B-Sides Rate a Band-The Cars

[MagpieScouser]

can some of the older people here tell me a bit about this band which i love the songs' Lets Go' and 'you might think'

 

[oxx]

Cars=great band.
Good somgs.
Good players.
Good pocket.

here's a bit on the singer,Rick Ocasek.

The visually distinctive, very slender singer released his first solo album in 1982. Beatitude is a somewhat more experimental variation of The Cars' New Wave rock sound. A more synthesizer-heavy follow up, This Side Of Paradise, was released in 1986. A #15 hit single, "Emotion In Motion", accompanied the album.
The Cars split in 1987, and Ocasek disappeared from the public eye for a couple of years, resurfacing in 1990 with Fireball Zone. One track, "Rockaway", enjoyed a brief stay on the charts, but his solo albums have seen disappointing sales, especially compared to his success with the Cars. He subsequently released other solo works throughout the decade, including 1993's Quick Change World, 1996's Getchertikitz (a collaboration with Suicide's Alan Vega), and 1997's Billy Corgan-produced Troublizing (which Ocasek supported with a very brief tour, his first since leaving the Cars). In 2005, Ocasek released another album, Nexterday, to little fanfare but positive reviews.

Producing

Ocasek has produced many records, both while working with The Cars and since then, such as Bad Brains' Rock for Light and Guided By Voices' Do the Collapse. His other production credits include Weezer's Blue Album & Green Album (both multi-platinum), Bebe Buell, No Doubt, The Killers, punk-poppers Nada Surf and Irish folk-punk band Black 47.
Beginning in the mid-1990s, Ocasek began producing again for acts such as Bad Religion, Black 47, Johnny Bravo, D Generation, The Wannadies, Guided By Voices, Hole, Possum Dixon, Martin Rev, Jonathan Richman, and both of Weezer's hit self-titled releases in 1994 and 2001. Ocasek produced the 2006 album by "The Pink Spiders" entitled "Teenage Graffiti".

 

[Constipated Duck]

They have sort-of remformed as the New Cars this year, minus the late Ben Orr, and the disinterested Ric Ocasek. Ocasek's place has been taken by Todd Rundgren who apparently bears some vocal similarity to Ric. I think one of Todd's former bands' bass players is handling bass duties in this project too.

I'm a fan of (but no expert on) this band, but was surprised to find this information while reading a Wikipedia article on Todd Rundgren.

 

[materamagic]

They have sort-of remformed as the New Cars this year, minus the late Ben Orr, and the disinterested Ric Ocasek. Ocasek's place has been taken by Todd Rundgren who apparently bears some vocal similarity to Ric. I think one of Todd's former bands' bass players is handling bass duties in this project too.

I'm a fan of (but no expert on) this band, but was surprised to find this information while reading a Wikipedia article on Todd Rundgren.

Todd was thought by Liv Tyler to have been her father before she knew it was Steve Tyler also Todd worked on Meatloafs Bat Out of Hell and his great albums in the 70's

 

[Kooley]

They have sort-of remformed as the New Cars this year, minus the late Ben Orr, and the disinterested Ric Ocasek. Ocasek's place has been taken by Todd Rundgren who apparently bears some vocal similarity to Ric. I think one of Todd's former bands' bass players is handling bass duties in this project too.

I'm a fan of (but no expert on) this band, but was surprised to find this information while reading a Wikipedia article on Todd Rundgren.

i'm pretty sure i've got a todd rundgren solo album somewhere. i might be wrong.

 

[John]

i'm pretty sure i've got a todd rundgren solo album somewhere. i might be wrong.

I had a Todd Rungren album and it was so bad I gave it away.

 

[cats56]

The self-titled first album (Good Times Roll, My Best Friends' Girl, Just What I Needed etc.) can be recommended.

Future albums saw them plunge further and further into M.O.R. mediocrity.

 

[The_Eagles]

the song 'drive' is pretty hard hitting/emotional.. and of course a classic

 

[Contra Mundum]

the song 'drive' is pretty hard hitting/emotional.. and of course a classic

Drive is crap - first album was great - Best Friend's Girlfriend and Just What I needed are some of the finest American new wave songs ever - almost at Blondie standard

 

[DEVO]

Drive is crap - first album was great - Best Friend's Girlfriend and Just What I needed are some of the finest American new wave songs ever - almost at Blondie standard

Not a great band, but a few of their songs I love. DRIVE is my favourite, one of the finest new wave songs ever, closest they got to the greatest band in history... Blondie.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Not a great band, but a few of their songs I love. DRIVE is my favourite, one of the finest new wave songs ever, closest they got to the greatest band in history... Blondie.

PFFFt Drive is a MOR FM piece of KAKA - first album only. Let's Go in contrast is fantastic - I like the night life baby!

 

[cats56]

Drummer David Robinson's CV pre Cars is pretty impressive. Member at times of "The Pop", "Modern Lovers" and "DMZ".

 

[The_Eagles]

contra mundum face it, drive is their most popular and best song.

 

[bunsen burner]

Shyte. Can't/couldn't stand them. They just have a puncy sound. I believe Candy O was their first record and Heartbreak City their second.

 

[Contra Mundum]

contra mundum face it, drive is their most popular and best song.

You are obviously a young fella and do not remember when it was played on 96FM on extremely high rotation for ten years [and when I say that I mean every second song] from 1984 to 1994 - it was like aversion theraphy.

My hunch is corrrect you were born in 1983 and did not suffer the torture of that song

 

[Leaping Lindner]

I'm with ContraMundum and Cats56 on this one. First LP recommended.

 

[cats56]

Shyte. Can't/couldn't stand them. They just have a puncy sound. I believe Candy O was their first record and Heartbreak City their second.

Chronological order of albums up to Heartbreak City:

1978- The Cars.
1979- Candy-O.
1980- Panorama.
1981- Shake It Up.
1984- Heartbeat City.

2 out of 5 ain't bad!

 

[bunsen burner]

Chronological order of albums up to Heartbreak City:

1978- The Cars.
1979- Candy-O.
1980- Panorama.
1981- Shake It Up.
1984- Heartbeat City.

2 out of 5 ain't bad!

Heartbreak City! Make that 1 out of 5.

I actually had the album along with Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. A woeful period in my musical taste.

 

[cats56]

Heartbreak City! Make that 1 out of 5.

I actually had the album along with Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. A woeful period in my musical taste.

See i was being nice to you. Heartbeat City and Brothers In Arms, now that was a woeful period! Although i think we all have skeletons in our closets. You've just had the guts to own up to a few!

 

[Contra Mundum]

See i was being nice to you. Heartbeat City and Brothers In Arms, now that was a woeful period! Although i think we all have skeletons in our closets. You've just had the guts to own up to a few!

I am hearing the theme music for "Local Hero" in my head -AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe [Husker Du where around at that time but!]

 

[cats56]

I remember my eldest brother putting on "Brothers In Arms" which i think was the first commercially available CD, and almost spitting out my beer! (Yes you're right, eldest brother was not passionate about music).

 

[The_Eagles]

okay fair enough


let's go didnt escape overexposure but, here in perth it used to be played in every preview as an advertisement for greater union cinemas...ie 'lets go' (to the movies) 'i like the nightlife baby! (the movies)

 

[revo333]

minus the late Ben Orr,

I've been listening to his solo album.

It's pretty good for an album most people wouldn't know exists.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Ben Orr my fav singer from the cars .

Rick wrote a lot of their songs tho.

 

[rocker_oz33]

I've been listening to his solo album.

It's pretty good for an album most people wouldn't know exists.

He could of been more successful in other band and /or if he wrote better songs .

Underrated singer .