MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN! A dream of a Flashcubes tribute album becomes real

Well. Looks like we did indeed make something happen.

Details and liner notes here.

BUY IT! Um...here.

A million thanks to all involved. Questions? Make 'em brilliant, and ask away. 

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.

POP-A-LOOZA: BRIGHT LIGHTS IN JAPAN! The Choosers Cover The Flashcubes

Each week, the pop culture website Pop-A-Looza shares some posts from my vast 'n' captivating Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) archives. The latest shared post spotlights a cool Japanese band called the Choosers as they cover Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse the Flashcubes: Bright Lights In Japan.

The Flashcubes will always, always be one of my all-time favorite groups, up there in my rockin' pop pantheon with the Beatles and the Ramones. I wrote the liner notes to two Flashcubes anthology CDs, Bright Lights and A Cellarful Of Boys, and I've written the liners to their forthcoming live album Flashcubes On Fire (with that piece exclusively a private post for patrons for the time being). I inducted the Flashcubes into the SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) Hall of Fame (which also served as their subsequent induction into the Power Pop Hall of Fame). A Brighter Light In My Mind was my story imagining a world where the Flashcubes achieved the popular success they deserved.

My first Flashcubes show. Seeing the 'Cubes with the Ramones and the Runaways. My proposal for a never-gonna-happen new album by Micky Dolenz with the Flashcubes. My first Flashcubes writing. My 1997 interview with bassist Gary Frenay and guitarist Paul Armstrong. Proclaiming the Flashcubes' "No Promise" as The Greatest Record Ever Made!, and talking about the song when the 'Cubes let us use it on This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4. More in-concert memories, of the Flashcubes covering Herman's Hermits and opening for David Johansen. Believe me, this just scratches the surface of my collected writings on behalf of my Fave Rave power pop combo the Flashcubes.

And I'm sure I'll keep right on writing about the Flashcubes. MORE FLASHCUBES!! My celebration of the Choosers singing the Flashcubes' "Christi Girl" is the latest Boppin' Pop-A-Looza.

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You can support this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon: Fund me, baby! 

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, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read about our history here.

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

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl.

POP-A-LOOZA: The Power Pop Hall Of Fame, THE RAMONES

Each week, the pop culture website Pop-A-Looza shares some posts from my vast 'n' captivating Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) archives. The latest shared post is my 2017 piece inducting the Ramones into the Power Pop Hall of Fame.

Between this blog, my freelance work for Goldmine from 1986-2006, and any other forum I could round up, I've written quite a bit about the Ramones. My long-threatened book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) will contain chapters about three Ramones songs--"Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?," "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker," and "Blitzkrieg Bop"--and an additional GREM! entry (about the Ramones' version of "I Don't Want To Grow Up") will be appearing as part of another forthcoming project. I've written about my first Ramones concert, the importance of Rocket To Russia, the non-LP B-side "Babysitter," the Archie Meets Ramones comic book, the Subterranean Jungle album, Rhino Records' reissues of the first four Ramones albums, and my reaction to the death of Joey Ramone. The Ramones were part of my first attempt at rock journalism. Hell, I even tried to write a Ramones song. The Ramones are mentioned in my histories of both bubblegum music and power pop. I'm a fan. I'll have still more Ramones writing to come.

I've written a few other induction pieces for Aaron Kupferberg's Power Pop Hall Of Fame site. In addition to the Ramones, I've inducted the Flamin' Groovies, the Flashcubes, the Spongetones, Pezband, and the Rubinoos.

But today, the Power Pop Hall Of Fame spotlight falls upon the American Beatles, the greatest American rock 'n' roll band of all time. The Ramones are the subject of the latest Boppin' Pop-A-Looza.

TIP THE BLOGGER: CC's Tip Jar!

You can support this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon: Fund me, baby! 

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, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read about our history here.

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

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl

POP-A-LOOZA: The Power Pop Hall Of Fame, PEZBAND

Each week, the pop culture web site Pop-A-Looza shares some posts from my vast 'n' captivating Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) archives. The latest shared post is my 2018 piece inducting Pezband into the Power Pop Hall of Fame.

