Showing posts with label Fake TIRnRR playlists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fake TIRnRR playlists. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: School days, school nights, and the act of being a teenager

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

High school! It's reunion season, so let's grab our # 2 pencils and smudge in the ol' ovals as we listen to songs celebrating and/or deploring the secondary education experience. The picks t'clique! Don't worry--ain't none of this going down on your permanent record unless you want it there. 

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: School days, school nights, and the act of being a teenager

THE RAMONES: Rock 'n' Roll High School
CHUCK BERRY: School Day
THE RUNAWAYS: School Days
STARJETS: School Days
STANLEY FRANK: S'cool Days
DAVE EDMUNDS: High School Nights
--
THE MC5: High School
THE BEACH BOYS: Wouldn't It Be Nice
THE RUBINOOS: Wouldn't It Be Nice
ROCKPILE: Teacher Teacher
GARY "US" BONDS: School Is Out
JOSIE COTTON: School Is In
--
DOLLY PARTON: Don't Drop Out
JAMES BROWN: Don't Be A Drop-Out
PINK FLOYD: Another Brick In The Wall
BIG STAR: Thirteen
CHUCK BERRY: Sweet Little Sixteen
JUNIPER: Boys! Boys! Boys! Boys! Boys!
--
THE COASTERS: Charlie Brown
BROWNSVILLE STATION: Smokin' In The Boy's Room
THE OHMS: Teenage Alcoholic
ALICE COOPER: Eighteen
THE RAMONES: Teenage Lobotomy
THE SHIMMYS: High School Honey
--
THE WHO: My Generation
SWEET: Teenage Rampage
DAVID BOWIE: Rebel Rebel
BOB B. SOXX AND THE BLUE JEANS: Not Too Young To Get Married
MEN AT WORK: Be Good Johnny
THE KNACK: Good Girls Don't
--
THE SHIVVERS: Teen Line
KISS: Shout It Out Loud
SHAM 69: If The Kids Are United
FOOLS FACE: Nothing To Say
RICK DERRINGER: Teenage Love Affair
STEVIE WONDER: Uptight (Everything's Alright)
--
THE FAST: Kids Just Wanna Dance '77
THE RAMONES: Do You Wanna Dance
THE LAMBRETTAS: Da-a-a-ance
THE BEATLE-ETTES: Only Seventeen
SONNY JAMES: Young Love
EDDIE COCHRAN: C'mon Everybody
--
THE SHANGRI-LAS: Leader Of The Pack
LAURIE AND THE SIGHS: Party Lights
THE YARDBIRDS: Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
MONOGROOVE: Back To School
TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS: I Think We're Alone Now
THE RASPBERRIES: I Wanna Be With You
DANNY AND THE JUNIORS: At The Hop
--
THE WHO: The Kids Are Alright
SHAUN CASSIDY: Teen Dream
THE UNDERTONES: Teenage Kicks
THE RAMONES: Babysitter
THE KINKS: The Last Assembly
SCREEN TEST: Nothing Really Matters When You're Young
ALICE COOPER: School's Out
THE BEATLES: Slow Down 
--
FIRST CLASS: Beach Baby

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Songs I witnessed other acts covering in their live sets

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

Today's imaginary playlist gathers a bunch of records I heard some other act cover in a live show. In some cases, it was a song the cover artist also recorded themselves, but I tried to stick with selections where the covering artist doesn't have a primary mass-recognition association with the song being covered; that meant skipping things like seeing Tina Turner sing CCR's "Proud Mary" or Cheap Trick performing Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame." That still left plenty of worthy rockin' pop playlist fodder.  Simple concept, so: LET'S GO!!

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Song I witnessed other acts covering in their live sets

Covering act is listed in [BRACKETS]

