10 SONGS: 12/6/2025

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 # 1313

THE FLASHCUBES: The Sweet Spot

While I didn't get any books published in 2025, I'm insanely proud of the one major project I did manage to complete this year: Compiling and curating the various-artists blockbuster Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes for the mighty Big Stir Records label. The release of this salute to my all-time favorite power pop group was a dream come true, fulfilling my long-standing wish that some of the Flashcubes' outstanding original songs needed to be recognized and celebrated, in this case via fresh interpretations by a number of other rockin' pop bright lights, from Graham Parker and Mike Gent through Tom Kenny and the Hi-Seas. We even got the Flashcubes themselves to contribute three stellar new tracks, and each of those seems certain to be among TIRnRR's most-played tracks of 2025. (We'll find out for sure when we get to our COUNTDOWN! show on December 28th.)

Meanwhile, the good folks at Big Stir are doing their own well-deserved end of year victory lap with the release of the budget compilation 25 For '25: The Big Stir Records Hit Machine. With the CD priced at a mere $5 American, it presents a unique opportunity to program 2025 Big Stir winners by Sorrows, 20/20, Chris Church, the Bablers, Crossword Smiles, Nelson Bragg, Splitsville, the Spongetones, Maple Mars, Shplang, the Jack Rubies, Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Armoires, Hungrytown, Dolph Chaney featuring the Speed of Sound, the Pepper's Ghost Players, the Gold Needles, Lady Darkevyl, the Corner Laughers, Michael Simmons, and the Legal Matters in one swell foop. In one glorious, low-priced swell foop!

Since the above listing only presents 21 for '25, you would be correct in presuming the other four tracks are from the Flashcubes tribute: "Make Something Happen" by sparkle*jets u.k., "Gone Too Far" by Librarians With Hickeys. the Graham Parker-Mike Gent triumph "Pathetic," and the Flashcubes' "The Sweet Spot."

In my ongoing capacity as the world's most-insistent Flashcubes fan, I purchased my very own copy for my burgeoning collection of compilation albums that include a little sumpin by Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse. From Waves Vol. 1 in 1979 through 2025's I Wanna Be A Teen Again--American Power Pop 1980-1989, Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and now 25 For '25: The Big Stir Records Hit Machine, the lights remain bright and glow even brighter still. Smile everyone! It's the Flashcubes.

THE RAMONES: I'm Affected

The 2023 publication of my first book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones prompted me to reassess my feelings toward each of the Ramones' studio albums. I'd always regarded the first four albums--Ramones, Leave Home, Rocket To Russia, and Road To Ruin--as bedrock, while still thinking Road To Ruin was a slight step down from the essential Ramonesness of its three predecessors. Now, I regard Road To Ruin as the Ramones' masterpiece, but ya can't go wrong with any of that nonpareil set of 1-2-3-4!!

I'm still disappointed with the fifth album, 1980's End Of The Century, which has moments of promise, even brilliance, but just ain't in the same league as Ramones through Road To Ruin. As I wrote in my second book, 2024's The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1):

"...By this point, legendary record producer Phil Spector viewed himself as the Ramones' anointed savior, and he wanted the chance to prove it. "Do you want to make a good record," he asked them, "or do you wanna make a great one?" His resumé of 45 rpm success was impressive, his early '60s Wall of Sound production responsible for the Ronettes and Crystals hits that were integral parts of the AM pop world during the formative years of the young Ramones-to-be. A perfect match?

"No. It was not a perfect match.

"Sure, the Spector-produced End Of The Century would be the Ramones' highest-charting album (albeit still with no radio hits), but his painstaking, glossy technique diluted the Ramones' power rather than enhancing it. Joey and Phil got along well--it's been said that Spector really wanted to produce a Joey Ramone solo LP--while Johnny despised Spector, and Spector pulled a gun on Dee Dee during the making of the album. End Of The Century has its moments, but it is nowhere near the equal of the four Ramones albums that preceded it. Spector delivered the opposite of what he'd promised: With Spector at the helm, the Ramones had made a good album rather than a great one...."

