Ric Okasek!

Damn another one gone.

The fall of 1978. Senior in college. Had my own radio show. Yeah it was terrible college radio but it was mine. The music we got free from the record companies was sparse. Lots of 45's. Lots of albums that never would get there. But we played them. And of course we played the Top 40 which consisted of shit (in my opinion). This is why I volunteered to stay up all night on Fridays from midnight to 6, because I could pretty much play whatever I wanted. And I did. The station managers werent listening so playing Hair of the Dog was kosher.

One night Im driving in to do my show and on the real rock radio station in town suddenly one of those what the fuck is that moments occurred. I heard this weird ass song came on. I loved every second of it. It was so different. So not disco. So not even 3 chord rock. So not Skynyrd or Foreigner or any other standard rock band I listened to and played. Just What I Needed by somebody called what? The Cars? Jesus what a stupid name. I searched the radio stations record library to no avail. But the next day I ran out and bought that album ($4.79 it still has the price tag on it in the basement). I took it home and played the whole damn thing. Over and over. So cool.

Ric Okasek died the other day. His heart gave out at 75 years old. Eddie Money died right before that. For chrissakes, STOP! Ric Okasek and the Cars became the band of the late 70's and early 80s I couldnt pimp enough. Of course nobody would listen to me as usual. This is the new rock I would say. This band will change music. Nobody listened. The Cars came here one night but I couldnt go due to work. They were in town and I told everybody the old dumpy Civic Auditorium was going to be sold out. You watch. The venue held 10,000. The Cars drew 5000. I took crap.

But dammit I was right.When The Cars couldnt buy their way into the Rock Hall of Fame. It was outrageous. They changed music everybody!

The finally, after years and years of great music and long after the death of Benjamin Orr, they got in. 2018. I so looked forward to it. They got on stage. They sucked. Ric looked sick. Of course he always looked sick being about 8 feet tall and weighing maybe 100 pounds. But something about Ric Okasek that night concerned me. I didnt know what it was.

Ric is gone now. Benjamin is gone now. But ya know what? Their music lives on and I still listen to them regularly. My 2017 2018 most listened to songs always included The Cars in the Top 10. It's All I can Do won 2018. A song almost 40 years old. I love that song because of what it says. Its All I Can Do. Philosophy of life.

Dammit I was right!