THE RAMONES; Cretin Hop [Perilous]
DONNA SUMMER: Hot Stuff [David Johansen]
MARY-CHAPIN CARPENTER: Never Had It So Good [The Delta Rays]
THE PRETTY THINGS: Midnight To Six Man [The Romantics]
THE FLASHCUBES: It's You Tonight [Eclipse]
THE JAM: Life From A Window [Chris von Sneidern]
--
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Everyday People [Joan Jett and the Blackhearts]
THE MONKEES: (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone [The Insiders]
AC/DC: Back In Black [Let's Active]
LOVE: 7 And 7 Is [The Bangles]
CONNIE FRANCIS: Lipstick On Your Collar [The Saints]
THE ONLY ONES: Another Girl, Another Planet [The Replacements]
--
THE KINKS: Tired Of Waiting For You [Lyres]
THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR: I Fought The Law [The Stray Cats]
BIG STAR: September Gurls [The Searchers]
CHUCK BERRY: Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller [Artful Dodger]
THE MODERN LOVERS: Roadrunner [The Greg Kihn Band]
THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES: Shake Some Action [The Rubinoos]
--
THE WHO: Pinball Wizard [Freaky Age]
THE STANDELLS: Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White [New Math]
ARETHA FRANKLIN: Chain Of Fools [Little Caesar]
JOHNNY RIVERS: Secret Agent Man [Blotto]
THE STOOGES: I Wanna Be Your Dog [The Party Dogs]
THE TROGGS: Wild Thing [The Runaways]
--
THE SUPREMES: Stop! In The Name Of Love [The Flashcubes]
SHAUN CASSIDY: Hey Deanie [Screen Test]
KISS: Rock And Roll All Nite [1.4.5.]
THEM: I Can Only Give You Everything [The Chesterfield KIngs]
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS: Green Shirt [The Tremblers]
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: White Light/White Heat [David Bowie]
--
TWISTED SISTER: We're Not Gonna Take It [The Skeletons]
THE BYRDS: Lady Friend [The Grip Weeds]
THE PATTI SMITH GROUP: So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star [The Most]
BOB DYLAN: Knockin' On Heaven's Door [Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Axl Rose]
THE CLASH: Should I Stay Or Should I Go [Living Colour]
MANFRED MANN: Pretty Flamingo [Ray Paul]
--
NANCY SINATRA: These Boots Are Made For Walkin' [The Fast]
WRECKLESS ERIC: Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.) [The Neverly Brothers Trio]
JACKIE WILSON: Higher And Higher [The Peter Tork Project]
THE HOLLIES: King Midas In Reverse [Paul Collins and John Wicks]
JOE JACKSON: One More Time [The Dead Ducks]
MEN AT WORK: It's A Mistake [Mark Dixon and the Goldman Theory Band]
--
SAM COOKE: Twistin' The Night Away [Tom Kenny & the Hi-Seas]
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS: Midnight Train To  Georgia [The Kennedys]
JOHN LENNON/PLASTIC ONO BAND: Give Peace A Chance [Paul McCartney]
QUESTION MARK AND THE MYSTERIANS: 96 Tears [Joe "King" Carrasco and the Crowns]
FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS: I'm Telling You Now [Herman's Hermits]
EDDIE COCHRAN: Somethin' Else [The Joe Perry Project]
THE KINGS: This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide [Breakout]
--
DIRTY LOOKS: Let Go [The Miamis]
THE ELECTRIC PRUNES: I Had Too Much T Dream Last Night [The Strawberry Zots]
THE REFLECTIONS: (Just Like) Romeo & Juliet [Scott Kempner]
THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS: You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling [Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band]
THE ROMANTICS: Rock You Up [Switch]
EARL VINCE AND THE VALIANTS: Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight [The Trend]
THE ROLLING STONES: Heart Of Stone [The Georgia Satellites]
THE BEATLES: Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand [The Pop Tarts]
--
THE SURFARIS: Wipe Out [The Ventures]
NELSON RIDDLE: Batman Theme [Distortion]

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: The Best Of The THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Compilation CDs

 This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

In the time span from around 2004 through 2022, Dana and I had the pleasure of compiling and curating five various-artists This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation CDs. Each of these was released commercially; the first two volumes were issued by JAM Recordings, the final three by Kool Kat Musik, and the first four albums are also available as digital downloads from Futureman Records (Kool Kat handled digital distribution of Volume 5). Details on how you can add 'em to your music library appear below.

I am very proud of these compilations, especially the last two, and most especially This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5, which I firmly believe is one of the greatest rockin' pop compilation albums of all time. Modesty? Doesn't apply in this situation. All of the individual tracks shine, and the flow of track to track makes the whole feel like a cohesive artistic work. Think of Volume 5 the way we intended it, as a concept album about listening to a love story play out on the radio.

One should never say never, but it's very likely that Volume 5 will be the last-ever TIRnRR compilation album. We loved doing them, but they're expensive to do properly. I'm satisfied that we ended the series on such a high note.

Today's exercise in imaginary playlisting gathers tracks from the five TIRnRR compilations and plays 'em all together. Could have easily added a fourth hour of drop-dead primo material. As a bonus, we also give you TIR'N'RR Allstars' exquisite cover of the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset," which a bunch of our talented friends put together as a fundraiser for us. We have great friends!

