God Bless Rock and Roll (Part Five)

As The Archies take their final bows, they are joined by several characters that DC Hampton Jacobs created especially for their adult adventures.  It's a safe bet that you'll never see these characters in the pages of Archie Comics!  From the graphic novel "Say Goodbye To Riverdale," we have producer Ralfi Chingas, sound engineer "Spanish" Eddie Roxchild (Ralfi's husband), voice coach Timothy Garland and Betty and Jughead's adorable son, Montana Jones (now all grown up)!  From the cartoon short story "Archie Does ABBA" we brought back German producer "Mad Max" Manischevitz. From our illustrated Great American Rock 'n' Roll Songbook come Mariachi Lowrider, backing vocal group Cochinada Brothers, sound engineer Yvonne Remy (daughter of Alan M from Josie + The Pussy Cats!) and novice music director Fox Printemps; and making their début in this new "mock screenplay", documentary narrator Chevy Long Dong, The Archies' new manager Squeak McGillicuddy and the one and only Beau Jacques!

POP CULTURE CANTINA
presents
A Marvelous Lie Production
GOD BLESS ROCK 'N' ROLL!
Adapted from a Song Written by
RON DANTE + HOWIE GREENFIELD

GOD BLESS ROCK 'N' ROLL INTRO 5

Produced by CARMINE GRANITO
Screenplay by DC HAMPTON JACOBS
Cinematography by STUFFED ANIMAL
Costumes by NERO the DOG
Pop Art Images Inspired by
ARCHIE COMICS CHARACTERS

The Bandleader/ARCHIE ANDREWS
The Blues Singer/BETTY COOPER
The Gigolo/CHEVY LONG DONG
The Jazz Singer/JUGGY JONES
The Rock Star/KEVIN KELLER
The Boss Lady/RONI LODGE-ANDREWS
The Executive Producer/ALAN MAYBERRY
The Manager/HEATHER "SQUEAK" McGILLICUDDY
The Producer/FOX PRINTEMPS
The Studio Sound Engineer/YVONNE REMY
The Touring Sound Engineer/"SPANISH" EDDIE ROXCHILD
with
Comedy Relief/BEAU JACQUES
Musical Accompaniment/MARIACHI LOWRIDER
Backing Vocalists/COCHINADA BROTHERS
Backing Vocal Choir/RIVERDALE ROCK CHORALE (final show)
Dancing Ladies/ZOOT SUIT MUCHACHAS
Dance Troupe/DULCE de FUEGO (final show)
and introducing
DEAN CHRISTOPHER!

Screenplay Narrated by The Sorceress . . .
SABRINA "BREE" SPELLMAN

THE ARCHIES' FAREWELL WORLD TOUR
NORTH AMERICAN LEG CONTINUED
JULY/AUGUST 2032

MIAMI, FL - Saturday the 3rd
ROBERTS AFB - Sunday the 4th
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Saturday the 10th
NASHVILLE, TN - Sunday the 11th
ATLANTA, GA - Saturday the 17th
DALLAS, TX - Sunday the 18th
DENVER, CO - Saturday the 24th
LAS VEGAS, NV - Saturday the 31st
LOS ANGELES, CA - Saturday the 7th
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Sunday the 8th
HONOLULU, HI - Saturday the 14th
USO SHOWS - 15 August - 1 September

BREE SPELLMAN: ALL ABOARD MY MAGIC CARPET . . . COME FLY WITH ME! OUR DESTINATION IS TAHITI A DECADE FROM NOW. THIS IS WHERE AND WHEN THE ARCHIES HOLD THEIR FINAL BUSINESS MEETING BEFORE DISBANDING. THEY ALSO LOG THEIR FINAL RECORDING SESSIONS THERE. 

YEARS AGO, AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR INVOLVING VERONICA LODGE-ANDREWS AND JUGGY JONES NEARLY DESTROYED THE ARCHIES!  THAT ILLICIT LIAISON LED TO ARCHIE AND BETTY COOPER BRIEFLY BECOMING LOVERS.  THEIR AFFAIR RESULTED IN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES THAT HAVE NOW COME TO LIGHT.  


