The Cars
In most cases, a group has to rule its home turf before it conquers the world. That's exactly what happened with the Cars - Ric Ocasek (vocals/guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass/vocals), Elliot Easton (guitar), Greg Hawkes (keyboards) and David Robinson (drums). In '77, amid the disco onslaught, a demo version of "Just What I Needed" became the most request song at a local (Boston) Rock radio station. That caught the attention of Elektra Records who signed the group. "The Cars" was recorded in a relatively short time - two weeks. It was a great start since in contained the final version of "Just What I Needed" and the break through song "My Best Friend's Girl."
Though the Cars produced solid albums throughout their career, they were largely a singles band. They had a knack for creating tight, three minute tunes with witty, often intelligent lyrics, and a killer hook.
Visually, the Cars hardly registered. Ocasek, parked behind shades, seemed aloof, even when the lyrics suggested he was deeply involved. On stage, he rarely moved as if he was too smart to make a spectacle of himself. That was contrary to just about every other frontman in Rock. This distance, whether calculated or not, had a certain appeal. The rest of the band followed Ocasek's lead. No matter, for visuals the Cars used other means than themselves.
The second LP "Candy-O" included "Let's Go" and "Double Life" but it was also fondly remembered for the cover work of Playboy artist Alberto Vargas. The drawing showed a knock-out redhead draped across the hood of a car.
The Cars scored again with the creative "You Might Think" video from "Heartbeat City." The clip featured extensive animation, quick cut-aways, closes ups of Ocasek singing and mugging and an out of control actress playing the object of Ric's obsessive affections. Clever, entertaining and nearly out of control. However, the Cars biggest chart success, the ballad "Drive" from the same CD had Orr handling vocals rather than Ocasek.
Like a lot of groups, the Cars ran their course with Ocasek and Orr undertaking solo ventures. Ocasek also tried his hand at producing.
In '00 (on October 5th), Orr succumbed to pancreatic cancer. He was 53.
'06 Sidebar: The New Cars
OK, enough is enough! Great '80s bands have established a rather consistent, if totally wrong minded, pattern of self-destruction. First, Duran Duran released a covers album. Why? Did Simon La Bon need to get that canary yellow suit out of hock? Duran Duran covering Led Zeppelin ("Thank You" was the song) is laughable. Def Leppard went down the same road with "Yeah!," earning marginally better results, thanks to selecting songs that were nearly within their grasp.
The New Cars are beyond the pale. Here we have Easton and Hawkes. These two aren't even the important Cars (they were Ocasek and Orr, respectively). Thrown into the mix is musician/producer/quasi-has been Todd Rundgren, along with a couple of others who shall mercifully remain nameless. On second thought, Kasim Sulton and Prairie Prince (one-time Tubes and Journey drummer who has worked with Rundgren) are as guilty as everybody else.
So do the New Cars play new music? No, they cover the Cars! Oh yeah, there's even a cut a Rundgren's claim to fame, "I Saw The Light." Who would buy this sludge? Anybody with ears would pick up the originals and forego these half-baked mostly live reworks of "You Might Think," "Moving In Stereo,' "Bye Bye Love" and a very wooden "Drive."
What's really sad is a band with Easton, Hawkes, Rundgren, Sulton and Prince might have been interesting. Too bad they were just out for the quick buck. If there's any justice, it'll cost them.
The Cars debut album and "Heartbreak City" are their ultimate studio albums. "The Cars" has "Just What I Needed," "Let The Good Times Roll" and the tongue-in-cheek, "My Best Friend's Girl." However, the strongest track is the biting "Bye Bye Love." "Candy O" and "Shake It Up" are good efforts. "Heartbeat City" proves the debut wasn't a fluke with "You Might Think" and "Hello Again." After that, the Cars were done but they pushed out "Door To Door" before packing it in. The "Greatest Hits" is OK but "The Cars Anthology: Just What I Needed" is far superior.
New Cars: On "It's Alive," the notes are right but little else. The emotion, quirky tension and Ocasek's haughty vocal style are totally absent. If this was recorded by some Bean Town covers band whose sole goal was to be the weekend headliner in the lounge of the downtown Holiday Inn "It's Alive" might be forgivable.
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