Did anybody know The Cars were back together?

[FORD]

http://thecars.org/images/newband.jpg

No, it's not another Elliot Easton ripoff tribute band featuring Todd Rundgren this time around, but Ric Ocasek and the rest of the surviving members. Had no idea this was even going on, but apparently the album is out today.

And here's two of the new songs........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpJQWGA1O8s


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxqxNzlEFM4

[Terry]

Read about it maybe 2 or 3 months ago, and that everyone in the band outside of (obviously) Benjamin Orr was turning up this time.

I really liked a lot of what the Cars did...outside of Heartbeat City, which I wasn't too crazy about. The new stuff is okay...I dunno. The Cars were never really all that great of a live band even back in the day, and it gets tiresome when these older bands get together and end up tuning a 1/4 to a 1/2 step down from the original recorded tunings to accomodate the vocals...it just doesn't sound right to my ears, and while I don't know if The Cars are gonna do this on whatever upcoming live dates they have scheduled, it wouldn't be a shock.

It's neat that they got back together for whomever wants to go see them, but I'll pass.

[Mr. Vengeance]

I like The Cars. Certainly better than most of the shit we get presented with these days. You have to give 'em this- they are among a handful of 80s bands who you can recognize immediately, before the singer sings, Boston being the leader in this regard. (Ramones are the all-time leader, but they are above classification in their greatness). Oh and not counting shitty-ass U2, who suck ass, and you know them because every fucking song had that same ding-a-ling-a-ling guitar sound.....

[Diamondjimi]

I dig their first 3 albums. Good to see Ocasek back with them. As brilliant as Rundgren is, its not the same.

Elliot is a great guitarist. Don't hear much of him on these tracks.........

[sadaist]

Holy crap. Must be the quietest reunion announcement ever. WTF! I would have liked to catch a show. Dang. Candy-O was my first 8 track I ever owned. Glad Ocasek is back. never thought he would. Gives me some hope that Steve Perry might do a Journey reunion.

From tonight in Seattle.

[fryingdutchman]

Just heard a promo for the new music on the radio the other day.

I was also shocked to hear about it, and my initial reaction was that it was some bastardized pseudo-reunion that wouldn't be worth my time.

But it's interesting with Ocasek back in the mix.

However, Ben Orr was such an unsung hero in that band, I think he'll really be missed.

[WACF]

I prefer Sad Song...The Cars are one band I really miss.

Them and VH blasting back in the early '80's...great times.

I agree that with the loss of Orr...it leaves a huge hole...a huge part of that band.

[Nitro Express]

I prefer Sad Song...The Cars are one band I really miss.

Them and VH blasting back in the early '80's...great times.

I agree that with the loss of Orr...it leaves a huge hole...a huge part of that band.

They were unique. I listened to The Cars often on my Astrotune while skiing. Man an iPod would have been nice in those days.

[twonabomber]

i saw the Cars on their last tour. it was probably the worst show i've ever seen. i know they were just phoning it in and really hating each other then, but i won't go see them again.

my uncle was friends with Orr back in his Cleveland club days, used to go to Sunday dinner at his parent's place.

[kwame k]

Without Benjamin Orr, there is no Cars........

[FORD]

Yeah, people think of Ocasek as the "frontman", but Orr sang a lot of their songs. Including some of the better ones. Definitely a huge part of the band, and probably a big part of why Ocasek and David Robinson didn't want anything to do with that fiasco of a "reunion" with Rundgren a few years ago.

As for the 2 new songs I posted above, the first one is a little "Devo-ish" in the keyboards, while the second is more of a vintage Cars sound. If the rest of the album was more like that, I'll probably buy it. Guess I already missed their concert though.......

[Hardrock69]

1. I think Elliot Easton is a masterful solo player. Meaning, his guitar solos were always inventive and unique.

2. The Cars may have had some hits, sold a buncha records, etc. but in my mind there is one accomplishment that stands out far above all that, in fact, one accomplishment that stands far above all other rock bands on the planet:


http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5578535/phoebe_cates_fast_times_at_ridgemont_high/


Speaking of which, I found this 2 year old bit of info on the above scene:

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/80s/content/fast-times-and-phoebe-cates-named-top-nude-scene-all-time-mr-skin


AUGUST 11, 2009
'Fast Times' and Phoebe Cates named top nude scene of all time by Mr. Skin

Phoebe_cates_fast_times Phoebe Cates' bikini-busting topless scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High has been named the No. 1 celebrity nude scene of all time by the website Mr. Skin.

This confirms two things. 1) Co-star Judge Reinhold should now officially be acquitted of his actions in the bathroom afterward. 2) There's only one job better than writing Stuck in the '80s and that's obviously working at Mr. Skin, the very adult website that basically is in the business of pointing out exactly where to find celebrity nudity in mainstream Hollywood movies. (Call me!)