The album's lead-off track "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" is perfect--there's a reason we named our little mutant radio show after a line in that song--and second track "I'm Affected" sure does rock, even with Spector's ham-handed weakening of its power. It would have been something to hear it as, y'know, a purer Ramones track.

(For the record: I'm also way fonder of the Ramones' sixth album Pleasant Dreams than I was before, and it now rivals its follow-up Subterranean Jungle for the # 5 spot on my Ramones Albums Hit Parade. I remain one of the few Ramones fans who thinks Too Tough To Die is merely...okay. The Ramones never made a bad studio album, and they only made one bad live album [Loco Live]. But yeah, some of the albums were better than others.)

THE HIGH FREQUENCIES: Cleanup Time

"Cleanup Time" is my fave among faves on the High Frequencies ace new album Get High, and that's a statement of Hell, YEAH! when you're dealing with an album as good as this. I wish I'd jumped on the track a tiny bit sooner than I did--mathematically, it's too late for "Cleanup Time" to accrue sufficient spins to secure a berth on the countdown show--but I betcha it would have otherwise cleaned up nicely.

JIMMY SILVA AND THE EMPTY SET FEATURING KIM WONDERLY: Train Crossing

Always steal from the best. When friend to TIRnRR Rich Firestone played this wonderful Jimmy Silva track on his fab Spark Radio show Radio Deer Camp last week, I immediately realized it was a programming idea well worth swiping outright. Thanks, Reechie! I've owned the track for many years, but sometimes you need a good DJ to remind you of what ya should have already known. Always, always steal from the best.

JIMMY CLIFF: Miss Jamaica

This week's show included a few spins in memory of reggae music icon Jimmy Cliff. From a previous 10 Songs:

As I think back, I can't remember where I first heard the music of Jimmy Cliff. I've never seen the film The Harder They Come, and I don't know when I was first exposed to Cliff's classic tracks "Many Rivers To Cross" and "You Can Get It If You Really Want It." The latter was included on the mix tapes I made for my daughter Meghan when she was little. My first vicarious contact with Cliff was likely the Animals' cover of "Many Rivers To Cross" on their 1977 reunion album Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted.

But I do know that I first heard Cliff's 1962 ska tune "Miss Jamaica" in 1992, when Dana played it one week on our old TIRnRR precursor We're Your Friends For Now on WNMA. The song is certainly unlike Cliff's subsequent and better-known reggae sides; it's agreeably goofy, and I immediately found the difference between early Jimmy Cliff and later Jimmy Cliff noteworthy and fascinating. 

THE OHMS: License To Kill

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

POPDUDES: Drivin' Around

This intrepid radio show has been carpet-bombing our playlists with selections from Play On: A Raspberries Tribute. This week's ritual Play On spin belongs to the always-reliable Popdudes, who give us an effervescently cruisin' take on Raspberrries' beach-bound classic "Drivin' Around." We have a lengthy and way cool history with Popdudes principals John M. Borack and Michael Simmons, and we're delighted to program their fine, fine music. Popdudes have appeared on several of the This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation CDs, John was a colleague when I was freelancing for Goldmine magazine (for whom John still writes), and Michael Simmons was the magic maestro masterin' the magnificent music on Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes. We're fans!!

We're also big fans of Michael's own music, both with his group sparkle*jets u.k. (whose most recent album Box Of Letters was one of the tippety-top best records of 2024) and as a solo guy. Our Michael has released a simply splendid new covers album called Fun Where You Can Find It, and it is an absolutely essential purchase. We've already played the album's cover of the Beach Boys' "Sail On, Sailor" back when it was a pre-release teaser, and we will open our next show with another fine shot of Fun Where You Can Find It.

Meanwhile: PLAY ON! Long hot days, we'll be catchin' the rays. Popdudes at the wheel. Let's cruise.

THE SLAPBACKS: Make Something Happen

THE LEGAL MATTERS: Everybody Knows

Speaking of John M. Borack, he was also the drummer on the world's first Flashcubes cover, the Slapbacks' "Make Something Happen." Man, that title is familiar. The Slapbacks provided this treat for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 in 2017, and you can read that track's back story right here.