THE ARCHIES ARE NEARING THE END OF THEIR FORTY-YEAR JOURNEY, BUT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE FOUNDING MEMBERS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE DRASTICALLY.  LISTEN TO EXCERPTS FROM A 2033 DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE ARCHIES' FAREWELL TOUR, AND LEARN HOW THE ARCHIE/BETTY/VERONICA LOVE TRIANGLE IS FINALLY RESOLVED!


DEFINITIVE ARCHIES COVER DESIGN

COMPILATION OF HITS RECORDED 
BY THE TEENAGE ARCHIES. THIS
ALBUM WILL BE RELEASED 
IN THE YEAR 2085

 THE TIME: THE YEAR 2033 (with flashbacks to 2032)
THE PLACE: VARIOUS FILMED LOCATIONS

ARCHIE ANDREWS, Pelham NY: WHEN YOU'RE FAMOUS, PEOPLE WILL LAY ALL KINDS OF BULLSHIT CLAIMS ON YOU: "I'M YOUR LONG-LOST FATHER, SECRET SISTER, LOVE CHILD" AND SO ON . . . BUT I SENSED THAT DEAN CHRISTOPHER WAS DIFFERENT. HE APPROACHED ME AFTER OUR SHOW IN BALTIMORE AND SUGGESTED THAT WE MIGHT BE RELATED. THAT'S ALL HE SAID! SOMEHOW, I TRUSTED HIM. I SENSED THAT WE DID HAVE A CONNECTION.

WE KEPT IN TOUCH DURING THE TOUR, AND THROUGH A COMBINATION OF CONVERSATIONS, DETECTIVE WORK, AND FINALLY, A TEST OF MY DNA TO COMPARE WITH ONE HE'D ALREADY TAKEN, WE CONFIRMED WHAT BOTH OF US SUSPECTED BY THEN: I AM DEAN'S BIOLOGICAL FATHER!

IT WASN'T HARD TO PUT TWO-AND-TWO TOGETHER AND DEDUCE WHO HIS MOTHER IS. HE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE ME, BUT MUCH MORE LIKE BETTY!  JUGGY WAS HER HUSBAND AT THE TIME WE MUST HAVE CONCEIVED DEAN.  I REACHED OUT TO JUG AFTER THE TOUR WAS OVER.  

COULD BETTY HAVE HIDDEN HER PREGNANCY FROM HIM?  I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS LIKELY.  JUG OWNED UP TO KNOWING ABOUT THE BABY RIGHT AWAY, AND THEN DUDE STARTED CRYING HIS EYES OUT! THE SECRET HAD BEEN EATING HIM UP FOR YEARS.

JUGGY JONES, Santa Barbara CA: ARCHIE ASKING ME ABOUT DEAN WAS LIKE GETTING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING! I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'VE CRIED AS MUCH . . . A DAM OF PENT-UP EMOTION BURST INSIDE OF ME.

ARCHIE ANDREWS, Pelham NY: JUG WAS AFRAID I'D BE PISSED THAT HE AND BETTY PUT THE BABY UP FOR ADOPTION. I WISH THEY HADN'T BUT, WELL, NONE OF US WAS THINKING RATIONALLY BACK THEN. NOT ME, RONI, BETTY OR JUG . . . AND WE ALL MADE SOME QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS!  IT WAS A HELLA STRESSFUL TIME; BUT ALL WAS FORGIVEN LONG AGO.  THERE'S NO NEED TO KEEP SECRETS NOW!  I SAT DOWN WITH DEAN AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO HIM, AND HE'S NOT BITTER, EITHER.

DEAN CHRISTOPHER, Newark NJ: IT'S KIND OF LIKE HAVING FOUR BIOLOGICAL PARENTS INSTEAD OF JUST TWO. I'M THE PROGENY OF A POP MUSIC GROUP . . . A REAL ROCK-A-BYE BABY!

ARCHIE ANDREWS, Pelham NY: THE CALCAGNOS ARE A GOOD FAMILY, AND DEAN GREW UP HAPPY, HEALTHY AND LOVED. BUT HE WANTS TO MEET HIS . . . WELL, LET'S CALL US HIS EXTENDED FAMILY! I TOLD JUG ABOUT THAT AT OUR LAST STUDIO SESSION. HE WAS APPREHENSIVE, BUT I KNOW IT'S ALL GONNA WORK OUT. WE AGREED THAT IT WAS BEST FOR HIM TO BREAK THE NEWS TO BETTY, AND I SHOULD TELL VERONICA.

