: All Because Of You (kidgulliver1.bandcamp.com, single)
THE UNDERTONES: (She's A) Runaround (Rykodisc. The Undertones)
THE MONKEES: Terrifying (Rhino, Good Times! [digital edition])
WEIRD AL YANKOVIC: Beat On The Brat (Demented Punk, VA: Dr. Demento Covered In Punk)
THE NUTLEY BRASS: I Wanna Be Sedated (Sanctuary, Ramones Songbook)
THE PALEY BROTHERS & RAMONES: Come On Let's Go (Big Beat, VA: Come On Let's Go! Power Pop Gems From The 70s & 80s)
--
THE RAMONES: I Want You Around (Rhino, Road To Ruin)
THE ARMOIRES: Yellow River (SpyderPop/Big Stir: VA: We All Shine On: Celebrating The Music Of 1970)
POPSICKO: No Better Time (Big Stir, Off To A Bad Start)
THE VELVELETTES: He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' (Motown, The Very Best Of The Velvelettes)
THE HANDCUFFS: I Cry For You (Pravda, Burn The Rails)
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: Sweet Jane (Polydor, Peel Slowly And See)
--
THE GRIP WEEDS: Where Have All The Good Times Gone (Jem, VA: Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies)
VIC GODARD & THE SUBWAY SECT: Johnny Thunders (Motion, Twenty Odd Years)
JOHNNY THUNDERS & THE HEARTBREAKERS: Chinese Rocks (Jungle, L.A.M.F.)
THE WHAT FOUR: I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy (Ace, VA: Destroy That Boy! More Girls With Guitars)
NEW MATH: Older Women (Propeller Sound Recordings, Die Trying b& Other Hot Sounds [1979-1983])
THE SUNNYSIDE UPS: Bop De Dah (Rocket Racket, VA: Flower City Pop)
--
The Greatest Record Ever Made!
BIG STAR: September Gurls (Ardent, # 1 Record/Radio City)
THE LA'S: There She Goes (Rhino, VA: Children Of Nuggets)
THE KNACK: My Sharona (Rhino, Proof: The Very Best Of The Knack)
THE ZOMBIES: Gotta Get A Hold Of Myself (Big Beat, Zombie Heaven)
JUSTINE & THE UNCLEAN: Picking A Fight (Red On Red, The Signal Light)
WIRE: Mannequin (Pinkflag, Pink Flag)
STEVE STOECKEL: Mod Girl [a cappella mix] (unreleased)
JUNIPER: Baby Doll (Confidential Recordings, She Steals Candy)
--
DAVE COPE & THE SASS: She Don't Care About That (Kool Kat Musik, Killer Mods From Outer Space)
GUIDED BY VOICES: Teenage FBI (Matador, The Best Of Guided By Voices: Human Amusements At Hourly Rates)
THE GUESS WHO: No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature (RCA, Greatest Hits)
THE MILKSHAKES: You Can Only Lose (Damaged Goods, Talkin' Bout...Milkshakes!/After School Session)
DOLPH CHANEY: Mr. Eli (Big Stir, single)
LULU: Forget Me Baby (RPM, Shout! The Complete Decca Recordings)
THE CHELSEA CURVE: How Can I (Resist You)? (Red On Red, single)
THEE HEADCOATEES: The First Plane Home (Damaded Goods. The Kids Are All Square--This Is Hip! + Girlsville)
--
THE FLASHCUBES FEATURING MIMI BETINIS: Baby It's Cold Outside (Big Stir, Pop Masters)
TRACEY ULLMAN: Breakaway (Rhino, You Broke My Heart In 17 Places)
MR. BRUCE GORDON: One Last Dance (Futureman, One Tall Order)
THE COOLIES: Blueberry Crumble (Wicked Cool, Uh Oh! It's...The Coolies)
MAD MONSTER PARTY: That's A Start (n/a, Mad Monster Party)
THE ENGLISH BEAT: Best Friend (Shout Factory, Keep The Beat: The Very Best Of The English Beat)
THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: Try Too Hard (Hollywood, The History Of The Dave Clark Five)
THE BEATLES: Nowhere Man (Apple, Rubber Soul)
--
JOHNATHAN PUSHKAR: I Gotta Move (Jem, VA: Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies)
THE MIDNIGHT CALLERS: Child Of Nature (Jem, VA: Jem Record Celebrates John Lennon)
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