The Slapbacks were fronted by Keith Klingensmith, whose Futureman Records label is the digital home of most of the TIRnRR compilations. Keith's main rockin' pop recording gig is with indie sooperstars the Legal Matters, and that combo has a new album (Lost At Sea) due out on Big Stir in 2026. We started playing the advance single "Everybody Knows" last week, we played it again this week, it will spin again on our next show, and it's out in physical form on the 25 For '25 comp we extolled at the top of today's blog. Everybody knows? Everybody WINS!

JIMMY CLIFF: The Harder They Come

We will all fall. We are defined by how we stand before that inevitable fall. Across all rivers, Jimmy Cliff stood tall. Godspeed to one of reggae's enduring legends. 

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.

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.

THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! The Ohms, "License To Kill"

Drawn from previous posts, this is not part of my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1).

An infinite number of tracks can each be THE greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Today, this is THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE!

THE OHMS: License To Kill

Written by Zenny Caucasian [Josh Jeffe]

Produced by Ducky Carlisle

Unreleased, recorded circa 1979-980

There are two separate caches of pop music circa late '70s and early '80s that top my list of lost classics of the era. One is the cavalcade of shoulda-been-hits by Fools Face, a Springfield, Missouri combo whose second album Tell America was one of my favorite LPs of the '80s, but whose fabulous treasure trove of ace material remains obscure and difficult to get; none of it has ever been reissued, and my copies of their second and third albums are the only copies I've ever even seen. It's a fabulous catalog worthy of wider acclaim, but few will ever have the opportunity to hear it.

The Ohms are perhaps even more obscure than Fools Face. The group played the same late '70s Syracuse club scene that produced my favorite power pop group the Flashcubes. Both the 'Cubes and the Ohms broke up well before receiving their proper due, leaving only a handful of singles behind (two Flashcubes 45s, and just one lone Ohms platter, "Chain Letter"/"Teenage Alcoholic"). But the Flashcubes' legacy lingered, their demos were eventually released, and they regrouped to record more stellar material. The Ohms were forgotten outside of the 315 area code.

They deserved better. A rockin' pop power trio--guitarist and singin' songwriter Zenny Caucasian, bassist Rick Suburban, and drummer Ducky Carlisle--I think the Ohms first split right around the time that "Chain Letter" was released in 1979. As the single drew positive notice in Trouser Press magazine, Zenny and Ducky re-Ohmed, with new bassist Keith Korvair. They cut some terrific, terrific home recordings before powering down for good. None of these has ever seen legitimate release. Lost classics, for sure.

The Ohms were a great, GREAT group. I curse the cruel timing that only allowed me to witness 'em in person once, during the brief 1979-80 period when they were also playing with singer Dian Zain and once and future Flashcubes guitarist Paul Armstrong as an interim lineup of Dian and Paul's group the Most; the Ohms opened the show, and then closed the show with Dian and PA as the Most. But I know that relatively few folks even had a chance to see them at all, nor even hear them at all. I wish we'd all seen the Ohms multiple times over a span of years, of decades...but that ain't what happened. Like Del Paxton told us: You can't keep a band together. The Ohms were no exception. 

That 1979 single "Teenage Alcoholic"/"Chain Letter" remains the only Ohms music to ever see release, and those two tracks have been out of print since the Carter Administration. They recorded more fantastic stuff--"Hollywood Baby," "Boppin' At The USO," "High-Top Sneakers," "You're So Surreal," and my favorite, "License To Kill"--but none of it has ever seen legit release. This looks like a job for Kool Kat Musik, Big Stir, Propeller, Futureman, Jem Records, Think Like A Key Music...somebody!

Don't know the Ohms? Suffice it to say that this trio was one of the best rock 'n' roll acts the talent-rich Central New York area ever produced, a group with terrific live energy--OHM is WHO spelled upside down, don'tcha know--and great original songs. As utterly fantastic as the two officially-released tracks are--and there's good reason why Trouser Press raved about "Teenage Alcoholic" and "Chain Letter"--my favorite will always be the unreleased classic "License To Kill." Or maybe "Boppin' At The USO." Or "You're So Surreal," or...you get the picture.

