:Ric Ocasek

{{short description|American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer (1944–2019)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

|name = Ric Ocasek

|image = File:Ric Ocasek 1984 (Elektra Press Kit Photo) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Ocasek in 1984

|background = person

|birth_name = Richard Theodore Otcasek

|birth_date = {{birth date|1944|3|23}}

|birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

|origin = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2019|9|15|1944|3|23}}

|death_place = New York City, U.S.

|instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}}

|genre = {{hlist|Rock|new wave|power pop}}

|occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer|songwriter|record producer}}

|years_active = 1963–2019

|label = {{hlist|Elektra|Geffen|Reprise|Columbia}}

|past_member_of = The Cars

|website = {{URL|ricocasek.com}}

|spouse = {{Ubl

| {{marriage|Constance Campbell|1963|1971|end=div.}}

| {{marriage|Suzanne Otcasek|1971|1988|end=div.}}

| {{marriage|Paulina Porizkova|August 23, 1989}}

}}

Richard Theodore Otcasek{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ric-ocasek-dead-the-cars-frontman-rock-star-dies-in-70s-cause-of-death-unclear-2019-09-15/ |title=Ric Ocasek, rock star and the Cars frontman, has died |publisher=CBS News}} (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek ({{IPAc-en|oʊ|ˈ|k|æ|s|ɪ|k}} {{Respell|oh|CASS|ik}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRv0MgPvB08|title=The Untold Truth Of The Cars|work=YouTube|date=September 18, 2019|accessdate=9 June 2023}}), was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the American new wave band the Cars. In addition to his work with the Cars, Ocasek recorded seven solo albums, and his song "Emotion in Motion" was a top 20 hit in the United States in 1986.

Ocasek also worked as a record producer for artists such as Motion City Soundtrack,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/136539-Motion-City-Soundtrack-Even-If-It-Kills-Me|title=Motion City Soundtrack – Even If It Kills Me|website=Discogs|date=2007 }} Suicide,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/22148-Suicide-Suicide-Alan-Vega-Martin-Rev|title=Suicide – Suicide: Alan Vega - Martin Rev|website=Discogs|date=1980 }} Bad Brains,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/25239-Bad-Brains-Rock-For-Light|title=Bad Brains – Rock For Light|website=Discogs|date=1983 }} Weezer,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/35266-Weezer-Weezer|title=Weezer – Weezer|website=Discogs|date=1994 }} Nada Surf,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/105580-Nada-Surf-HighLow|title=Nada Surf - High/Low|website=Discogs|date=1996 }} Guided by Voices{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/56004-Guided-By-Voices-Do-The-Collapse|title=Guided By Voices – Do The Collapse|website=Discogs|date=1999 }} and No Doubt.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rock-steady-mw0000229552#credits|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Rock Steady Review|website=AllMusic}} In 2018, Ocasek was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cars.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-cars-ric-ocasek-on-the-hall-of-fame-its-a-good-cap-to-the-bottle-127997/|last=Greene|first=Andy|date=December 13, 2017|title=The Cars' Ric Ocasek on the Hall of Fame: 'It's a Good Cap to the Bottle'|magazine=Rolling Stone}}