And our friends have made it possible to produce some fantastic compilations. Here's a playlist of some of the best from This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio Volumes 1-5. And you know what else these gems have in common?

Volume. Proceed accordingly.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: The Best Of The THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Compilation CDs

LAURIE BIAGINI: Hey Mr. DJ
SCREEN TEST: Sound Of The Radio
MANNIX: Highway Lines
IRENE PENA: Must've Been Good
THE FINKERS: Last Thing On My Mind
AMY RIGBY: Tom Petty Karaoke
--
JOHN WICKS AND THE RECORDS: Edges Of A Dream
HAWAII MUD BOMBERS: Office Crush
PERILOUS: Rock & Roll Kiss
1.4.5.: Your Own World
THE COWSILLS: She Said To Me
THE RICHARDS: Five Personalities
--
CHRIS VON SNEIDERN: Goodnight Sailor
POP CO-OP: You Don't Love Me Anymore
THE SPONGETONES: Anyway Town
ARIELLE EDEN: Sagittarius
ANNY CELSI: Empty Hangers
DM3: 1 x 2 x Devastated
--
THE RULERS: I Want My Ramones Records Back
LUGLESS BOOTH: I Blame His Brother
THE BLONDES: Suzi Quatro
BALLZY TOMORROW: Out There
POPDUDES: Desperation Time
MAD MONSTER PARTY: Can't Stop Loving You
--
THE JANGLE BAND: So Long
RAY PAUL: I Need Your Love Tonight
CAROLYNE MAS: In The Rain
STEVE STOECKEL AND HIS THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO ALL-STARS: I Could Be Good For You
HOOVER AND MARTINEZ: What The Heart Wants
THE CATHOLIC GIRLS: Should Have Been Mine
--
THE RUBINOOS: Nowheresville
KID GULLIVER: Forget About Him
GARY FRENAY: Just Like Me
MAURA AND THE BRIGHT LIGHTS: Maybe Someday
THE GRIP WEEDS: Strange Bird
THE SMITHEREENS: Got Me A Girl
--
THE TEARJERKERS: Syracuse Summer
HELLO HELLEN: Fall's Far Away
TALL POPPY SYNDROME: Come Some Christmas Eve (Or Halloween)
UNCLE GREEN: I Don't Wanna Know About It
MICHAEL OLIVER AND THE SACRED BAND FEATURING DAVE MERRITT: You Won't Do
THE LEGAL MATTERS: Don't Look Back
--
KELLEY RYAN: The Church Of Laundry
IN DEED: Peace & Quiet
P. HUX: Better Than Good
JUSTINE AND THE UNCLEAN: Vengeance
CHRIS RICHARDS: It Doesn't Sound Like You
STEPHENSON AND COMPANY: Talking Down To Me
THE SLAPBACKS: Make Something Happen
RONNIE DARK: Sarah
--
MICHAEL CARPENTER: I've Been Loving You
PAUL COLLINS' BEAT: She Doesn't Want To Hang Around With You
THE HIT SQUAD: Best Of Me
THE VILLAS: Someone To Hold On To
LISA MYCHOLS: Almost Didn't Happen
CIRCE LINK AND CHRISTIAN NESMITH: I'm On Your Side
MR. ENCRYPTO: The Last Time [a cappella]
EYTAN MIRSKY: This Year's Gonna Be Our Year
--
THE FLASHCUBES: Carl (You Da Man)
TIR'N'RR ALLSTARS: Waterloo Sunset

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Adventures in the music biz (and its periphery)

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

Today's imaginary playlist deals with the music biz and its periphery: Promotion men, song sellers, A & R guys, radio, touring, fans, groupies, making records, pursuing stardom, chasing hits, breaking up, and--of course!--the ever-lovable record labels. Business as usual! Turn it up.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Adventures in the music biz (and its periphery)

