Brooklyn Vegan
Bette Midler, Weezer, Billy Idol, The Hold Steady & more artists pay tribute Ric Ocasek
By Bill Pearis
September 15, 2019
Mister D: I was so glad to see Bette Midler was a fan of The Cars! They were one of my all-time favorite groups. They really defined the New Wave movement. The music was progressive, yet poppy, and then you had Ric Ocasek’s disaffected vocals, yet it all came together and worked. The Cars were up for 6 VMA awards the year Bette hosted and Ric Ocasek and the gang took home the prize of Best Video Of The Year for “You Might Think.”
Ric Ocasek‘s music and production had a wide reach, touching most of us and influencing a wide variety of pop music over the last 40 years. The sad news of his passing has seen fellow musicians and more pay tribute to him on social media. Read tributes from Weezer (who had Ric Ocasek produce their classic debut Blue Album, and a couple of their later albums), Billy Idol, Eddie Van Halen, The Hold Steady, AC Newman, Tom Morello, Bette Midler, actors Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Donal Logue, director Judd Apatow, and more, below
—
Weezer?@Weezer
The Weezer family is devastated by the loss of our friend and mentor Ric Ocasek, who passed away Sunday. We will miss him forever, & will forever cherish the precious times we got to work and hang out with him. Rest in Peace & rock on Ric, we love you. #RIPRicOcasek #karlscorner
Billy Idol?@BillyIdol
Sorry 2 hear about #ricocasek RIP loved his work with the band #Suicide4,1416:12 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy745 people are talking about this
Carl Newman?@ACNewman
I will never stop imitating the first Cars album. His influence will always stay with me. RIP and Thank You to Ric Ocasek.6986:47 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy72 people are talking about this
Bette Midler?@BetteMidler
#RickOcasek, leader of #TheCars, has died. Unbelievable. Their sound was the sound of a whole decade; biting, mischievous, lighthearted, sardonic and fun…wish we were all that young again…RIP until vinyl returns…xoxo…16.1K6:23 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy2,331 people are talking about this
The Hold Steady?@theholdsteady
Our walkout: “Since You’re Gone”.
RIP Ric Ocasek4216:21 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy54 people are talking about this
EVanHalen@EVanHalen
R.I.P Ric Ocasek say hi to Eddie and Benjamin.#ricocasek
Judd Apatow?@JuddApatow
I remember listening to the first Cars record when I was ten with my mom and it was so much fun. Forty one years later it sounds like it was recorded yesterday. It created a new path and inspired so many great bands. He was a legend who brought us all a ton of joy.
Kurt Loder?@kurt_loder
RIP #RicOcasek Cars were the first band I saw that qualified as new wave — their synths and leathers were too pricey for pure punk. Long gone, of course, and now Ric too, a sweet guy. Suicide was one of several outside bands he produced: YouTube ?@YouTube5816:50 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy126 people are talking about this
el-p?@therealelp
the label i founded, years ago, had the honor of putting out a song by the great @rjd2 with the legend Ric Ocasek https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cN7zwy7fTfg … YouTube ?@YouTube3416:51 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy51 people are talking about this
TWIN PEAKS ARCHIVE@TwinPeaksArchve
Tom Green?@tomgreenlive
Rest In Peace Ric Ocasek – This song has always been one of my favorites. The Cars – Drive https://youtu.be/xuZA6qiJVfU YouTube ?@YouTube2795:41 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy48 people are talking about this
donal logue?@donallogue
Lost & loserly, I visited Jane Curtain in NYC in 1989 & she made me lunch. I was wrenched out of my myopic bullshit by the sight of Ric Ocasek over the back fence. Ric & P were her neighbors. RIP Ric – & RIP Benjamin. Moving in Stereo & All Mixed Up https://youtu.be/F-FtgM1_TVk YouTube ?@YouTube2495:50 PM – Sep 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy37 people are talking about this
Oh man, Ric Ocasek.
scharpling?@scharpling
The first Cars album is literally perfect; there might not be a better debut ever. The rest of the catalog is untouchable.
Ric Ocasek was the architect. Nobody could combine pop hits with straight-up weirdness as he could.
What a body of work, what a cool guy. Rest in power
RainnWilson?@rainnwilson
I’m stunned and saddened by the loss of Ric Ocasek – he was a visionary who effected the lives and hearts of everyone who listened to music in the 80s. God Speed, Ric! Keep Moving in Stereo!
The Bad Brains blew my mind but when I turned their album Rock For Light over to the back & found out Ric Ocasek of The Cars produced it, my world was set on fire. After that, I didn’t give a fuck about “guilty pleasures” or what other people thought was cool.
R.I.P. Ric Ocasek
Carnie Wilson?@CarnieWilson
Ric Ocasek… I’m so sad. The Cars are a big part of my musical love affair. He was amazing and will be missed. The music of The Cars will inspire people and move people forever. My prayers go to his family friends and all the fans.
Mike Portnoy ?@MikePortnoy
In the late 70’s, in between my obsessions for Kiss, the Ramones, The Clash & The Sex Pistols, I also was a big fan of The Pretenders, the B-52’s, the Police, Devo & The Cars…the 1st two albums are classics from start to finish. Sad to hear of Ric Ocasek’s passing #RIPRicOcasek
Richard Marx?@richardmarx
Aw, man. RIP #ricocasek and thank you for the songs on “Heartbeat City” alone. You were a true original.
