HALLOWEEN with BARON DAEMON and "THE TRANSYLVANIA TWIST"

For Halloween, I'm directing today's fresh Boppin' traffic to my Greatest Record Ever Made! celebration of "The Transylvania Twist" by Baron Daemon and the Vampires:

The Greatest Record Ever Made! "The Transylvania Twist" by Baron Daemon and the Vampires

We also have My YouTube video version of the Baron Daemon chapter

And for trickin' and treatin' bonuses, here's one other Halloween-related post from 2019:

This Mask, This Candy Bar

Finally, a collection of information about (and links to BUY!) the book that contains the final edit of the Baron Daemon piece: The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1).

Hug a vampire today!

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, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

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.

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Bands I Didn't See (but I did see one or more of its players)

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

A variation of something I've done before: Bands I never saw in live performance, but in each case I did see at least one of the band's players in a different billing or combo. Simple concept, so...LET'S GO!!

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--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:

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

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/

You can follow Carl's daily blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at 
https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Bands I Didn't See (but I did see one or more of its players)

[Players I saw are noted in brackets]

THE BEATLES: Revolution [Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr]

GREAT BUILDINGS: Hold On To Something [Phil Solem]

WONDERBOY: Girl Songs [Robbie Rist]

ERIC BURDON AND WAR: Spill The Wine [Eric Burdon]

THE BIRDS: Say Those Magic Words [Ronnie Wood]

CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS: The Rain Song [Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson, Peter Holsapple]

--

BIG STAR: September Gurls [Alex Chilton]

THE BARRACUDAS: Somewhere Outside [Nicky Turner]

TINTED WINDOWS: We Got Something [Bun E. Carlos]

MEN AT WORK: Be Good Johnny [Colin Hay]

THE TRAVELING WILBURYS: Not Alone Anymore [Bob Dylan, Tom Petty]

BROWNSVILLE STATION: Leader Of The Gang [Cub Koda]

--

THE MOODY BLUES: Go Now! [Denny Laine]

THE HEARTBREAKERS: I Love You [Johnny Thunders]

CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS: One Way Love [Frank Allen]

THE ROOKS: Reasons [Kristin Pinell]

THE BREAKAWAYS: Walking Out On Love [Paul Collins]

AEROSMITH: Sick As A Dog [Joe Perry]

--

THE DICTATORS: (I Live For) Cars And Girls [Scott Kempner]

THE MOSQUITOS: That Was Then, This Is Now [Vance Brescia]

THE PALEY BROTHERS: Come Out And Play [Andy Paley]

THE HUDSON BROTHERS: If You Really Need Me [Mark Hudson]

ARGENT: Hold Your Head Up [Jim Rodford]

CANDY: Whatever Happened To Fun [Kyle Vincent]

--

SUZY AND LOS QUATTRO: Play On [Al Chan, Tommy Dunbar, Jon Rubin, Robbie Rist]

THE NEW YORK DOLLS: Babylon [David Johansen, Johnny Thunders]

WINGS: Live And Let Die [Paul McCartney, Denny Laine]

THE NERVES: When You Find Out [Paul Collins]

KURSAAL FLYERS: Television Generation [Will Birch]

THE MASTER PLAN: You're Mine [Keith Streng]

--

MOTT THE HOOPLE: All The Way From Memphis [Ian Hunter]

THE FACES: Cindy Incidentally [Ronnie Wood]

THE PENETRATORS: Teenage Lifestyle [Jack Lipton]

THE KINGSMEN: Louie Louie [Jack Ely]

THE HOLLIES: Sorry Suzanne [Terry Sylvester]

THE MODERN LOVERS: Roadrunner [Jerry Harrison, Ernie Brooks]

--

THE DAMNED: New Rose [Brian James]

GUNS N' ROSES: Sweet Child O' Mine [Axl Rose]

THE TEARAWAYS: Nowhere Left To Turn [Jesse Benenati]

SQUEEZE: Is That Love [Paul Carrack]

