Cars' frontman Ric Ocasek dead at 75

[Markola]

That's kind of the point. There will be no replacement. The era of the big rock star came when recorded music was widely available and youth had the time to listen and money to buy it. The era ended when recorded music became so universally available that its value dropped to near zero.

+1. I am 53 and going to more great shows than ever. There is abundant, great music being made today. You won’t find it where you did in the 70s and 80s, e.g. on your top 40 radio station or best friend’s 8 track and cassettes. You have to go find it on the internet (shout out to streaming 89.3 The Current), which is just the way the digital marketplace functions compared to the former, constricted Top 40 radio market and record store model. The book The Long Tail captured the current model best. Here’s an excerpt from a review of the book:

“The Long Tail, then, seeks to show how consumer behavior changes in a market of infinite choice–a market that is no longer constrained by the difficulties inherent in having supply limited by logistics. The supply now exists for whatever demand we, as picky and increasingly particular consumers, can dream up. We live in a culture that is focused more and more on niches and less and less of hits and bestsellers. We do not necessarily want to write the book that sells best overall, but the book that sells best in the small niche that is most important to us. There is infinite opportunity for any of us to impact a niche.”

https://www.challies.com/book-reviews/book-review-the-long-tail/

The major upside is, as a music fan, you no longer have to tolerate some zombie corporate radio station force feeding you repeated, stupid Rick Springfield songs until they are imprinted on your very DNA. Your best friend might not even know who Rick Springfield is or care what grim casino he’s probably headlining this weekend.

 

[LRDave]

The major upside is, as a music fan, you no longer have to tolerate some zombie corporate radio station force feeding you repeated, stupid Rick Springfield songs until they are imprinted on your very DNA. Your best friend might not even know who Rick Springfield is or care what grim casino he’s probably headlining this weekend.

Your post has now released a "Jessie's Girl" earwig upon me that will last all day....

 

[Markola]

I’m profoundly sorry about that.

 

[Breedlove]

The Cars were great , they were New Wave not hard hitting R&R . A lot of Synthesizers and electronics . In 1979 I was with a band that was an opening act for the Cars . Along with Cheap Trick and Eddie Money . In those days the Cars were nowhere like Cheap Trick or Eddie Money . They were tame almost sophisticated and mature . Ben Orr used to play bass around Columbus and it seemed Ric was from up around Cleveland. I do not rate guitar players because I feel I am not good but people tell me I am . I remember what Pete Anderson once told me ( It's not what you play it is what you don't play and when you play)

 

[Big_Hitter]

. In 1979 I was with a band that was an opening act for the Cars .

which band?

 

[Big_Hitter]

lots of memories with the cars first record - played it all the time

 

[JoeWras]

lots of memories with the cars first record - played it all the time

What I remember from that time was AOR stations played almost every track. I never owned the album, but heard almost every track that year.

The program directors had a feel for something. They were playing this, interlaced with the heavy rotations of Pink Floyd, Led Zep, The Who and Rolling Stones.

It stood out, and was memorable.

And then a few years later, Moving In Stereo was featured in a famous scene in a teen angst movie. Henceforth that track become legendary.

 

[Big_Hitter]

And then a few years later, Moving In Stereo was featured in a famous scene in a teen angst movie. Henceforth that track become legendary.

great song - i bought that LP when it came out in 78 I was maybe 14?

 

[Montecfo]

That's kind of the point. There will be no replacement. The era of the big rock star came when recorded music was widely available and youth had the time to listen and money to buy it. The era ended when recorded music became so universally available that its value dropped to near zero.

There is still some great music being made (at least so I'm told), but the pioneers who defined the genre are all in their 70s and 80s now. It would be a miracle of modern medicine (or whatever dark arts Keith Richards practices) if more than a handful of them are around in 10-20 years.

Well kind of. But if you look at country, there ARE new big artists. While they may never truly eclipse Cash, George Jones, Merle, and Waylon they are huge stars in their own right. Jason Aldean, Zac Brown, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, etc. Too many to name.

Not so with rock and its variants including new wave, synth, etc. The big old acts live on and continue to make huge money. The genre remains popular but there are few new "big"artists. Most are hip hop, rap etc. Ed Sheeran? Ariana Grande? Pink? Drake?

I do not see those folks replacing the acts we are losing in any sense, though i like some of the material.

Others may differ.

 

[GenXguy]

That's kind of the point. There will be no replacement. The era of the big rock star came when recorded music was widely available and youth had the time to listen and money to buy it. The era ended when recorded music became so universally available that its value dropped to near zero.

Exactly! There's no music being made in recent years that I enjoy listening to. Thank goodness I have loads of the great stuff from the good ole days, including several Cars CDs.

 

[GenXguy]

There are many criticisms that could be laid on Grace Slick, but a weak voice was never one of them. You must have caught her on an off night.

Yeah, that had my head shaking also. No complaints about Grace Slick and definitely not weak.

 

[harley]

I was thinking weak in the off key sense, not the unable to belt sense. Both of them had powerful voices, but when I saw them they couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. I'm sure they had better nights or they wouldn't have been the stars they are.