Bandmates Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes reteamed for a mini-Cars reunion in 2005, but failed to convince frontman Ric Ocasek and David Robinson to join them. Instead, they hit the road as The New Cars with Utopia stars Todd Rundgren, Prairie Prince and Kasim Sulton.
The new photo features Ocasek and Robinson and an accompanying caption reads: "Anyone in the mood for a reunion by The Cars?" The fifth member of the band, bassist/vocalist Benjamin Orr, died of pancreatic cancer in 2000.
You know, I have mixed feelings on this one. I was pissed when Elliott Easton joined Creedence Clearwater Revisited. I scratched my head for endless hours on that one. I was even more pissed when Todd Rundgren took the job in the New Cars. Todd didn't need the money and he ain't no Rik or even Ben Orr. but I guess Elliott and Greg Hawkes were a little low in the dough dept.You can only do so many of those Ringo Starr Alll Star tours. This tells me that Rik owns all of the publishing and the Used Cars got nothin! But Rik was cool enough to throw them a bone and let them do the tour doing all of the songs he wrote.
Does Rik have a hankering to get back out there and stand completely still for an hour and a half every night and sing Let's Go with all of the energy of a Gallagher brother on Lithium? The Cars were never known for their stage show, you know. Madame Toussaud's sponsored the last tour. Rik Allen plays with more oomph than David Robinson. What's on Rik's mind? Has he run out of Weezer money? Has Paulina hit a wall? She's almost 50...I hear the young ladies have a thing for big giant protruding ears and Ichabod Crane necks these days....it worked for Howard Stern and Jeff Goldblum.
Seriously. The Cars have more of a right to be out there than ...say Survivor, Night Ranger, Steve Miller, Styx, The Doobie Brothers, Tesla or Creedence Clearwater Revisited All of those schlubs are still hitting the sheds and casinos, and they have no chance to be in any hall of fame like The Cars do. Vroom, Vroom.
Creedence Clearwater Revivial is so much better than The Cars. Almost no one believess that CCR are schlubs. The Cars are one of the most over-rated bands in history.
ReplyDeleteThe Tom Johnston version of The Doobies and Steve Miller also leave Ocasek and the boys in the dust.
ReplyDeleteCharles, I believe I said Creedence Clearwater REVISITED. A Fogerty free Creedence is blasphemous and you know it. My point, which zoomed right over your head, is that bands like The Doobies, Styx, Survivor and CCRevisited are full of schlubs, scrubs and ringers..mere shells of the incarnations from their heydays. Its a sham really. If and when, the Cars do hit the road, they just might have all original members sans Mr. Orr, which deems them more worthy.
ReplyDeleteAs for The Cars being overrated, shame on you. They were a truly influential and original band with a rockabilly/new wave/electronic sound that nobody had ever made a hybrid of before they arrived in the very late 70s.
I'm so sorry if I have offended you and the rest of the impostors of rock street team.
The Doobies have always been a great live band but I have not seen them in ages. You are right about the Cars' stage show - they don't have one. But look st their songs. Very good, solid batch of classic tunes!
ReplyDeleteThe Cars and INXS were the only two bands of that era that I really liked A LOT. Ben was my favorite member of the band, it would not be the same without him. I don't know if I'd go see them or not. Saw them in 81 or something...
ReplyDeleteYou know how I feel about The Cars - well, you might if you read our review of their Greatest Hits recently (here is a link, if you missed it http://yourzenmine.blogspot.com/2010/04/cars-complete-greatest-hits.html) But I'm over bands coming back after years of slumming in their villas or sea-side Malibu mansions just to make their retirement pensions look healthier than the banks of many small nations.
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