RIP Ric Ocasek

[Gutter]

I'll go for Magic.

Always hard to be in a bad mood after hearing this song.

 

[cyclingwriter2]

So that’s why they broke up in the 1980s on top of their game. Ric was already in his 40s and ready to retire.

Yes and no. If you watch the last few of their videos, they went from being a group to what appeared to be Ric and the Cars.

I’ve never really read a good explanation as to what happened. Ben Orr, who sang leads on some of the early hits and had what could be considered the most conventional lead singer looks, all but disappeared. Apparently, he and Ocasek had a falling out of some sorts, but they never really spilled anything nasty. It seems like a case of two guys who had been friends since the mid-1960s drifted a part.

I also get the feeling that the rest of the band didn’t care much for the spotlight so they gave that over to Ocasek, who was happy to do so, but never got that big of a head about it. Reading about the recording of the last album in 1988, it seems like he was trying to keep them together and the rest just didn’t care about it.

 

[CD Boogie]

So that’s why they broke up in the 1980s on top of their game. Ric was already in his 40s and ready to retire.

He retired to play house with Paulina Porischova, an acceptable move.

 

[Neutral Corner]

Acceptable? I suppose, especially for a guy with his looks. She's a solid six, after all.

/eyeroll

 

[CD Boogie]

Acceptable? I suppose, especially for a guy with his looks. She's a solid six, after all.

/eyeroll

OK, you've just inspired a thread.

 

[Neutral Corner]

Cool. I see possibilities, mostly for more pictures of sixes.

She's stunning in the picture posted above.

 

[ChrisLong]

Cool. I see possibilities, mostly for more pictures of sixes.

She's stunning in the picture posted above.

She was a major player in the European invasion of the SI Swimsuit Edition -- with Heidi Klum and Petra Nemcova.

 

[Bubbler]

Yes and no. If you watch the last few of their videos, they went from being a group to what appeared to be Ric and the Cars.

I’ve never really read a good explanation as to what happened. Ben Orr, who sang leads on some of the early hits and had what could be considered the most conventional lead singer looks, all but disappeared. Apparently, he and Ocasek had a falling out of some sorts, but they never really spilled anything nasty. It seems like a case of two guys who had been friends since the mid-1960s drifted a part.

I also get the feeling that the rest of the band didn’t care much for the spotlight so they gave that over to Ocasek, who was happy to do so, but never got that big of a head about it. Reading about the recording of the last album in 1988, it seems like he was trying to keep them together and the rest just didn’t care about it.

Artistically, the Cars went from 100-to-zero in a hurry and so did their popularity. Their last album was relatively anticipated in '87, but it had nothing memorable on it, and they sounded like every other band from the late 70s who fell victim to the over-produced, MOR mawk that was prominent at the time. They stopped rocking to put it simply.

 

[CD Boogie]

Artistically, the Cars went from 100-to-zero in a hurry and so did their popularity. Their last album was relatively anticipated in '87, but it had nothing memorable on it, and they sounded like every other band from the late 70s who fell victim to the over-produced, MOR mawk that was prominent at the time. They stopped rocking to put it simply.

There's something to be said for knowing when you're done rocking, about aging gracefully. It won't be said by me, but...

 

[garrow]

Artistically, the Cars went from 100-to-zero in a hurry and so did their popularity. Their last album was relatively anticipated in '87, but it had nothing memorable on it, and they sounded like every other band from the late 70s who fell victim to the over-produced, MOR mawk that was prominent at the time. They stopped rocking to put it simply.

Loved this song from it:

 

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this is a masterclass in a pop postmortem: what the man meant, and how he affected his audience, and the time:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/ente...25d2ca-d8a1-11e9-bfb1-849887369476_story.html

 

[misterbc]

Just spent a few days in the mountains, not to specifically honour Ric, but to listen to music and largely dosed on the Cars. It struck me they were close to an amalgam of Steppenwolf and Devo on a lot of their best stuff. Elliot Easton provided some very solid guitar work, his solos are sharp, tasty, and are a classic part of their sound. Not many southpaw axemen make it to the big time.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Ric Ocasek was older than guys who were on the scene a decade and a half before him.
I know the Cars were a longtime cover band but ...

