10 SONGS: 10/17/2026

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1357

BANDA AL9: That Thing You Do!

In 1964, I saw the Beatles' then-new movie A Hard Day's Night at The North Drive-In in Cicero, NY. I was four years old--a veteran pop music afficionado!--and it was an unforgettable experience. It stayed with me, and when I became an even bigger Beatles fan in the '70s, I began to realize that A Hard Day's Night was my all-time favorite film.

Thirty years ago this month, A Hard Day's Night was suddenly dethroned by That Thing You Do! From my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1):

"...Well I have heard your record, Guy, and I like it. I like it a lot. 'That Thing You Do!' You know, it's...snappy!

"Actor Tom Hanks made his directorial debut with this light-hearted little romantic comedy about the Wonders (formerly the One-ders), an unknown Erie, PA rock 'n' roll group that manages to score a big hit single in 1964. These fictional one-hit Wonders are a quartet of archetypes--the talent, the fool, the smart one, and the bass player--but the film executes the difficult task of making them seem plausible, real. There's a scene when the members of the Wonders all hear their song 'That Thing You Do!' on the radio for the first time, and that scene precisely nails the giddy rush of rockin' pop music better than any other slip of celluloid I've ever seen. Yeah yeah yeah, even better than the entirety of A Hard Day's Night, which had been my all-time favorite film right up until that night at a movie theater in Cicero, NY in 1996, when my eyes and ears opened wide with glee at Hollywood's best-ever love letter to rock 'n' roll music.

"And none of it would have or could have worked without the perfect song.

"Adam Schlesinger provided that perfect song. Mike Viola of the Candy Butchers co-produced and sang lead; some say Viola also co-wrote the song, but declined to take a songwriting credit, while other say that is not so. It is indisputable that the combined talents of Schlesinger and Viola crafted a stunning confection that steers clear of the quagmire of pastiche or parody, and captures the essence of fab and gear radio-ready 1964...."

In celebration of the film's 30th anniversary, Brazil's phenomenal pop combo Banda AL9 have released a loving and (of course!) snappy rendition of its irresistible title tune. Teen sensations Banda AL9 to the stage! You look good in the black, boys. And you ARE the smart ones.

TONY MARSICO AND THE UGLY THINGZ: Bittersweet

Yes. Just...YES! If the question happens to be Does this track sound like a friggin' hit record?, "Bittersweet," the new single from Tony Marsico and the UglyThingz earns a big, big yes in my programing log. We PLAY the hits! This one comes to us courtesy of Jonathan Lea (of the Jigsaw Scene and TIRnRR Fave Raves Tall Poppy Syndrome), who serves here as a deputy Ugly Thing on guitar. Our Jonathan compared "Bittersweet" to the power pop greatness of the Plimsouls, and if that seems like a bold claim, I say you can see it's true even from a million miles away. "Bittersweet" returns to the Syracuse airwaves on our next show. Bitter? No. Sweet? YES!!!

THE FAR WEST: Bitter, Drunk And Cold

Sure, but enough about me.

THE SPONGETONES: Starting To Feel

A new single from the Spongetones gets an automatic nod for airplay on this show. "Starting To Feel" offers the lead vocal debut of 'Tones drummer Eric Wilhelm on a lovely, McCartneyesque beat ballad. In the near-dystopian world sprawled all around us, we could all do with an opportunity to sway while starting to feel.

(Speaking of that McCartney guy, we'll hear from him in just a few paragraphs.)

THE RAMONES: I Don't Care

As the B-side of "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker," "I Don't Care" was one of the first two Ramones songs I owned, a blind purchase in 1977. I'd read about the Ramones in Phonograph Record Magazine, heard "Blitzkrieg Bop" on college radio, and took the plunge in purchasing the "Sheena" 45 even though I hadn't heard it yet. The 45 had considerable impact on me, and many more Ramones purchases would follow.

"I don't care?" Plainly, I do care. The Ramones were the subject of my first book, featured directly in two chapters (and indirectly in a third) in my second book, and a significant presence in my third book Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies and its novelette-length digest A Band Called GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS! I saw the Ramones eight times, and I co-host a weekly radio show named after a line in a Ramones song. I'm proud to be partisan; indifference is for frauds and hipsters. 

And I don't care about them.