"This is the celebrity nude scene to which all other celebrity nude scenes must answer," Mr. Skin said in justifying its pick of Phoebe. "The power of this moment comes from a young star at her most beautiful, a sexy slow-motion build-up, and the relatable circumstance of a teenage crush on your sister’s hot friend. After Fast Times, Phoebe Cates never did a topless scene again. Her work was done!"

Only one other '80s scene landing in the Top 10 -- and no, it's not Jamie Lee Curtis in Trading Places (the obvious and correct pick). Instead, Mr. Skin chose to tap Kelly Preston -- no pun intended -- for the No. 6 spot for 1985's Mischief.

Here's where other '80s scenes landed in their ranking. Also worth noting that Molly Ringwald's nude shot in Malicious made the list at No. 96, but I don't include it below since it was released in 1995. And if you want to see the full Mr. Skin list, click here. It's pretty risque so you might want to wait until you get home. Also worth noting: No male nudity!

1. Phoebe Cates in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
6. Kelly Preston in Mischief (1985)
12. Jamie Lee Curtis in Trading Places (1983)
14. Kaki Hunter in Porky’s (1982)
25. Kim Basinger in 9 1/2 Weeks (1986)
28. Sherilyn Fenn in Two Moon Junction (1988)
41. Lisa Bonet in Angel Heart (1987)
47. Julie Andrews in S.O.B. (1981)
55. Mariel Hemingway in Personal Best (1982)
58. Linda Blair and Sybil Danning in Chained Heat (1983)
65. Goldie Hawn in Wildcats (1986)
69. Joyce Hyser in Just One of the Guys (1985)
74. Michelle Johnson in Blame It on Rio (1984)
79. Daryl Hannah in Splash (1984)
84. Mathilda May in Lifeforce (1985)
95. Betsy Russell in Private School (1983)

[Terry]

Elliot Easton IS brilliant; his solos are short, punchy. memorable and totally service the songs. So many of them sound like they were off-the-cuff, but I recall reading an interview with him where he said he was pretty meticulous when working those solos out.

Side 2 of the Cars first album is fan-fucking-tastic.

[SunisinuS]

http://thecars.org/images/newband.jpg

No, it's not another Elliot Easton ripoff tribute band featuring Todd Rundgren this time around, but Ric Ocasek and the rest of the surviving members. Had no idea this was even going on, but apparently the album is out today.

And here's two of the new songs........



Well at least the Auto Bailout did some good. :baaa: And I agree, Easton had the ability to make some very tasty solos in the pop world; always on the edge of being understated and then.....you go....what they hell did he just do?

For some reason one time we were travelling about an hour to surf in so cal on the freeway....and KLOS put on a 6 pack of cars and and Van Halen....Beautiful Girls and Just What I Needed (or whatever the title) went down like a cold beer together....while driving to spend the afternoon surfing.

[twonabomber]

Easton's solo on Tonight She Comes is just fucking perfect.

[twonabomber]

and i remember that when i started my "two cassette a week" habit (which morphed into the "two CD a week habit"), the first two tapes were 1984 and Heartbeat City.

[Kristy]

Elliot Easton IS brilliant; his solos are short, punchy. memorable and totally service the songs. So many of them sound like they were off-the-cuff, but I recall reading an interview with him where he said he was pretty meticulous when working those solos out.

Side 2 of the Cars first album is fan-fucking-tastic.

Their first record was a masterpiece. The songs just didn't fit together, they instead flowed together like vignettes in a weird and warped love story without all that proggy/conceptual shit. And what amazes me about that record is the fact that little of what they were doing seemed to borrowed or stolen. The album came out of nowhere. Easton was overlooked. Maybe it's due to the fact he was one of the most cerebral guitar players in rock. I thought by far his best solo was the one he did on 'Touch & Go' even though you can tell it was sculpted and edited in the studio. For some reason they always reminded me of summer (their songs just sound better in summertime) and even I'm on agreement with most of you the 'Heartbeat City' was a so-so record with "Mutt" Lange who was known for heavy rock guitar sounds somehow toned down Easton's guitar playing for the uber-layered 80's synth sound is a mystery.

My fav tunes by them:

Victim Of Love
All Mixed Up
Drive
Double Life
It's All I Can Do (probably one of my all-time fav songs ever)
Magic
Touch & Go
Moving In Stereo
I'm Not The One
Since Your Gone

[Mr. Vengeance]

Let them leave you up in the air
Let them brush your rock 'n roll hair......

I love driving down a highway in the summer with the Cars on the stereo.

[Nitro Express]

What would this scene be without that wonder music?