I haven't written much else about Pezband. I contributed to the teaser for the 2019 reissue/remix of the group's fab 1979 album Cover To Cover, and they were--of course!--a part of my massive history of power pop, The Kids Are Alright! Circumstances suggest I'll have reason to make further reference to Pezband in a near-future post...but I can't talk about that yet.

In the mean time, though, I can talk about Pezband in the Power Pop Hall of Fame. It's the latest Boppin' Pop-A-Looza.

TIP THE BLOGGER: CC's Tip Jar!

You can support this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon: Fund me, baby! 

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, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read about our history here.

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

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl.

POP-A-LOOZA: The Spongetones, The Power Pop Hall Of Fame

Each week, the pop culture website Pop-A-Looza shares some posts from my vast 'n' captivating Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) archives. The latest shared post is my 2017 entry commemorating The Spongetones' induction into The Power Pop Hall Of Fame.

The Power Pop Hall Of Fame is a site maintained by writer Aaron Kupferberg, honoring some of our heroes in this ever-engaging field of hooks 'n' oomph. In addition to writing about The Spongetones' induction, it's also been my pleasure to write induction entries for The Ramones, The Flamin' Groovies, The Flashcubes, The Rubinoos, and Pezband. 

As noted a couple of days ago in this week's video blog, this Spongetones piece also served as the prototype for the Spongetones chapter in my proposed book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). And we have a Spongetones-related surprise treat for you on this Sunday night's exciting edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl.

So let's celebrate The Spongetones! A piece welcoming the group into The Power Pop Hall Of Fame provides the latest Boppin' Pop-A-Looza.

TIP THE BLOGGER: CC's Tip Jar!

You can support this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon: Fund me, baby! 

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, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read about our history here.

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

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl.

PEZBAND: COVER TO COVER remixed

In the piece I wrote inducting Pezband into The Power Pop Hall Of Fame, I lamented that none of the group's three classic albums from the 1970s was currently in print, and that not a one of them had ever been issued on CD in the States. 

That changes--finally!--on April 5th.

On that date, Pezband's third and final album Cover To Cover will at long last be reissued (with a bonus track!), its first return to American record racks since its original release in 1979, its first domestic CD or streaming release ever. Preorders are available right now from your usual suspects, so get set to get your sparkle on. And I tell ya, the teaser video announcing this release is an absolute retrobuzz hoot: Cover To Cover Remastered!

In the teaser video, you'll note the presence of two blurbs from me (including one writing on behalf of The Power Pop Hall Of Fame). I join other rockin' pop enthusiasts Aaron Kupferberg, David Bash, John M. Borack, Stephen Schnee, and Alan Haber in extolling the giddy reward of listening to Pezband. Here's my complete Cover To Cover blurb:

Well, this is welcome news. Pezband albums have been unforgivably MIA from retail shelves for far too long, leaving a big, big hole in the collection of any serious power pop fan who didn't snap up the original vinyl back when they shoulda. Glorious redemption finally arrives with this reissue of Pezband's 1979 manifesto Cover To Cover, its jangle and oomph intact and remastered for maximum punch: essential sparkle and pop from the band that invented the term "sparkling power pop." Welcome news indeed.

Yes, welcome news indeed. Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) recommends a visit to the Pezband Official website, and we further note that no collection of '70s power pop is complete without Pezband. Cover To Cover is what power poppers need.




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You can support this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon: Fund me, baby! 

Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-Op, Ray Paul, Circe Link & Christian Nesmith, Vegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie Flowers, The Slapbacks, P. Hux, Irene Peña, Michael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave Merritt, The Rubinoos, Stepford Knives, The Grip Weeds, Popdudes, Ronnie Dark, The Flashcubes,Chris von Sneidern, The Bottle Kids, 1.4.5., The Smithereens, Paul Collins' Beat, The Hit Squad, The Rulers, The Legal Matters, Maura & the Bright Lights, Lisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here. A digital download version (minus The Smithereens' track) is also available from Futureman Records.