RIHANNA: Shut Up And Drive

From a previous post:

Rihanna's "Shut Up And Drive" is a stupid song about sex. But it's a great stupid song about sex, probably the best-ever stupid song about sex, and a legit contender for my all-time Hot 200. Yeah, even among songs that may or may not be stupid and may or may not be about sex...

...Wikipedia describes "Shut Up And Drive" as a new wave song--no, really!--based on "Blue Monday" by New Order. No offense to the mopey British guys, but I prefer it the way Rihanna did it.

"Shut Up And Drive" strikes me as a sort-of equivalent to "Heavy Music" by Bob Seger and the Last Heard, a track I initially dismissed as a stupid song about sex before realizing it was--you guessed it!--a great stupid song about sex. 

Rihanna's song is greater. Drive, baby. Drive.

PAUL McCARTNEY: Not Such A Bad Boy

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

LED ZEPPELIN: Good Times, Bad Times

Ya never know with us. WE never know with us.

THE FLASHCUBES FEATURING TOM KENNY: Got No Mind

You can't have a hit record if you only play it once. And you can't get word out if you only share information once. Repeated from last week's 10 Songs:

In memory of Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong, the surviving 'Cubes are releasing a new single and planning an epic memorial live show. Let's review my recent hype on behalf of each event:

Our friends at Big Stir Records are now accepting preorders for "Got No Mind," the new 45 by the Flashcubes featuring Tom Kenny. Offered as a memorial tribute to Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong (the song's author), the track has already been a TIRnRR fixture, and it will remain so for the foreseeable. And to sanctify the release of this 7" slab o' cantankerous wonder, the mighty Big Stir is also offering original copies of two previous Flashcubes 45s--1979's "Wait Til Next Week"/"Radio" and 2016's two-fer of Chris Spedding covers, "Boogie City"/"Hey Miss Betty"--both individually and in bundles with the new one. Visit The Flashcubes page at Big Stir for details.

On Saturday, November 7th, fans and participants representing the Syracuse power pop and new wave rock 'n' roll scene that the Flashcubes ignited in the late '70s will gather at Syracuse's original home of rock 'n' roll The Lost Horizon to pay loud and heartfelt tribute to the late, great Paul Armstrong. 

In his brash capacity as a guitarist and general spark plug for the audacious energy of the Flashcubes, Paul Armstrong was a key figure in the history of Syracuse rock 'n' roll, and the impact he and his brother Flashcubes Gary Frenay, Arty Lenin, and Tommy Allen have had upon my life and work is damned near beyond measure. As we bid farewell to Paul Armstrong, you can be damned sure we're gonna put on a tribute show that would make PA proud.

And to do that, a bunch of performers who loved Paul and shared his passion for three chords and a cloud of dust will gather at the Lost for a full-volume celebration of his legacy. We'll have live sets by Amerikan Primitive, Perilous, 1.4.5. Survivors, the Johnny Thunders Orchestra, The Wax Museum host Ronnie Dark, PA's Boston buds Sal Baglio and Mike Gent, Syracuse's favorite son Tom Kenny, and the Flashcubes featuring Mark Doyle. Your emcees will be Dana and Carl, and we promise the sort of bright-lights bonanza that Paul Armstrong would have dug the most.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! It's possible there will still be tickets available at the door...but given the response so far, I would not recommend waiting. This one's for Paul Armstrong. And it's gonna be as loud as he was. YOU should join us. Got no mind? WE don't mind!

COCKTAIL SLIPPERS: Back Where You Belong

And this is where we belong. Sing it, Cocktail Slippers! We'll meet you again back here on Sunday night.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.  

My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book, its six-chapter novelette digest A Band Called GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!, and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

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. 

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

10 SONGS: 10/10/2026

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1356

DAVE COPE: Hit The Road

This week's extravaganza opened with "Hit The Road," a nice little slice of radio sunshine from Dave Cope's new album AM Silver. Dave is already familiar to our sovereign airwaves as the leader of Dave Cope and the Sass, whose "Julee" (from the album of the same name) is one of my favorite tracks of this decade in progress. The posted playlist commentary waxed rhapsodic about the pure magic of the era of AM Top 40 radio, and about Dave Cope's accomplishment in channeling that magic in the original songs he crafted for AM Silver. We're hittin' the road with it again on our next show. Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed. DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL! We're ready to move out.

RAY CHARLES: Hit The Road Jack

Couldn't resist.