[Hardrock69]

Despite the fact that I hate 'pop' music in general, as it is usually some over-produced shiny CRAP, there are always exceptions to every rule. Some of their stuff is not my cup-o-tea (too light-weight and poppy), but some of their stuff I feel is really cool. Overall, even though I do not own any of their stuff, I do like some of it. And, as pointed out above, the song Moving In Stereo is cool, and always reminds me of that scene in Fast Times.

There was a band from Wichita, KS called The Clocks, who were the only band from there who ever had a top-40 single. Their video got played on MTV, and they hold the singular distinction of being booed off the stage under a rain of cups, coins and trash when they opened for Black Sabbath on the Heaven & Hell tour in 1980. I have detailed that episode elsewhere here on the Roth Army forums, so no need to go into details about it here.

BUT.....they seemed to be trying to copy the style of The Cars. Or perhaps their record producer or label forced them to become Cars clones in the finest tradition of Major Label idiocy: Find a band that is unique and different, who is selling a lot of albums, then create legions of half-assed clones to flood the market with, 99.9% of which will be nowhere near as good as the original.

Anyway here they are, to soil the good name of The Cars in this thread:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuiEWVvETss

[Terry]

Their first record was a masterpiece. The songs just didn't fit together, they instead flowed together like vignettes in a weird and warped love story without all that proggy/conceptual shit. And what amazes me about that record is the fact that little of what they were doing seemed to borrowed or stolen. The album came out of nowhere. Easton was overlooked. Maybe it's due to the fact he was one of the most cerebral guitar players in rock. I thought by far his best solo was the one he did on 'Touch & Go' even though you can tell it was sculpted and edited in the studio. For some reason they always reminded me of summer (their songs just sound better in summertime) and even I'm on agreement with most of you the 'Heartbeat City' was a so-so record with "Mutt" Lange who was known for heavy rock guitar sounds somehow toned down Easton's guitar playing for the uber-layered 80's synth sound is a mystery.

My fav tunes by them:

Victim Of Love
All Mixed Up
Drive
Double Life
It's All I Can Do (probably one of my all-time fav songs ever)
Magic
Touch & Go
Moving In Stereo
I'm Not The One
Since Your Gone

Since You're Gone hynotizes me. Another fantastic Easton solo.

[Kristy]

Since You're Gone hynotizes me. Another fantastic Easton solo.

Think he's playing an E-bow on that solo. One of the best lines ever written is in that song: "Since you're gone...well, the moonlight ain't so great."

[Unchainme]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEltz3jhelU&playnext=1&list=PL713DAAB9EA0D9AD5

Candy-o..I need you so.

probably one of the most underrated rock bands of all time. Almost painfully so. Why Bon Jovi (for the sake of example) gets more exposure blows my mind.

[Kristy]

I just realized I screwed-up on the grammar of that tune. Oh well. And I wonder why this title of this song grabs me so much...:jamthis:

[Kristy]

And yes, I know this is a bit cheesy and yes, I know it's Ocasek solo, but this is a total chick tune which is why I love it so much

[sadaist]

Think he's playing an E-bow on that solo. One of the best lines ever written is in that song: "Since you're gone...well, the moonlight ain't so great."







I defy anyone to listen to the beginning of this song and not find yourself nodding your head back & forth, tapping a foot, leg or hand. It is a prime example of what the Cars were so good at...........


GROOVE.

[twonabomber]

And yes, I know this is a bit cheesy and yes, I know it's Ocasek solo, but this is a total chick tune which is why I love it so much



that's a good album. Steve Stevens plays on a few of the tracks.

this one was good too

[fryingdutchman]

Easton was overlooked. Maybe it's due to the fact he was one of the most cerebral guitar players in rock.

A perfect summation of the Elliott Easton mystique. I think he intimidated a lot of people because he was so smart and low-key, and so nobody fucked with him.

[FORD]

Which is why it's all that more puzzling that his post-Cars "career" consisted mostly of enabling John Fogerty's former rhythm section to leech off of his work. You would have thought a guitarist of Easton's ability could have got another legitimate gig.

[Mr. Vengeance]

I picked up the album today. They certainly are channelling their 80's selves. These songs sound like they're right out of 1983. It's good, although the album is a little short in this day and age....

[Warham]

The new album is pretty good. I'd give it about the same grade that Allmusic did (4/5). The best songs are all on side one: "Blue Tip", "Too Late", "Keep On Knocking" and "Sad Song".

My favorite Cars tracks are:

"Touch 'N Go" - David Robinson and Ben Orr drive this track.
"Tonight She Comes" - As someone mentioned, one of Easton's best solos.
"You Might Think" - Despite the production, it's infectious.
"I'm Not The One" - The melody of this song is ridiculous...in a good way.
"It's All I Can Do" - A Ben Orr highlight.