On Friday night, Dana and I had the honor of appearing at the SAMMYS--the Syracuse Area Music Awards--to present the award for Syracuse's Best Alternative album of 2025. Our eternal thanks to our friend Carol Thoryk-O'Leary for including us, and making us feel like big shots.
This is (approximately) what I said on stage before listing the nominees for Best Alternative:
"Alternative music is a continuation of the punk and new wave rock 'n' roll of the 1970s and 1980s, expanding across genres on trails blazed by the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. A local journalist--I think it was Russ Donahue--said something to the effect that Paul Armstrong--singer, songwriter, really loud guitarist with the Flashcubes, Paul Armstrong--was the one person most responsible for bringing this sound and this attitude to Syracuse in the first place. In my mind, I'm unofficially thinking of this next trophy as kind of like the Paul Armstrong Award for Syracuse's Best Alternative."
Wouldn't that be nice?
I have no illusion of that notion moving to official status, and probably for good reason; maybe we shouldn't name awards in individual genres and categories after specific performers. That's a fair point. But in this space, reserved for rantin' and ravin' about the world of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, we must proclaim that our radio show would never have come into existence without the impact of Paul Armstrong. TIRnRR simply does not happen if PA hadn't helped kickstart the local scene that forged us in the first place. The sound. The attitude. That impact drives us still.
The Paul Armstrong Award For Syracuse's Best Alternative. Even unofficially, it fits.
This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on a 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. 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 # 1327: 3/8/2026
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold
LES HANDCLAPS: Surfin' Basrista (Handclaps, Sessions: Brooklyn)
THE BARBARELLAS: Summer (Sympathy For The Record Industry, Queen Of The Galaxy)
THE BANDWAGON: People Got To Be Free (Kent Soul, Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache: The Best Of 1968-1975)
THE BANGLES: All About You (Columbia, All Over The Place)
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BILLY SCOTT AND THE GEORGIA PROPHETS: I Got The Fever (Ripete, VA: The Beach Music Anthology)
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Virtually Happy (Damaged Goods, Singles Round-Up)
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PAUL DAVIE: You Got Me Tonight (single) MIKE BROWNING FEATURING ELENA ROGERS: Over And Under And All Around (single) THE SUPREMES: Life Beats (Motown, The '70s Anthology)
THE PRIMITIVES: Crash (RCA, Lovely)
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ORBIS MAX: Don't Lose Me Now (single) THE FOUR TOPS: Standing In The Shadows Of Love (Motown, The Ultimate Collection)
MICHAEL CARPENTER; That's Alright By Me (Not Lame, VA: Full Circle: A Tribute To Gene Clark)
ADAM WALTEMIRE: It's OK (single) THEE HEADCOATEES: Teenage Kicks (Damaged Goods, Punk Girls)
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SAM PHILLIPS: Baby, I Can't Please You (Virgin, Martinis & Bikinis)
MARY LOU LORD: Right On 'Till Dawn (Kill Rock Stars, Speeding Motorcycle)
THE 5TH DIMENSION: Carpet Man (Arista, The Ultimate 5th Dimension)
MATTHEW SWEET: Sick Of Myself (Zoo, 100% Fun)
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ROBERT ELLIS ORRALL: I've Got Something To Tell You (RCA, Fixation)
THE JIVE FIVE: My True Story (Collectables, Their Greatest Hits)
DR. FEELGOOD: She Does It Right (United Artists, Down By The Jetty)
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The Greatest Record Ever Made!
TAVARES: It Only Takes A Minute (Rhino, VA: Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience)
BLONDIE: Hanging On The Telephone (Chrysalis, The Platinum Collection)
BABY SHAKES: Ooh La Love (Douchemaster, The First One)
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THE ZOMBIES: Tell Her No [acoustic piano version] (Big Beat, Zombie Heaven)
SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go (single) THE BUZZCOCKS: Love You More (IRS, Singles Going Steady)
BIG STAR: September Gurls (Ardent, # 1 Record/Radio City)
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PERDOMO KRAVITZ: Free From The Me (single) DAVE EDMUNDS: Get Out Of Denver (Wounded Bird, Get It)
CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode (MCA, The Anthology)
DAVID BOWIE: John, I'm Only Dancing (Virgin, Best Of Bowie)
THE RAMONES: Do You Wanna Dance (Rhino, Rocket To Russia)
THE CURE: Jumping Someone Else's Train (Elektra, Boys Don't Cry)
SPECTRAFLAME: I Always Wanted You To Stay (single) THE BEATLES: Two Of Us (Apple, Let It Be...Naked)
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NIKKI AND THE CORVETTES: You're The One (Bomp!, Nikki & the Corvettes)
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