GENE CHAMPAGNE: I'm Disconnected

We might be tempted to play Gene Champagne's new album Too Pop For Punk...Too Punk To Care just on the basis of our sudden urge to use its title on our business cards. But man, this would be worthy of a carpet-bombing programming approach even if the record were called Drek-O-Rama or Hotel California. "I'm Disconnected" is an in-yer-face glittery hookfest with intent to assail, exactly the sort of pugnacious pop music for which our little mutant radio gimmick was built. Connection achieved.

COCKTAIL SLIPPERS: Back Where You Belong

This irresistible track from Cocktail Slippers' fabulous current album Joyride has been one of my biggest and most delightful earworms of late, especially the part where the backing vocals proclaim WONDER-WONDER-WONDER WHY! Goosebumps, and I can't hear it enough. We'll all hear it again on our next show, and it seems very likely to score a well-deserved berth on our year-end countdown show.

Where it belongs!

THE CYNZ: Neighborhood Bully

During my recent guest appearance on The Spoon podcast, overhost Robbie Rist said he thinks it was TIRnRR that prompted him to buy music by the Cynz. See? We DO provide a public service! RADIO'S JOB IS TO SELL RECORDS!

Our latest Cynzation has been "Neighborhood Bully," their ass-kickin' contribution to Jem Records Celebrates Bob Dylan. While I'm holding on to an unlikely hope that Jem's annual series of songwriter celebrations will some day soon bring us a Jem Records Celebrates Michael Nesmith record, right now we're diggin' the Cynz as they police the hood. Bully for the Cynz.

CYNDI LAUPER: I Drove All Night

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE SCRUFFS: She Say Yea

The Scruffs' 1977 album Wanna' Meet The Scruffs? is a true power pop gem, perhaps underappreciated by the world at large but cherished to this day by faithful fans like us. My initial Scruffs go-to was the Robert Christgau-approved "Revenge," but I soon settled on "She Say Yea" as my designated Scruffermost of the Uppermost. I was bummed to discover (well after the fact) that the Scruffs had played a Syracuse gig with my hometown heroes the Flashcubes, an event which I missed because I was away at school. The cost of higher education, I guess.

(My only quibble with the track is that while the Scruffs clearly sing She say yeah!, the title misspells it as "yea," which my higher education compels me to pronounce--correctly--as She say YAY! This is not a negotiable point, Great, great song nonetheless. Everybody say YEA!)

THE FLASHCUBES FEATURING TOM KENNY: Got No Mind

In memory of Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong, the surviving 'Cubes are releasing a new single and planning an epic memorial live show. Let's review my recent hype on behalf of each event:

Our friends at Big Stir Records are now accepting preorders for "Got No Mind," the new 45 by the Flashcubes featuring Tom Kenny. Offered as a memorial tribute to Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong (the song's author), the track has already been a TIRnRR fixture, and it will remain so for the foreseeable. And to sanctify the release of this 7" slab o' cantankerous wonder, the mighty Big Stir is also offering original copies of two previous Flashcubes 45s--1979's "Wait Til Next Week"/"Radio" and 2016's two-fer of Chris Spedding covers, "Boogie City"/"Hey Miss Betty"--both individually and in bundles with the new one. Visit The Flashcubes page at Big Stir for details.

On Saturday, November 7th, fans and participants representing the Syracuse power pop and new wave rock 'n' roll scene that the Flashcubes ignited in the late '70s will gather at Syracuse's original home of rock 'n' roll The Lost Horizon to pay loud and heartfelt tribute to the late, great Paul Armstrong. 

In his brash capacity as a guitarist and general spark plug for the audacious energy of the Flashcubes, Paul Armstrong was a key figure in the history of Syracuse rock 'n' roll, and the impact he and his brother Flashcubes Gary Frenay, Arty Lenin, and Tommy Allen have had upon my life and work is damned near beyond measure. As we bid farewell to Paul Armstrong, you can be damned sure we're gonna put on a tribute show that would make PA proud.

And to do that, a bunch of performers who loved Paul and shared his passion for three chords and a cloud of dust will gather at the Lost for a full-volume celebration of his legacy. We'll have live sets by Amerikan Primitive, Perilous, Boston's Drivin' Sisters (with Sal Baglio, Mike Gent, and Anthony Kaczynski), 1.4.5. Survivors, The Johnny Thunders Orchestra, The Wax Museum host Ronnie Dark, Syracuse's favorite son Tom Kenny, and the Flashcubes featuring Mark Doyle. Your emcees will be Dana and Carl, and we promise the sort of bright-lights bonanza that Paul Armstrong would have dug the most.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! It's possible there will still be tickets available at the door...but given the response so far, I would not recommend waiting. This one's for Paul Armstrong. And it's gonna be as loud as he was. YOU should join us. Got no mind? WE don't mind!

