Sometimes the real world teaches us the wrong lessons. You don't need me to preach about what's wrong or right (though that won't stop me when I feel the urge to do so). Right now, the only kindling I'll add to this bonfire of our vanities is a quaint notion that maybe hate is a bad idea.
And that ain't kindling, man. At least it shouldn't be.
Within the maelstrom of everything everywhere all at once, it may seem--it may be--superficial to wanna talk about pop music. I insist that whatever benign element brings us comfort and joy--art, community, love, faith, a decent meal--can help provide the spark we need just to keep on keepin' on.
It won't stop bullets. I guess that means it is superficial after all. But there's something to be said for any small reason to find delight in this maddening mortal life.
Sometimes the real world teaches us a correct lesson. We can learn to value life in the here and now, to appreciate the positive even as we're bombarded by the negative. We can learn to love. We can learn to live. We do all of this knowing that it can end without notice.
I approached this piece with the intention of writing about why we chose Peter Noone as this week's Featured Performer, a deliberate pick to spotlight a living artist rather than mourn a departed one (and, frankly, to hype Peter's new single with our friends the Half/Cubes). I...wandered from that goal, and I won't apologize for what my soul felt the need to write in its place. We're going to salute the late Mark Volman with next week's show and its Featured Performer Flo and Eddie. We'll mourn, as we've had to mourn so damned often in the past, and as we will still have to mourn too many more times in the future.
For now, though: Some pop music, to soothe and support as we sort through the real world's frustrating syllabus. Hate remains a bad idea. Violence is even worse. But what do we know? Our kindling isn't meant to burn anyone. It's just there to keep us--to keep everyone--warm around a campfire, listening to music and imagining a better, kinder real world. 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).
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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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