But no: "License To Kill." A version of James Bond that doesn't insist one must wear earmuffs to listen to the Beatles, a secret agent livin' and letting die in the nightclubs and dives where rock 'n' roll thrives, a 007 who steals a foreign car and turns the radio UP, so all in Her Majesty's service can hear it. Gotta keep movin', you can't sit still. License to kill? License to thrill. For your ears only. Care to dance, Miss Moneypenny? We have a license that says we can.

(Flashcubes bassist Gary Frenay reminds us that we can hear the song on YouTube: The Ohms, "License To Kill)

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.

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.

10 SONGS: 10/13/2023

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 # 1202. This show is available as a podcast.

THE OHMS: License To Kill

Much of this week's show was offered as a tribute to the late Ducky Carlisle. Before his GRAMMYs and his well-earned acclaim as a music producer and engineer, fans here in Syracuse first knew Ducky as a drummer. That started for us in the late '70s, when Ducky was in the Ohms.

The Ohms were a great, GREAT group, an invincible rock 'n' roll trio fronted by guitarist/singer/songwriter Zenny Caucasian with Rick Suburban on bass (later replaced by Keith Korvair) and the Duckster hisself poundin' them Pagan skins. I curse the cruel timing that only allowed me to witness 'em in person once--ONCE!!--but I know most folks didn't even get a chance to do that much. I wish we'd all seen the Ohms multiple times over a span of years, of decades...but that ain't what happened. Like Del Paxton told us: You can't keep a band together. The Ohms were no exception. 

The group's 1979 single "Teenage Alcoholic"/"Chain Letter" remains the only Ohms music to ever see release, and those two tracks have been out of print since the Carter Administration. They recorded more fantastic stuff--"Hollywood Baby," "Boppin' At The USO," "High-Top Sneakers," "You're So Surreal," and my favorite, "License To Kill"--but none of it has ever seen legit release. This looks like a job for Kool Kat Musik, Big Stir, Propeller, Futureman, Jem Records...somebody!

This week, we played both sides of that 45 from 1979. And we opened the show with the unreleased "License To Kill." We raised a glass, and we raised a fist. Gotta keep movin' you can't sit still. Here's to ya, Ducky.

1.4.5.: Let's Groove

Hey, we're 1.4.5.!

And I'm Paul!

I'm Dave!

I'm Duck!

LET'S GROOVE!

Ducky was also a founding member of 1.4.5., with bassist Dave Anderson and guitarist Paul Armstrong. They debuted live in 1980, and released their first EP Pink Invasion in 1981 (still available as part of the 1.4.5. anthology 3 Chords & A Cloud Of Dust). Given my deathless devotion to PA's once and future group the Flashcubes, it was natural for me to become a big 1.4.5. fan. Still am! 1.4.5. went through a number of varying line-ups; Paul's the only original player still with the group (which now includes guitarist Bob Cat, bassist Tommy O'Riley, and drummer Judd Williams). Nonetheless, they friggin' rock. It's what they do!

NEW MATH: Die Trying

Over to our west in Rochester, commencing in the same approximate time frame as the Syracuse Bright Lights scene that gave us the Ohms, the Flashcubes, and 1.4.5., there was another fabulous combo called New Math. New Math survived into the '80s, and I was able to see them a few times, in Syracuse (at the Firebarn), in Brockport (in the ballroom on my former college campus), and in Rochester (at the legendary Scorgie's). New Math eventually morphed into the Jet Black Berries, but that's another thread for another day.

Back to New Math. This year saw the long overdue release of a New Math CD anthology, Die Trying & Other Hot Sounds (1979-1983), courtesy of Propeller Sound Recordings. A current version of New Math has been playing a handful of shows, culminating in a farewell show this Saturday, October 14th, at Abilene Bar and Lounge in Rochester. Billed as The Final Nail In The Coffin Show!, New Math's sayonara show also includes the Presstones (who played with New Math [and the Cliches] on that Brockport bill I just mentioned) and the mighty 1.4.5. (who played the release party for my Ramones book, and whom I've seen a ton of times--but never enough times).