Early life

Ocasek was born in Baltimore on March 23, 1944.{{efn|Upon Ocasek's death, his age was widely misreported as 70, not 75. In a 1979 interview with Rolling Stone soon after the Cars became popular, he claimed to be 29 rather than his true age of 34, and a false birth year of 1949 was subsequently listed in artist biographies from sources including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Spotify. His New York City voter registration—which was available as public records but was based on voter-provided information that the New York City Board of Elections did not routinely verify—also listed a March 23, 1949, birth date. According to The New York Times, Ocasek never corrected his age and birth year in later interviews or press releases; however, the Times found he had stated his true high school graduation date of 1963, when he would have been unusually young at 14, but no indication was found that this had been the case. The 1950 Census also mentions he was 6 years old at the time. This together with a preponderance of other government records indicate that his true birth year was 1944.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/17/reader-center/ric-ocasek-age.html |title=Was Ric Ocasek Actually 75? |last=Coleman |first=Nancy |work=The New York Times |location=New York City |url-access=limited |date=September 17, 2019 |access-date=September 21, 2023}}}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-mystery-of-ric-ocasek-900031/|title=The Mystery of Ric Ocasek: 'He Tried for Happiness, But Underneath Was a Lot of Pain' |first1=David |last1=Browne |date=October 18, 2019 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} His paternal side was of Czech descent,{{cite news |title=Cars Finally in Driver's Seat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/anderson-independent-mail-ric-ocasek-19/132265928/ |work=Anderson Independent-Mail |date=August 23, 1984 |location=Anderson, SC |page=19 |access-date=September 23, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{cite news |title=Ric Ocasek z kapely The Cars má české kořeny |trans-title=Ric Ocasek from the band The Cars has Czech roots |url=https://www.tyden.cz/rubriky/kultura/hudba/ric-ocasek-z-kapely-the-cars-ma-ceske-koreny_517419.html |access-date=September 23, 2023 |work=Týden.cz |date=March 23, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Harazim |first1=Aleš |title=Ric Ocasek - Frontman The Cars, kteří v osmdesátých letech zářili na MTV, měl české kořeny i manželku |url=https://www.ireport.cz/clanky/smrt-si-rika-rocknroll/ric-ocasek-frontman-the-cars-kteri-v-osmdesatych-letech-zarili-na-mtv-mel-ceske-koreny-i-manzelku |access-date=September 23, 2023 |work=iReport.cz |date=September 21, 2019 |quote=Ric Ocasek ... měl české kořeny. ... prarodiče pocházeli z Československa. Ric Ocasek ovšem své české kořeny nikdy moc nezkoumal a nezajímaly ho. (Ric Ocasek ... had Czech roots. ... his grandparents came from Czechoslovakia. However, Ric Ocasek never really researched his Czech roots and was not interested in them.)}} and he grew up Catholic.{{cite news |first=David |last=Fricke |title=Workaholic Ric Ocasek Freaks Out at Vacationtime |newspaper=Omaha World-Herald |location=Nebraska |date=March 21, 1982 |page=E8}} When he was 16 years old, his father moved the family back to the Otcasek hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, where his father worked as a systems analyst with NASA at the Lewis Research Center.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/16/ric-ocasek-obituary |title=Ric Ocasek obituary |last=Cartwright |first=Garth |date=September 16, 2019 |work=The Guardian |access-date=September 17, 2019 |issn=0261-3077}} Ric Ocasek graduated from Maple Heights High School in 1963.{{cite magazine |last=Pareles |first=Jon |date=January 25, 1979 |title=Power Steering |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/power-steering-19790125 |magazine=Rolling Stone |location=New York |publisher=Straight Arrow Publishers Inc. |access-date=May 3, 2018 |archive-date=May 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505033916/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/power-steering-19790125 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-cars-ric-ocasek-on-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-w514016 |title=The Cars' Ric Ocasek on the Hall of Fame: 'It's a Good Cap to the Bottle' |first=Andy |last=Greene |date=December 13, 2017 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=March 23, 2018 |quote=That was in Cleveland, Ohio, since I used to live there.... I graduated from [Maple Heights] {{sic}} High School in 1963.}} He briefly attended Antioch College and Bowling Green State University, but dropped out to pursue a career in music.{{cite magazine |last=Pond |first=Steve |date=July 19, 1984 |title=Drive, he said |magazine=Rolling Stone |location=New York }}{{cite news |first=Susan |last=Ladd |title=Leader of the Cars Knows How to Crank Out Video Hits |newspaper=Greensboro News & Record |location=North Carolina |date=July 13, 1984 |page=B1}}

Ocasek met future Cars bassist Benjamin Orr in Cleveland in 1965 after Ocasek saw Orr performing with his band the Grasshoppers on the Big 5 Show, a local musical variety program.{{cite news |last=Scott |first=Jane |title=In the Driver's Seat |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |date=November 14, 1986 |page=Friday 42}} He reconnected with Orr a few years later in Columbus, Ohio, and the two began performing in and booking bands together. They formed a band called ID Nirvana in 1968 and performed in and around Ohio State University.{{cite news |last=Scott |first=Jane |title=Cars Are Roaring Back |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |date=August 7, 1984 |page=5C}}

Career

=Early career=

File:Ric Ocasek of the Cars (cropped).jpg in 2011]]

