Monday, September 16, 2019

Ric Ocasek, 1944-2019




I was unofficially working at a record store called Second Coming in Greenwich Village, when The Cars debut had come into the shop as a promo about a week before it was released officially. I was never hired by the husband and wife owners, but I spent so much time in the shop, Chuck the manager started given me things to do and records for doing them. He gave me The Cars album and said I should listen, that he loved it and I would love it.

I loved it alright. I couldn't stop playing it. It sounded like nothing else. There were these layered harmonies that reminded me of Queen. Maybe that had something to do with producer Roy Thomas Baker. There was a drum sound that was just perfect. Definitely real drums, but yet something electric and precise about every snare smack. There were guitar solos that rivaled some of my guitar heroes, yet on these tracks, those solos felt like their own songs. And of course, the songs, all but one to my memory, getting as much airplay as another.

The Cars debut remains a groundbreaking pop classic thanks to Ric Ocasek leading the way, The Cars went on to do it a few more times in their career. Nothing after the debut packed the same wallop, but there were still enough hits that followed to solidify the brilliance of this Boston band forever. 

Ric Ocasek.

Didn’t see this one coming. Though I’m not surprised by the outpouring of “I was lucky enough to...” posts on social media. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? We love death on Facebook. But...happiness? Good news? Expressing joy? Pfffft. Move on. "Calm down." "Relax."

Death?

“Yeah, I love that guy...(insert name of deceased.) “I was lucky enough to...”

First Cars record is as important as “Sgt. Pepper.” Not better, but as important. When was the last time you talked about it? When Ben Orr died?

Love music. All of it. All the time. Get excited by it. Listen to it every moment you can.

My friend Geoff left this as a comment on my Facebook page:

"You are the only guy I know that consistently talks about what's good for no reason other than it's what you're enjoying at the moment."

I know that is not completely true, but I love that he noticed me trying, and it was certainly a lot more satisfying than being criticized or shot down for listening to too much music.

Ric Ocasek, R.I.P.

I was lucky enough to buy and love those Cars records. And I am going to play all of them...well, maybe not "Door To Door"...today.

14 comments:

Shriner said...

My favorite song on the debut album after all these years? It's still "All Mixed Up". And that's not because the other songs are played out (they aren't!...and a band I was in did a power-trio version of "You're All I've Got Tonight" that I always loved playing bass on...). AMU is just an awesome song. Maybe it's the Greg Hawkes sax solo. There's just something hypnotic about that track.

And Panorama is underrated and rarely discussed. "Touch and Go" -- what a great tune with it's "5/4 over a 4/4" for the verses (and Jason Falkner does a killer cover of it!) "You Wear Those Eyes"? " Down Boys"? It felt like what Devo was doing ("Up and Down" is not that far removed from "Freedom of Choice" in sound) -- only more commercial with some straight-forward rock songs like "Gimme Some Slack" and "Misfit Kids" -- but sounds very removed from the debut or Candy-O.

I was never surprised they veered away from this album with the much more commercial Shake It Up, but, man, Panorama is where it's at!


And when people say "I hate it when bands add a new song to a Greatest Hits album and it usually sucks" -- "Tonight She Comes" is one of the exceptions to that rule! One of my favorite Elliot Easton solos.



Robin said...

I loved Panorama, listening to it over and over in a dark room. "Touch and Go" and "Running to You" are two of my favorite songs. That debut was so striking I think it would be hard to top that initial freshness, that record for me is hall of fame worthy, song after song of perfection that spoke to me, "Hey late 70s teen, this is for you, especially for you..." But I shared that with a lot of us of a certain age in the late 70s and early 80s. Panorama felt like my secret conversation with The Cars. (It wasn't of course but I'll pretend it was). Ric was such a great producer too for other artists. Anyway this loss feels Tom Petty-like for me, I imagine it's because I discovered them close to the same time. Just what I needed.

Mr. Baez said...

The debut album is such a solid piece of music. Those songs are so good. "Moving In Stereo" still just knocks me out. That first album cover and Candy-O are so cool. And I still want a translucent steering wheel for my car. RIP Ric.

Anonymous said...

1944-2019 actually . . . surprised me he was 75

Sal Nunziato said...

Wiki says 1949

Sal Nunziato said...

Sorry, Wiki says 1944. Google says 1949.

heartsofstone said...

Great tribute. I have very fond memories of Second Coming Records as well.

Troy said...

Loved the first album and wore out my 8-track of it. It was so fresh sounding and was a big part of the soundtrack of our summer. All the others were terrific too (except D2D), but the one that sticks out for me is Candy-O. Actually had that CD in the car player over the weekend. Great songs, terrific hooks, fantastic harmonies. It was so cool, it had it all, including that stunning cover.

Anonymous said...

Neither Google nor Wiki is a reliable source for much, but his birthdate is in fact 1944 (in interviews he has talked about graduating from high school in '63).

Sal Nunziato said...

"Neither Google nor Wiki is a reliable source for much"

Okay, I'll go with the anonymous source.
;)

dogbreath said...

First saw the band on the BBC's Rock Goes to College (I think) and the first album was like a breath of fresh air compared to what I was listening to at the time. A clever amalgam of rock, new wave and punky pop. Ocasek was quite the innovator. RIP.

Ken D said...

Weren't we talking a few weeks back about "over produced" albums and bands? For me, the Cars stick out as one of best examples of music that certainly was heavily manipulated in the studio but almost always to good effect. Never gratuitous added layers. Production in service to a unique sound. Good choice to call out producer Roy Thomas Baker.

Side note: that debut album—one of the all-time iconic album covers...

Rocket said...

I'll add to the conversation...
Sad to hear about Ric, First.
Second, The debut was great (Except that 1 song "Touch With Your World," or whatever) along with Candy-O and Panorama...
Third, David Robinson was so underrated - So precise, yet so original (Even his use of the Syndrums)
Fourth, saw them live during the Candy-O tour... They didn't talk much, just played the songs very well!
Lastly, When is Too Much Music (Of all kinds) Too Much Music?
SR

Anonymous said...

For all his success and his supermodel wife, Ocasek didn't get enough credit for what he did. As you said The Cars debut was an important record. Growing up in Florida where everything had to "trickle down" we got hip to things a few years after NYC or Los Angeles. The Police, The Pretenders, and The Cars kicked the door open on Florida radio for other "New Wave" bands (boosted by MTV) to get airplay. (This was before The Clash were even getting played).

I was managing a new wave band at the time, and we wouldn't have had a prayer of getting booked in mainstream rock clubs without The Cars' success.

And the songs! Like any classic album, a lot of things had to line-up for the debut to be as good as it was; the band, the artwork, the production, but at the end of the day, Ric wrote great songs. When you look like he did, and you're waking up next to a supermodel, you KNOW you're a hell of a songwriter! :)

R.I.P.

- Stinky