NICK LOWE: I Love My Label
THE VELVELETTES: Ain't No Place Like Motown
GRAHAM PARKER AND THE RUMOUR: Mercury Poisoning
THE SEX PISTOLS: EMI
THE KINKS: Working At The Factory
THE RAIDERS: Song Seller
--
RASPBERRIES: Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
TWINKLE: Golden Lights
THE MONKEES: Star Collector
PAUL McCARTNEY: Take It Away
PATTI SMITH GROUP: So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star
THE FLASHCUBES: Face In The Crowd
--
THE RAMONES: Danny Says
KISS: Beth
THE DEAD BOYS: 3rd Generation Nation
TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: Into The Great Wide Open
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS: Radio Radio
THE KINKS: The Moneygoround
--
THE DRIFTERS: On Broadway
THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Yesterday's Hero
JOHN LENNON: Watching The Wheels
COCKEYED GHOST: Burning Me Out (Of The Record Store)
THE CLASH: Complete Control
PINK FLOYD: Have A Cigar
--
DAVID BOWIE: Ziggy Stardust
ACE: How Long
RINGO STARR: Early 1970
THE KINKS: Session Man
NANCY SINATRA: Drummer Man
THE BEATLES: It's Only A Northern Song
--
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Rosalita
LYRES: How Do You Know
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: Lodi
THE RAMONES: Touring
OASIS: Rock And Roll Star
JUDY COLLINS: Both Sides Now
--
THE BYRDS: Eight Miles High
PHIL OCHS: Chords Of Fame
ROBERTA FLACK: Killing Me Softly With His Song
JELLYFISH: Joining A Fanclub
THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS: Creeque Alley
THE ROLLING STONES: The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man
--
THE CARPENTERS: Superstar
THE RUNAWAYS: Heartbeat
RICK JAMES: Super Freak
PETER, PAUL AND MARY: I Dig Rock And Roll Music
GEORGE HARRISON: This Song
LUGLESS BOOTH: I Blame His Brother
THE ROMANTICS: National Breakout
CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode
--
THE MONKEES: Naked Persimmon
THE ROLLERS: Turn On Your Radio
THE KINKS: The Road
COCKEYED GHOST: Big Big Yeah
TUFF DARTS: All For The Love Of Rock & Roll
THE WHO: Long Live Rock
THE RAMONES: I Wanna Be Sedated
CHUCK BERRY: Bye Bye Johnny
--
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Everybody Is A Star

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Records purchased in Buffalo, NY and its vicinity

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

Following last week's phonus-balonus playlist of records I bought in Brockport, NY 1977-2012, we have a similar programming concept of tunes I snagged in Buffalo and its surrounding area,1982 to...2023, or so? I moved to Buffalo in 1982, lived there for not quite five years, and have been back for many visits since then. I picked up a Moby Grape compilation CD on a '23 visit to the Queen City, so the stated time frame seems right.

The ups 'n' downs of my life in Buffalo were detailed in my 1980s memoir The Road To GOLDMINE. I worked for a record store chain for some of that time, and this playlist deliberately excludes the many promo LPs and 45s I snagged in that capacity. Today, we're only considering LPs, 45s,, and (later) CDs that I purchased new or used from some retail or private vendor in Erie County: Apollo Records (run by none other than Bomp! magazine's Gary Sperrazza!). Home Of The Hits, The Record Theatre, Cavages, The Record Mine, whatever record and stereo equipment place was in University Plaza before Record Theatre moved in, a church rummage sale in the basement under the day care where my wife worked, and a bunch of others. Boost Buffalo, it's good for you. 

Let's GO, Buffalo!

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Records I purchased in Buffalo, NY and its vicinity

