RIP Rick Ocasek

[El Torito]

Ric Ocasek, lead singer of influential new-wave band The Cars, found dead in NYC, police say

Spent many 80s nights with headphones on listening to The Cars. And dreaming of Phoebe Cates. His voice carries on.

 

[LonghornCatholic]

I remember an older brother playing Candy-O on our console record player when I was a young boy.

It blew me away, never heard anything like it.

RIP

 

[Vol Horn 4 Life]

Wow, how old am I getting?!?

RIP!!

 

[LousianaHorn]

man they are falling like flies...........RIP Ric.

 

[Phil Elliott]

The fact that The Cars are not in the Rock-n-Roll HOF is a travesty.

 

[Joe Fan]

Sadly predeceased by bassist Benjamin Orr
I was in Austin when this band started making hits -- those songs always remind me of those days

 

[mb227]

NOW I realize why I was getting so many prompts on Sirius that the Cars were playing on one channel or another (my vehicle allows me to save groups/songs and it will prompt if they are being played anywhere on the Sirius channels).

 

[Chop]

Two great (but very different) lead vocalists in one band--Benny and Ric. Now they're both gone. This band was incredibly influential. They basically "created" 80's music in the 70's. I consider them the greatest of the early 80's "New Wave" bands. The girls all loved Benny, and Ric must have been 6'6" without shoes on. Elliot Easton was one of the most underrated guitarists in rock/pop music. The cutting edge British New Wave bands apparently hated the Cars because they were better than the Brits at their own game.

 

[Chop]

The fact that The Cars are not in the Rock-n-Roll HOF is a travesty.

They were inducted in 2018--about 20 years too late for this influential band of visionary trend setters.

 

[Chop]

Moving in Stereo and that Fast Times at Ridgemont High scene are basically fused together as one-and-the-same thing.

 

[Phil Elliott]

They were inducted in 2018

I did not know that. I guess I have to turn that rant off now.

 

[Dionysus]

Elliot Easton was one of the most underrated guitarists in rock/pop music.

Super talented guitarist with some terrific licks in The Cars’ music through the years

 

[Joe Fan]

... The girls all loved Benny, and Ric must have been 6'6" without shoes on. ....

And yet look who married him -- me and my friends used to occasionally punch each other over this

 

[Chop]

You also gotta love a band that hung around the top of the charts with a keyboardist (Greg Hawkes) who looked like a nerdier version of Bill Gates.

The Cars are definitely one of my very favorite 80’s era bands.

 

[Chop]

I did not know that. I guess I have to turn that rant off now.

Don’t even get me started on Rush and their much delayed entry into the R&R HOF.

 

[Chop]

And yet look who married him -- me and my friends used to occasionally punch each other over this

A one-on-one basketball game between Ric Ocasek and Mick Fleetwoid is one we’ll never get to see.

 

[Creek]

They produced arguably 25 hits. One of my fave bands.

 

[Chop]

Here's Ric at his best:
Dangerous Type (She's a lot like you)



Can't help but notice the talented Bill Gates look-alike Greg Hawkes on the keyboards. Benny looks like he had a rough night (or two or three in a row). IMHO, the videography on this one gives it an almost sinister sort of feel that's uncharacteristic for The Cars (darkness, a very stoned or drop dead tired-looking Benny, etc.). Fits the theme of the song I suppose.

 

[AC]

David Bowie, Tom Petty, and now Ric Ocasek. Making me feel old. I was a bigger Bowie and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fan than The Cars but I did like their songs. They were all just fun songs. Let’s Go was probably my fav.

RIP Ric.