After performing in various bands in Columbus and Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ocasek and Orr relocated to Boston in the early 1970s. There they formed a Crosby, Stills and Nash-style folk rock band called Milkwood. They released one album, How's the Weather, on Paramount Records in early 1973 but it failed to chart. Future Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes played on Milkwood's album. After Milkwood, Ocasek formed the group Richard and the Rabbits, which included Orr and Hawkes. Ocasek and Orr also performed as an acoustic duo during this period. Some of the songs they played became the early Cars songs. Later, Ocasek and Orr teamed up with guitarist Elliot Easton in the band Cap'n Swing. Cap'n Swing soon came to the attention of WBCN disc jockey Maxanne Sartori, who began playing songs from their demo tape on her show. After Cap'n Swing was rejected by several record labels, Ocasek got rid of the bass player and drummer and decided to form a band that better fit his style of writing. Orr took over on bass and David Robinson, best known for his career with the Modern Lovers, became the drummer. Hawkes returned to play keyboards and the band became "the Cars" in late 1976.{{cite book |last1=Milano |first1=Brett |title=Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology |publisher=Rhino}}

=The Cars=

File:Ric Ocasek in 1980.jpeg

Ocasek was a founding member of the Cars, recording numerous hit songs from 1978 to 1988. He played rhythm guitar and sang lead vocals for a majority of songs (bassist Benjamin Orr was lead vocalist on the remaining tracks). Ocasek was the oldest member of the band. After splitting writing duty with Orr in the 1970s, Ocasek became the principal songwriter of the band, and wrote nearly all of the Cars' material, sharing credit on only a few songs with bandmate Greg Hawkes as co-writer. In 2010, Ocasek reunited with the surviving original members of the Cars to record their first album in 24 years. The album, entitled Move Like This, was released on May 10, 2011. Not long after the album's release and its supporting tour, however, the Cars resumed their hiatus, and reunited once again in April 2018 for a performance at the ceremony of their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.{{cite web|last=Smith |first=Troy L. |url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/03/the_cars_confirm_performance_a.html |title=The Cars confirm performance at 2018 Rock Hall Ceremony |publisher=Cleveland.com |date=March 20, 2018 |access-date=January 21, 2022 }}

==Production==

During his time with the Cars, Ocasek developed a reputation as a producer, and took this role for many up-and-coming bands of differing genres including Bad Brains' Rock for Light and Guided by Voices' Do the Collapse. His other production credits include Weezer's Blue Album and Green Album (both multi-platinum), Suicide,{{cite web |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2011/05/qa-ric-ocasek-of-the-cars |title=Q&A: Ric Ocasek of the Cars |first=Marc |last=Spitz |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=May 5, 2011}} Romeo Void, Hole, Bebe Buell,{{cite web |url=http://www.bebebuell.org/1982/01/covers-girl/ |title=Covers Girl - Bebe Buell |website=bebebuell.org |access-date=May 4, 2018}} No Doubt, Nada Surf, American folk-punk band Black 47, Bad Religion, Johnny Bravo, D Generation, the Wannadies, Possum Dixon, Martin Rev, Jonathan Richman, and the 2006 album by the Pink Spiders titled Teenage Graffiti. He also produced a portion of the third Motion City Soundtrack album, Even If It Kills Me. In 2014, Ocasek produced Everything Will Be Alright in the End, the ninth studio album by Weezer and his third collaboration with the band, and For All My Sisters, the sixth album by the Cribs,{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/the-cribs/78894/ |title=The Cribs reveal Ric Ocasek of The Cars will produce their new album |work=NME}} which was the final album he produced.

=Solo career=

Ocasek released his first solo album in January 1983, Beatitude, which features a more minimal and sparse interpretation of the Cars' new wave rock sound. On some tracks Ocasek played all of the instruments.{{cite news |last=Van Matre |first=Lynn |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-10-24/features/8603040834_1_cars-songs-ric-ocasek |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402142409/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-10-24/features/8603040834_1_cars-songs-ric-ocasek |agency=Chicago Tribune |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |title=Cars' Front Man Taking Stardom At His Own Speed |newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel |date=October 24, 1986}} Greg Hawkes also played on the album, as did Fuzzbee Morse from Richard and the Rabbits.{{cite web |url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=cars |title=Cars |magazine=Trouser Press}} A more synthesizer-heavy follow-up, This Side of Paradise, was released in 1986; this featured Greg Hawkes, Elliot Easton and Benjamin Orr. A No. 15 hit single, "Emotion in Motion", accompanied the album. In a 1986 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Ocasek said he did not write songs deliberately with the Cars in mind, and he chose to save his "moodier" material for his solo albums: "I slant my solo albums so that they have a few songs that the Cars really couldn't do. Weirder songs. More poetic."

