The Cars

Thu

Apr

THE CARS Forty Year Road Trip To Rock Hall

Artist:

The Cars

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Categories:

Podcasts & Radio

Dallas, TX - April 5, 2018. North American syndicated Rock radio show and website IN THE STUDIO with Redbeard: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands celebrates The CARS 40th anniversary on the eve of their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Cars‘ zero-to-platinum popularity came amidst the final fizzle of the mid-Seventies Punk Rock sparkler, and the sound and attitude that survived by Spring 1978 was labeled by at least one rock writer as the nebulous one-size-fits-none term New Wave.

The drivetrain of the five man Boston band was always powered by the songs of Ric Ocasek. Growing up in the Otcasek household (Ric(k) later would also drop the “t” from his surname), early 1960s Sputnik paranoia and Telstar technology mixed with Cold War James Bond spy intrigue for Ric, courtesy of his father.

The Cars’ test track where they had tuned up their sound was the mid-Seventies Boston club scene, and the first recording to roll off the assembly line,”Just What I Needed“, contains every musical hallmark of their identifiable style: the catchy simplicity of Ocasek’s songwriting; the half-spoken halting unconventional lead singing by both Ric and bass player Benjamin Orr, allowing The Cars to be a versatile hybrid crossover with all-terrain vocals; the insistent industrial beat by former Modern Lovers drummer David Robinson; the quirky, campy, reedy organ and synthesizer of Berklee School of Music grad Greg Hawkes; and the melodic yet economical lead guitar of Elliot Easton.

"We made that first record in twelve days,” remarks The Cars’ driving force Ric Ocasek in this IN THE STUDIO classic rock interview. What is even more remarkable is that The Cars would accelerate from regional Boston appeal in May 1978 to parked on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine by the following January with the headline “Best New Group”, eventually to sell seven million copies of that incredible debut album.

The Cars surprise hit debut (#16 on Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 100 Debut Albums of All Time), the torque of the Cars’ “Good Times Roll”, “My Best Friend’s Girl”, “Just What I Needed”, “You’re All I Got Tonight”, “Bye Bye Love”, the mesmerizing “Moving in Stereo”, and the plaintive lead vocal by the late Benjamin Orr “All Mixed Up” all propelled the cross-legged Woodstock generation off of their butts and back onto the dance floor. The sleek polished chrome and glass produced sound by Journey/ Queen veteran Roy Thomas Baker combined distinctive instrumental arrangements from rock and roll’s past in a way that, paradoxically, sounded cutting edge modern.

Forty years later we still rev up this high-horsepower rock roadster which runs as well today as the day in May 1978 when The Cars rolled off the production line. Neck and neck with Heartbeat City as their best seller, The Cars is highly responsible for shuttling the band from the parking lot to get the green light for entrance into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Cars 40th & Rock Hall Edition /IN THE STUDIO with Redbeard interview is available now to STREAM at: www.inthestudio.net/online-on-demand/cars-40th-ric-ocasek-greg-hawkes

Tags:

The Cars

Tue

May

The Cars Share Best In Show Honors Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes Guest On InTheStudio

Artist:

The Cars

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Categories:

Podcasts & Radio

Dallas, TX - MAY 17, 2016. North American syndicated Rock radio show and website InTheStudio: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands puts out the checkered flag for some of the best of The Cars with singer/songwriter/guitarist Ric Ocasek behind the wheel and keyboardist Greg Hawkes riding shotgun.

The Cars’ zero-to-platinum popularity came amidst the final fizzle of the mid-Seventies Punk Rock sparkler, and the sound and attitude that survived was labeled by at least one rock writer as the nebulous one-size-fits-none term New Wave.

The drivetrain of the five man Boston band was always powered by the songs of Ric Ocasek. Growing up in the Otcasek household (Ric(k) later would also drop the “t” from his surname), early 1960s Sputnik paranoia and Telstar technology mixed with Cold War James Bond spy intrigue for Ric, courtesy of his father. “He was a systems analyst for NASA”, remarks Ocasek to InTheStudio host Redbeard. “There were ‘black boxes’ around our house that were locked. People from the government used to come and interview my Mom and ask her if he talked in his sleep!”

The Cars test track where they tuned up their sound was the mid-Seventies Boston club scene. With the follow up to their surprise hit debut (#16 on Rolling Stone magazine's Top 100 Debut Albums of All Time), the torque of The Cars' "Let's Go", "Touch and Go", "Shake It Up", "You Might Think" and monster ballad "Drive" all propelled the cross-legged Woodstock generation off of their butts and back onto the dance floor. The sleek polished chrome and glass production combined distinctive instrumental touches from rock and roll's past in a way that, paradoxically, sounded cutting edge modern, with ten Top 30 hits and twenty-five million albums sold just in the US.

THE CARS Moving In Stereo: Best Of/ InTheStudio interview is available now to STREAM at: http://www.inthestudio.net/redbeards-blog/cars-moving-stereo-bestof-ric-ocasek-greg-hawkes/

Direct Link to InTheStudio broadcast affiliate radio station list: www.inthestudio.net/radio-stations

Direct Link to The CARS:

http://www.thecars.org
http://www.ricocasek.com
http://www.greghawkesmusic.com

Direct Link to InTheStudio: http://www.inthestudio.net

Tags:

The Cars

Rik Ocasek

In The Studio

Tue

Aug

One on One with Mitch Lafon - ROCK FOR RUBEN & BRUCE KULICK

Artist:

Bruce Kulick

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Categories:

Podcasts & Radio

http://www.spreaker.com/user/talkingmetal/one-on-one-39-bruce-kulick

In episode 39 of One On One with Mitch Lafon. Mitch talks to former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick about the Rock For Ruben benefit taking place in Los Angeles on August 20th. Bruce also reflects on the late Eric Carr and the recent passing of guitarist Dick Wagner. Follow Bruce Kulick on Twitter: @brucekulick

For more about the Rock For Ruben Benefit:

KENNY ARONOFF, BRUCE KULICK, GILBY CLARKE (GnR) & ELLIOTT EASTON (The Cars) and JAMES LOMENZO JOINS RICK SPRINGFIELD - ALONG WITH JOHN 5 TO ROCK FOR CANCER AT:
THE HOUSE OF BLUES, SUNSET STRIP - WEDNESDAY AUGUST 20TH

TONY SCOTT OF 95.5 KLOS TO M/C THE NIGHTS FESTIVITIES

HUGE SILENT AUCTION OF ROCK MEMORABILIA
Special Benefit Concert for Ricks Springfield’s Good Friend and Guitar Tech Ruben Velasco

LOS ANGELES (August 18, 2014) - Rick Springfield is hosting a oonce in a lifetime benefit concert tagged “Rock For Ruben” in benefit for his good friend and guitar tech Ruben Velasco. Joining Springfield is Kenny Aronoff (Drum God), Bruce Kulick (KISS, Gilby Clarke (GnR) and James Lomenzo (John Fogerty, Megadeth), to perform an all-star set of Rubens favorite band in the world KISS!

Rick Springfield and band will perform a full concert along with John 5 (Rob Zombie) joining Springfield on stage for some serious shredding on some classic Van Halen tunes! Elliott Easton (the Cars) will slide in and give you just what you needed to rock out! More special guests to be announced in the following weeks to come. This is not a usual Springfield concert 'Expect tthe unexpected' This night will close with a HUGE surprise!

The concert’s goal is to raise money to help pay for medical expenses associated with Ruben’s battle against cancer. “Ruben Velasco, our friend and guitar tech extraordinaire is fighting for his life,” says Springfield. “He has been diagnosed with fourth stage cancer and has a lot of medical expenses coming up in his fight. Any and all donations would be loved and welcomed.”

This special benefit concert for Ruben will be held on August 20, 2014 at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. The event will also include some exclusive VIP opportunities such as a private pre-concert dinner with Rick and only 18 guests. For further details on the "Rock for Ruben" benefit concert, please visit:http://rickspringfield.com/rock-for-ruben.

Ruben's favorite animal charity organization, Fur & Feather Animal Sanctuary, is also accepting individual donations on his behalf and will channel 100% of your donation directly to Ruben. Donations can be made at:www.youcaring.com/rubenscancerfund.

For more information about the One On One With Mitch Lafon Podcast:

Follow Mitch Lafon on Twitter: @mitchlafon

This Episode of One On One With Mitch Lafon is brought to you by the MelodicRockFest 4 - taking place October 3rd and 4th in Arlington Heights, Illinois and features performance by Mitch Malloy, Heaven's Edge, 7th Heaven, Talon, Paul Laine, Bombay Black, Johnny Lima and many more.

For tickets and more information visit:http://www.melodicrockfest.com

Tags:

Fri

Jul

THE CARS CANDY-O 35TH ANNIVERSARY

Artist:

The Cars

Friday, July 4, 2014

Categories:

Podcasts & Radio

Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes Lift The Hood Up On The Cars Candy-O For 35th Anniversary

Dallas, TX - July 3, 2014. North American syndicated Rock radio show and website InTheStudio: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands celebrates the 35th anniversary of The Cars sophomore smash Candy-O.

The Cars first album accelarated slowly from its Spring 1978 release. The Boston based band was quickly tagged as a New Wave group, a kinda catch-all description of modern rock music that owed little to the Blues, Elvis, the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin. The Cars instead sited influences like the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, plus Iggy Pop as prototypes for The Cars angular alternative sound. But unlike the Velvets or Iggy, The Cars were mainstream.

By the July 4th 1979 holiday, a scant fourteen months after The Cars' debut album all eyes and ears were trained upon the quintet's next model, Candy-O. "Let's Go", "Since I Held You", "It's All I Can Do", "Dangerous Type" "Got a Lot on My Head" and the title track "Candy-O" would send sparks to the cylinders, resulting in two Top 40 hits and four million albums sold.

Cars frontman Ric Ocasek shares with InTheStudio host Redbeard his belief about the movement of music.

'I think you should be able to dance to every song. I always thought moving to a song was part of the mental attitude one should have. Not necessarily prescribed sorta dance steps, but basically movement. I always thought things were rhythmic in a way you could dance to, even if they were ballads."

The Cars Candy-O / InTheStudio interview program is available now to STREAM at:
'http://www.inthestudio.net/redbeards-blog/cars-candy-o-35th-anniversary-ric-ocasek-greg-hawkes/"

Direct Link to InTheStudio broadcast affiliate radio station list:
HYPERLINK 'http://www.inthestudio.net/radio-stations/ 'www.inthestudio.net/radio-stations'

Tags:

The Cars

InTheStudio

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The Cars

THE CARS Forty Year Road Trip To Rock Hall

The Cars Share Best In Show Honors Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes Guest On InTheStudio

One on One with Mitch Lafon - ROCK FOR RUBEN & BRUCE KULICK

THE CARS CANDY-O 35TH ANNIVERSARY

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