In a world gone guano-crazy, we draw what strength and comfort we can from the things that delight us. Delight takes many forms, and its balm doesn't lessen our need to work on making the world a little bit less guano-crazy. But it can help us cope. It can help us deal. It can help us be. It can help us in our ongoing quest to live to fight another day.
This past week, two new works of pop culture brought me the necessary catharsis of delight. Both of them are movies, one I hope you'll be able to see in the not-too-distant future, and one you can see right now at your local cineplex.
The first is a prerelease cut of Justin Fielding's long-promised documentary The Power Pop Movie. This project has been in development for years; at various points in the film, I felt the ache of seeing on-screen appearances by so many people who are no longer with us. But I also saw a lot of people I know, in-person friends and online acquaintances, and a parade of artists whom I admire. These elements add resonance and personal connection,. For all that, the most important component of The Power Pop Movie is the story of its chosen subject: A misunderstood and underappreciated musical approach called--you guessed it!--power pop.
That story is told here with elegance and grace. Fielding uses his interviews (with artists and enthusiasts) and various music clips to masterfully chronicle power pop's complicated and minutia-laden history. Miracle of miracles, Fielding somehow manages to tell that sprawling story in a concise and effective manner. The result is life-affirming, and I was on the verge of tears at several points during the film's narrative.
Several years back, I made a pretty decent stab at writing a definitive history of power pop. I feel no shame in conceding that my attempt is now, at best, a runner-up in the standings of all-time top chronicles of pop with power, sharing space alongside my friends John Borack, Jordan Oakes, Ken Sharp, and others. With The Power Pop Movie, Justin Fielding has accomplished the single most authoritative history of power pop in any medium. I look forward to watching it again. And I hope the general public gets its chance to see it soon. It's a stunning work, and a sublime labor of love. Recommended if you like delight.
Some may not share my delight in superheroes, and many have grown weary of superhero films. But James Gunn's new Superman movie is a stirring and wondrous embodiment of truth, justice, and what I was brought up to believe is the American way: Fighting for what's right, protecting the innocent, helping those in need, and retaining hope in the never-ending battle for a brighter tomorrow. Like The Power Pop Movie, Superman is life-affirming, and I was again on the verge of tears during some of its moments. The cast is perfect, the storytelling supplies ample action and heart alike, and the movie made me smile. Up, up and away.
We absorb delight when and where we can. Music. Art. Film. Literature. Theater. Comic books. Sports. Travel. Time spent with friends and family, time spent alone with a good cup of coffee. We have a crazy world out there awaiting our ability to change it for the better.
With delight at our side. 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). You can follow Carl's daily blog at Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do).
TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.
Carl's latest 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.
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