The Cars disbanded in 1988, and Ocasek disappeared from the public eye for a couple of years. He resurfaced in 1990 with his own album, Fireball Zone. One track, "Rockaway", enjoyed a brief stay on the charts, but his solo albums realized disappointing sales, especially compared to his success with the Cars. He subsequently released other solo works during the decade, including 1993's Quick Change World, 1996's Getchertiktz (a collaboration with Suicide's Alan Vega and Canadian poet Gillian McCain comprising only Beat poetry set to music, sound effects, etc.), and 1997's Billy Corgan-produced Troublizing (which Ocasek supported with a very brief tour, his first since leaving the Cars). In 2005, Ocasek released another album, Nexterday, to little fanfare, but it received positive reviews.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/nexterday-mw0000410653 |title=Nexterday - Ric Ocasek - Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=May 4, 2018}}

In other media

Ocasek wrote a book of poetry in 1993 titled Negative Theatre. It was at one time expected to be incorporated into an album and multimedia incarnation of the same name, but those plans were dropped abruptly. For many years Ocasek had a hobby of making drawings, photo collages, and mixed-media art works which, in 2009, were shown at a gallery in Columbus, Ohio, as an exhibition called "Teahead Scraps".{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=The Cars' Ocasek shakes up career with art debut |first=Doug |last=Whiteman |date=March 29, 2009 |url=http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=184&articleId=30292}}

Ocasek had a cameo role as a beatnik painter in the John Waters film Hairspray (1988),{{cite web |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/21282/Hairspray/cast |title=Hairspray (1988) - Cast, Credits & Awards |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103194726/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/21282/Hairspray/cast |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |date=2012 |archive-date=November 3, 2012}} and had a small part in the movie Made in Heaven (1987){{cite web |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/30701/Made-in-Heaven/cast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103194740/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/30701/Made-in-Heaven/cast |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |title=Made in Heaven (1987) Acting Credits |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |date=2012 |access-date=March 8, 2011}} in which he played a mechanic.

Ocasek stated in a 2005 interview in Rockline that he hated touring and was unlikely to do so again. He also stated he would not be reuniting with the Cars again, but gave the okay to his former bandmates to do so, with Todd Rundgren replacing him on vocals, using the name the New Cars.{{cite web |last1=Sokol |first1=Tony |title=Ric Ocasek, Lead Singer for the Cars, Dies at NYC Home |date=September 16, 2019 |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/culture/283341/ric-ocasek-the-cars-dies |publisher=Den of Geek |access-date=September 17, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=DeLuca |first1=Dan |title=Remembering Ric Ocasek and Eddie Money: Two 'perfect' rockers whose work withstood the ages |url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/music/ric-ocasek-death-the-cars-eddie-money-obituary-20190916.html |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=September 16, 2019 |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

On April 17, 2006, Ocasek appeared on The Colbert Report and volunteered to put Todd Rundgren "on notice". He appeared again on the July 26, 2006, episode to cheers from the audience as he volunteered to lead a commando mission to "rescue" Stephen Jr., the baby eagle at the San Francisco Zoo named after Stephen Colbert. He also appeared again on April 18, 2007, in order to support his wife during her appearance on the show, after remarks that she found Colbert "extremely attractive". He has been mentioned many times in other episodes as well. The Cars, with Ocasek, appeared on The Colbert Report on August 9, 2011, to promote their new album, Move Like This.{{cite web |last1=Hart |first1=Josh |title=Video: The Cars Perform on the Colbert Report |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/video-cars-perform-colbert-report |magazine=Guitar World |date=August 10, 2011 |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

In 2012, Ocasek released Lyrics and Prose, a complete collection of lyrics from his solo and Cars' albums. The book also contains prose and poetry never set to music, as well as previously unpublished photographs and artwork.{{cite web |title=Ric Ocasek on Lyrics and Prose |url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/257054-ric-ocasek-lyrics-and-prose/ |website=The Leonard Lopate Show |publisher=WNYC |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

Personal life

Ocasek and Cars co-founder Benjamin Orr were close friends who became estranged when the band broke up. The two reconciled prior to Orr's death in 2000. Their friendship was commemorated in the song "Silver", which Ocasek wrote in memory of Orr.{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Luke |title=The Cars' co-founder and frontman Ric Ocasek has died |url=https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2019/09/15/the-cars-cofounder-and-frontman-ric-ocasek-has-died |publisher=KCMP |access-date=September 17, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Fricke |first1=David |title=Ric Ocasek Rocks CBGB |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ric-ocasek-rocks-cbgb-92300/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=September 30, 2005 |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

Ocasek was married three times. His first wife Constance divorced him in Ohio in 1971. In the same year he married Suzanne Otcasek, who uses the original spelling of Ocasek's name. They were married for 17 years.{{cite book |last=Goldstein |first=Toby |year=1985 |title=Frozen Fire: The Story of the Cars |location=Chicago |publisher=Contemporary Books |page=14 |isbn=0-8092-5257-0}} During filming of the music video for the Cars' song "Drive" in 1984, Ocasek met 19-year-old Czech-born{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisachamoff/2019/01/16/supermodel-paulina-porizkova-musician-ric-ocasek-list-gramercy-townhouse-for-15-25m/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117021656/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisachamoff/2019/01/16/supermodel-paulina-porizkova-musician-ric-ocasek-list-gramercy-townhouse-for-15-25m/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2019 |title=Supermodel Paulina Porizkova, Musician Ric Ocasek List Gramercy Townhouse For $15.25M |last=Chamoff |first=Lisa |website=Forbes |access-date=September 19, 2019}} supermodel{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/entertainment/music/2019/09/16/ric-ocasek-cars-his-life-in-pictures/2338400001/ |title=Ric Ocasek of The Cars: His life in pictures |date=September 15, 2019 |work=USA Today }} Paulina Porizkova, while he was still married to Suzanne. Ocasek and Suzanne divorced in 1988. He and Porizkova were married on August 23, 1989{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/08/18/ric-ocasek-gets-married/ |title=Ric Ocasek gets married |first=Laura C. |last=Smith |date=August 18, 1995 |access-date=May 3, 2018 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-date=August 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822164620/http://ew.com/article/1995/08/18/ric-ocasek-gets-married/ |url-status=live}} on Saint-Barthélemy island. In May 2018, Porizkova announced she and Ocasek had separated a year earlier.{{cite news |url=http://people.com/music/the-cars-ric-ocasek-wife-paulina-porizkova-split-28-years-marriage/ |title=The Cars' Ric Ocasek and Wife Paulina Porizkova Announce Split After 28 Years of Marriage |first=Mariah |last=Haas |date=May 3, 2018 |access-date=May 3, 2018 |work=People}}

Ocasek had six sons, two from each of his three marriages. His eldest son, Christopher (b. 1964), is a singer who formed the rock group Glamour Camp, which released one album in 1989, and appeared as a solo artist on the soundtrack to the film Pretty Woman (1990).{{cite web |last=Carey |first=Stacey |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/5637072/ric-ocasek-children-wives/ |title=The Cars Rocker Ric Ocasek Leaves Behind Six Children From Three Previous Wives |publisher=inquisitr.com |date=September 16, 2019 |access-date=September 16, 2019}} His other children include Adam (b. 1970), Eron (b. 1973), Derek (b. 1981),{{cite magazine |first=David |last=Fricke |title=The Return of the Cars |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 9, 2011 |pages=50–53}} Jonathan Raven (b. 1993),{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/17/style/chronicle-553193.html |work=The New York Times |title=Chronicle |first=Nadine |last=Brozan |date=November 17, 1993 |page=B4 |access-date=May 3, 2018}} and Oliver (b. 1998).{{cite web |last1=Lovece |first1=Frank |title=Ric Ocasek, Paulina Porizkova split after 28 years of marriage |url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities/ric-ocasek-paulina-porizkova-1.18375023 |newspaper=Newsday |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

Death

Ocasek was found dead on September 15, 2019, by his estranged wife, Paulina Porizkova, at his New York City townhouse, which they still shared{{cite news |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |title=Ric Ocasek, New Wave Rock Visionary and the Cars Co-Founder, Dies at 75 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/15/arts/music/ric-ocasek-cars-dead.html |website=The New York Times |date=September 16, 2019 |access-date=September 16, 2019}} following their separation in 2017. He had been recovering from surgery.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Ric-Ocasek-Cars-Singer-Dead-in-NY-at-75-560430391.html |title=Ric Ocasek, Lead Singer of The Cars, Dead in New York at 75 |access-date=September 16, 2019 |publisher=NBC New York}}{{cite web |last1=Serota |first1=Maggie |title=Ric Ocasek Was Recovering From Surgery When He Suddenly Died |url=https://www.spin.com/2019/09/ric-ocasek-family-statement-paulina-porizkova/ |website=Spin |access-date=September 16, 2019 |date=September 16, 2019}} The Chief Medical Examiner office reported that Ocasek died from natural causes. He suffered from both hypertensive heart and coronary artery disease.{{cite web |url=https://pix11.com/2019/09/16/cause-of-death-determined-for-the-cars-singer-ric-ocasek |title=Cause of death determined for the Cars singer Ric Ocasek |website=PIX 11 New York |date=September 16, 2019 |access-date=September 16, 2019}}