* indicates an act I saw perform in Western New York when I lived there

*THE REDUCERS: Let's Go (Rave On, Let's Go)
*THE BANGLES: All About You (Columbia, All Over The Place)
ROKY ERICKSON: Don't Slander Me (Dynamic, single)
VANITY: Pretty Mess (Motown, single)
MOBY GRAPE: Omaha (Columbia, Vintage)
*THE RAMONES: In The Park (Sire, Subterranean Jungle)
--
FOOLS FACE: Nothing To Say (Talk, Tell America)
*EDDIE MURPHY: Party All The Time (Columbia, single)
HÜSKER DÜ: Eight Miles High (SST, single)
X: True Love (Elektra, More Fun In The New World)
GENE PITNEY: It Hurts To Be In Love (Musicor, Greatest Hits Of All Times)
*LET'S ACTIVE: Blue Line (IRS, Cypress)
--
ARETHA FRANKLIN: Respect (Atlantic, single)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: My Hometown (Columbia, single)
THE LONG RYDERS: Lights Of Downtown (Island, State Of Our Union)
"WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC: Yoda (Scotti Brothers, Dare To Be Stupid)
*THE KINKS: State Of Confusion (Arista, State Of Confusion)
*THE VIPERS: Tears (Only Dry) (PVC, Outta The Nest!)
--
*PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION: When Doves Cry (Warner Brothers, Purple Rain)
THE MYSTICS: Valley Of Indecision (Lolita, Dandies Are Back)
DOCTOR AND THE MEDICS: Barbara Can't Dance (IRS, Laughing At The Pieces [UK])
EDDY GRANT: I Don't Wanna Dance (Portrait, Killer On The Rampage)
THE PANDORAS: Stop Pretending (Rhino, Stop Pretending)
*THE RESTLESS: I Wanna Know (Mercury, The Restless)
--
ON THE AIR: Even Try (Rhino, VA: The Girls Can't Help It)
*LYRES: Help You Ann (Ace Of Hearts, On Fyre)
*CULTURE CLUB: Church Of The Poison Mind (Epic, Colour By Numbers)
JAMES BROWN AND THE FAMOUS FLAMES: Cold Sweat--Part 1 (King, single)
THE CICHLIDS: Did You Ever (Bold, Be True To Your School)
R.E.M.: Burning Hell (IRS, 12" single)
--
*THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS: I've Gotta Way With Girls (Mirror, single)
THE SCRUFFS: Teenage Girls (Power Play, single)
THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: At The Scene (Epic, More Greatest Hits)
*JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS: Frustrated (MCA, Glorious Results Of A Misspent Youth)
TINA TURNER: Better Be Good To Me (Capitol, Private Dancer)
THE BARRACUDAS: Grammar Of Misery (Closer, Mean Time)
--
WHAM!: Freedom (Epic, Make It Big)
THE EVERLY BROTHERS: On The Wings Of A Nightingale (Mercury, EB 84)
EL DEBARGE: Who's Johnny? (Gordy, single)
*BILLY JOEL: An Innocent Man (Columbia, An Innocent Man)
THE RECORDS: Imitation Jewelry (Virgin, Music On Both Sides)
*THE WAITRESSES: Square Pegs (Polydor, I Could Rule The World If I Could Only Get The Parts)
--
EDWIN STARR: War (Gordy, single)
*JOHNNY THUNDERS: M.I.A. (Jungle, Que Sera Sera)
SIMPLE MINDS: Don't You (Forget About Me)
*TALKING HEADS: Burning Down The House (Sire, single)
THE LOLLIPOP SHOPPE: You Must Be A Witch (BFD, VA: Pebbles Vol. 8)
THE NOMADS: Have Love Will Travel (Sounds Interesting, VA: The Rebel Kind)
THE MOD FRAMES: I Don't Want To Cry (Hit, single)
THE MEMBERS: Working Girl (Arista, Uprhythm Downbeat)
--
*THE FLESHTONES: American Beat '84 (IRS, 12" single)
JOHN COUGAR MELENCAMP: R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A (A Salute To 60's Rock) (Riva, single)
ARTISTS UNITED AGAINST APARTHEID: Sun City (Manhattan, single)
THE MARVELETTES: The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game (Tamla, single)
THE GO-GO'S: Turn To You (IRS, Talk Show)
THE HOODOO GURUS: I Want You Back (A & M, Stoneage Romeos)
WILSON PICKETT: Hey Jude (Atlantic, single)
*THE MONKEES: That Was Then, This Is Now (Arista, single)
--
THE SPORTS: Who Listens To The Radio? (Arista, Don't Throw Stones)
*THE CLASH: Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Epic, Combat Rock)


*THE ANIMALS: [If the K-Tel compilation Brenda won from a Buffalo radio station qualified, I could have listed "The Night']

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Records I purchased in Brockport, NY

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

I went to college in Brockport, NY, 1977-1980. I graduated before my girlfriend (and now wife) Brenda, so we got an apartment in the village of Brockport, and we remained there for another two years.

I've done previous fake TIRnRR playlists dedicated to music I listened to in my dorm rooms and music I listened to in my first apartment. Today, I wanna throw together a playlist of records I purchased in Brockport. I'm only including actual purchases, whether new or used; this list excludes radio-station giveaways (disqualifying Radio Birdman and Oingo Boingo, among others), free-with-purchase goodies at the best little record store that ever was, Main Street Records (thus excluding "She's A Dog" by Simply Saucer and Dressed To Kill by KISS), and records received as gifts (like the Yardbirds and Animals LPs given to me by a girl I knew from my McDonald's job, or the Village People live album Brenda gave me). 

