The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes (keyboards), and David Robinson (drums). Ocasek and Orr shared lead vocals, and Ocasek was the band's principal songwriter and leader.
The Cars, c. 1980 (l-r) Greg Hawkes, Elliot Easton, David Robinson, Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr.
The Cars in a publicity shot, circa 1984
Benjamin Orr (pictured in 1978) died of pancreatic cancer in October 2000. Greg Hawkes played bass on Move Like This, while Weezer's Scott Shriner played bass with the band at its Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Image: Elliot easton performs with the new cars 2006
New wave is a music genre that encompasses pop-oriented styles from the 1970s through the 1980s. It is considered a lighter and more melodic "broadening of punk culture". It was originally used as a catch-all for the various styles of music that emerged after punk rock. Later, critical consensus favored "new wave" as an umbrella term involving many contemporary popular music styles, including synth-pop, alternative dance and post-punk. The main new wave movement coincided with late 1970s punk and continued into the early 1980s.
Blondie, 1976. L–R: Gary Valentine, Clem Burke, Deborah Harry, Chris Stein and Jimmy Destri.
Talking Heads performing in Toronto in 1978
Painting of a Devo energy dome hat
Franz Ferdinand performing in 2006
