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Solo Projects (page 1)
Ric Ocasek's Discography and Lyrics
72Of all The Cars, Ric Ocasek has had the most recognizable solo career, although it began with none of the individual Cars trying to compete with each other or with the success of the group. Well-established as a producer of other artists's material, Ric produced his own first album entitled "Beatitude" (which he pronounces "Beet-uh-tood," with the emphasis being on the "beat"). Though out of print and virtually unknown today, "Beatitude" was a big production back in 1983. One reason being that the subject matter covered darker areas unexplored on the average Cars album. The overall concept of this album revolved around life's frustrations and stress that can specifically be heard in songs like "Out of Control," "Take a Walk, especially "Time Bomb", and the first single "Jimmy Jimmy". However, the songs that exhibited that rather morbid feel, were based on observations Ric made about people and the world in general. Referring to the characters in his songs, he claimed, "They're caught where there's no way out or where you can't see out. What are you going to do about it? I don't have the answer. If I did there would be no insane asylums. But I see a lot of people, a lot of my friends in that same predicament. Many times in my life, I was there myself." But the other songs on the album has a lighter, more Cars-like sound including "I Can't Wait", "Prove" and the second single, "Something To Grab For".
Ric has always had a unique view on success and fame. Though he was both successful and famous, he was very modest claiming that he was no different from anybody else, though sometimes saying that he misses his privacy because of his celebrity. He noted that some stars live on nothing but that fame, and that leads to their ultimate demise, "Those people, it seems to me, end up killing themselves: taking the big fall, turning into alcoholics, getting fat, getting lazy. They let themselves be distracted into believing they are what the press says they are and what the public fantasizes them to be."
One song that was left off "Beatitude" and turned up on the movie soundtrack, "The King of Comedy," was called "Steal the Night." Now considered very rare, it was the first of five songs recorded by Ric Ocasek that did not appear on any of his albums. In 1986, Ric released his second album, "This Side of Paradise" which became his most successful solo project. It included mysterious and upbeat songs such as "Keep On Laughin'" and "True Love". But the most well-known tracks were the singles, "Emotion In Motion" and "True To You", the first of which can still be heard on 80's radio specials.
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64Ric appeared on "Saturday Night Live" on November 8, 1986, performing "Emotion In Motion" (with slightly different lyrics) and "Keep On Laughin'." Later in the episode, Ric also appeared as a guest in SNL's gag segment, "Church Chat" where he was accused of all sorts if unholy deeds including being "satan" by the host, The Church Lady, in this revealing spoof of an interview.
57A year later, Ric contributed another song to a movie soundtrack. The eerie sounding "I Still Want You" is featured in the film "Made In Heaven" and can be heard for a few seconds in the movie itself. "Made In Heaven" is also known for its several cameo guest stars, one of which being Ric Ocasek. In a five minute scene, he plays a mechanic named Shark.
23In 1988, Ric made a very brief appearance in the 60's style cult film, "Hairspray." The one scene featuring Pia Zadora as the "Beatnik Chick" shows Ric, the "Beatnik Cat," in the background as an artist who smashed painting over his head at the very thought of doing reefer.
Over the years, Ric has made a few appearances to benefit charities; one being at the 1990 Earth Day events in Central park. He also contributed an otherwise unreleased song to the Romanian famine relief album "Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal", a lullaby called "Goodnight, Little One" in 1991.
6Also in 1991, Ric released a now-unknown album, "Fireball Zone." Currently out of print, it has since vanished from stores. Ironically, it was a perfectly good album, with very good songs including "Come Back," "They Tried," "Over and Over," and "All We Need Is Love." Surprisingly, this album had two videos: "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Rockaway." What channel were they on?! The album cover is a touched up copy of one of the pictures of Ric from the "Door To Door" cover with the artwork done by his wife, Paulina. When this album was released, it was meant to be a new beginning for Ric Ocasek musically with a media blitz on radio programs including "Rockline" (7/22/91) where Ric answered listener's question on the radio and had high hopes for the album's success. Unfortunately, things didn't work out the way he had expected. Ric's fourth solo album, "Quick Change World" was released in 1993 and was a production fiasco. and something you would never guess was originally supposed to be a major multimedia event called "Negative Theatre" consisting of "an album, a book of poetry, a collection of photographs, and a performance art piece and rock concert." Plans for this projects were canceled at the last minute by Reprise Records even though the entire album had already been recorded. These drastic cutbacks left "Quick Change World" with one half of Cars-like music, including "Don't Let Go,"A Little Closer," and "Feeling's Got To Stay," (right side) and the other half including some songs, "I Still Believe," "Come Alive" and "Hopped Up," originally meant for "Negative Theatre" (left side). But "Quick Change World" did offer something unexpected. If you keep listening past the last song on the left side, you can here a song rumored to have been written for "Negative Theatre" under the name, "Telephone Again."