Otherwise? Fair game here encompasses any LP, 12" single, 45, cassette, or (much later) CD that I acquired in Brockport for cash or (much later) credit card, whether it was the used copy of the Monkees' Head album I bought for a buck a two from a friend or the three-LP Australian import Monkeemania I scored at Main Street. In addition to scores at the mighty Main Street, it includes purchases made at The Record Grove, The Vinyl Jungle, Trader Shag's Emporium (which now occupies the space that once housed Main Street Records), or any other new or used retail outlet in Brockport, plus garage sales, on-campus transactions, and what have you. It includes purchases made on visits back to Brockport in later years, but it doesn't include anything I bought on my most recent visit in 2024, because...well, because I don't remember what I bought on that visit. Yes, I do indeed remember purchases made in 1977-1982 waaaay better than I remember 2024. 

And I remember each of the records listed below. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you some of the sounds I bought in Brockport. And obviously, it begins with the Record Grove purchase that changed my life in 1977. Take it, Dee Dee.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Records I purchased in Brockport, NY [and where I bought 'em]

THE  RAMONES: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Sire, single) [The Record Grove]
RICK JAMES: Give It To Me Baby (Gordy, Street Songs) [Main Street Records]
THE ROLLERS: Doors, Bars, Metal (Epic, Ricochet) [MSR on my last-ever visit, circa 1988]
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: I'll Be Your Mirror (Verve, The Velvet Underground & Nico) [MSR]
SQUIRE: The Life (Hi-Lo, ...Get Smart!) [MSR]
THE SEX PISTOLS: Did You No Wrong (Virgin, single) [TRG, same day I bought "Sheena"]
--
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS: I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Motown, VA: The Motown Story) [MSR]
KLAATU: California Jam (Collectors' Choice Music, 3:47 e.s.t.) [Trader Shag's Emporium]
THE KINKS: I Took My Baby Home (Pye, The Pye History Of British Pop Music) [The Vinyl Jungle]
ELVIS PRESLEY: (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame (RCA, Elvis's 40 Greatest) [MSR]
CAT STEVENS: First Cut Is The Deepest (Decca, VA: Hard-Up Heroes) [TRG, special order import!]
HOLLY AND JOEY: I Got You Babe (Virgin, single) [MSR]
--
THE HULLABALLOOS: Did You Ever (Collectables, England's Newest Singing Sensations/On Hullabaloo) [TSE]
THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES: You Tore Me Down (Sire, Shake Some Action) [MSR]
THE MOST: Rockerfeller (Out Of Print, VA: From The City That Brought You...Absolutely Nothing) [MSR]
CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode (Chess, Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits) [MSR]
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS: Love Is Pain (MCA, I Love Rock 'n' Roll) [MSR]
THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: Concentration Baby (Epic, single) [table set up on campus]
--
THE NEW YORK DOLLS: Babylon (Mercury, Too Much Too Soon) [MSR]
R.E.M.: Radio Free Europe (IRS, single) [MSR]
LITTLE RICHARD: Good Golly Miss Molly (United Artists, The Very Best Of Little Richard) [MSR]
LOVE: My Little Red Book (Elektra, Love) [MSR]
BLONDIE: In The Flesh (Chrysalis, Rip Her To Shreds) [TRG]
THE PRETENDERS: Kid (Sire, single) [MSR]
--
THE MONKEES: Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again? (Colgems, Head) [purchased from a friend]
THE MONKEES: Circle Sky [live] (Arista, Monkeemania) [MSR--saved up money for weeks!]
DOLENZ, JONES, BOYCE AND HART: I Remember The Feeling (Capitol, Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart) [MSR]
THE CLASH: Complete Control (Epic, The Clash [USA]) [MSR]
CHERIE AND MARIE CURRIE: Since You've Been Gone (Capitol, single) [MSR]
THE UGLY DUCKLINGS: She Ain't No Use To Me (Trash, VA: Ear-Piercing Punk) [MSR]
--
THE GO-GO'S: Vacation (IRS, single) [MSR]
THE BONGOS: In The Congo (PVC, Drums Along The Hudson) [MSR]
THE B-52'S: 52 Girls (Warner Brothers, The B-52's) [MSR]
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.: Public Image (Virgin, single) [MSR]
DAVID BOWIE: See Emily Play (RCA, Pinups) [used record sale at the dining hall]
THE ROMANTICS: I Can't Tell You Anything (Spider, single) [TRG]
--
THE BEACH BOYS: Sloop John B (Capitol, Pet Sounds) [TRG]
DAVID JOHANSEN AND ROBIN JOHNSON: Flowers In The City (RSO, VA: Times Square OST) [MSR]
JOHNNY THUNDERS: You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory (Sire, So Alone) [MSR]
THE FOUNDATIONS: Baby Now That I've Found You (Pye, VA: Best Of The British Invasion) [forgotten record retailer]
THE REAL KIDS: Now You Know (Bomp, VA: Experiments In Destiny) [MSR]
THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR: Another Sad And Lonely Night (Rhino, The Best Of The Bobby Fuller Four) [MSR]
--
THE JAM: The Eton Rifles (Polydor, Setting Sons) [MSR]
THE WHO: The Punk Meets The Godfather (MCA, Quadrophenia) [MSR]
TELEVISION: Elevation (Elektra, Marquee Moon) [TRG]
THE FLESHTONES: Let's See The Sun (IRS, Roman Gods) [MSR]
BOW WOW WOW: I Want Candy (RCA, single) [MSR]
THE FOUR TOPS: I Can't Help Myself (Motown, Greatest Hits) [MSR]
THE BARRACUDAS: I Wish It Could Be 1965 Again (Voxx, Drop Out With The Barracudas) [MSR]
THE 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS: You're Gonna Miss Me (Sire, VA: Nuggets) [MSR]
--
THE MC5: Shakin' Street (Atlantic, Back In The USA) [lawn sale]
SLADE: Gudbuy T' Jane (Reprise, Sladest) [MSR]
JOSIE COTTON: Johnny Are You Queer? (Elektra, single) [MSR]
THE TREMBLERS: I'll Be Taking Her Out Tonight (Johnston, Twice Nightly) [MSR]
IGGY AND THE STOOGES: Gimme Danger (RCA, Raw Power) [MSR]
THE SCRUFFS: Revenge (Power Play, Wanna' Meet The Scruffs?) [MSR]
THE RECORDS: Paint Her Face (Virgin, single) [MSR]
BIG STAR: September Gurls (Ardent, Radio City) [MSR]
--
KIM WILDE: Kids In America (EMI America, Kim Wilde) [MSR]
GEN X: Dancing With Myself (Chrysalis, single) [MSR]
THE VENTURES: Hawaii 5-0 (United Artists, The Very Best Of The Ventures) [MSR]