Ocasek is buried at Nine Partners Cemetery in Millbrook, New York.{{cite web|title=Famous Graves: Ric Ocasek Lead Singer and Songwriter of The Cars|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D_s15-egnY|website=YouTube| date=February 7, 2022 }}

Porizkova and Ocasek were still in the process of their divorce at the time of his death, but he had disinherited her in a new will, alleging that before his recent surgery she had abandoned him. This required a surrogate court judge rule on the veracity of the abandonment claims before the remaining estate could be divided. He also disinherited two of his six sons (Chris and Adam).{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/trialandheirs/2019/11/13/an-estate-fight-may-be-coming-over-ric-ocaseks-estate/ |title=An Estate Fight May Be Coming Over Ric Ocasek's Estate |last=Mayoras |first=Danielle and Andy |website=Forbes |access-date=April 25, 2020}}

In 2021, the dispute between Ocasek's estate and Porizkova was settled; Porizkova said she was granted a third of his estate, commenting "They gave me what is mine under New York state law, and we're done." While Porizkova would not tell Vanity Fair the precise terms of the settlement, she denied reports that Ocasek was "only worth $5 million" at the time of his death.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/10/paulina-porizkova-settles-dispute-rick-ocasek-estate-the-cars-ex-husband-will|title=Paulina Porizkova Settles Her Dispute With Late Husband Ric Ocasek's Estate|date=October 25, 2021|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=April 6, 2022}}

=Misrepresentation of age=

Upon Ocasek's death, his age was widely misreported as 70, not 75. In a 1979 interview with Rolling Stone soon after the Cars became popular, he claimed to be 29 rather than his true age of 34, and a false birth year of 1949 was subsequently listed in artist biographies from sources including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Spotify. His New York City voter registration—which was available as public records but was based on voter-provided information that the New York City Board of Elections did not routinely verify—also listed a March 23, 1949, birth date. According to The New York Times, Ocasek never corrected his age and birth year in later interviews or press releases, but a preponderance of other government records and his self-acknowledged 1963 high school graduation date indicate that he was born in 1944.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/17/reader-center/ric-ocasek-age.html |title=Was Ric Ocasek Actually 75? |last=Coleman |first=Nancy |work=The New York Times |location=New York City |url-access=limited |date=September 17, 2019 |access-date=September 21, 2023}} Additionally, the 1950 United States census indicates that a six-year-old Richard T Otcasek was living in Baltimore, Maryland, with his parents.{{cite web |title=FamilySearch - 1950 US census |website=FamilySearch |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6F96-9NHQ}}

Discography

=Solo albums=

Beatitude (1982) – US #28{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/ric-ocasek |title=Ric Ocasek Chart History |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 18, 2019}}
This Side of Paradise (1986) – US#31 AUS #24{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=221}}
Fireball Zone (1991)
Quick Change World (1993)
Negative Theater (1993) (Europe only)
Troublizing (1997)
Nexterday (2005)

=Spoken word albums=

Getchertiktz with Alan Vega and Gillian McCain (1996)

=With the Cars=

The Cars (1978)
Candy-O (1979)
Panorama (1980)
Shake It Up (1981)
Heartbeat City (1984)
Door to Door (1987)
Move Like This (2011)