I'm goin' to this show. If not, man, I'll at least die trying.

(I'm also looking to catch 1.4.5. again in Syracuse near the end of this month. On October 27th, Syracuse's home for rock 'n' roll The Lost Horizon will welcome the Grip Weeds for their first-ever Syracuse show, with 1.4.5., Preacher, and Keene Highland Airforce. Be there or be missing.)

MICHAEL OLIVER AND THE SACRED BAND FEATURING DAVE MERRITT: You Won't Do

Ducky Carlisle had significant impact on our own 2017 compilation This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4. Ducky played on the magnificent 1.4.5. track "Your Own World," which went on to be TIRnRR's single most-played track in 2017 (in memory of its late lead singer Norm Mattice). Ducky also applied the considerable magic of his considerable studio mojo to clean up the four-track demo of the Flashcubes' "No Promise." All Ducky, all of the time!

And Ducky likewise lent his above-cited magical mojo to "You Won't Do," a track by Michael Oliver and the Sacred Band featuring Dave Merritt. In the extended supplemental liner notes for this compilation, I recalled contacting Michael to secure his contribution:

"[Michael] replied that yeah, he did have a couple of tracks he was working on, and he could get us something within a few weeks.

"He sent us a song the next day.

"He sent us a song the next day, and it was produced by Ducky Carlisle.

"Lemme give you a baseball analogy: I felt like a major league pitcher, with a batting average of .006, stepping to the plate in the bottom of the ninth and hitting a grand slam. Rounding third he was headin' for home, he was a brown-eyed handsome man.

"Ducky Carlisle is The Mark Of Quality to us, from his days as drummer for local heroes the Ohms, through his sterling work as producer and occasional deputy member of the Flashcubes, and his ongoing mastery of studio wizardry on roughly a gazillion fine pop albums. This song came with a pedigree! An unexpected pedigree, even.

"But Ducky's participation wasn't the best part. My jaw dropped the first time I listened to this new song called 'You Won't Do.' Oh. My. God! As great as Michael's previous work had been, 'You Won't Do' reached a whole new level of sheer pop transcendence. This was a hit single. If no else ever heard it, it would be a crime, but it would still sound like a big hit single. I contacted Dana and Kool Kat Musik's Ray Gianchetti and effectively said, Fellas, we just received a track that single-handedly justifies the existence of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4.

"I was not exaggerating. I meant every syllable, and I still do."

THE FLASHCUBES: All Over The World

The Flashcubes will always, always be one of my all-time favorite groups. Beatles, Ramones, Flashcubes. Paul Armstrong, drummer Tommy Allen, bassist Gary Frenay, and guitarist Arty Lenin. The original 'Cubes splintered in 1979, and finally retired the Cubic billing in 1980. Other than maybe some reunion gigs, there was no reason to believe they would ever be the Flashcubes again.

That began to change in the early '90s. The reunion shows became more fully-realized, and there was talk of new Flashcubes recordings. Talk was followed by action. At some point, we stopped calling it a reunion. The Flashcubes were back. Their current Big Stir Records release Pop Masters is my album of the year for 2023. I can call that race early. Nothing else is gonna compete.

Tommy was unavailable to participate in some of the Flashcubes' live shows, so Ducky stepped in on more than a few occasions. Ducky's studio prowess was, of course, directly employed for many/most of the new 'Cubes recordings as well.

And for the Flashcubes' first couple of new tracks--covers of the Paul Collins Beat's "All Over The World" and the Raspberries' "Don't Want To Say Goodbye"--logistics prevented Tommy from providin' prerequisite Cubic pounding. Oh, DUCKY...! The esteemed Mr. Carlisle kept the beat in Tommy's stead. Deputy Flashcube to the rescue. The Flashcubes' studio resurgence was on its way, with Tommy in his proper percussive place from "It's You Tonight" on.

GAME THEORY: She'll Be A Verb

THE SUPREMES: Stop! In The Name Of Love

Simple sequence here: Game Theory tell us that she'll be a verb (whoever she is); the Supremes supply that verb. STOP!! In the name of love...!

