Wednesday is my day off from retail work, which makes it my designated day to record my parts for each week's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio and to try to get around to doing whatever else needs doing. I always run out out of Wednesday before I run out of Wednesday things to do.
Knowing that I had a couple of things occupying this week's Wednesday, I tried an experiment with the radio show: I recorded it on Tuesday night instead of during the day on Wednesday. The results were mixed, but acceptable, and I'll be making additional attempts in future weeks. Getting the show done ahead of time would free up a little bit of my Wednesdays, so that's worth experimenting further. The playlist that Dana and I settled on Tuesday was perfect for the time slot, the files transferred without incident. I sent the folder to Dana before midnight. The process needs fine-tuning--I'm not satisfied with the sound of the back-announcements--but that's why the good lord above invented the concept of tweaking. This may become my method of recording the show, or at least an option on those weeks when I choose that method.
Wednesday's schedule included my annual eye exam. Both of my parents had significant vision and ocular issues, so I'm aware of the ongoing need to monitor my status. I didn't need glasses until...well, I'm pretty sure I was in my thirties, but it's possible I was in my late twenties when I first added specs to my wardrobe. I graduated to bifocals somewhere along the way. Last Wednesday's retirement planning and health insurance consultations forced me to postpone my previously-scheduled appointment at Skyline Optometry, but I was able to switch it to this week instead.
I got out of bed just after 9 am. Showered, dressed, then a breakfast of coffee and a pumpkin muffin. We left the house around 10:15 for the 11:00 appointment, Brenda driving in case my eyes needed to be dilated for the exam. We had time to hit Comix Zone and still get to Skyline early. The appointment was without incident, marking no real change since last year, and no need for new glasses. The doctor even said I was normal, which will come as a shock to everyone I knew in high school. I accepted the option of a dilation-free exam, which allowed me to be the driver for the rest of the day.
We stopped at home to switch cars, then off to Clay Town Hall for early voting (straight Democratic ticket, of course), made a deposit at the bank, picked up a few groceries, and returned to stately Cafarelli Manor by 2:00 or so. We had plans for later in the afternoon, so for our late lunch/early supper we warmed up last week's leftover pizza--from the freeeezer to the oooooven--added some sun-dried tomatoes, and enjoyed, Brenda with a seltzer, me with a Mexican Coca-Cola. With dinner dispatched, Brenda sat down to read, and I got on the computer to annotate the tracks on this week's radio show playlist. I also did a little work on a Greatest Record Ever Made! piece about the Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking." That essay still needs attention, but I hope to get it done before Saturday. When completed, it will be November's private post for this blog's paid patrons.
As four o'clock approached, we left the house for a matinee showing of the new biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Given a number of upcoming commitments, Brenda and I had figured on Tuesday that Wednesday would be our best chance to see the movie, hence my decision to get the radio show done Tuesday night.
The film was playing at Hollywood Theatre in Mattydale, the same venue where six-year-old me saw Adam West star in the then-new 1966 Batman feature film. The Hollywood is the only movie house from my childhood and teen years that is still in operation, and it is our preferred place to see motion pictures. Man, I can't count how many movies I saw at the Hollywood over the decades, from Herman's Hermits in Hold On! through Jaws, Young Frankenstein, A Night At The Opera, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, several screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and so much more. It became a second-run theater for a very long time, but returned to showing new releases in the wake of the pandemic. Remembering that trip to the Hollywood to see Batman in '66, it was a particular kick to see 2022's The Batman there as well. Full circle!
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Evil is wonderful. I'm not a huge Springsteen fan, but I do like him, and this movie was fascinating. Yeah, even though it takes place during the making of Springsteen's album Nebraska, a record I've never felt any urge to investigate (and a record which I remember Gary Sperrazza!--one of my rock critic idols--mentioning with deep and abiding scorn during the brief time I knew Gary in Buffalo in the '80s).
No spoilers, but the film deepened my interest in the Boss--maybe even in Nebraska!--and its narrative was compelling and effective, especially in the ways it depicted emotional frailty and its affect on the creative process (not to mention its potential for greater damage if not addressed). I'm very glad we made a point of including Deliver Me From Nowhere in our Wednesday plans, and I can't recommend it enough.
After the movie, we treated ourselves to coconut gelato at Crêpe Delicious in Cicero. At home, we finally got around to watching and enjoying the GRAMMY salute to Cyndi Lauper that aired on CBS a few weeks back. I was surprised and pleased that Cyndi reached back to her days fronting the group Blue Angel to reprise her stunning cover of Gene Pitney's "I'm Gonna Be Strong"--I'm gonna have goosebumps!--and I'm always delighted to hear her sing "I Drove All Night" and "Time After Time." "I Drove All Night" is a likely subject for a future Greatest Record Ever Made! spotlight.
Alas, I find myself increasingly less able to drive all night, and nor can I write all night either. A few days ago I started writing lyrics for a new Halloween song I'd hoped to finish and share on Friday, but I think it's best to save that for a future All Hallow's Eve. The wordplay of trying to write lyrics has been an interesting exercise for me, and more such efforts will follow on Wednesdays yet to come.
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I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. 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. You can read about our history here.
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