=Solo singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"\| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:0.5em;"\| Release ! colspan="7" scope="col" \| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;"\| Album
scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| US {{cite magazine \|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/hsi/ \|title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Hot 100 \|magazine=Billboard \|access-date=September 17, 2019}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| US Rock {{cite magazine \|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/rtt/ \|title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Mainstream Rock Songs \|magazine=Billboard \|access-date=September 17, 2019}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| US AC {{cite magazine \|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/asi/ \|title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Hot 100 \|magazine=Billboard \|access-date=September 17, 2019}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| US Dance {{cite magazine \|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/dsi/ \|title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Hot 100 \|magazine=Billboard \|access-date=September 17, 2019}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| AUS {{cite web\|url=https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2022/07/week-commencing-29-july-1991.html \| title=Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 29 July 1991\|access-date=July 29, 2022}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| CAN ! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"\| NZ {{cite web \|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Ric+Ocasek \|title=charts.org.nz > Ric Ocasek in New Zealand Charts \|publisher=Hung Medien \|access-date=September 17, 2019}}
scope="row"\| "Something to Grab For" \| rowspan=3\|1983 \| 47 \| 5 \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| rowspan=3\|Beatitude
scope="row"\| "Jimmy Jimmy" \| — \| 25 \| — \| 60 \| — \| — \| —
scope="row"\| "Connect Up to Me" \| — \| — \| — \| 37 \| — \| — \| —
scope="row"\| "Emotion in Motion" \| rowspan=2\|1986 \| 15 \| 1 \| 8 \| — \| 8 \| 18 \| 35 \| rowspan=2\|This Side of Paradise
scope="row"\| "True to You" \| 75 \| 9 \| — \| — \| 100 \| — \| —
scope="row"\| "Rockaway" \| 1991 \| — \| 11 \| — \| — \| 139 \| 46 \| — \| Fireball Zone
colspan="10" align="center" style="font-size:90%" \| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:0.5em;"| Release

! colspan="7" scope="col" | Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;"| Album

scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| US
{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/hsi/ |title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| US Rock
{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/rtt/ |title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Mainstream Rock Songs |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| US AC
{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/asi/ |title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| US Dance
{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ric-ocasek/chart-history/dsi/ |title=Ric Ocasek Chart History > Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
{{cite web|url=https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2022/07/week-commencing-29-july-1991.html | title=Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 29 July 1991|access-date=July 29, 2022}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| CAN

! scope="col" style="width:2.9em;font-size:90%;"| NZ
{{cite web |url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Ric+Ocasek |title=charts.org.nz > Ric Ocasek in New Zealand Charts |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

scope="row"| "Something to Grab For"

| rowspan=3|1983

| 47

| 5

| —

| rowspan=3|Beatitude

scope="row"| "Jimmy Jimmy"

| —

| 25

| —

| 60

| —

scope="row"| "Connect Up to Me"

| —

| 37

| —

scope="row"| "Emotion in Motion"

| rowspan=2|1986

| 15

| 1

| 8

| —

| 8

| 18

| 35

| rowspan=2|This Side of Paradise

scope="row"| "True to You"

| 75

| 9

| —

| 100

| —

scope="row"| "Rockaway"

| 1991

| —

| 11

| —

| 139

| 46

| —

| Fireball Zone

colspan="10" align="center" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

=Guest appearances=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:11em;"\| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:0.5em;"\| Release ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:11em;"\| Album
scope="row"\| "Steal the Night" \| 1983 \| The King of Comedy
scope="row"\| "I Still Want You" \| 1987 \| Made in Heaven
scope="row"\| "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" \| 1991 \| Simply Mad About the Mouse
scope="row"\| "Crash" \| 1994 \| Speed

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:11em;"|
Title

! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:0.5em;"| Release

! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:11em;"| Album

scope="row"| "Steal the Night"

| 1983

| The King of Comedy

scope="row"| "I Still Want You"

| 1987

| Made in Heaven

scope="row"| "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"

| 1991

| Simply Mad About the Mouse

scope="row"| "Crash"