GRAHAM PARKER AND THE GOLDTOPS: Wicked Wit

At my first Flashcubes show in January of 1978, I was less than two weeks past my eighteenth birthday. Lack of a crystal ball didn't prevent me from immediately seeing a brightly-lit future as a Flashcubes fan, but I couldn't foresee the Flashcubes someday being on the same record label as Graham Parker. In addition to the 'Cubes' Pop Masters and a slew of other fantastic releases this year, Big Stir is the label of record for Parker's current album Last Chance To Learn The Twist. The Flashcubes! Graham Parker and the Goldtops! If it ain't Big Stir it ain't worth a...never mind.

And in 1978, I certainly didn't foresee Graham Parker recording a bumper ID for a radio show co-hosted by the meager likes of me. This is Graham Parker. You're listening to This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl on SPARK Syracuse!

I...what? Yeah. Even with a crystal ball, I wouldn'ta seen that one comin'.

JOAN JETT: Bad Reputation

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

Congratulations, Meghan and Austin!

THE MOST: Take A Chance

In 1979, when the Ohms were still together, Ducky and Zenny joined forces with the one 'n' only PA to record a single backing Dian Zain. That single, "Take A Chance"/"Do The Jumping Jack," was originally to be credited to Dian as a solo artist, amended to her new group the Most by the time of its release. 

There were three distinct live versions of the Most, all fronted by Dian and Paul. Their first edition of the Most included current 1.4.5.-ers Tommy O'Riley and Judd Williams, plus guitarist Derek Knott. When Tommy, Judd, and Derek opted to move on, the Ohms themselves--Ducky, Zenny, and Keith--completed an interim Most, performing an opening set as the Ohms and then joining Dian and PA as the Most. The final versions of the Most found Dian and Paul playing with Dave Anderson and drummer Dick Hummer; when Hummer split to become Machine + Hummer, Ducky returned to the drum kit for the last days of the Most. Then Dian left, and Paul, Dave, and Duck began groovin' as 1.4.5.

The Most recorded some cool demos, which remain unreleased. They contributed a track ("Rockerfeller") to a compilation called From The City That Brought You...Absolutely Nothing. Otherwise? The Most left us just this one 45. Dian, Paul, Zenny, and Ducky. "Take A Chance" opens with PA asking that musical question:

HEY! Ya goin' to the dance tonight?

And Dian immediately provides the only acceptable answer:

Yeah! What else is there?

What else? Indeed. What else?

Screen capture from a video taken by Dana Bonn

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider supporting this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon, or by visiting CC's Tip Jar. Additional products and projects are listed here.

Carl's new book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is now available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!! https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-by-carl-cafarelli/

If it's true that one book leads to another, my next book will be The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Stay tuned. Your turn is coming.

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. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1202

                                                     

Yin and Yang. 

I'm writing this on Thursday: Two days before my daughter's wedding, three days after we learned of the passing of Ducky Carlisle. Yin and yang.

For all the stress and nerves attached to the former, it is nonetheless a happy--joyous--event. As I sit at my computer today, I'm also getting set to review last-minute things to address before travel on Friday. I have to finish packing. My new suit is ready, we'll load the car tonight, and we're picking up the flowers en route tomorrow morning. I look forward to Saturday, and to dancing with my wonderful daughter to the sound of our long-ago-agreed-to father-daughter dance, "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett. As you read these words, I pray that I will find myself looking back at a beautiful weekend of love, family, hope, and promise.

I did not know Ducky Carlisle well. We had many mutual friends, and I think we spoke to each other casually at a few points at various shows over a span of decades. He may or may not have known who I was. Oddly enough, although I've never seen the resemblance, apparently we looked enough alike that there were a few occasions when people started conversations with me, thinking I was Ducky. It's a weird connection to recall.

Of much greater importance is my enduring memory of Ducky Carlisle as a vital member of what I call the Bright Lights community, the late '70s/early '80s Syracuse rockin' pop scene that meant...well, that scene meant so, so much to me. Still does. The music world knew Ducky as a talented and in-demand producer and engineer, a three-time GRAMMY winner for his work with Buddy Guy. Ducky's larger legacy is secure.

