We wanted to do a radio show.
That's the line that opened the commentary attached to our playlist five years ago this weekend. On April 5th of 2020, we aired our first programmed-by-remote radio show, a new-to-us method that was our only way to resume this thing after the pandemic shut down our studio. Our final live show was on March 15th of that misbegotten year; after that, with no studio and no means to do a show, we had no idea when or if TIRnRR could return. It was, to be sure, an insignificant problem in a world of much, much bigger problems. But the fact remained:
We wanted to do a radio show.
We missed one week, a week spent as flummoxed , frightened, and frustrated as everyone else. We returned on 3/29/2020 for a live Zoom show with Pop Co-Op. Then, inspired by the example of Rich Firestone on Radio Deer Camp and encouragement from Michael McCartney on The Time Machine in Maui, we took a stab at home recording. It worked! We had created another new normal for our weird existence. Our spirit animal is a phoenix.
We wanted to do a radio show. That is still true, five years since toxic cooties forced a change in our approach, more than 26 years since the birth of TIRnRR, and nearly 33 1/3 orbits since the first pre-TIRnRR Dana and Carl shows in 1992. We are remarkably stubborn. We gather music, new and old alike, and slap it together with enthusiasm and snark, with lessons learned from classic AM Top 40, from a DMZ crouched at the left of the dial, and maybe one or two things we just made up on the spot.
Radio. It's what we wanted to do. 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.
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:
TIRnRR # 1280: 4/6/2025
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold.
THE GO-GO'S: Vacation (IRS, Vacation)
MARVIN GAYE: Got To Give It Up, [Part 1] (Motown, Anthology: The Best Of Marvin Gaye)
CHUCK BERRY: Promised Land (MCA, The Anthology)
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THE GENUINE FAKES: Another Way (Kool Kat Musik, 3)
LES FLEUR DE LYS: Circles (Rhino, VA: Nuggets II)
THE TOP SIX: I'm A Man (Edsel, VA: Eddie Piller Presents British Mod Sounds Of The 1960s)--
THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Shout [Part 1] (Epic, The Essential Isley Brothers)
THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Shout [Part 2] (Epic, The Essential Isley Brothers)
THE WHO: Run Run Run (MCA, A Quick One)
MATERIAL ISSUE: Run To Me (eggBERT, VA: Melody Fair)
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THE ARTWOODS: If I Ever Get My Hands On You (RPM, Steady Gettin' It: The Complete Recordings1964-67)
THE ENGLISH BEAT: Twist And Crawl (Shout Factory, Keep The Beat: The Very Best Of The English Beat)
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THE BYRDS: Lady Friend (Columbia, Younger Than Yesterday)
THE RAMONES: Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (Rhino, Leave Home)
THE DEAD BOYS: Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth (Sire, Young Loud And Snotty)
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TRANSVISION VAMP: Andy Warhol's Dead (Uni, Pop Art)
BONEY M: Painter Man (BMG, The Greatest Hits)
THE MARVELETTES: Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead (Motown, The Definitive Collection)
PATTI SMITH: Glitter In Their Eyes (Arista, Land [1975-2002])
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The Greatest Record Ever Made!
X-RAY SPEX: The Day The World Turned Day-Glo (Sanctuary, Germ Free Adolescents)
GENE SIMMONS: Radioactive (Mercury, KISS: Gene Simmons)
THE TOM ROBINSON BAND: Up Against The Wall (Demon, VA: 100 Hits Punk & New Wave)
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.: Public Image (Demon, VA: 100 Hits Punk & New Wave)
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THE MOCKERS: Rascals Who Died (single) LINK WRAY AND THE RAYMEN: Right Turn (Primo, The Essential Early Recordings)
THE NEEDMORES: Lookin' (single) THE BEAT: Walking Out On Love (Wagon Wheel, The Beat)
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SUPER 8 FEATURING LISA MYCHOLS: Pop Radio (single) WRECKLESS ERIC: Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.) (Salvo, Hits, Misses, Rags & Tatters: The Complete Stiff Masters)
MIKE MITSCH'S LAGANSLOVE: I Don't Want To Wait Another Day (single) THE PRETENDERS: Kid (Sire, The Singles)
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: You Ain't No Big Thing (Damaged Goods, My First Holly Golightly Album)
SAM AND DAVE: Soul Man (Atlantic, The Best Of Sam & Dave)
THE BEATLES: I Feel Fine (Apple, Past Masters)
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THE MONKEES: She (Rhino, More Of The Monkees)
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