Man! Already too long for a real-world playlist, and I still didn't get around to Talking Heads, the Lovin' Spoonful, Lords of the New Church, Judas Priest, the Fireballs, New Math, the Chesterfield Kings, Nikki and the Corvettes, the Hypstrz, Stiv Bators, Roxy Music, Shrapnel, the Rolling Stones, Blue Cheer, the Senders, the Music Explosion, the Hollies, Bruce Springsteen, Gary Numan, Cheap Trick, the Cars, the Invictas, Shoes, Utopia, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bebe Buell, the Damned, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Quincy, Tommy Tutone, the Vapors, the Knack, Herman's Hermits, the Pleasers, Joy Division, Fingerprintz, Split Enz, the Boomtown Rats, the New Colony Six, the Buggles, Soft Cell, T. Rex, Alice Cooper, Blotto, Devo, the Rutles, Marshall Crenshaw, the Rubinoos, and...and...and...!!

Friday, April 3, 2026

Fake THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Playlist: Songs This Messed-Up World Needs Right Now (inspired by the ONLY THREE LADS podcast)

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl is simply too large a concept to be neatly contained within a mere three-hour weekly time slot. Hence these occasional fake TIRnRR playlists, detailing shows we're never really going to do...but could.

Right now. Right now is not the best of times.

The words of the Beatles notwithstanding, when we find ourselves in times of trouble, just letting it be is not what we want to do, nor is it what we should do. However we decide to address the ills an (at best) indifferent world inflicts upon us, music can accompany our actions. We need songs of comfort and joy, and we also need songs that call upon the power of our anger and sorrow. Collectively, those are the songs this messed-up world needs right now.

Recently, the essential Only Three Lads podcast devoted an episode to that very subject of songs this messed-up world needs right now. Hosts Brett Vargo and Uncle Gregg welcomed their guests Eric McFadden and Kate Vargas (both of the band Sgt. Splendor, who will be making their real-life TIRnRR debut this Sunday) for a discussion of the music we need to hear as everything around us threatens to spiral out of control.

Great idea. I'm stealing it. Thanks, O3L!

