Best-known as the co-founder and frontman of The Cars, Ric Ocasek and the band rose to fame in the late 70s with songs like “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “Let the Good Times Roll.” The band continued to soar in the early 80s, landing top ten hits with “Shake It Up” and “Drive.” The band also performed at Live Aid.
Ocasek also found success as a solo artist and a producer, working with the likes of Bad Brains, No Doubt, Weezer, and Bad Religion.
Sadly, Ric passed away on September 15, 2019 at the age of 75. In his honor, we feature “Touch and Go” as today’s ear X-tacy.
"Touch and Go" was released as the debut single from Panorama, and while it was considered a minor hit for the band, it made quiet an impression on former Beatle John Lennon. He mentioned the song in his final interview on 8 December 1980, praising it for its 1950s sound and comparing it with his current record at the time, "(Just Like) Starting Over."
He said, "I think the Cars' 'Touch and Go' is right out of the fifties 'Oh, oh...' A lot of it is fifties stuff. But with eighties styling, but, but... and that's what I think 'Starting Over' is; it's a fifties song made with an eighties approach."