THE DEAD BOYS: 3rd Generation Nation [Stiv Bators]

THE WOMBLES: Remember You're A Womble [Chris Spedding]

--

MYRACLE BRAH: Love Found You [Andy Bopp]

RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS: Love Comes In Spurts [Marc Bell]

SHAM 69: If The Kids Are United [Dave Tregunnna]

SNEAKERS: Condition Red [Mitch Easter, Will Rigby]

THE OUTSIDERS: Lost In Your World [Sonny Gerace]

THE ENEMIES: Disconnected [Joe Bompczyk]

THE BABYS: Isn't It Time [John Waite]

THE BEAT: Don't Wait Up For Me [Paul Collins]

--

THE REMBRANDTS: I'll Be There For You [Phil Solem]

IGGY AND THE STOOGES: Gimme Danger [Iggy Pop]

THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: Happy Together [Flo and Eddie]

DOLENZ, JONES, BOYCE AND HART: I Remember The Feeling [Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones]

BLONDIE: (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear [Debbie Harry, Chris Stein]

THE DOVELLS: You Can't Sit Down [Len Barry]

THE B.A.R.: Katie's Shoes [Jim Babjak, Kurt Reil] (I met Danny Adlerman, but haven't seen him play yet)

THE MASTICATORS: Radio Police [Robbie Rist]

--

TONY SHERIDAN AND THE BEATLES: My Bonnie [Paul McCartney, Pete Best]

I Voted

Here in New York, early voting began on Saturday. On Sunday, I went to the local polling place to cast my vote, and no one will be surprised to hear that I voted for Kamala Harris to be the next President of the United States of America.

Why Harris? Please. In this race, Kamala Harris is the only candidate qualified to hold the highest office. She is intelligent, experienced, and accomplished, she is tenacious and passionate, and I believe she is dedicated to the fight for a better country, a better world. She is all the good things that her opponent is not. Loony efforts to paint her as some radical extremist are--what's the phrase?--batshit crazy. Hell, she's slightly to the right of me, and I'm okay with that. Harris is capable and committed, and I think she can get things done for us, for all of us.

Is Harris perfect? There has never been a perfect candidate, but man, I don't see a lot of flaws here. The horror of Gaza is incalculable, but does anyone really believe the buffoon running against her can somehow make that better? I have much more faith in President Harris pursuing peace in the Middle East than I have illusions of a Republican or third-party candidate doing that. I know Harris will protect the rights of women, the rights of minorities, the rights of workers, the rights of families, the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With President Harris, I see the potential of progress in our ongoing goal of forming and maintaining a more perfect union.

On merit alone, Harris is a promising candidate, and it was my great honor and privilege to vote for her. But we all know, or at least should know, that our most urgent, immediate responsibility transcends a vote for any single candidate. It is of vital importance that we vote against one specific candidate.

We must--MUST--vote to defeat Donald Trump.

As much as Trump apologists want to revise facts, this soulless con man will be remembered as the worst president in this country's history. Make America great again? He made America a laughing stock throughout the world, squandered the robust economy that Barack Obama's administration built up after the Great Recession, and blundered his way with ignorant indifference into a deadly pandemic that he had no clue about addressing. He has no leadership quality, no negotiating ability, no courage, no moral center, no morals at all. He is a vain, self-centered cartoon who worships at the feet of international thugs like Putin...but I will stop short of calling him a thug. No, Trump doesn't have the guts or strength to actually be a thug. He has the lack of character to wish he could be a thug, but he's weak, ineffectual. He just blusters and preens. His sycophants eat it up, like dung beetles feasting on the bounty of his bullshit. He's an opportunist, a liar, a failed businessman with a collection of bankruptcies that would be impressive if they weren't so devastating to all those who suffered the misfortune of dealing with his venomous mix of grifting and sheer incompetence. The business failures offer further proof that he is incapable of accomplishing anything of worth.

All that, and we haven't even mentioned the insurrection. That's worth mentioning, don't you think?