BETTY COOPER, Manhattan NY: EVEN BEFORE JUGGY SAID ANYTHING, I KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. MY SOURCES HAD ALREADY TOLD ME THAT DEAN WAS SEARCHING FOR HIS BIRTH PARENTS!  MY INITIAL REACTION WAS: DEAR LORD, NO! I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO FIND ME . . . I DIDN'T WANT THE TRUTH TO EVER COME OUT.  BUT AFTER I CONFIDED IN MY RABBI, SHE MADE ME REALIZE THOSE FEELINGS DIDN'T COME FROM MY HEART. SO IN THE END, I JUST LEFT IT IN GOD'S HANDS.

SPANISH EDDIE RECORDS THE ARCHIES LIVE

PROMOTIONAL COPY OF THE ARCHIES'
FAREWELL WORLD TOUR ALBUM, A
TRIPLE VINYL SET

SQUEAK McGILLICUDDY, Pelham NY: A FILM CREW ACCOMPANIED US ON THE ROAD. RAJ PATEL USED TO BE THE ARCHIES' MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCER, AND THE ANDREWS HAD ASKED HIM TO DOCUMENT THE TOUR. HE AGREED, BUT ONLY IF A DOCU-FILM WAS PART OF THE DEAL. 

VERONICA AND I WOULDN'T COMMIT TO THAT, BUT RAJ DECIDED TO FILM THE TOUR ANYWAY AND SELL US ON HIS IDEA LATER. RIGHT UP TO THE LAST SHOW, NOBODY KNEW IF THE DOCUMENTARY WOULD HAPPEN; BUT A LIVE ALBUM WAS ALWAYS A SURE THING!

THERE WERE ALMOST AS MANY SOUND TECHNICIANS WITH US AS CAMERA OPERATORS. RONI'S FAVORITE REMIXER, "SPANISH" EDDIE ROXCHILD WAS THE CHIEF ENGINEER ON TOUR. HE RECORDED ABOUT 30 SHOWS, A HUGE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL! THEN HE AND RAJ FLEW DOWN TO DISCOS FUENTES IN MEDELLÍN, COLUMBIA; THAT'S THE LABEL THE ARCHIES RECORD FOR.  THEY SORTED THROUGH THE TAPES, AND RAJ CHOSE THE NUMBERS HE WANTED FOR A DOCUMENTARY SHORT.

"SPANISH" EDDIE ROXCHILD, Medellín, CO: THAT SHORT IS WHAT FINALLY SOLD SQUEAK AND THE ANDREWS ON RELEASING A CONCERT FILM, BUT THEY WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH THE AUDIO. DRONE MICROPHONES SOUND GREAT ON STAGE, BUT RECORDING FROM THEM CAN BE TRICKY!  I DID MY BEST, BUT ULTIMATELY ARCHIE AND RONI DECIDED TO USE DIFFERENT PERFORMANCES FOR THE LIVE ALBUM.

 THEY HAD ME DUB A COMPILATION TAPE OF WHAT THEY FELT WERE THE BEST-SOUNDING PERFORMANCES. JUST BEFORE THE ARCHIES HELD THEIR FINAL BUSINESS MEETING IN TAHITI, THEY GAVE THAT TAPE TO THEIR EX-BUSINESS PARTNER ALAN MAYBERRY. HIS DAUGHTER YVONNE IS A WICKED GOOD SOUND ENGINEER, AND SHE USED IT TO CREATE THE LIVE ALBUM MASTER.

CHEVY LONG DONG (narration): ANY WORRIES THAT THE SECOND ROUND OF NORTH AMERICAN CONCERTS WOULD BE SPARSELY ATTENDED VANISH WHEN THE MIAMI GIG SELLS OUT IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. WORD OF MOUTH FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND EUROPE HAS PUMPED ANTICIPATION UP TO A FEVER PITCH!

COME DANCE WITH ME

"COME DANCE WITH ME"
Words + Music by
Mary Ann Maurer + Tony Powers

RECORDED ON 11 JULY 2032
LIVE IN NASHVILLE
JUGGY'S VOCALS OVERDUBBED
ON 22 JULY 2033

IN MIAMI, ARCHIE LOSES HIS VOICE JUST BEFORE TIME TO PERFORM THE JAY + THE AMERICANS MEDLEY. JUGGY, KEVIN KELLER AND COCHINADA BROTHERS RECONFIGURE THEIR VOCAL PARTS, AND THE BROTHERS END UP WITH  "LET'S LOCK THE DOOR (AND THROW AWAY THE KEY)" AS THEIR OWN SPOTLIGHT NUMBER.  THEIR PERFORMANCE IS SO WELL-RECEIVED, IT REMAINS IN THE SHOW.