But we here in the 315 knew him first as a performer, and as one of us. In the late '70s, Ducky was the drummer with the Ohms, a simply fabulous trio who played a bunch of gigs and recorded some absolutely terrific demos, but only released one great 45 ("Teenage Alcoholic"/"Chain Letter") before splitting. The two tracks on that 45 remain the only Ohms material to ever see the light of day. If you didn't hear the Ohms, you have no idea what you missed.

I only saw the Ohms once, when they joined forces with singer Dian Zain and guitarist Paul Armstrong to form an interim version of the Most, in between that group's first and third (and final) incarnations. Ducky and Ohms guitarist Zenny Caucasian had already recorded the Most's first single "Take A Chance" with Dian and PA in '79, prior to the formation of the Most's first official line-up. Ducky later rejoined the Most at the very end of their original tenure, which transitioned directly into a new group called 1.4.5. PA and Ducky eventually moved 1.4.5. to Boston.

Ducky was a frequent associate of PA's once-and-future combo the Flashcubes. The collaboration was generally about Ducky's studio prowess, but he often sat in on drums too, at times when original drummer Tommy Allen wasn't able to participate. Those were usually for live 'Cubes gigs in the '90s and beyond (including a lightning tour of Japan), but Ducky also kept the beat for PA, guitarist Arty Lenin, and bassist Gary Frenay on a handful of Flashcubes recordings, commencing with a cover of Paul Collins' Beat's "All Over The World" in the early '90s--the first new Flashcubes recording since the group terminated its original run at the end of the '70s, the end of the century.

Ducky Carlisle. A bright light then, and a bright light since. The light does not dim with his passing. We mourn anyway.

This week, we wanted to pay some sort of tribute to Ducky. Specifically, we wanted to spotlight Ducky in the role that introduced him to us in the '70s: Drummer. Performer. Yeah, as a Bright Light among Bright Lights. The playlist below contains evidence of his work at the studio controls, sure, collaborating with the likes of Fireking and Michael Oliver and the Sacred Band. But we also get to hear Ducky Carlisle playing. With the Ohms. With the Most. With 1.4.5. With the Flashcubes. With Jack "Penetrator" Lipton and Mandy Moore and the Major Labels and L.E.O. The beat goes on.

Yin and yang. For my family, October holds some happy memories, and it brings us recollections of loss, and of a devastating tragedy that I will never fully get over. We raise a glass. We toast. We dance. Here's to you, Ducky. Here's to you, Meghan and Austin. Neither yin nor yang will stop us from seeking a brighter light.

This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another 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. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio

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TIRnRR # 1202: 10/8/2023

TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold

THE OHMS: License To Kill (unreleased)

SHOES: Tomorrow Night (Big Beat, VA: Come On Let's Go! Power Pop Gems From The 70s & 80s)
MANDY MOORE: I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week (Storefront, Amanda Leigh)

THE PRETENDERS: Let The Sun Come In (Parlophone, Relentless)

1.4.5.: Let's Groove (Northside, 3 Chords & A Cloud Of Dust)

THE BEAT: Walking Out On Love (Wagon Wheel, The Beat)
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NEW MATH: Die Trying (Propeller Sound Recordings, Die Trying & Other Hot Sounds [1979-1983])

THE MOSQUITOS: That Was Then, This Is Now (Kool Kat Musik, This Then Are The Mosquitos!)

JACK "PENETRATOR" LIPTON: Search And Destroy (Rockinnn', Forgotten Boy)

AMY RIGBY: Til The Wheels Fall Off (Signature Sounds, Til The Wheels Fall Off)
THE FOUR TOPS: Standing In The Shadows Of Love (Motown, The Ultimate Collection)
JUNIPER: Baby Doll (Confidential Recordings, She Steals Candy)
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THE MAJOR LABELS: Don't Hear A Single (n/a, Aquavia)

THE SINGLES: He Can Go, You Can't Stay (Rainbow Quartz, Better Than Before)

MICKY DOLENZ: Shiny Happy People (7A, Dolenz Sings R.E.M.)