But honestly, I don't want to talk about him. I don't want to hear about him. I for damned sure don't want to look at him or hear his whining little voice again. I beg you: 

VOTE AGAINST THIS HORRIBLE MAN. 

And there's only one way to do that. Refraining from voting won't do it. Voting for a third, or fifth, or twenty-eighth party won't do it. Only one thing will get the job done: A vote for Kamala Harris.

I did my part. I pray that you will do yours. We're not going back. 

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1257

TIRnRR Fresh Spins: As far as we can tell, 22 tracks--a little more than a third of this week's playlist selections--have never been played on any of the previous 1256 This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio shows. We're not under oath, but I think it's true. Some are new, some are just new to us, and some are familiar favorites we just never got around to programming before.

But they're all here now, with more to come. Playing rockin' pop music is its own best reward. It never gets old. It never will.

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.

Carl's new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get Carl's previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

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

You can follow Carl's blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at carlcafarelli.blogspot.com

TIRnRR # 1257: 10/27/2024

TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold.

LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: Listening (Big Stir, How To Make Friends By Telephone)

DR. FEELGOOD: Another Man (Beloved Recordings, VA: Pub Rock: Paving The Way For Punk)

THE CYNZ: Woman Child (Jem, single)

DUCKS DELUXE: Please Please Please (Beloved Recordings, VA: Pub Rock: Paving The Way For Punk)

CARLA OLSON AND TALL POPPY SYNDROME: Is It True (Tres Melo Musique, single)

ACE: I'm A Man (Beloved Recordings, VA: Pub Rock: Paving The Way For Punk)

--

ORBIS MAX: The Light From Other Windows (n/a, Tilt-A-Whirl)

RICHARD LLOYD: Should Have Known Better (Cherry Red, VA: Looking For The Magic: American Power Pop In The Seventies)

ARETHA FRANKLIN: Think (Atlantic, The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967-1970)

LITTLE RICHARD: (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay (Omnivore, Right Now!)

THE ARMOIRES: Green Hellfire At The 7-11 (Big Stir, Octoberland)

SILVERHEAD: Rolling With My Baby [single version] (Cherry Red, VA: Oh! You Pretty Things: Glam Queens And Street Urchins 1970-76)

--

ROOFTOP SCREAMERS [featuring RANDY McSTINE]: Souvenirs (single)

D.B, COOPER: Ram On (Rhino, Buy American)

20/20: Back To California (SpyderPop/Big Stir, single)

AMY RIGBY: Requiem (Tapete, Hang In There With Me)

SPANKY AND OUR GANG: Sunday Will Never Be The Same [alternate version] (Hip-O Select, The Complete Mercury Recordings)

THE BUZZCOCKS: Everybody's Happy Nowadays (IRS, Singles Going Steady)

--

ERIC HISAW BAND: Which Time (single)

THE DICTATORS: California Sun [original demo] (Omnivore, VA: CBGB: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

PRINCE: Hot Summer (NPG, Welcome 2 America)

THE NEW YORK DOLLS: Chatterbox (Mercury, Rock 'N Roll)

THE SPONGETONES: (My Girl) Maryanne (Loaded Goat, Always Carry On: The Best Of The SpongeTones 1980-2005)

HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Mary-Ann (Vinyl Japan, Laugh It All Up!)

--

THE BINGS: Don't Stop Dancing (Bachelor, Power Pop Planet [The Lost Tapes])

CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS: The Rain Song [early version] (Omnivore, Drifted: In The Beginning & Beyond)

THE COWSILLS: She Said To Me (JAM, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 2)

DAVID BOWIE: DJ (RCA, Lodger)

BONEY M: Daddy Cool (BMG, The Greatest Hits)

DWIGHT TWILLEY: Radio (Iconoclassic, Wild Dogs)

--

ED RYAN: Looking For Something (n/a, Along For The Ride)

GAME THEORY: In A DeLorean (Omnivore, 2 Steps From The Middle Ages)

