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It's Alive! (The New Cars Album)
''It's Alive!'' is the only album released by The New Cars. The album features fifteen live tracks, twelve of which are songs known as being performed by the original Cars. The remaining two, " I Saw the Light" and "Open My Eyes", were popularized by New Cars member Todd Rundgren ("Open My Eyes" was originally performed by Rundgren's earlier garage rock group, Nazz). The album ends with three new studio tracks, recorded especially for this release. Critical reception ''It's Alive!'' was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 54 based on 8 reviews. In a review for AllMusic, critic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "''It's Alive'' functions as a good appetizer for the tour: it's not earth-shaking, but it's far better than nearly any other reunion of this kind." At ''Pitchfork'', Mark Hogan explained: "The first hour or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The New Cars
The New Cars were a band formed in 2005 by two of the original members of the 1970s/1980s new wave band the Cars. The band was composed of original Cars members Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes, along with vocalist/guitarist Todd Rundgren, vocalist/bassist Kasim Sulton, and drummer Prairie Prince. The band performed the Cars' songs, some new material, and selections from Rundgren's career. History In 2005, rumors began circulating that Easton and Hawkes would be teaming with Todd Rundgren in a new Cars lineup, with Rundgren replacing the Cars' original vocalists Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. The rumors turned out to be true, with the revamped lineup calling themselves the New Cars. Two regular Rundgren collaborators, bassist Kasim Sulton and drummer Prairie Prince, replaced bassist Benjamin Orr and drummer David Robinson in the new lineup. Robinson, who retired from the music industry years before, was invited to join the group but amicably declined. Ocasek, who had opted out of any ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Let's Go (The Cars Song)
"Let's Go" is a song by American rock band the Cars, written by Ric Ocasek for the band's second studio album, ''Candy-O'' (1979). A new wave rock song, the song's hook was inspired by the Routers. The song's vocals are performed by bassist Benjamin Orr. "Let's Go" was released in 1979 as the debut single from ''Candy-O'' on Elektra Records. The single was a chart success, reaching number 14 in the United States and charting in multiple other countries. It has since appeared on several compilation albums and has seen critical acclaim. It was the 100th video to be played on the first day of MTV on August 1, 1981. Composition "Let's Go" was described by Brett Milano as "another double-edged anthem" in the liner notes for '' Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology''. The song's signature hook is a series of claps followed by a shouted "Let's go!", which is derived from the 1962 song " Let's Go (Pony)" by the Routers, as well as a simple synth melody played by Greg Hawkes, using th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kasim Sulton
Kasim Sulton (born December 8, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist. Best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980's "Set Me Free," Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States. As a solo artist, Sulton hit the Canadian top 40 in 1982 with "Don't Break My Heart". Sulton has been a frequent collaborator, bassist and singer on many of Todd Rundgren's projects and solo tours. Biography Sulton attended and graduated in 1973 from Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, New York. He married his high school sweetheart, Laurie Rampulla, and had three children with her. She died of cancer in 2011. Sulton started his musical career playing piano and vocals for Cherry Vanilla and guitar for Brooklyn-based band Sleepy Hollow before gaining a place in Utopia in 1976. During his time with Utopia, they recorded nine albums and toured extensively until disbanding in 1986, with occasional reunions to the present. He has toured with Blue Öyster ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Good Times Roll
"Good Times Roll" is a song by American rock band the Cars released as the first track from their 1978 debut album ''The Cars''. Written by Ric Ocasek as a sarcastic comment on rock's idea of good times, the song features layered harmonies courtesy of producer Roy Thomas Baker. "Good Times Roll" was released as the third single from the album in 1979, charting at number 41 in the United States. It has since received positive critical reception and has appeared on many of the Cars' compilation albums. Background Written and sung by Cars lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, "Good Times Roll" was released as the third single from the band's debut album. Ocasek wrote the song as a sarcastic commentary on the good times in rock music, saying, "That was my song about what the good times in rock 'n' roll really mean, instead of what they're supposed to be. It was kind of a parody of good times, really. It was kinda like not about good times at all." "Good Times Roll," like the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bye Bye Love (The Cars Song)
"Bye Bye Love" is a song by the American Boston-based rock band The Cars. The song appears on the band's 1978 debut album The Cars. It was written by bandleader Ric Ocasek and sung by bassist Benjamin Orr. The song was featured in the 2011 science-fiction film Super 8. Background "Bye Bye Love" is one of The Cars' oldest songs, dating back to the mid-1970s. The song was first performed, and recorded as a demo, by the band Cap'n Swing, which featured Ocasek, Orr, and guitarist Elliot Easton as members. In this early version, the recurring keyboard theme between the verse lyrics was significantly different. The song was later revived to appear on ''The Cars'' in 1978. Although the song was not released as a single, it has received regular airplay since the album was released. Reception ''Rolling Stone'' critic Kit Rachlis said in his review of ''The Cars'' that "the songs bristle and -- in their harsher, more angular moments ('Bye Bye Love,' 'Don't Cha Stop') -- bray." Jaime Welt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dangerous Type
"Dangerous Type" is a 1979 song by the Cars from their second studio album, ''Candy-O.'' It was written by Ric Ocasek. Background The core guitar riff that "Dangerous Type" is centered on resembles the T. Rex song, "Bang a Gong". The song features Ric Ocasek on lead vocals. AllMusic critic Tom Maginnis compared the song to " All Mixed Up", a track on The Cars' self-titled debut album, as they both were the final track on their respective albums, with both tracks "vamping on an upsweep of grand chord changes as the group's entire sonic palette eventually fills the tape to capacity for the big finish." Although "Dangerous Type" never was released as a single, the song has since become a fan favorite. It has appeared on numerous compilation albums, among them '' Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology'' and '' Complete Greatest Hits''. Reception "Dangerous Type" has received positive reception from music critics. AllMusic critic Greg Prato said it was one of the "plenty of other st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shake It Up (The Cars Song)
"Shake It Up" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fourth studio album of the same name (1981). It was released on November 9, 1981, as the album's lead single. Although appearing for the first time in 1981, it was actually written years earlier by the band's songwriter and lead singer Ric Ocasek. The song became one of the Cars' most popular songs, peaking at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number two on the ''Billboard'' Top Tracks chart in early 1982. With the track "Cruiser" as its B-side, it reached number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Disco Top 80 chart. Background The song is primarily reliant on dance-pop as its main genre, with pop rock elements audible. Ocasek referred to the song as "the big return to pop" after the more art rock style of the preceding album, ''Panorama''. Add to these keyboardist Greg Hawkes' synthesizer lines, the associated instrument of bands labeled "new wave" at the time, and it is a prime example of The Cars' genre blending ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moving In Stereo
"Moving in Stereo" is a song by the American rock band the Cars. It appeared on their first album, ''The Cars'', released in 1978. It was co-written by Ric Ocasek and the band's keyboard player Greg Hawkes, and sung by bassist Benjamin Orr. Reception Although not released as a single, "Moving in Stereo" received airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations in the United States, often coupled with the song " All Mixed Up" which it segues into on the album. The song continues to receive airplay on classic rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prima ... radio stations. Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic described the song as "one of the Cars' finest experimental tracks," noting that it "sounds like a new wave update of Brian Eno, Eno-era Roxy Music." A demo version recorded in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drive (The Cars Song)
"Drive" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, '' Heartbeat City'' (1984). It was released on July 23, 1984, as the album's third single. Written by Ric Ocasek, the track was sung by bassist Benjamin Orr and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange with the band. Upon its release, "Drive" became the Cars' highest-charting single in most territories. In the United States, it peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached number five (number four on re-entry in 1985) in the United Kingdom, number four in West Germany, number six in Canada and number three (number five on re-entry in 1985) in Ireland. The song is most associated with the July 1985 Live Aid event, where it was performed by Benjamin Orr during the Philadelphia event; the song was also used as the background music to a montage of clips depicting the contemporaneous Ethiopian famine during the London event, which was introduced by E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elliot Easton
Elliot Easton (born Elliot Steinberg, December 18, 1953) is an American guitarist. He played lead guitar and sang backing vocals for The Cars, and his guitar solos are an integral part of the band's music. Easton has also recorded music as a solo artist, and has played in other bands. He is a left-handed guitarist. In 2018, Easton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cars. Career Easton studied music at the Berklee College of Music. Easton is a founding member of The Cars and was its lead guitarist. The band was formed in 1976. Its debut album, ''The Cars'' (1978), contained the hit single "Just What I Needed". The band went on to release five more albums over the next nine years before breaking up in 1988. Easton was the youngest member of the band. Easton released one solo album, ''Change No Change'' (1985), featuring songs co-written with Jules Shear. One single, "(Wearing Down) Like a Wheel", was released and became a moderate hit on the ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Greg Hawkes
Gregory A. Hawkes (born October 22, 1952) is an American musician best known as the keyboardist for the rock band The Cars. Hawkes, a native of Fulton, Maryland, United States, attended Atholton High School where he played in a band called Teeth. He then attended Berklee College of Music for two years, majoring in composition and flute. He left to play in various bands, including Martin Mull and his Fabulous Furniture, where he played flute, saxophone, and clarinet. He also played in a band called Richard and the Rabbits, which included future Cars bandmates Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. He was the last member to join the Cars. Hawkes was also in the New Cars with original Cars member Elliot Easton, along with vocalist/guitarist Todd Rundgren, bassist Kasim Sulton, and drummer Prairie Prince. In 2018, Hawkes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cars. The Cars Hawkes's most notable involvement is with The Cars. Hawkes pushed the limits of availabl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
You're All I've Got Tonight
"You're All I've Got Tonight" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, from their debut album, ''The Cars''. Like " Bye Bye Love" and "Moving in Stereo", two other songs from the album, it continues to receive airplay on classic rock stations today despite never having been released as a single (although it did see release as the B-side to " All Mixed Up" in the Netherlands). Background "You're All I've Got Tonight" was written and sung by the band's frontman, Ric Ocasek. Keyboardist Greg Hawkes said of the song, "Ric's got a knack for taking a common phrase like 'You're All I've Got Tonight' and making a great song out of it." Composition The song opens with a tom-tom drum beat processed with a distinctive flanging effect, leading to a power chord riff played on distorted guitars that also have a distinctive flanging effect. Initially, the rhythm guitar plays a chromatic riff of power chords ascending from A, to A♯, to B, then E to B, and repeating. The riff gives way to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |