RIC OCASEK'S HEARTFELT TRIBUTE TO HIS BEST MATE BENJAMIN ORR

RIC OCASEK is best known as the eccentric, beanpole, songwriting force of the post-new wave american rock band THE CARS, which between 1978 and 1988 delivered some of the most catchy, hook laden and distinctive melodic rock throughout that definitive classic rock era.

After the band went its own way after the 1988 album DOUBLE TROUBLE, the title track being such an underrated ripsnorter, any notion of the band ever re-uniting hit the ultimate snag when in 2000 Ocasek's very gifted bass playing side kick and co-lead vocalist BENJAMIN ORR in THE CARS died from pancreatic cancer, reportedly the consequence of a chronic cigarette addiction over many years.

Ocasek, unbeknown to anyone except the most dedicated CARS fan, actually had already dabbled on the side as a solo artist in the 80's while the band was still active, the 1982 album BEATITUDE, a very experimental set heavily influenced by the likes of BLONDIE, and THIS SIDE OF PARADISE in 1986, which produced Ocasek's biggest ever hit EMOTION IN MOTION outside THE CARS, keeping his LSD (Lead Singers Disease) in check.

In the 90's Ocasek released three solo albums, including the quite bizarre GETCHERTIKITZ in 1996, which in place of conventional lyrics and melody is actually an attempt to group beatnik poetry and music together, some might call it progressive, i reckon it makes CAPTAIN BEEFHEART sound as mainstream as JOURNEY (laugh).

The album is a corroboration with ALAN VEGA from SUICIDE. Have heard this album, but i have never heard Ocasek's two other 90's albums QUICK CHANGE WORLD and TROUBLIZING.

Ocasek was a very close friend of BENJAMIN ORR, which is not always the case as we know with members of bands, with artistic and personal rivalries and egos often tearing friendships and bands apart, but Ocasek and Orr got through the 80's, and the break-up of THE CARS, still being the best of mates.

He took the death of Orr in 2000 very hard by all reports, from then on he said there would never be a reunion of the band EVER without him, a promise he 'partially' broke in 2011 when THE CARS reformed and recorded their first album in 23 years titled MOVE LIKE THIS, but in uncompromising respect for Orr, the band didn't recruit a replacement permanent bass guitarist, instead opting for keyboard player GREG HAWKES and session musician JACKNIFE LEE to fill the breach, leaving Orr's spot on the stage empty.

Ocasek was always a poor singer but in fairness to him he never denied that, without having Orr there singing some of the songs on MOVE LIKE THIS it does feel like something is missing badly from THE CARS, his sophisticated matinee vocals were always somewhat of a welcome relief from the gulping and grunting associated with Ocasek's singing, with all due respect to the latters songwriting abilities.

One of my favourite post '88 CARS vocal from Ocasek is definitely the heartfelt tribute to BENJAMIN ORR from his 2005 album NEXTERDAY titled SILVER. Ocasek would have got new vocal chords implanted to sing good for this one.