CHUCK BERRY: No Particular Place To Go (MCA, The Anthology)

THE GO-BETWEENS: German Farmhouse (Jetset, The Friends Of Rachel Worth)

ADVERTISING: Ich Liebe Dich (EMI, Jingles)

RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS: Walking On The Water (Rhino, RICHARD HELL: Spurts: The Richard Hell Story)

--

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE ARCHIES: Get On The Line (Fuel 2000, Absolutely The Best Of The Archies)

THE HOT DOGS: I Walk The Line (Big Beat, VA: Thank You Friends: The Ardent Story)

THE RAMONES: I Wanna Be Sedated (Rhino, Road To Ruin)

THE SURFSIDERS: Little Deuce Coupe (Light In The Attic, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed At Attic Records 1964-65)

JUNIOR VARSITY: Where The Groove Is (Rum Bar, Where The Groove Is)

THE FOXES: Soul City (Light In The Attic, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed At Pickwick Records 1964-65)

--

THE McCOYS: Say Those Magic Words (Legacy/Epic Associated, Hang On Sloopy: The Best Of The McCoys)

THE BEACH BOYS: Darlin' (Capitol, Smiley Smile/Wild Honey)

THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: This Is Your Life (7T's, Ricochet)

THE PALEY BROTHERS AND THE RAMONES: Come On Let's Go (Big Beat, VA: Come On Let's Go! Power Pop Gems From The 70s & 80s)

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE: Kinda Lost (Kool Kat Musik, Our Broadcast Day)

BETTERDAYS: Don't Want That (Aftermath, Here 'Tis)

--

THE WYNOTTS: Another One (Rum Bar, Way Back Now)

THE ZOMBIES: Just Out Of Reach (Big Beat, Zombie Heaven)

NICK PIUNTI AND THE COMPLICATED MEN: Eyelids (Jem, Up And Out Of It)

THE BYRDS: It's No Use (Columbia, Mr. Tambourine Man)

THE HALF/CUBES: Make You Cry (Big Stir, Pop Treasures)

THE GO-GO'S: Tonite (IRS, Beauty And The Beat)

THE MONKEES: Terrifying (Rhino, Good Times! [digital edition])

TONY SHERIDAN AND THE BEATLES: My Bonnie (Music Brokers, VA: The Many Faces Of The Beatles)

--

LESLEY GORE: You Don't Own Me (Mercury, It's My Party: The Mercury Anthology)

THE POPTARTS: Jealousy (PlumTone, Out Of The Toaster)

Tonight on THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO

We finally have the new album from LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS, so of course we're opening with that. We also have new swellness from ORBIS MAX, ROOFTOP SCREAMERS, AMY RIGBY, THE ERIC HISAW BAND, ED RYAN, and THE WYNOTTS, all a-frolickin' and a-gambolin' alongside THE CYNZ, DUCKS DELUXE, CARLA OLSON AND TALL POPPY SYNDROME, ARETHA FRANKLIN, LITTLE RICHARD, THE ARMOIRES, 20/20, PRINCE, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, THE COWSILLS, THE RAMONES, JUNIOR VARSITY, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE, THE (BAY CITY) ROLLERS, THE ZOMBIES, THE HALF/CUBES, THE GO-GO'S, and the TIRnRR debut of early '80s SoCal power poppers THE BINGS. AND! In our capacity as a big-budget radio show, we issue a verdict on a question recently raised on Rich Firestone's fab show RADIO DEER CAMP. Just one more among the many services radio can provide for you, the lucky listener. Sunday night, 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, https://sparksyracuse.org/, streaming on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. The weekend stops HERE!

10 SONGS: 10/26/2024

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 # 1256.

20/20: Back To California

New music from 20/20? When you produce a (nominally) power pop radio show every week, and you stumble into a brand-new track from one of the biggest-ever names in classic power pop, it doesn't matter that you've already set the playlist for your next show. You take ACTION. 

Um...action NOW, ideally.