| 1994

| Speed

=Production credits=

Suicide – Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev (1980){{cite web |title=Suicide: Alan Vega/Martin Rev – Suicide |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/suicide-alan-vega-martin-rev-mw0000603758 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Ric Ocasek – Beatitude (1982)
Romeo Void – Benefactor (1982){{cite web |title=Benefactor – Romeo Void {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/benefactor-mw0000691167/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Bad Brains – Rock for Light (1983){{cite web |title=Rock for Light – Bad Brains {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rock-for-light-mw0000192889 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Alan Vega – Saturn Strip (1983){{cite web |title=Saturn Strip – Alan Vega {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/saturn-strip-mw0000844703 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
The Cars – Heartbeat City (1984){{cite web |title=Heartbeat City – The Cars {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/heartbeat-city-mw0000649959/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Rattlesnakes (1984; Remixed three songs for U.S. release){{cite web |title=Rattlesnakes – Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Lloyd Cole {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rattlesnakes-mw0000202553 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Ric Ocasek – This Side of Paradise (1986)
The Cars – Door to Door (1987){{cite web |title=Door to Door – The Cars {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/door-to-door-mw0000192976/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Patty Smyth – "I Run Right Back" from Caddyshack II (1988)
Suicide – A Way of Life (1988){{cite web |title=A Way of Life – Suicide {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000200337 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Ric Ocasek – Fireball Zone (1991)
Suicide – Why Be Blue (1992){{cite web |title=Why Be Blue? – Suicide {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/why-be-blue-mw0000094178/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Ric Ocasek – Quick Change World (1993)
Ric Ocasek – Negative Theater (1993)
Black 47 – Fire of Freedom (1993){{cite web |title=Fire of Freedom – Black 47 {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/fire-of-freedom-mw0000095122/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Alan Vega – New Raceion (1993){{cite web |title=New Raceion – Alan Vega {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-raceion-mw0000626055/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Weezer – Weezer (Blue Album) (1994){{cite web |title=Weezer [Blue Album] – Weezer {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/weezer-blue-album-mw0000329481/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Bad Brains – God of Love (1995){{cite web |title=God of Love – Bad Brains {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/god-of-love-mw0000171934 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Bad Religion – The Gray Race (1996){{cite web |title=The Gray Race – Bad Religion {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-gray-race-mw0000180807/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Nada Surf – High/Low (1996){{cite web |title=High/Low – Nada Surf {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/high-low-mw0000186222 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Ric Ocasek – Troublizing (1997)
D Generation – No Lunch (1998){{cite web |title=No Lunch – D Generation {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/no-lunch-mw0000185303 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Jonathan Richman – I'm So Confused (1998){{cite web |title=I'm So Confused – Jonathan Richman {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-so-confused-mw0000044832 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Possum Dixon – New Sheets (1998){{cite web |title=New Sheets – Possum Dixon {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-sheets-mw0000040127 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Guided by Voices – Do the Collapse (1999){{cite web |title=Do the Collapse – Guided by Voices {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/do-the-collapse-mw0000240976 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
The Wannadies – Yeah (1999){{cite web |title=Yeah – The Wannadies {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/yeah-mw0000707513 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Weezer – Weezer (Green Album) (2001){{cite web |title=Weezer [Green Album] – Weezer {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/weezer-green-album-mw0000719526 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
No Doubt – Rock Steady (2001; tracks "Don't Let Me Down" and "Platinum Blonde Life"){{cite magazine |title=No Doubt Feels 'Rock Steady' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77669/no-doubt-feels-rock-steady |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Le Tigre – This Island (2004){{cite web |title=This Island – Le Tigre {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-island-mw0000170807/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Ric Ocasek – Nexterday (2005)
Brazilian Girls – Talk to La Bomb (2006; track "Last Call"){{cite web |title=Talk to La Bomb – Brazilian Girls {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/talk-to-la-bomb-mw0000355249/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
The Pink Spiders – Teenage Graffiti (2006){{cite web |title=Teenage Graffiti – The Pink Spiders {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/teenage-graffiti-mw0000569819 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Motion City Soundtrack – Even If It Kills Me (2007; Five tracks){{cite web |title=Even If It Kills Me – Motion City Soundtrack {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/even-if-it-kills-me-mw0000578684 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Shwayze – Let It Beat (2009; track "Crazy for You"){{cite web |title=Let It Beat – Shwayze {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/let-it-beat-mw0001337244 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in the End (2014){{cite web |title=Everything Will Be Alright in the End – Weezer {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/everything-will-be-alright-in-the-end-mw0002710295 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}
The Cribs – For All My Sisters (2015){{cite web |title=For All My Sisters – The Cribs {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/for-all-my-sisters-mw0002817626 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 16, 2019}}

Notes

References

External links

{{Official website|http://www.ricocasek.com}}
[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203043299/ric-ocasek Ric Ocasek]—Find a Grave
[http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/ocasek_ric/artist.jhtml Ric Ocasek VH1 artist page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023031433/http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/ocasek_ric/artist.jhtml |date=October 23, 2012 }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070125100636/http://music.aol.com/artist/ric-ocasek/5058/main Ric Ocasek AOL artist page]
[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=ric ocasek|bio=true}} Ric Ocasek Billboard artist page]
[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5058|pure_url=yes}} Ric Ocasek Allmusic artist page]
{{IMDb name|643619}}