Courtesy of OK ManagementArtists from the worlds of rock and pop are offering tributes the late Cars frontman Ric Ocasek, who died Sunday at age 75.
Alice Cooper wrote on his Twitter feed, “We have lost another great in Rock N Roll Hall of Famer Ric Ocasek of The Cars…Ric had a very unique voice for rock n roll, there was just nothing complicated about it and that really gave The Cars an edge on the radio. They spearheaded a simplistic new wave of minimalist rock…much to the delight of car stereos and fans everywhere.”
Chic guitarist and songwriter Nile Rodgers, who co-produced Ocasek’s 1991 solo album Fireball Zone with Ric, recalled in a tweet, “We had a lot of fun making the album #FireballZone.”
He also included a YouTube link to one of the album’s tracks, “Touch Down Easy,” noting, “This was one of my fav songs…Though it was the 90’s we’d not gotten the memo. It’s super 80’s but cool.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea offered up some gushing praise for Ocasek, posting on his Instagram, “Ahh man, say it ain’t so. I loved Ric Ocasek. What an interesting, smart, kind, funny man who made incredible records. I loved those Cars albums when I was a teenager. Perfect pop songs with those wicked Elliot Easton guitar solos. Absolute candy.”
Here are some of other tributes posted by well-known artists:
KISS‘ Paul Stanley: “RIP Ric Ocasek. A very sad loss. My condolences to his family.”
Billy Idol: “Sorry 2 hear about #ricocasek RIP. loved his work with the band #Suicide.” (Ric produced three of the influential electro-punk duo’s albums.)
Bryan Adams: “RIP Ric Ocasek. Great songwriter and singer for the Cars.”
Richard Marx: “Aw, man. RIP #ricocasek and thank you for the songs on Heartbeat City alone. You were a true original.”
Thomas Dolby: “R.I.P. Ric Ocasek, lead singer with The Cars, at 75. A very cool cat. He was the first person to hear my album The Flat Earth from start to finish, in Mutt Lange‘s house in Chelsea.”
Slash: “RIP #RicOcasek.”
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