Bob Dylan (78 years old)
Paul McCartney (77)
Paul Simon (77)
Art Garfunkel (77)
Carole King (77)
Brian Wilson (77)
Mick Jagger (76)
Keith Richards (75)
Joni Mitchell (75)
Jimmy Page (75)
Robert Plant (71)
Ray Davies (75)
Roger Daltrey (75)
Pete Townshend (74)
Roger Waters (75)
David Gilmour (73)
Rod Stewart (74)
Eric Clapton (74)
Debbie Harry (74)
Neil Young (73)
Van Morrison (73)
Bryan Ferry (73)
Elton John (72)
Don Henley (72)
James Taylor (71)
Jackson Browne (70)
Billy Joel (70)
Bruce Springsteen (turning 70 next month)

... all that is coming down the pike.

The coming death of just about every rock legend

 

[Captain_Kirk]

Just spent a few days in the mountains, not to specifically honour Ric, but to listen to music and largely dosed on the Cars. It struck me they were close to an amalgam of Steppenwolf and Devo on a lot of their best stuff. Elliot Easton provided some very solid guitar work, his solos are sharp, tasty, and are a classic part of their sound. Not many southpaw axemen make it to the big time.

I believe Easton and Hawkes were both from the Berklee school of music. They weren't just garage band wannabees; they had their musical chops.

Going to appropriate a Spinal Tap reference here slightly incorrectly I think, but great band, good look...

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Ric Ocasek was older than guys who were on the scene a decade and a half before him.
I know the Cars were a longtime cover band but ...

Bob Dylan (78 years old)
Paul McCartney (77)
Paul Simon (77)
Art Garfunkel (77)
Carole King (77)
Brian Wilson (77)
Mick Jagger (76)
Keith Richards (75)
Joni Mitchell (75)
Jimmy Page (75)
Robert Plant (71)
Ray Davies (75)
Roger Daltrey (75)
Pete Townshend (74)
Roger Waters (75)
David Gilmour (73)
Rod Stewart (74)
Eric Clapton (74)
Debbie Harry (74)
Neil Young (73)
Van Morrison (73)
Bryan Ferry (73)
Elton John (72)
Don Henley (72)
James Taylor (71)
Jackson Browne (70)
Billy Joel (70)
Bruce Springsteen (turning 70 next month)

... all that is coming down the pike.

The coming death of just about every rock legend

We're going to run out of Thoughts and Prayers!

 

[Tamon Honda]

I saw the Cars on the Move Like This tour in 2011 at Washington DC's 9:30 Club. Am eternally grateful my friend talked me into going.

Honestly, I thought Move Like This was a very strong album, better than Candy-O & Shake It Up.

 

[cyclingwriter2]

Been deep diving the cars a lot. The age range in players fascinated me. Ocasek was almost a decade older than Hawkes and Easton. He had three years on Orr and five on Robinson.

Made me think of other bands with big age gaps. I know Andy Summer was a lot older than the rest of the Police. And Jimmy McCulloch was about 15 when he joined Thunderclap Newman where the rest of the band was pushing 30. I know Bill Wyman was older than the rest of the Stones.

Are their other where the original core group had such a large mix of ages?

 

[Neutral Corner]

If Ocasek was 75, he's as old as Ray Davies of the Kinks. That absolutely blows my mind.

 

[goalmouth]

When I think of aging rock stars, I remember Steve Winwood sang with Spencer Davis at 16.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Tommy Stinson was 7 years younger than his brother and Paul Westerberg. Not that many years except when you consider that Tommy was touring at 14 when his brother and Paul were 21.