Not sure I understand this one.
The Cars, the band that created the blueprint for the keyboard-layered '80s genre, is reuniting for a summer tour with Todd Rundgren taking the place of Ric Ocasek. They're calling themselves the New Cars.
Greg Hawkes and Elliott Easton comprise half of the original band, with Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton and Tubes drummer Prairie Prince filling out the rhythm section. Utopia is Rundgren's old band.
Original bassist/vocalist Ben Orr died from cancer in 2000.
Ocasek's absence is glaring. He is the Cars. His unique, crisp, haunting voice is a huge part of the end product. This would be like Led Zeppelin reuniting as the New Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant. Or the New Jethro Tull without Ian Anderson. Or the new REM without Michael Stipe.
It just won't work.
Strange. I agree with you, Dan. But this lineup is interesting on its own merits, so I don't understand why it has to be called the New Cars -- that just sets it up for a comparison that can't end well. I'd love to hear the band though!
Posted by: Scott | March 17, 2006 at 02:29 AM
Calling themselves the New Cars is just cheesy.
Right after your comment "Ocasek's absence is glaring," I thought damn straight--he is The Cars.
And then you said the same thing. ;)
I agree it won't work.
Ocasek not there is a yawning void.
And I miss Ben Orr's voice.
Posted by: Cyn | March 19, 2006 at 06:53 PM
I will be curious, but I doubt I would buy the album. And, yes, Ben Orr's voice was always a nice undertone to the Cars' sound. And it was Orr on lead vocals for their biggest hit ("Drive").
Posted by: Dan | March 20, 2006 at 08:55 AM
Forget the album, they are way better in person they rock!
Posted by: Michele K | December 01, 2006 at 05:29 PM