I couldn’t agree more with Bob Lefsetz’s rant about the abomination that is The New Cars. What’s happened is this: one of my favorite Boston bands ever, The Cars, have reunited, but there’s only two original members and they are not named Ric Ocasek (he just won’t do it) or Ben Orr (he’s unavailable right now because he’s, um, dead). If Ben were still alive and was witness to this, he’d certainly die all over again. They’re now toting Todd Rundgren along as their lead singer and as much as I love the 1970’s Rundgren, I don’t love him fronting The Cars. At all. He’s way too much of a genius to do this. Or maybe he is a genius because he’s making a wheelbarrow of money for doing it.
All that said, seeing them perform “Let The Good Times Roll” last night on Jay Leno hurt me in a bad place. I need to go listen to “Slut,” “Black Maria,” “Piss Aaron,” and “Wolfman Jack” on repeat (all from the near perfect Something/Anything) before Rundgren’s name gets all sullied in my book. I’d rather leave the country than see the New Cars on television again. In fact, that’s just what I’ll do. I’m leaving the country. Tomorrow.