So when we received the fab new 20/20 single "Back To California" in the brief window between playlist-settlin' and show-recordin', we moved what needed moving to open this week's radio shindig with the latest sounds from 20/20. Power pop radio will stand. Good to have you back, 20/20. Good to have you back.

LA FLEUR FATALE: How Long Is Too Long

Here's a Badfingeresque gem I would never have heard if not for Dedication--Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers. "How Long Is Too Long" was written by Duncan Faure, who served as the Rollers' lead singer for a few (fantastic) years following Les McKeown's departure from the group in 1978. The song was recorded by the Swedish group La Fleur Fatale, who released it as the B-side of their "Beautiful Stranger" single in 2013.

I heard "How Long Is Too Long" for the first time a few weeks ago, when Faure himself played the La Fleur Fatale recording during a guest DJ stint on the above-mentioned Dedication radio show. I was mesmerized, and I immediately reached out to Dedication cohost Suz Rostron for info on securing the track for TIRnRR airplay. Magic. Dedication can be its own reward.

LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: No More Goodbyes

I have really been looking forward to How To Make Friends By Telephone, the new album from TIRnRR Fave Raves Librarians With Hickeys. We've been playing its two advance singles "Hello Operator" and "No More Goodbyes" with piledriving efficiency, and the former is almost certain to score a berth on our year-end countdown show. It's overdue. GET IT? Overdue! Librarians...never mind.

We just heard the whole album, so our forward-looking process now transitions to really looking forward to playing some of its non-single tracks. Our next show will open with one of those this Sunday night. Hello, friends! Are you listening?

WONDERBOY: Girl Songs

We've been giving a lot of airplay this year to "Girl Songs," a song by Wonderboy's best boy (or at least lead boy) Robbie Rist. Our Robbie's giddy ode to boyish infatuation with girls will absolutely be on that year-end countdown show we just mentioned. Even if we stopped playing it right now, "Girl Songs" has already accrued enough 2024 TIRnRR spinnage to guarantee a spot somewhere within the countdown victory roll.

I don't know yet how much (if any) more spins "Girl Songs" will get before the countdown. I can tell you it's not in our next show, and it will definitely not be in our November 3rd show.

Why definitely not on 11/3? Well, that's two days before the election. Seems like we should devote that time exclusively to female voices. There'll be some boys in the background, maybe poundin' on some drums and pluckin' on their gee-tars. But the lead mic will belong exclusively to women.

It's a symbolic gesture, sure. But it's sincere, and it's urgent. 

We're with her. 

THE CYNZ: Woman Child

Speaking of female voices: This little mutant radio show has demonstrated its pervasive and prevailing interest in the music of the Cynz. We love 'em. We play 'em. We're fans.

Given the above truths, I think it means even more when I say the current Cynz single "Woman Child" just might be the best thing they've done yet. Bless us, Lord. We have CYNZ!

THE BEATLES: I Should Have Known Better

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE FLASHCUBES: Hold Me Tight

Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse the Flashcubes played their first-ever live show on September 1st, 1977. It was more than four months before my first Flashcubes show in January of '78, which was just a couple of months before I saw them open for the Ramones and the Runaways during Easter break. The latter gig occurred at The Brookside, the only time I ever visited that now long-defunct Central New York nightclub.

The Brookside was also where the 'Cubes made their debut on 9/1/77. The Flashcubes opened their inaugural performance with a cover of the Meet The Beatles! album track "Hold Me Tight." Collectively, the 'Cubes had one foot in the garage, the other foot hoppin' aboard the one after 909, one hand reaching for the toppermost of the poppermost, and the other hand thrust in the face of know-nothing naysayers. 

Or maybe just a single flashing finger of that second hand. No future?. Yeah yeah yeah.

I don't have a recording of the Flashcubes' first show. The live Cubic "Hold Me Tight" we play is from a 1978 show at the Jab on the Syracuse University campus. But I've been using my imagination and my familiarity with the Flashcubes--my all-time # 1 favorite power pop group--to try to conjure a vivid mental image...no, a vivid mental sensation of that September 1977 night at The Brookside. How it sounded. How it felt. What it meant.

