Why Ric Ocasek Was the Ultimate New Wave Voice

, “I remember staying in a basement in Ohio for four months, going through piano chords three notes at a time to see if they worked.” He spent most of his adolescence in the cellar of his parents’ house, a gangly gearhead loner tinkering with electronics, building transmitters and amplifiers, hiding out from the world.

He was the ultimate hometown rock hero in Boston — every Eighties kid from Boston had a story about glimpsing Ocasek in the wild. I beheld him on the street once in downtown Boston, on Newbury Street, the fall of 1983, right outside the store where I had just purchased an album. Ric had been record-shopping too, and now he was getting into his tiny white Mercedes, looking eight feet tall. He glanced around casually with his rock & roll hair and shades.

The Cars were older rock pros who’d already spent years hustling around the Boston scene before they went new wave with the 1978 blockbuster debut. Their first hit, “Just What I Needed,” was built around an oblique reference to the Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray.” But it worked — every song remains in rock-radio rotation in perpetuity. Ric made a perfect vocal combo with Ben Orr, pulling off the same “pretty-boy vs. dork” contrast as Cheap Trick.

ZeppelinCurse Check out 'Since You're Gone'. For all its top 40 appeal, it was a great song which helped define the 80s. Great song, among many, by a great and unique talent. RIP Ric

robsheff Love the Cars,RIP

robsheff Excellent take. Makes me need to re-evaluate Candy-O.

robsheff Grande ídolo!

robsheff He will be missed.. But his music will live on forever.. The cars

RoyThomasBaker robsheff I remember it like it was yesterday when your guys come to London and recorded your first Album in 1978 at Air studio with Roy and it only took 2 Weeks and my favorable song was “Let the good times roll”. You are dearly missed already Ric and Rest In Peace.

robsheff Gran perdida

robsheff My fav, Life's the same I'm movin in stereo. ⚘

robsheff Your music legacy will live on forever R.I.P. Ric⚘

robsheff Well done

robsheff Nice tribute - sad to hear this news😔 Great singer/songwriter and the Cars were a favourite band of mine - sorry I never got to see them...

robsheff What a great way of putting it!

robsheff Damn Mr. Sheff, another masterpiece. That line about Buddy Holly/Spock in one person is pretty near perfect. This one cuts deep; I will miss Ric's songwriting but even more I suspect we will all miss Ric the HUMAN. He made being weird/left of center a mainstream, 'normal' thing.

robsheff Who's gonna drive you home, tonight? RIP. 💚🙏

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The Cars Frontman Ric Ocasek Dead at 75Ric Ocasek, the lead singer of The Cars, has died an NYPD spokesperson confirmed. EITMonline Not a good week for 80's musicians... 🙏 To the family . Nooooo!! Such a profound artist, SO MANY HITS! People don’t even realize the stuff he produced for other bands into the 2000s :(
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