Rather than following the O3L format and selecting five songs released in the 1970-1999 time frame, I'm ignoring eras and assembling a full-on imaginary TIRnRR playlist. I will say that my # 1 choice in this subject is most definitely the 2024 clarion call "If We Could Let Go" by the fab NYC group Slyboots. I wrote about that sublime track here, and you can buy yourself a digital copy of the song here. Given the troubles of our times, there's a decent shot "If We Could Let Go" is gonna rack up additional spins on almost every TIRnRR for the rest of the year. As I've written elsewhere, "As the country and the world seem increasingly eager to leap into the abyss and take us all with it, I've been trying to draw strength from my current favorite phrase: The audacity of joy. It takes a lot--a lot--to even attempt any kind of positive outlook. But we can't give up on hope. That would mean giving in, and that's what the bad guys want us to do. I refuse. We need to do much more than just hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya'...but we DO also need to hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya.' If we lose joy, we lose everything."

In the commentary accompanying our February 1st show this year, I wrote:

"The world outside our window is not outside of us. We are in it, we are part of it, in our anger, our sorrow, our desperate longing for peace, our stubborn pursuit of hope. We stand, we unite, and we try to believe a better world could be ours if we could be free of the darkness holding us back.

"If we could let go.

"We acknowledge that when things go wrong, playing pop music on the radio doesn't do much of anything to correct what's wrong. But we channel our outrage, our dedication, our belief that we CAN change, for the better. 

"Belief is hope. Hope is joy.

"On this show, and in this life, we embrace the audacity of joy. We've all come to look for America. The America I have in mind is still out there somewhere. 

"I still believe in its promise."

Thanks again to Only Three Lads for the inspiration. Listen up. These are some songs we need to hear right now.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl--y'know, the real one--airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ 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). TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

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:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download
Volume 5: CD or download

Fake TIRnRR Playlist: Songs This Messed-Up World Needs Right Now

SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go
THE O'JAYS: Love Train
BIG STAR: The Ballad Of El Goodo
CHUCK BERRY: Promised Land
THE DRIFTERS: Only In America
MICHAEL SIMMONS: America
--
STYX: Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS: (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding?
PHIL OCHS: I Ain't Marching Anymore
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS: Light Of Day
WILSON PICKETT: You Can't Stand Alone
THE SUPREMES: Up The Ladder To The Roof
--
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS: Pressure Drop
MARYKATE O'NEIL: I'm Ready For My Luck To Turn Around
CIRCE LINK AND CHRISTIAN NESMITH: I'm On Your Side
MELANIE WITH THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS: Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)
ARETHA FRANKLIN: Save Me
THE CLASH: Clampdown
--
THE MONKEES: (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
STEVIE WONDER: Higher Ground
THE FOUR TOPS: Reach Out I'll Be There
THE BYRDS: Chimes Of Freedom
THE AVENGERS: We Are The One
R.E.M.: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
--
PATTI SMITH: People Have The Power
JOHN LENNON/PLASTIC ONO BAND: Power To The People
THE HOLLYWOOD STARS: All The Kids On The Street
THE DICTATORS: I Stand Tall
JUDAS PRIEST: Heading Out To The Highway
RAY CHARLES: Hit The Road Jack
--
THE SMITHEREENS: Face The World With Pride
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Stand!
MIDNIGHT OIL: The Dead Heart
PINK FLOYD: Wish You Were Here
THE JAM: In The City
MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS: Dancing In The Street
--
THE MC5: Kick Out The Jams
THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES: Shake Some Action
THE BOB SEGER SYSTEM: 2 + 2 = ?
THE GRACES: Lay Down Your Arms
THE IMPRESSIONS: People Get Ready
THE PANDORAS: It's About Time
--
THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS: Time Has Come Today
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Radio Nowhere
THE ARCHIES: Get On The Line
THE FLASHCUBES: Do Anything You Wanna Do
THE REMAINS: Don't Look Back
THE WHO: Won't Get Fooled Again
--
20/20: Song Of The Universe
WAR: Why Can't We Be Friends?
AMY RIGBY: Tom Petty Karaoke
THE KINKS: Better Things
THE O'JAYS: Put Your Hands Together
EYTAN MIRSKY: This Year's Gonna Be Our Year
THE RAMONES: I Believe In Miracles
THE BEATLES: Revolution [promo video version]
--
THE SHADOWS: Wonderful Land
THE ROLLING STONES: Street Fighting Man