THE JIVE FIVE: What Time Is It?

From my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1):

"The Jive Five's 'What Time Is It?' (a song much later covered by Marshall Crenshaw) is one of the most heavenly-sounding records ever made.  And it sums up the sweet anticipation of the big date tonight with greater joy and eloquence than any other record I've ever heard.

"It occurs to me that I've never really been on a first date, at least not in the sense of the first dates we see in pop culture, in movies, on TV, and in radio-ready 45s. I've been on dates with girlfriends, and still go on dates with my wife, but in each case me and she were already together prior to date night. Hands had already been held. Lips had already met. Eyes had already gazed admiringly into pretty eyes that returned the favor. I did things backwards. I got the girl first, and a date would follow some time thereafter.

"Tick tock, listen to the clock
Tick tock, listen to the clock

"The giddy wellspring of hope and promise, the potential redemptive power of a love story about to write its introductory chapter, are essential components in our collective concept of the first date as a rite of passage. And it is the irresistible tableau of the Jive Five's dreamy, delicious celebration 'What Time Is It?...."

APE HANGERS: Miss You Girl

I swear to Joey Ramone, our friends at Rum Bar Records are just killin' it. We received Ape Hangers' a-pumpin' and a-jumpin' new single "Miss You Girl" just in time to tack it on to the end of this week's show, supplementing earlier-in-the-playlist spins of a Rum Bar essential by Brijitte West and the Greenowskis and the Rum Bar-associated Gene Champagne winner we praised a few paragraphs north of here. Raisin' the Rum Bar! Ape Hangers return to TIRnRR on our next show, alongside another simply invigmoratin' new Rum Bar boppin' imperative by Tony Marsico and the Ugly Thingz.

RUM BAR! You keep makin' 'em, we'll keep breakin' our speakers with 'em. Hardware is expendable. Rock 'n' roll is immortal.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.  

My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book, its six-chapter novelette digest A Band Called GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!, and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

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. 

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

10 SONGS: 10/3/2026

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1355

THE HALF/CUBES: When The Lights Are Out

I was in eighth grade in 1972, when UK stompmeisters Slade hit Syracuse's WOLF-AM with their irresistible glam-pop classic "Gudbuy T' Jane." In this bright 'n' shiny new millennium, Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse the Flashcubes channeled that memory of perfect AM Top 40 splendor with a cover of "Gudbuy T' Jane," as heard on the 'Cubic covers collection Pop Masters. A splendid time was bludgeoned into the craniums of all.

Now, essential Flashcubes offshoot the Half/Cubes return to the scene of the really loud chime with a stupendous new rendition of Slade's lesser-known gem "When The Lights Are Out." Hit the lights, Jane! Say gudbye to the day, and say hello to what the night may bring.

THE FLASHCUBES FEATURING TOM KENNY: Got No Mind

Speaking of the Flashcubes, our friends at Big Stir Records are now accepting preorders for "Got No Mind," the new 45 by the Flashcubes featuring Tom Kenny. Offered as a memorial tribute to Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong (the song's author), the track has already been a TIRnRR fixture, and it will remain so for the foreseeable. And to sanctify the release of this 7" slab o' cantankerous wonder, the mighty Big Stir is also offering original copies of two previous Flashcubes 45s--1979's "Wait Til Next Week"/"Radio" and 2016's two-fer of Chris Spedding covers, "Boogie City"/"Hey Miss Betty"--both individually and in bundles with the new one. Visit The Flashcubes page at Big Stir for details.

THE DEAD BOYS: All The Way Down (Poison Lady)

The passing of Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome compelled some Sonic Reducer recognition on our playlist. We considered "All This And More," "3rd Generation Nation," and (obviously!) "Sonic Reducer," but opted instead for "All The Way Down (Poison Lady)," a 1987 Dead Boys reunion single that still feels like a righteous summary of everything young, loud, and snotty. I'm working on an eventual Greatest Record Ever Made! piece about "3rd Generation Nation," but for now we go all the way down with a poison lady who loves it loud. Godspeed, Cheetah Chrome.