KID GULLIVER: I Started A Joke (Red On Red, Kismet)

MICHAEL OLIVER & THE SACRED BAND FEATURING DAVE MERRITT: You Won't Do (Kool Kat Musik, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4)
THE HOLLIES: Look Through Any Window (EMI, All The Hits And More)
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DUCKY CARLISLE: Intro (Northside, THE FLASHCUBES: Flashcubes On Fire)
THE FLASHCUBES: All Over The World (Northside, Flashcubes Forever)

THE BANGLES: The Real World (Omnivore, Ladies And Gentlemen...The Bangles!)

THE CYNZ: I Need You (Jem, VA: Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies)

THE ENGLISH BEAT: Mirror In The Bathroom (Shout Factory, Keep The Beat)

SAMMY AMBROSE: This Diamond Ring (Ace, VA: You Heard It Here First!)

THE BREAKAWAYS: That's How It Goes (Rhino, VA: One Kiss Can Lead To Another)

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THE DANGERMEN: Shipwrecked (Wild Eagle, Summer Of Danger)
HOLLY & THE ITALIANS: Tell That Girl To Shut Up (Wounded Bird, The Right To Be Italian)
1.4.5.: Your Own World (Kool Kat Musik, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4)

DR. FEELGOOD: She Does It Right (United Artists, Down By The Jetty)

L.E.O. Make Me (Cheap Lullabye, Alpacas Orgling)

RICH KIDS: Rich Kids (Cherry Red, VA: Harmony In My Head--UK Power Pop & New Wave 1977-1981)

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THE OHMS: Teenage Alcoholic (Northside, single)

GAME THEORY: She'll Be a Verb (Omnivore, Real Nighttime)

THE SUPREMES: Stop! In The Name Of Love (Motown, DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES: The Ultimate Collection)

THE REACTION: I Am A Case (Cherry Red, VA: Kids On The Street--UK Power Pop And New Wave 1977-1981)

GRAHAM PARKER & THE GOLDTOPS: Wicked Wit (Big Stir, Last Chance To Learn The Twist)

SQUEEZE: Vicky Verky (A & M, The Squeeze Story)

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The Greatest Record Ever Made!

JOAN JETT: Bad Reputation (Blackheart, Bad Reputation)

JOSIE COTTON: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Cleopatra, Everything Is Oh Yeah)

1.4.5.: She Couldn't Say No (Northside, 3 Chords & A Cloud Of Dust)

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: What Goes On (Polydor, Peel Slowly And See)

THE CATHOLIC GIRLS: Hear My Prayer (single)

WEDNESDAY WEEK: Why (Enigma, What We Had)

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THE MAJOR LABELS: Deja Vu (All Over Again) (n/a, Aquavia)

THE MUFFS: You Can Cry If You Want (Sympathy For The Record Industry, Hamburger)

THE EVENING SONS: I Gotta Gurl (Curation, single)

MARY LOU LORD: Aim Low (Fire, She'd Be A Diamond)

SOMERDALE: Let's Get Started (Kool Kat Musik, Let's Get Started)

LULU: Wenn Du Da Bist (RPM, Shout! The Complete Decca Recordings)

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1.4.5.: Sorry Wrong Number (Northside, 3 Chords & A Cloud Of Dust)

R.E.M.: Radio Free Europe [original Hib-Tone single] (IRS, Eponymous)

FIREKING: Just Like Sunday (Blueberry Pie, Double Trouble)

THE RASPBERRIES: Get It Moving (RPM, Power Pop Volume One)

THE MOST: Take A Chance (Northside, single)

RICHARD HELL & THE VOIDOIDS: Ignore That Door (Rhino, RICHARD HELL: Spurts: The Richard Hell Story)

THE OHMS: Chain Letter (Northside, single)

THE BEATLES: Chains (Apple, Please Please Me)

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THE MAJOR LABELS: The Major Labels (Got It Made) (n/a, Aquavia)