THE SUCCESSFUL MIAMI DATE IS FOLLOWED BY A SPECIAL 4th OF JULY PERFORMANCE AT ROBERTS AIR FORCE BASE, THE SITE OF A LEGENDARY 2003 ARCHIES CONCERT. THE GROUP AGREES TO ADD THIS SPECIAL SHOW AT THE REQUEST OF ARMED FORCES RADIO. IT IS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT A MONTH OF USO SHOWS ARE BOOKED! 

THE ARCHIES HAVE PERFORMED FOR US TROOPS MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, AND SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN TURN OUT IN DROVES FOR THESE FINAL APPEARANCES. BETTY'S BLUES-BELTING RIPS THEM UP BIG-TIME AND JUGGY'S JAZZ STYLINGS ARE ALWAYS A CROWD-PLEASER; BUT THE GRUNTS REALLY GO WILD FOR GUEST STAR TONI TOPAZ AND KEVIN KELLER SINGING A ROCK-STEADY DUET OF "DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?"

KEVIN KELLER, Taos NM: YEAH, I'M AN AFGHAN CIVIL WAR VET. I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT MUCH . . . THERE ARE A LOT OF BAD MEMORIES. BUT I WILL ALWAYS LOVE MY BATTLE BUDDIES! FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THEM WAS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE, AND PLAYING FOR THEM WAS, YEAH, FUCKING AWESOME, MAN.

CHEVY LONG DONG (narration): NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES "ARCHIES DAY" WITH A PARADE BEGINNING IN CONGO SQUARE. IN NASHVILLE, SCORES OF COUNTRY STARS TURN OUT FOR THE CONCERT AND GREET THE ARCHIES BACKSTAGE. BETTY AND JUGGY'S OLD PALS GARTH BROOKS AND TRICIA YEARWOOD THROW A PARTY FOR THE GROUP. DALLAS TURNS OUT IN FORCE FOR A GUEST APPEARANCE BY REGGIE, HASTILY SCHEDULED AT THE LAST MINUTE.

THE ARCHIES' FORMER PRODUCER RON DANTE MAKES A SURPRISE GUEST APPEARANCE IN LAS VEGAS, SINGING HIS OWN COMPOSITION "GOD BLESS ROCK 'N' ROLL". IN LOS ANGELES, THE GROUP SELLS OUT THE GREEK THEATER IN HALF AN HOUR! HORDES OF SCREAMING FANS AT HAWAII'S KONA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ARE A PREVIEW OF WHAT AWAITS THE ARCHIES IN ASIA ON THE TOUR'S FINAL LEG.

ALAN MAYBERRY, Bora Bora PF (outtake): NO, IT WASN'T MY IMAGINATION. MY DAUGHTER'S NEW BOYFRIEND MADE A PASS AT ME!

SO MUCH LOVE OVERDUB SESSION

"SO MUCH LOVE"
Words + Music by
Gerry Goffin + Carole King

RECORDED ON 14 AUGUST 2032
LIVE IN HONOLULU
JUGGY'S VOCALS OVERDUBBED
ON 21 JULY 2033

RONI LODGE-ANDREWS, Pelham NY: LONG BEFORE OUR SECOND REUNION IN 2030, PEOPLE HAD STARTED CALLING US THE WORLD'S GREATEST COVER BAND! NEARLY ALL OF THE ARCHIES' HITS HAVE COME FROM THE GREAT AMERICAN ROCK 'N' ROLL SONGBOOK. 

 OUR COVERS OF GOLDEN OLDIES ALWAYS SEEMED TO BECOME CLASSICS, SO WE JUST KEPT RECORDING THEM; LIKE THEY SAY, DON'T FIX WHAT AIN'T BROKE! BUT IT ALWAYS PISSED ME OFF WHEN PEOPLE ASSUMED WE COULDN'T WRITE ORIGINAL SONGS. WE COULD WRITE THEM, AND WE DID . . . FOR OTHER ARTISTS!