THE AMPLIFIER HEADS: They Don't Dance Anymore

And. They. Should. From their fab current long-player Super 8, Boston's phenomenal pop combo the Amplifier Heads bemoan the lack of boppers on the boppin' floor with "They Don't Dance Anymore," and if you ain't swaying, you're not listening. 

While we're listening and dancing, we can also cast our votes for the Amplifier Heads in The 2026 New England Music Awards. Super 8 is vying for Album of the Year honors, and the AmpHeads themselves are up for Rock Act of the Year. You can vote once per day.

And I tell ya--this is a good month to practice the responsibility of voting. 

TODD RUNDGREN: Couldn't I Just Tell You

One of the all-time defining examples of power pop. That said, my deep and abiding affection for Todd Rundgren's "Couldn't I Just Tell You" doesn't ameliorate the toxic absurdity of cranky curmudgeon Todd's recent old-man-yelling-at-clouds dismissal of Taylor Swift's music as "the apotheosis of mediocrity." In a world where the biggest hits of Journey and Bob Seger already exist, it's condescending and absurd to refer to Swift in such obnoxious terms. "The apotheosis of mediocrity?" Have you heard any friggin' Bro Country songs, Todd?

(To be clear: I don't consider myself a Swiftie, and I really dig only a relative handful of her recordings. For more of my perhaps-unlikely testimonial on behalf of Taylor Swift, read here. And we still love ya, Todd. But it's time for your meds, Pops.) 

PLASTICSOUL: J'adore

Oui! California's Plasticsoul were the very first Big Stir Recording Artists, signing with the then-new label for the group's 2017 album Therapy. They return now with "J'adore," a fresh blast of corrosive and combustible rockin' pop that stands as the opening salvo from their forthcoming new album. Ain't nothin' plastic here, my friends. 

THE DIXIE CUPS: Iko Iko

From a previous post:

Like Mary Poppins and the Ramones, the Dixie Cups' "Iko Iko" is practically perfect in every way. There's also much to be said for the group's originally-unreleased alternate version (which refers to a boy as "a sex machine," and probably wouldn't have made it to the radio in 1965), but nothing compares to the well-known hit rendition. The Greatest Record Ever Made? Well...yeah.

BRIJITTE WEST AND THE GREENOWSKIS: Doin' Alright

HOLY...! Man, this is good. I don't think I've had any prior familiarity with Brijitte West and the Greenowskis, nor with Ms. West's previous work with NY Loose. New single "Doin' Alright" scribbles its ornery tags all over and all around that particular tabula rasa, and I am instantly in its thrall. Alright! 

RUSH: Circumstances

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE KENNEDYS: Girl On A Motorcycle

As I write this, I'm looking forward to seeing the Kennedys bring their always-engaging alchemy of coffeehouse pop to a live performance at The 443 Social Club & Lounge in Syracuse. By the time you read this, I will have already witnessed and enjoyed that show. MUSIC IS TIME TRAVEL!! And what better way to travel than with this "Girl On A Motorcycle?" One of my immediate favorite tracks on the Kennedys' superb new album Smoketree (a splendid record that conveys a more rooted version of the Laurel Canyon vibe, RIYL Gene Clark), "Girl On A Motorcycle" spins here again Sunday night. 

MORE time travel! Rev it, girl. Rev it.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.  

My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book, its six-chapter novelette digest A Band Called GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!, and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

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. 

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

10 SONGS: 9/26/2026

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1354

THE FLASHCUBES FEATURING TOM KENNY: Got No Mind

Revealed at last! Got, got, got no mind/Got no mind, but I don't mind!

We've been playing this fantastic forthcoming new single for weeks, all the while coyly refusing to, y'know, say what it is. That ends now, as this week's radio show began proudly and loudly with "Got No Mind" by the Flashcubes featuring Tom Kenny. The song was written by Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong, and a basement recording of "Got No Mind" served as one of two tracks ("Guernica" was the other) on the B-side of the Flashcubes' 1978 debut single "Christi Girl." As our local Syracuse music community and the larger international power pop community continue to mourn PA's passing earlier this year, his friends are assembling a proper tribute to his impact and legacy.

