Ric Ocasek, Lead Singer of The Cars, Dies at 75

Billboard ^ | Sept. 15, 2019 | Ashley Iasimone

[ConservativeStatement]

Ric Ocasek, founding member and lead singer of The Cars, has died in New York City, the NYPD confirms.

He was found unresponsive at his East 19th Street residence in Manhattan and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

[Big Red Badger]

Absolutely Correct,
Smoking Hot!

[Big Red Badger]

I had a Ton of
Vinyl,
A Fresh Disc and
A new Pickering
Cartridge would
Rock the House!

[Huskrrrr]

When EVH goes I will most certainly cry. I’ve been a fan of his since the beginning. IMHO he’s in the same league as Hendrix. Different style of course, but a true innovator.

[Major Matt Mason]

Only saw the Cars in concert once, opening for Bob Seger when Seger was at the peak of his popularity. A very strange pairing, but both were good in their own way (it would have been tough for the Cars to overshadow the Silver Bullet Band on any night, though). I always liked the Cars, but like with Eddie Money, I could never quite place them among my favorite artists. Nevertheless, RIP to a fine songwriter.

[xp38]

Well this was shot a few days ago....Seems to be ok...and touting the benefits of weed. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0odGKo2eRA&feature=youtu.be

[Viking2002]

I remember cruising winding mountain roads in a ‘72 Duster 340 and listening to VH I on cassette. That album was our high school soundtrack. Sure, we still had Led Zep, KISS, and the like to kick around, but VH almost single-handedly drove a stake through Disco’s heart, and we loved it.

[ladyjane]

Darn. That is so sad. Time flies.

I had dinner with him years ago. I wasn’t his date. He was with a very attractive woman, not Paulina, but a very attractive model who was a former (and possibly still) girlfriend of my date. LOL

What I remember about the evening was that he was very thin and was wearing leather outfit with pants that looked very tight. I was thinking that wasn’t a good idea because he might get a UTI from them.

Ric was very quiet - probably because he was stuck having dinner with his girl friend’s ex and she was all over him. LOL

[fieldmarshaldj]

Another ‘80s music giant gone. RIP.

[dp0622]

WTH?!?!

Eddie and now Ric?

Screw them, that means that I’m getting old!!

51. Oh boy.

Actually, Eddie was born in Brooklyn like me and Ric nd the Cars were great so they will be missed.

[Political Junkie Too]

Well, she did say the weed got her off of morphine, so I guess that's a plus.

-PJ

[GOPsterinMA]

Mel Tormé

[Rockingham]

Age not only brings new ailments and infirmity, but it also reduces the body’s resilience. Live long enough and one gets to the point that a simple fall can kill, a routine cold may bring on a deadly case of pneumonia or a heart attack, or a minor cut or scratch may lead to a lethal infection.

[greenishness]

I admired Ric for one thing... If a guy, who looked like him could get a girl, who looked like Paulina Porzikovia, and guys, who looked like Billy Joel could get a girl, who looked like Christie Brinkley, I thought that maybe, just maybe there was the tiniest bit of hope for the rest of us. :P

In the words of Johnny Cougar...Forget all about that macho shit and learn how to play guitar.

Piano works too.

[greenishness]

Story about the Candy-O album cover

The album cover was painted by artist Alberto Vargas, who was known for his paintings of pin-up girls that appeared in Esquire and Playboy magazines in the 1940s through the 1960s. The idea to hire Vargas came from drummer David Robinson, the band’s artistic director and a collector of pin-ups. The 83-year-old Vargas had retired several years earlier but was persuaded to take the assignment by his niece, who was a fan of the Cars. The painting, depicting a woman sprawled across the hood of a Ferrari 365 GTC/4,[8] was based on a photo shoot directed by Robinson at a Ferrari dealership. The model, coincidentally named Candy Moore (famous for having played Lucille Ball’s onscreen daughter on The Lucy Show), briefly dated Robinson afterward.

[HandyDandy]

This one hits hard. RIP Ric Ocasek! Thanks for you and your bands contribution to the soundtrack of my life.

[o-n-money]

Saw them at the Paladium in NYC in 1979. I was laughed at by my friends about this band. They were the Jethro Tull /Allman Brothers crowd. The Cars opened for Cheap Trick. I loved The Cars, but they were stiffs, basically played their album and left. Cheap Trick was excellent.

[utax]

“A Fresh Disc and
A new Pickering
Cartridge would
Rock the House!”

Shure would.

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

So sad and heartbreaking....

[Southern_Republican]

First time I heard The Cars was back in 1978, on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. Which I recorded on my sister’s stereo, using a cassette. Fell in love with their music.

[MarDav]

Favorite Cars moment(s): Moving in Stereo leading right into All Mixed Up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZhfFXEMMI4