Another Youtube! I'm a big Cars fan, this wasn't bad... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO1vGfhTOBs&search="the new cars" Confirming long-standing speculation, Cars guitarist Elliot Easton and keyboardist Greg Hawkes have drafted Todd Rundgren to front a new version of the band, appropriately dubbed the New Cars. The lineup is rounded out by singer/bassist Kasim Sulton and Tubes drummer Prairie Prince. Original Cars vocalist Ric Ocasek is not involved in the new endeavor; original bassist/vocalist Ben Orr passed away in 2000. "When Ric made it clear to us that he really no longer wished to tour, and Greg and I wanted to do this thing, we sort of cast about for who we could get to be in the band. Who would be a great frontman and a great writer?" Easton tells Billboard.com. "I sort of came up with a very short list, and Todd was at the top of it. To my very pleasant surprise, he was receptive to the idea. It's just a great fit. It sounds terrific. He's a lot of fun to play with." The newly formed quintet debuted in front of an invite-only audience in January in Burbank, Calif. Several tracks from that show will be released May 9 on the album "It's Alive" via Eleven Seven Music. The set also features three new tracks penned by Easton, Hawkes and Rundgren, "Not Tonight," "Warm," and "More." A European release will follow shortly thereafter. "We have played, but they're not shows in the sense that it was a venue where somebody could buy a ticket," explains Rundgren. "We had to come up with some sort of recorded product, and it was always the intent to come up with a live album. It just was also the intent to have played live before we did that [laughs]. So we had an invited audience on a soundstage, and we played three nights. We tried to make it as much of a gig as possible, but reality-wise, it was the first three shows we ever played." As for the new tracks, Rundgren says "they were the final product of a process of various combinations of us getting together and trying to write songs -- including alone, in twos and sometimes all of us together. Just trying to figure out what we wanted to play, and how we could update the sound and not lose original Cars fans." The New Cars will hit the road with Blondie beginning May 12 in Robinsonville, Miss. "The hopes are after that to do Europe and beyond that, Australia, Asia and New Zealand, and then come back, and do another swing of the States," Easton says. Fans who purchase tickets via VH1Classic.com or Ticketmaster.com will receive free five-song download bundles from eMusic.com of tracks from "It's Alive" plus unreleased live Blondie recordings and the band's new cover of Roxy Music's "More Than This." Easton insists there is no ill will between Ocasek and the New Cars. "I have been in contact with [Ocasek]," he says. "I read in some press thing that Ric did where he said he just wanted to see Greg and I be happy. I thought that was a very nice thing to say, and I wish him the same." http://www.thenewcars.com
I saw them on Leno a month or so back and wanted to shoot myself. I love Rundgren and I liked the Cars, but what the hell is this abomination?
I don't know what to think. The new singer isn't bad, it's I just don't know what to make of it. It's not really the Cars, it's like Michael Anthony grabbing 3 other guys and calling his group the new Van Halen. Then again, I don't know the history of the band, who was most repsonsible for writing. At least Ric gave his blessing.
The two primary songwriters (Ric and Ben Orr - RIP) are not playing with these guys. Your Michael Anthony assessment isn't far off, actually. Rundgren is a legend and an amazing writer and producer, but hearing these guys do Moving in Stereo or some other Cars classic makes me queezy.
Wow! They sound great! Todd and the Cars... too much. And they're going to tour. Hope they make it to Texas! I'd like to see Blondie, too. edit: Hey, they're still doing their thing, after all these years, and that's a nice single. I don't know how they'd sound doing old Cars material, but if they can reproduce that sound in concert, I think they'll do a bang-up job.
Why? Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes were still major contributors to The Cars way more than Anthony was to VH.
You know I listened to that song. Is it just me or is there anything sadder than middle-aged dudes singing about hitting on chicks that "like to move fast"? WTF? It's one thing to just sing an old song with those lyrics, but to write a new one when you are 50. Who are you kidding?
All Jagger is doing is repeating himself and, let's be honest, the Stones as writers haven't been valid for 20+ years.
Looks like Summer tour fun to me, you know, Steve Miller plays 1992, The 'New'' Queen etc. etc. play the theme parks and casinos Nothing too serious
Do you think we're the walking dead?? Jesus, we've got balls, same as you. If it sounds good, I don't care what age the musicians are, whether they're teenagers, or someone in their 50's, like me. I think about my randy past pretty frequently. Why on earth wouldn't they do the same? Do you think that when you reach a certain age, you're going to be "too old," to write and perform music about anything you want? Or think about girls, and sex, and women, and sex? And sex?? I'm disappointed in you, Jeff. Of course, it used to be trendy to consider life largely over when you hit 30. How's 30 looking to you, Jeff. You there yet, and still kickin'?
This is a sad occurence. I like Todd and I like the Cars. I like music in general. I hate people trying to milk something beyond its usefulness. I don't even mind these folks making music together. But why not come up with a different name, and do something new. Make some new original music. Trying to live off of the Cars glory years is lame. I don't mind bands getting back together for a few shows here and there. In fact I think that is a service to their fans. But prolonged tours when it isn't really even the same band just reeks of milking it. I love when old bands get back together and there is actually some creativity that makes them want to come up with new material and actually create again. It is because I like these artists that I am sad that they would do this.
Old rockers got bills to pay too. What do you want em to do, move the trailer to the valley and get a greeters gig at Walmart. Some music is art, some is entertainment. Hell, Tinman is ranting over in the D&D that Niel Young shouldn't be making protest music that is relevant.
You know, I re-listened and I get that the lyrics to this are supposed to be a joke - a reverse version of You're All I've Got Tonight, hence the "wink, wink." I get it. It isn't clever. Look, I have no problem with bands writing about sex when they get older. But, don't try to sound like an 18-year-old when you do it. This is more about aging hipsters trying to be clever when, in reality, there are a dozen bands out there now who do this retro, 80's new wave thing a helluva lot better than the New Cars and they have an excuse to write about driving around in cool cars and hitting on hot chicks. They are barely out of high school.
I think you look way too much into Cars lyrics. Lighten up some. Not everyone has to take themselves or music so "seriously" thank god. They have a certain, fantastic sound that helped define new-wave. I think they can have as much fun with it as possible until the day they die.