As mentioned previously, I'm working on a book about the Flashcubes. MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN! The DIY Story Of A Power Pop Band Called THE FLASHCUBES will present a comprehensive history of the 'Cubes, as related by the Flashcubes themselves and others who were there to witness and exult in the bright lights of that time in Syracuse. The work is going more slowly than I would like, but I'll get it done. And it will be worthy of the legacy of this band that has loomed so large in my legend.

For the past fifty years or so, ever since then-teen me decided I was going to be a writer, no project has ever felt real until I've completed at least a decent draft of its introduction. Work on the Flashcubes book began with initial interviews. But two weeks ago, I wrote the book's introduction, kicking off with a reminiscence about an evening I didn't experience, but which I can imagine with eerie precision.

September 1st, 1977. It feels all right now! Hold on tight. I'll share the book's intro in a near-future blog post. 

JUNIOR VARSITY: Where The Groove Is

Wheeeeeeeeere the groove is, someone waits for me....

No waiting here. Junior Varsity's current single "Where The Groove Is" has become a delightfully welcome earworm, burrowing deep into my rockin' pop cranium. The track makes its second consecutive 10 Songs appearance, marking the second of three weeks in a row on the TIRnRR playlist. Second of three? If I understand the math, that means we'll hear Junior Varsity again on the radio in Syracuse this Sunday night. Ah. So THAT'S where the groove is!

THE RAMONES: Questioningly

On this show, we play the Ramones almost every week. Over the past eleven weeks, the only time we didn't include a Ramones track was on this year's edition of the annual Dana's Funky Soul Pit. And we'll skip da brudders again on November 3rd, 'cuz no boys allowed at the lead-singin' mic that day.

The demands of special programming aside, the Ramones (and the Beatles) are likely prerequisites for most TIRnRR playlists. Looking at our playlists since August 12th, our Ramones selections have been dominated by one Ramones album:

Road To Ruin.

The time frame chosen for this review is deliberate: These are shows we did after we recorded our guest appearance on the Only Three Lads podcast with Brett Vargo and Uncle Gregg. Our topic on O3L was our top five favorite Ramones songs, and while my Top 5 didn't include anything from Road To Ruin, Dana's, Gregg's, and Brett's lists did. And I thanked them for that because, as I said during the podcast, I have come to believe that Road To Ruin is the Ramones' masterpiece.

That pronouncement on O3L had some effect on our subsequent Ramones programming, though not a monolithic effect; sometimes we played something from Road To Ruin in direct acknowledgement of O3L, and sometimes we just played a Road To Ruin track because we felt like playing a Road To Ruin track.

Of the ten Ramones tracks (including duplicates) we've programmed since being on O3L, six have come from Road To Ruin: "She's The One," "Don't Come Close," "I'm Against It," "Don't Come Close" again, "I Just Want To Have Something To Do," and now "Questioningly," with another Road To Ruin selection set for this Sunday. Three of the remaining four were from Rocket To Russia ("Teenage Lobotomy," plus "Rockaway Beach" twice) with "I Don't Want To Grow Up" (from ¡Adios Amigos!) leveling off our Carbona supply.

And this week's Road To Ruin pick "Questioningly" goes out to Riff Randell, rock 'n' roller, phoning in to DJ Screamin' Steve to blurt out the call-in answer: ROAD TO RUIN!!!

Good answer. Don't argue with Riff Randell, man. Don't argue with Riff.

CARLA OLSON AND TALL POPPY SYNDROME: Is It True

Is it true that early voting has started in the great state of New York? Yes it's true. With that in mind, we fire up Carla Olson and Tall Poppy Syndrome's fantastic remake of Brenda Lee's "Is It True," and we stand in line, as antifa as our fathers were.

And this is also true: We're not going back.

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, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

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.

Fresh Plugs for my friends: New issue of REMEMBER THE LIGHTNING, and a podcast appearance by DAVE MURRAY

A couple of quick plugs for a couple of friends of undetermined velocity. That...seemed a lot more clever in my head than it looks like in print. But anyway....

The fourth and latest edition of writer/editor S.W. Lauden's quarterly guitar pop journal Remember The Lightning is out and it is--as always--an essential purchase. Of course, Lauden's Remember The Lightning Substack page is also a must, but the printed journal gathers otherwise unavailable essays on the best of contemporary guitar pop music, written by a variety of capable contributors. In the new issue, Lauden himself takes on the cover feature about Philadelphia combo 2nd Grade, while my Facebook friend Paul Myers writes about the Lemon Twigs and my long-time fellow pop pundit John M. Borack discusses his work as drummer for the Armoires (whose current effort Octoberland is one of my favorite albums of 2024). All this and more, as Stiv Bators once sang, and it's well worthy of a Boppin' recommendation. You can snag your copy of Remember The Lightning # 4 here. Tell 'em a friend sent you.

This week, my pal Dave Murray appeared on the Meet The Author podcast, chatting with hosts Rob and Joan Carter about his splendid fact-based novel A Breath Of Fresh Air (A Transplant Tale). Dave's book is another of my favorite things this year; it's the Octoberland of engaging, emotional, and funny novels about a lung transplant. His appearance on Meet The Author gives Dave another opportunity to talk about the true-life experiences that went into creating his work of fiction, and I hope it helps to spread the Breath Of Fresh Air story to potential readers near and far. You can watch the video podcast here, listen to its audio-only version here, visit Dave's own blog here, and BUY THE DAMNED BOOK ALREADY!! here.

Incidentally: Dave's novel is based in large part upon a fictionalized account of his actual life story as a cystic fibrosis patient and the recipient of a double lung transplant. In this interview, Dave mentions that some people have told him that the two entirely fictional chapters in A Breath Of Fresh Air are its strongest chapters. Dave kinda shrugged as he said he didn't know what to make of that.

Well. 

As one of the people who told him that very thing, complimenting him on the only two wholly fabricated elements in his fictionalized but otherwise fact-based tale, let me say that those two chapters nail everything into place. It's not that they're better than the other parts of the work--the whole book is great--but they are the emotional rabbit punches that enhance the story, that make a heartbreaking connection to...no, no spoilers. Suffice it to say that Dave took his life story, presented it as a compelling chronicle of where he thought he was and what that place looked like each day, and then HE COMPLETELY MADE UP, from whole cloth, a stunning and unforgettable additional layer, something that didn't really happen but feels as though it must have. That's amazing, and so well-written. It suits the narrative, and makes it even better.

But the enhancements wouldn't have worked if the story itself wasn't fascinating and well-told to begin with.

Remember The Lightning. A Breath Of Fresh Air (A Transplant Tale). Octoberland. Meet The Author. I have some pretty talented friends. You should check 'em all out.

A toast! To my friends!

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, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

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.

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Songs I Acquired In 1977

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

I have often mentioned that I think of the year 1977 as the crucible of my rockin' pop tastes. I was 17, graduating from high school in the spring of '77 and commencing college matriculation in the fall. I was already passionate about adding records to my collection, eagerly scarfing up oldies and then-contemporary releases alike. My crucible started its smelting pot in '76 and continued with punk-fueled intensity thereafter. 1977 was the flashpoint.

Today's imaginary playlist is slapped together solely from records I'm pretty sure I acquired in that crucible year of '77. I may have accidentally included a 1976 or '78 acquisition, but I'm, at worst, close to the crucible throughout.  

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--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:

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

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/

You can follow Carl's daily blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at 
https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Songs I Acquired In 1977

THE RUBINOOS: Wouldn't It Be Nice (Beserkley, The Rubinoos)
THE MONKEES: Love Is Only Sleeping (Colgems, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.)

THE BABYS: Isn't It Time (Chrysalis, single)

THE KINKS: Tired Of Waiting For You (Reprise, Kinks-Size)

KISS: Calling Dr. Love (Casablanca, Rock And Roll Over)

THE COWSILLS: Hair (MGM, Cowsills In Concert)

--

THE SEX PISTOLS: Did You No Wrong (Virgin, single)

THE BEATLES: Helter Skelter (Apple, The Beatles)

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT: This Ain't The Summer Of Love (Columbia, Agents Of Fortune)

THE RAIDERS: Birds Of A Feather (Columbia, Indian Reservation)

TALKING HEADS: Uh Oh Love Comes To Town (Sire, single)

THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: Concentration Baby (Epic, single)

--

THE ANIMALS: Many Rivers To Cross (Jet, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted)

ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS: White Houses (MGM, Every One Of Us)

HEART: Magic Man (Mushroom, single)

BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD: Mr. Soul (Atco, VA: The Super Groups)

T. REX: Bang A Gong (Get It On) (Warner Brothers Special Products, VA: Heavy Metal)

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: I Only Want To Be With You (Sire, VA: History Of British Rock)

--

THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Sweet Virginia (Arista, It's A Game)

THE ROLLING STONES: You Better Move On (Decca, The Rolling Stones EP)

KANSAS: Carry On Wayward Son (Kirshner, single)

JONI MITCHELL: Help Me (Asylum, single)

RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS: Love Comes In Spurts (Sire, Blank Generation)

THE BEACH BOYS: Girl Don't Tell Me (Capitol, Endless Summer)

--

AC/DC: Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be (Atlantic, Let There Be Rock)

NEIL YOUNG: After The Gold Rush (Reprise, After The Gold Rush)

GEILS: So Good (Atlantic, Monkey Island)

LINDA RONSTADT: Love Is A Rose (Asylum, single)

DENNIS WILSON: River Song (Caribou, Pacific Ocean Blue)

THE TURTLES: Love In The City (Sire, Happy Together Again!)

--

THE KINKS: Jukebox Music (Arista, Sleepwalker)

THE KINKS: I Took My Baby Home (Pye, The Pye History Of British Rock)

MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND: Blinded By The Light (Warner Brothers, single)

RASPBERRIES: I'm A Rocker (Capitol, single)

ABBA: Take A Chance On Me (Atlantic, single)

THE MONKEES: Goin' Down (Colgems, single)

--

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE RAMONES: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Sire, single)

THE BYRDS: Artificial Energy (Ronco, VA: Do It Now: 20 Giant Hits)

SWEET: AC/DC (Capitol, Desolation Boulevard)

PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS: Sharon (Orbit, Like Long Hair)

QUEEN: We Will Rock You (Elektra, single)

BADFINGER: No Matter What (Apple, No Dice)

--

FLEETWOOD MAC: Second Hand News (Warner Brothers, Rumours)

PAUL AND LINDA McCARTNEY: Another Day (Apple, single)

GEORGE HARRISON: This Song (Dark Horse, single)

JOHN LENNON: God (Apple, Plastic Ono Band)

RINGO STARR: I'm The Greatest (Apple, Ringo)

THE ALLIGATORS: I Try And I Try (Sunwray, single)

THE HOLLIES: Carrie Ann (Arista, VA: Stardust OST)

THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: Do You Love Me (Epic, Glad All Over)

--

THE SEX PISTOLS: No Feelings (Warner Brothers, Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols)

THE KINKS: Prince Of The Punks (Arista, single)

THE MONKEES: The Girl I Knew Somewhere (Colgems, single)

BADFINGER: Baby Blue (Apple, single)

KISS: Any Way You Want It (Casablanca, Alive II)

PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS: Louie Go Home (Columbia, Greatest Hits)

THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Yesterday's Hero (Arista, Dedication)

THE BEATLES: I Want You (She's So Heavy) (Apple, Abbey Road)

--

THE RAVERS: (It's Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas (Zombie, single)