Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

Cars frontman (and the bands synthesist)

 
Craig Shipley
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Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 11.02.2008 - 21:41  ·  #1
Ocasek's first two albums have just come up on the shuffle and I really enjoy the contributions that Greg Hawkes made to the sound of them. Then again, I've been a Cars fan for quite a while and it was Hawkes synths that made me that fan (the band have reformed as The New Cars, with Todd Rundgren as frontman and I'm not sure who took the place of the late bassist Benjamin Orr.) Hawkes had a solo LP titled NIAGARA FALLS in the early '80's that was quite good (never made it to CD, AFAIK). Another one of those LPs that I gotta digitize someday...

"Coming For You", I love this tune! Heavy, mean, threating and ominous, I love it!!
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 11.02.2008 - 22:47  ·  #2
Quote by Craig Shipley
Ocasek's first two albums have just come up on the shuffle and I really enjoy the contributions that Greg Hawkes made to the sound of them. Then again, I've been a Cars fan for quite a while and it was Hawkes synths that made me that fan (the band have reformed as The New Cars, with Todd Rundgren as frontman and I'm not sure who took the place of the late bassist Benjamin Orr.) Hawkes had a solo LP titled NIAGARA FALLS in the early '80's that was quite good (never made it to CD, AFAIK). Another one of those LPs that I gotta digitize someday...

"Coming For You", I love this tune! Heavy, mean, threating and ominous, I love it!!


I've got Greg's album also on vinyl, shame it never came out on CD.
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 15.02.2008 - 21:59  ·  #3
Is Ocasek the vocalist on the 1984 Cars classics "Drive" and "Heartbeat City"?
Craig Shipley
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 15.02.2008 - 23:55  ·  #4
Quote by Jon
Is Ocasek the vocalist on the 1984 Cars classics "Drive" and "Heartbeat City"?


I think so. The late Benjamin Orr was the deeper of the two primary vocalists. There has been a Cars reunion of sorts. Elliott Easton and Hawkes teamed up with Prairie Prince (The Tubes) on drums, Kasim Sultan (Utopia) on bass and Todd Rundgren of guitar and vox; Ocasek and the original drummer were asked to rejoin and declined but gave their blessings to Easton & Hawkes that wanted play the old tunes. The result is The New Cars, which so far have only released a live album that is essentially a Cars greatest hits, with one or two new tunes tossed in. It's an OK effort but I'd like to hear more new material before I decide that this was a good idea or not.
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 16.02.2008 - 06:54  ·  #5
When did Benjamin Orr pass away? and of what? wow i had no idea. how sad
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 16.02.2008 - 07:58  ·  #6
Quote by stingray64
When did Benjamin Orr pass away? and of what? wow i had no idea. how sad


In April 2000, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and subsequently hospitalized [1], yet continued to perform in concerts with the band Big People, at summer music festivals and state fairs. He reunited with all the former members of The Cars one last time in Atlanta, Georgia for an interview that was used in a Rhino Records video and DVD of a German concert performed in 1979, The Cars Live.

His final public appearance was on September 27, 2000 in a Big People concert in Anchorage, Alaska. Six days later, he passed away at his home in Atlanta, on Tuesday night, October 3, 2000, aged 53, surrounded by his fiancee Julie Snider, manager Billy Johnson and Big People band members Jeff Carlisi, Derek St. Holmes and Rob Wilson [2]. Big People still performs his classic Cars hits. Orr was also survived by his 5-year-old son, Ben, from a previous relationship.
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 16.02.2008 - 12:24  ·  #7
Quote by Craig Shipley
Quote by Jon
Is Ocasek the vocalist on the 1984 Cars classics "Drive" and "Heartbeat City"?


I think so. The late Benjamin Orr was the deeper of the two primary vocalists. There has been a Cars reunion of sorts. Elliott Easton and Hawkes teamed up with Prairie Prince (The Tubes) on drums, Kasim Sultan (Utopia) on bass and Todd Rundgren of guitar and vox; Ocasek and the original drummer were asked to rejoin and declined but gave their blessings to Easton & Hawkes that wanted play the old tunes. The result is The New Cars, which so far have only released a live album that is essentially a Cars greatest hits, with one or two new tunes tossed in. It's an OK effort but I'd like to hear more new material before I decide that this was a good idea or not.


Hey guys,
Benjamin did the lead vocals on "Drive" and
Ric did the lead vocals on "Heartbeat City".

just letting you know. 😉
Jon
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Re: Ric Ocasek (Greg Hawkes)

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Posted: 19.02.2008 - 14:01  ·  #8
Quote by Soul Hunter
Quote by Craig Shipley
Quote by Jon
Is Ocasek the vocalist on the 1984 Cars classics "Drive" and "Heartbeat City"?


I think so. The late Benjamin Orr was the deeper of the two primary vocalists. There has been a Cars reunion of sorts. Elliott Easton and Hawkes teamed up with Prairie Prince (The Tubes) on drums, Kasim Sultan (Utopia) on bass and Todd Rundgren of guitar and vox; Ocasek and the original drummer were asked to rejoin and declined but gave their blessings to Easton & Hawkes that wanted play the old tunes. The result is The New Cars, which so far have only released a live album that is essentially a Cars greatest hits, with one or two new tunes tossed in. It's an OK effort but I'd like to hear more new material before I decide that this was a good idea or not.


Hey guys,
Benjamin did the lead vocals on "Drive" and
Ric did the lead vocals on "Heartbeat City".

just letting you know. 😉


OK, thanks. I have heard various things about this. Their voices are rather similar. Someone even told me that it was the Foreigner vocalist who sang on Drive! I never really believed that though... :lol:
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