The tribute starts with this brand new version of Paul Armstrong's Cubic classic "Got No Mind." Recorded in 2026 by the surviving members of the Flashcubes--guitarist Arty Lenin, bassist Gary Frenay, and drummer/producer Tommy Allen--aided 'n' abetted by guitarists Chris Armstrong (PA's son) and Mark Doyle, with gang vocals by Paul's Boston-area buds Mike Gent, Sal Baglio, and Barrence Whitfield, the track is propelled into the motherlovin' stratosphere with vocals by Syracuse's favorite son, famed voice actor, performer, singer, and all-around best guy ever Tom Kenny.

The new "Got No Mind," backed with Paul and his fellow Flashcubes' previously-released (and KICKASS!) track "Reminisce," will be released in November by the visionary Big Stir Records label, and it will be available as a digital single and as a 7" 45 RPM rekkid. The physical single will also be sold at the sure-to-be seismic event A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO PAUL ARMSTRONG, which is set to peel the paint off the walls at Syracuse's legendary home of rock 'n' roll The Lost Horizon on Saturday, November 7th.

The Lost Horizon show will feature live performances by Amerikan Primitive, Perilous, 1.4.5. (with The Wax Museum host Ronnie Dark), Boston's Drivin' Sisters, and Tom Kenny, culminating in the Flashcubes' farewell to their brother Paul Armstrong. Dana and I will be your hosts, but don't let that stop you. BE THERE!!

Meanwhile, TIRnRR will keep on programming "Got No Mind" by the Flashcubes featuring Tom Kenny. I also played the track this week during my guest appearance on The Spoon podcast alongside The Men Of The Spoon Robbie Rist, Chris Jackson, and Thom Bowers. True believers. And friends. If there's ever a chance to celebrate the power of friendship and the magic of music...

...I don't mind.

PERILOUS: Overwhelmed By Reality

One of my favorite current bands, I'm looking forward to seeing Perilous again at the Lost in November. Mind you, I did just see them last week at a benefit show for Spark Syracuse, but who sez I can't already be looking forward to seeing 'em again? Man, when I was a club-legal teen in the late '70s, I saw the Flashcubes as often as I could, and the buzz of a Perilous show calls to mind (as in got-got-got no mind!) the buzz of a Flashcubes show. The current Perilous single "Overwhelmed By Reality" spins again on our next show. I'm looking forward to that, too.

BALLZY TOMORROW: Five Personalities

My above-crowed guest appearance on The Spoon began with our Robbie Rist hisself, operating under his rockin' pop dba Ballzy Tomorrow for an invigmoratin' take on the Flashcubes' "Five Personalities." Robbie's rendition comes to us from Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, a 2025 passion project I spearheaded with the good folks at Big Stir. Robbie does an amazing job with this song I've loved for so long, and I believe some members of the Flashcubes regarded Robbie's take as the definitive "Five Personalities." And looking back on the album, I take some satisfaction in knowing Paul Armstrong lived to hear artists like Ballzy Tomorrow, Sorrows, Hamell On Trial, the Verbs with Meegan Voss and Steve Jordan, the Peppermint Kicks, Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin, and Graham Parker and Mike Gent cover songs written or co-written by PA. 

THE HALF/CUBES: The Mighty Quinn

The Half/Cubes are of course half of the Flashcubes, Gary Frenay and Tommy Allen, working with Randy Klawon and Fernando Perdomo, plus occasional extra special guests. From Jem Records' all-star various-artists tribute album Jem Records Celebrates Bob Dylan, we've been playing the Half/Cubes' ace take on Bashful Bobby's "The Mighty Quinn" because--let's face it!--you've not seen nothing like the Mighty Quinn.

On our next show, we'll move our intrepid Dylanmania to a another winner from Jem Records Celebrates Bob Dylan, this time courtesy of the Grip Weeds. And we will open the show with a new single by the Half/Cubes, covering the mighty Slade. Lights out, lads.

THE RAMONES: Teenage Lobotomy

"Teenage Lobotomy?" May haveta amend that to "Senior Citizen Lobotomy," but otherwise? Some things don't change. Guess I'll have to break the news that I GOT NO MIND to lose....

GREAT BUILDINGS: Hold On To Something

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

HOLLY AND THE ITALIANS: Rock Against Romance

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio's willful short-attention-span format discourages longer tracks. When it comes to TIRnRR airplay, a great under-two-minute track is in far better position than a great four-minute song to snag a berth on our playlist. And a five-minute song? This generally isn't the right show for that.

So I concede the fact that a track that's more than five and a half minutes long seems an unlikely component of any given episode of TIRnRR. It's not unprecedented, nor even sufficient cause to stop the presses, but it is something that doesn't happen very often. It happened this week with our first ever spin of "Rock Against Romance" by Holly and the Italians.

Holly and the Italians' 1981 debut (and, really, only) album The Right To Be Italian was a love at first spin, a perfect record that I've always loved without reservation or qualifying clause. Like, all-time Top 20 album at the very least. Its 5:39 closing track "Rock Against Romance" is, I think, the only one of the original LP's ten tracks that we've never played on the show, and hearing it again during a recent commute convinced me that I needed to take a stab at squeezing it in somewhere.

"Rock Against Romance" is nothing short of epic, a full body-and-soul immersion in love's promise and pitfalls, equal parts waifish and steely-eyed, dizzying in its giddiness, grounded in its world weariness, and stubborn enough to dig in its high heels and take arms against a sea of troubles. I would not be shocked to learn that the singer's packin' heat and has the will to use it.

It's also versed in every lesson it learned from listening to pop radio and teen bistro jukeboxes, reading rock mags, pulp paperbacks, and romance comic books alike, and boppin' to the beat in any dive bar that would allow it (or at least not care enough to ban it). Like CREEM magazine said, The Right To Be Italian sounds like Lesley Gore backed by Leave Home-era Ramones. "Tell That Girl To Shut Up" is its most authoritative statement. "Youth Coup" is its manifesto.

"Rock Against Romance" is its mic drop. Gotta find time for a mic drop.

THE MONKEES: The Girl I Knew Somewhere

September 12th marked the 60th anniversary of the debut of The Monkees TV series. For their first two albums, the individual members of the Monkees--Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork--were restricted to vocals-only duties on the records bearing their brand name, and strictly forbidden from playing instruments on the tracks. Nesmith was somehow able to insist on producing the studio sessions for Monkees songs he wrote, but he was not allowed to play even on those sessions. Yeah, the song's author and producer was barred from picking up a friggin' guitar ON HIS OWN MATERIAL. Madness!

That changed in 1967. The Monkees were playing concerts as a live band, and both Nesmith and Tork chafed at Musical Supervisor Don Kirshner's insistence that the Monkees could not--could NOT!--play on their own damned records. The Monkees revolted. Kirshner resisted. Management ruled that the Monkees could be the studio band for their next single, "All Of Your Toys." Kirshner blocked its release (and it remained in the vault until the '80s). The Monkees cried foul. Kirshner was fired. The Monkees prevailed.

And the Monkees played. From a previous post detailing my 25 favorite Monkees tracks: 

"Nesmith's 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' was originally planned to share a single with the shelved 'All Of Your Toys.' As the B-side of 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,' it became the first public document of the Monkees themselves playing on record (with bassist John London). Nice introduction, even if too few acknowledged it. Nesmith occasionally expressed disinterest in writing pop songs, claiming weightier songwriting goals, but he was damned good at writing pop songs. While an alternate version of 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' features a Nesmith lead vocal, the familiar Dolenz lead is unbeatable, propelled by Tork's harpsichord, Nesmith's guitar, Jones's tambourine, and London's bass. In the early '90s, I knew a college-age Monkees fan named Jennifer Skaja, and she became a fan in part because songs like 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' sounded a bit like R.E.M. I agree with Jen on that point, and I would further state that a segue of R.E.M.'s '(Don't Go Back To) Rockville' into the Monkees' 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' would be a just killer 1-2 punch.

RADIO KARMA: Sweetheart Deal

Radio Karma is the dynamic duo of long-time friend of this show Richard Rossi and supercool pop musician Joe Giddings. Rich is also a Flashcubes fan of several decades' standing, while Joe was inducted into 'Cubedom when we recruited him to cover "You're Not Grounded" for the Flashcubes tribute album. Together, they're detectives! Wait...that ain't right. No, together they're deities, at least according to the title of their debut three-song collection We Were Gods. Leadoff track "Sweetheart Deal" is resolutely radio-ready, which is why we've already put it on the radio two weeks in a row. It racks up week # 3 this Sunday. Bless us, Radio Karma!

THE KINKS: You Really Got Me

For Peggy Olson, wherever she is.

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My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book, its six-chapter novelette digest A Band Called GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS!, and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

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. 

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