Remembering Benjamin Orr and the most successful New Wave band from Boston.
This month on October 3, 2009 marks the anniversary of Benjamin Orr’s death. He was the singer/bassist for The Cars. He tragically died of pancreatic cancer nine years ago on this day in 2000 at the age of 53. Benjamin Orr was born on September 8, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio, and he left us too soon, his talent, and songs will live on in playbacks and downloads. Listening to The Cars music now seems so much alive, vibrant, cool, and a bit nostalgic today.
The Cars were one of the top American bands in the 1970’s and 1980’s. They originated from Boston, Massachusetts. They were part of that New Wave music era in the late 70’ and their music style was a mixture of electrifying melodies and pop-rock. They were in good company for New Wave had began as “punk rock” with bands like The Ramones, Sex Pistol, and The Clash. As disco music started fading, New Wave bands like The Cars, Talking Heads, Devo, and Blondie were making hit songs with lyrical wit and experimental sounds.
The Cars were so special and had so many popular songs. The Cars were Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Greg Hawkes, Elliot Eastson, and drummer David Robinson. The Cars early incarnation was as a folk rock band called Milkwood in 1972. By 1974 the two founding members, Ocasek and Orr, moved to Boston and after a few replacements they formed the group Cap’n Swing. Still later trying to form that perfect mixture of sound and personality, in 1976 they added Hawkes and Robinson, and The Cars were created. The band was tight and released their first debut album in 1978, titled “The Cars”.
Rolling Stone magazine has named The Cars self titled album as one of 500 best albums of all time. Their first hit single “Just What I Needed” came from their debut album and other top songs from the same album were “Bye Bye Love”, “My Best Friend’s Girl”, “Good Times Roll” and “Moving In Stereo”. Every teenager from the 1980’s remembers the popular movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” in which featured a sexy Phoebe Cates coming out of her bikini in a fantasy dream sequence while the song “Moving In Stereo” played.
“Candy-O“, The Cars second album released in 1979 with hits like “Let’s Go” and “It’s All I Can Do” encapsulated their talent and future success. Albums like “Shake It Up” in 1981 and “Heartbeat City” in 1984 produced in the latter hit songs like “You Might Think”. “Magic”, and “Drive”. The hit duo of Ocasek and Orr song writing and sharing lead vocals made them a winning pop-lyric team. They performed Live Aid in 1985 singing The Cars most successful single “Drive”. The Cars broke up in 1988 and the band members sought solo careers.
Benjamin Orr’s first major hit as a solo artist was the single “Stay The Night”. This song can found on the album “The Lace” released in 1986. All The Cars music can be found at Amazon.com or your local music store. Ric Ocasek’s mourning stomp "Silver" is dedicated "to my old friend Ben” from his 2005 album “Nexterday”.
Ric Ocasek wrote most of the songs with Ben Orr singing almost half of them. The Cars will always be remembered for their highly successful, pop/rock music, they began in the 70’s and ruled the 80’s. Their influential sound and pop lyrical wit still inspires band’s today. When the news of Ben Orr’s passing hit the airwaves, the idea of a much talked about reunion ended, and part of the unique sound and soul of The Cars was suddenly silent.