The New Cars

The New Cars
Origin	Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Genres	Rock Power pop New Wave
Years active	2005–2007
Labels	Eleven Seven Music
Associated acts	The Cars, Journey, Jefferson Starship, The Tubes, Meat Loaf, Utopia, Neil Hamburger
Website	Official site (Now a dead link)
Members
Todd Rundgren Prairie Prince Kasim Sulton Greg Hawkes Elliot Easton

The New Cars was a band formed in 2005 with two of the original members of the 1970s/1980s new wave band The Cars. The band was composed of Todd Rundgren, drummer Prairie Prince, Kasim Sulton, and original Cars members Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton. The band performed The Cars' classic songs, Rundgren's solo work, and some new material.

History

In 2005, rumors began circulating that Easton and Hawkes would be teaming with Todd Rundgren in a new Cars lineup, with Rundgren replacing Cars singer Ric Ocasek. The rumors turned out to be true, with the revamped lineup calling themselves The New Cars. Two regular Rundgren collaborators, bassist Kasim Sulton and drummer Prairie Prince, replaced the late bassist Benjamin Orr and drummer David Robinson in the new lineup. (Robinson, who retired from the music world years before, was invited to join the group but amicably declined.)

On May 9, 2006, a greatest hits/live collection, The New Cars: It's Alive!, was released on Eleven Seven Music. The album included classic Cars songs recorded live plus new studio tracks. The band's first tour, the summer Roadrage Tour with Blondie kicked off May 12 in Mississippi.

Rundgren referred to the project as "an opportunity ... for me to pay my bills, play to a larger audience, work with musicians I know and like, and ideally have some fun for a year." Ocasek, who had opted out of any possibilities of a reunion, gave his blessing to Easton and Hawkes, saying, "I want Elliot and Greg to be happy." On April 17, 2006, he appeared on The Colbert Report and was asked if there was anyone he wanted to put "on notice". He answered "Todd Rundgren".

The New Cars performed "Not Tonight" on the June 6, 2006 episode of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Tour

The spring leg of the 2006 tour had to be cut short because Easton had broken his collarbone on June 5 and was playing in great pain. Despite the fact the album only sold 16,000 units, a winter leg of the tour ran from November through early December. The tour, titled Road Rage Winter Tour was a theatre tour of venues much smaller than their previous arena tour.

Post-2007 activity

The New Cars played their last concert in September 2007. Rundgren resumed his solo career, and his 2009 solo tour featured Kasim Sulton, Prairie Prince and Greg Hawkes as members of his backing band. A later Rundgren tour in 2010 featured band members Kasim Sulton and Prairie Prince. In 2010, Hawkes and Easton reunited with surviving Cars members Ric Ocasek and David Robinson for an album and tour.

Band members

• Todd Rundgren – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Greg Hawkes – keyboards, backing vocals
• Kasim Sulton – bass guitar, lead and backing vocals
• Prairie Prince – drums, percussion

Also:

• Atom Ellis (bass, vocals) filled in for Sulton on several dates where Sulton was not available, due to his touring commitments with Meat Loaf.

Discography

• It's Alive! (2006)

External links

• Official website
• The New Cars on Myspace
• The New Cars at VH1
• The New Cars at MTV
• The New Cars at RollingStone
• AOL Artist Page
• Billboard Artist Page
• Asbury Park Press Interview with Kasim Sulton