A new single by the Half/Cubes brings us back to the reason This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio exists in the first place.
When I was a kid in the 1960s, the sound of everything everywhere all at once was defined by AM radio, specifically AM Top 40 radio. There were other factors in play--friends, family, jukeboxes, movies, TV, and the girl a few houses over with her own box of 45s--but radio was what mattered. We all knew that truth as self-evident. The now sound. What's happening! The sound of the world at large was established, policed, and maintained by the sound of the radio.
Released at the end of 1967 and occupying car radios and transistor radios across the land in '68, the American Breed's # 5 hit "Bend Me, Shape Me" is AM radio's WOW! incarnate: Unashamedly pop, willfully starry-eyed, a deliberate swoon aiming to fall into the arms of an everlasting love by whatever contortion necessary. It's all accomplished with a hearty YEA-AHH!! that could rival the freakin' Beatles. Unabashed joy, demanding more volume than those tiny little AM speakers could even hope to accommodate. That's okay; the crackle in the transmission enhances the experience. 50,000 watts of power. Radio's power. I was eight years old. The sound of the American Breed annexed the atmosphere, bending and shaping it into something greater still.
In this far future world of 2026, even if AM radio ain't the force it used to be, we still believe in pop's power to lift the air around us. You know who else believes? The Half/Cubes believe. And they're putting that belief into their latest single, a bravura rendition of the American Breed smash that was the irresistible sound of everything everywhere all at once in 1967-68. Our mighty Half/Cubes recruit Glenn Burtnick (aka Glen Burtnik of the Weeklings) to help 'em out at the lead microphone, and the result provides stunning proof that "Bend Me, Shape Me" remains as vital now as it was then. I feel like a little kid again.
Bend it. Shape it. Any way you want it. As long as you love it, it's all right. This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another Sunday night in Syracuse this week.
YEA-AHH!!
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 # 1330: 3/29/2026
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain’t played before are listed in bold
THE HALF/CUBES FEATURING GLENN BURTNICK: Bend Me, Shape Me (Jem, single)
THE MYNAH BIRDS: It's My Time (Ace, VA: You Heard Them Here First! Rock's Icons Before They Were Famous)
THE STUDIO 68! WITH DANI TURNER: Funky People (Detour, Rollin')
PAUL AND LINDA McCARTNEY: Too Many People (Capitol, Man On The Run OST)
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THE SMALL FACES: Things Are Going To Get Better [stripped-down acoustic mix] (Immediate, The Autumn Stone)
GENERATION X: Untouchables (Chrysalis, Perfect Hits 1975-1981)
PEARL HARBOR AND THE EXPLOSIONS: Release It [415 single version] (Blixa Sounds, Pearl Harbor & the Explosions)
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THE KINKS: Lola (Sanctuary, The Anthology 1964-1971)
TALKING HEADS: New Feeling [live at the Jabberwocky] (Rhino, Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live)
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Everyday People (Epic, Greatest Hits)
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THE 101'ERS: Keys To Your Heart (Soul Jazz, VA: Punk 45: Sick On You!)
THE MONKEES: You Bring The Summer (Rhino, Good Times!)
THE SPADES: You're Gonna Miss Me (Strawberry, VA: Pushin' Too Hard [American Garage Punk 1964-67])
SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go (single) THE NORMALS: Almost Ready (Soul Jazz, Punk 45: Kill The Hippies! Kill Yourself!)
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THE DENIMS: I'm Your Man (Strawberry, VA: Pushin' Too Hard [American Garage Punk 1964-67])
THE HIVES: Tick Tick Boom (A & M Octome, The Black And White Album)
ACE: I'm A Man (Beloved Recordings, VA: Pub Rock: Paving The Way For Punk)
THE O'JAYS: Love Train (Epic, Love Train: The Best Of The O'Jays)
THE CLASH: Train In Vain (Epic, Clash On Broadway)
--
FOOLS FACE: Always The Last To Know (n/a, Fools Face)
SPECTRAFLAME: I Always Wanted You To Stay (single) LET'S ACTIVE: Last Chance Down (Collectors' Choice Music, Big Plans For Everybody)
THE ROLLING STONES: The Last Time (Abkco, Singles Collection: The London Years)
THE RASPBERRIES: Last Dance (RPM, Power Pop, Volume Two)
--
The Greatest Record Ever Made!
THE BARRACUDAS: I Wish It Could Be 1965 Again (Voxx, Drop Out With The Barracudas)
THE STOOGES: 1969 (Virgin, IGGY POP: A Million In Prizes: The Anthology)
THE ZOMBIES: Woman (Big Beat, The Singles Collection: A's & B's 1964-1969)
HONEY CONE: One Monkey Don't Stop No Show [Part 1] (Varese Sarabande, VSA: Soulful Pop)
RAY PAUL: Pretty Flamingo (Permanent Press, Whimsicality)
--
P. P. ARNOLD: Angel Of The Morning (Sequel, The First Cut)
EVIE SANDS: Any Way That You Want Me (n/a, Northern Soul)
THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR: Julie (Del-Fi, Never To Be Forgotten: The Mustang Years)
TERRY MANNING: Rocks (Big Beat, VA: Thank You Friends: The Ardent Story)
THE YARDBIRDS: Psycho Daisies (Rhino, Ultimate!)
THE COUNT BISHOPS: I Ain't Got You (Soul Jazz, VA: Punk 45: Sick On You!)
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THE RAMONES: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Rhino, Rocket To Russia)
THE REDUCERS: Let's Go (Rev-Ola, Redux)
THE DOLLYROTS: Attention Span (Wicked Cool, single)
THE REPLACEMENTS: I Will Dare (Sire, For Sale: Live At Maxwell's 1986)
THE FOUR TOPS: If I Were A Carpenter (Motown, 50th Anniversary--The Singles Collection 1964-1972)
RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS: The Kid With The Replaceable Head (Rhino, Spurts: The Richard Hell Story)
THE TROGGS: Wild Thing (Fontana, Archeology [1966-1976])
THE BEATLES: I Saw Her Standing There [Take 2] (Apple, Anthology 4)
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THE HOLLIES: I Can't Let Go (EMI, All The Hits And More: The Definitive Collection)
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS: This Year's Girl [alternative Eden Studios version] (Universal, This Year's Model [Deluxe Edition])
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