SQUEAK McGILLICUDDY, Pelham NY: NUMEROUS NASHVILLE STARS REAPED THE BENEFIT OF THE ARCHIES' HIT COMPOSITIONS. ON THE FAREWELL TOUR, THE GROUP TREATED AUDIENCES TO TWO OF THOSE COUNTRY SMASHES: "BABY, IT'S ALL OVER TOWN", WHICH BETTY AND JUGGY WROTE WHEN THEY WERE STILL MARRIED, AND "TITTY TWISTER"!  THAT SONG IS ARCHIE'S PERSONAL FAVORITE; YOU SHOULD ASK HIM ABOUT THE LYRICS.

ARCHIE ANDREWS, Pelham NY: WELL, IT'S A SONG ABOUT MY FAVORITE COCKTAIL DRINK, BUT IT ISN'T ONLY ABOUT THAT.  I WROTE THE WORDS TO THAT ONE AS A TRIBUTE TO VERONICA. BABE IS KINDA BUSTY . . . AND NO, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO ANY MORE DETAIL!

FOX PRINTEMPS, Pelham NY: THE MORNING OF JULY 22, YVIE AND I LAY DOWN FINAL MIXES FOR SEVERAL LIVE-IN-CONCERT TRACKS INCLUDING "KENTUCKY WOMAN", THE ARCHIE COUNTRY MEDLEY, "ONLY IN AMERICA" AND "SAN FRANCISCO". JUGGY ARRIVED THAT AFTERNOON AND QUICKLY LAY DOWN OVERDUBS FOR HIS PERFORMANCES OF "COME DANCE WITH ME" AND "COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER".

YVONNE REMY, Bora Bora PF: WE GOT A LOT OF WORK DONE ON JULY 23. THAT MORNING, ARCHIE AND VERONICA OVERDUBBED THEIR DUET ON "SUGAR, SUGAR EN ESPAÑOL". THE TWO OF THEM WERE VERY FRISKY, CONSTANTLY CUDDLING AND KISSING. TIMOTHY GARLAND BLUSHED AND STARTED TEASING THEM: "GET A HOTEL ROOM, YOU TWO!" ARCHIE WASN'T HAVING IT. HIS WISECRACK "WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HORNY, GET USED TO IT" HAD EVERYBODY IN STITCHES!

FOX PRINTEMPS, Pelham NY: BETTY ARRIVED AS THEY WERE FINISHING UP, AND THEN SHE AND RONI OVERDUBBED THEIR LIVE VERSION OF "HIP SHAKER". EVEN THOUGH RONI SANG LEAD ON THE STUDIO VERSION, IT WAS PERFORMED AS A DUET ON STAGE. SHE INSISTED THAT BETTY'S VOICE BE MIXED LOUDER THAN HERS!  RONI'S GOT AN EGO FOR SURE, BUT YOU COULD NEVER ACCUSE HER OF LETTING IT GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD RECORDING.

SQUEAK McGILLICUDDY, Pelham NY: THE AFTERNOON OF JULY 24, ARCHIE AND JUGGY MET IN THE STUDIO TO OVERDUB "GLITTER AND GOLD". I WAS THERE. TREVOR SANTIAGO (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TREVOR SMITH) HAD BEEN ARCHIE'S DUET PARTNER ON THE STUDIO VERSION; BUT WHEN TREVOR DECLINED TO TOUR, HE AND JUGGY STARTED DOING IT ON STAGE. 

 AT FIRST, THERE WAS SOME TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM; AFTER FIVE FALSE STARTS, THEY JUST COULDN'T GET THE HARMONIES TOGETHER. THEY TOOK A CAPPUCCINO BREAK AND WORKED OUT WHATEVER WAS WRONG. WHEN THEY GOT BACK ON MIKE, THEY ABSOLUTELY KILLED THAT DUET! ALL OF US IN THE SOUNDBOOTH GAVE THEM A STANDING OVATION.

JUGGY JONES, Santa Barbara CA: AT THE SESSION WHERE WE OVERDUBBED "GLITTER AND GOLD", THAT'S WHERE ARCHIE TOLD ME DEAN CHRISTOPHER WANTED TO MEET BETTY, HIS BIRTH MOTHER . . . AND ME, TOO!

FINAL SHOW AT RIVERDALE CENTER

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