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Ric appeared on "Late Night With David Letterman" in 1993, where he sang "Don't Let Go".
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In 1994, Ric released yet another song on a movie soundtrack. Though it can't actually be heard in the movie, "Crash" can be found on the "Speed" soundtrack (songs from and inspired by the motion picture). Some of the song's lyrics from "Crash" were taken and sometimes altered from those in "Fireball Zone"'s "Rockaway." In 1996, Ric was joined by Alan Vega (from Suicide) and Gillian McCain (background unknown) for an album called "Getchertiktz", a spoken word album that reflects the dark side of humanity and the ills of modern society. The poems are divided between the three performers, each individually read. One familiar piece is "The Big Picture" borrowed from "Quick Change World." Be warned that there are descriptions of graphic violence among the lyrics, profane language, and explicit sexual content. The presentation is also set up in such a way that seems that it is meant to be obscure as the performers' names are not printed anywhere on the album cover or CD and can only be found inside the lyric booklet with their photos. There are also paintings and other works of art in the book done by Ric and Alan, that seem to match the content of the poetry. Ric Ocasek, Alan Vega, and Gillian McCain appeared at a few local clubs in New York to recite their poetry. However, fans who attended the readings expected music rather than poetry with "noisicians" playing in the background from Ric and were disappointed and angry with the performance. One appearence at the Knitting Factory ended in the performers screaming into the microphones with the crowd constantly complaining. Because the shock of such an unexpected and non-traditional album, "Getchertiktz" was a disappointment to many of Ric's fans and was even hated by some.
83Ric still continues his work as a producer, giving virtually unknown bands the boost they need to launch their careers. He has recently produced albums for Weezer, Bad Brains, Nada Surf, Johnny Bravo, Bad Religion and many more. Being held responsible for everything that has to do with the Cars, Ric has been asked several times whether or not a Cars reunion will ever take place. Personally, Ric has no interest in getting the old band back together. He is always looking to the future and never looks back. Reiterating a comment he made in 1991, Ric stated "As a rule, I'd rather live in the future than the past. If I had a choice between going a thousand years in the past or a thousand years in the future, I'd pick the future, without a doubt." In other words, the Cars are Ric's past, but in his future is a brand new album, that promises to be unlike anything else he's ever done. He worked mainly with Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins who produced some of the songs, even singing with Ric on one called "Asia Minor". There's also appearances by others who Ric has previously worked with from Hole, Nada Surf, Bad Religion, and even from the Cars being Greg Hawkes. The album was released in 1997 and is called "Troublizing". Many fans have said that it is his best album yet with a somewhat Cars-ish sound but also because its alternative influences. There is a variety of music on "Troublizing", yet almost every song talks about social problems namely "Situation", "Here We Go", "Society Trance" (which sounds like a "Getchertiktz" poem), and the title track ("Troublizing"). One song even speaks about the Cars (or so it's been told) which is entitles "Crashland Consequence" about control and discipline within the band. Singles and video from the album include "The Next Right Moment", "Hang On Right", and "Troublizing" , though they have barely been played on the radio or on music video channels. When this album was new, Somy Musioc put up and official website for "Troublizing", which is no longer online.
87"Troublizing" was the first tour Ric ever had as a solo artist. It didn't last too long after the album's release, and his shows were limited to the New York and surrounding areas. He appeared in clubs including the Five Spot in Pennsylvania (which I was sooo close to attending) and Irving Plaza in New York. Ric performed his new songs as well as Cars songs (the most surprising one being "Up and Down")and his older solo works (and eerie performance of "Time Bomb"). Other surprises included Ric singing lead on "Just What I Needed" and Melissa Auf der Maur singing "Drive." This was at Irving Plaza and I heard that his other shows were similar to that one. Ric also appeared on several talk and variety shows where he gave performances and/or interviews including "The Conan O'Brian Show", "Viva Variety", and CNN's "Showbiz Today". And for the first time, Ric's music is making appearences in the backgrounds of TV shows. A clip from "The Next Right Moment" is featured in an episode of "Daria". In "Quinn the Brain," you can hear the beginning of the song while Quinn is telling her male admirers about how poems don't have to rhyme... right before the Fashion Club reprimands her for wearing all black. Like Ric?
*Thanks to Alan Prager for the info on Ric Ocasek's concerts at the Knitting Factory and Irving Plaza.
Benjamin Orr Elliot Easton Greg Hawkes David Robinson
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