10 SONGS: 7/20/2024

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single. 

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1242.

THE GRIP WEEDS: All Tomorrow's Parties

1.4.5.: Let's Groove

PERILOUS: Rock 'n' Roll Kiss

THE GRIP WEEDS: We Love You

THE VA VA VOODOOS: She's Got A Mustang

THE GRIP WEEDS: DiG Theme

All tomorrow's parties TODAY. 

These are the four irresistible acts on the bill for an epic evening of live rock 'n' roll TONIGHT--Saturday night, July 20th--at Syracuse's legendary venue The Lost Horizon. That's as super-colossal as a rockin' pop evening gets, and if you're among the TIRnRR faithful within boppin' distance of the 315, you should be at the Lost tonight.

We opened this week's radio rampage with the Grip Weeds' ace cover of the Velvet Underground's "All Tomorrow's Parties," from the group's superb covers album DiG. Later in the show, we circled back for the Grip Weeds' cover of the Rolling Stones' "We Love You" (from the current various-artists tribute album Jem Records Celebrates Jagger & Richards) and the Grip Weeds original "DiG Theme." Speaking of Grip Weeds originals, the group is working on a new album, and we can't wait. Tonight will be my third Grip Weeds live show, and I already know that the Grip Weeds never disappoint.

I've seen 1.4.5. more times than I can count, and I hope to see 'em still another set of more-times-than-I-can-count. My 1.4.5. concert résumé began in 1980 (at The Poor House North in Liverpool, NY) and has continued over a span of decades, with individual flashpoints at the Jab, Squires East, the Lost, some dive on West Genesee Street, some dive on Teal Avenue, Funk 'N Waffles, and other venues obscured in memory by beer and volume. I saw them three times in 2023, at my Ramones book release party at The 443, at the Grip Weeds' last Lost Horizon appearance, and opening for New Math at Abilene in Rochester. The band's line-up varies, always centered on the rock-solid efforts of Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong. PA's work has had an enormous impact on me. Let's GROOVE!

(UPDATE: I’m hearing now that 1.4.5. will not be playing tonight. Guess my more-times-than-I-can-count will continue some other evening,)

Perilous was also on the bill for my Ramones book party and the Grip Weeds' 2023 Lost Horizon gig. They are fabulous, and they let us use their absolute gem "Rock 'n' Roll Kiss" on our compilation album This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5. The track is also on their album YEAH!!, and if you don't own that one, man, I question your mojo. 

This will be my first time seeing the Va Va Voodoos, but I've known the group's guitarist Jo Agopovich for more than a minute (or many minutes). I was at the debut performance of her old band Distortion more'n forty years ago at The Firebarn, and the group reformed for a performance hosted by Dana and me precisely one decade and one day ago at the Lost. Homecoming. Mustang VOODOO! This oughta be good.

The Grip Weeds. 1.4.5. Perilous. The Va Va Voodoos. The Lost Horizon. TONIGHT!! Get your tickets here. 

DiG?

sparkle*jets u.k.: Ludlow 6:18

sparkle*jets u.k.: Box Of Letters

The new sparkle*jets u.k. album Box Of Letters is already one of my top favorite 2024 releases, and I went into this week's exercise in playlist-buildin' intent on including another spin of that album's fine title tune. Independently, Dana wanted to play a track from the group's previous album, the 2023 all-covers triumph Best Of Friends. When Dana programmed the Best Of Friends cover of Cockeyed Ghost's "Ludlow 6:18," it was instantly clear that the world needed--needed!--to hear two in a row by sparkle*jets u.k. Obviously.

That's how ya achieve better radio through better radio. And we'll have another track from Box Of Letters on the radio Sunday night. Never be afraid to sparkle, my friends. Never be afraid to sparkle.

THE DANDY WARHOLS: We Used To Be Friends

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

(Dedicated to all of our friends in Neptune, California. Except Patton Oswalt. I'm mad at him.)

THE KENNEDYS: Walking Through The Park

Ah, so cool! Here we have the magnificent coffee-house pop combo the Kennedys executing a sublime cover of...

...oops.

We're not supposed to talk about this yet. But we will, when the time is right. When the trime comes, rest assured: We will indeed make something happen.

Well, new things coming from D & C editorial offices.....

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. 

My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available for order; you can see details here. My 2023 book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is also still available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. 

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 about our history here.

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl