Time to return to our in-depth analysis of The Cars’ discography, and here we are at their fifth album, Heartbeat City!
First stop, though: a bit of a follow-up to the activities of the Orrbots (the topic of Episode 37), some possible explanations for photos of Benjamin wearing an eye patch, and Dave finally wins the ‘suck’ or ‘slug’ controversy about the true lyrics to “Cruiser” with an audio clip debunking Donna’s assertion once and for all (…or does he?).
Obi Roy Kenobi. Graphic by @night_spots
Now, on with the topic at hand. New information about Roy Thomas Baker’s activities in the early 80s leads into some speculation (real… or not real?) about the possible reasons he wasn’t available to continue working with The Cars when they were ready to jump into the studio for HBC. And jump in, they did!
Donna lays out some of the technical details of this record, which might be the best performing album The Cars ever released, and the two discuss how the band’s sound evolved in the hands of producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange. Everything with Heartbeat City was BIGGER… but does bigger always mean better? Dave and Donna examine that question based on background vocals, the method of recording the drums, illuminating the synthesizers versus guitar, contemplating Benjamin’s contribution, and the effect the videos had on the band’s internal and external success.
Sprinkled throughout are other ponderings: How did the recording process for this album affect the band’s relationships? Is “I Refuse” forgettable? Will Elliot Easton ever be on our podcast? In the video for “Drive,” are those wax figures or the real guys? And while we’re at it, who was actually on the stage during the SNL performance of “Drive”? And possibly the most pressing question… Is Kenny Loggins the slut of movie scores???
Dave does remarkably well engaging in the conversation considering he is dealing with a migraine and the meds that accompany it, which may account for why he is unimpressed with Donna’s use of the phrase, “It’s all I can poo.” The show closes with the Midnight Scroll and an explanation of Fair Use copyright law as told by our old pal Rico.
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As we know, Benjamin Orr was always rather reticent when it came to giving interviews, so I always feel like I’ve found a treasure when I come across an article or footage where he shares his thoughts. I love to highlight them in my regular blog feature, “Quoting Benjamin,” but as time has gone on it has been harder and harder to fill that spot.
Earlier this summer my research nerd-twin, Judi, posted a link to an article that quoted Benjamin from an old issue of The Beat magazine that I hadn’t seen before. I noticed that the author of the link and the author of the 1987 interview were one and the same, and I decided to be bold and try to make a connection to see if I could get my eyes on the entire interview. What I ended up with is so much better!
AJ Wachtel is a long-time entertainment journalist who has rubbed elbows with the best and worst of Boston’s famed music scene, and chronicled it all for posterity. When he heard I was trying to get in touch he responded immediately; I was a bit blown away by his eagerness to help. He offered to scan and send the original article, and ended up finding a vintage issue of The Beat magazine for me in his files. On top of that, he sent me photos of Benjamin that I hadn’t seen before! And when I asked, he was more than willing to tell me of his friendship with Ben, and give me permission to share his stories here.
AJ grew up in New Jersey but headed to Boston University in 1974. He was studying for his MBA when his father passed away and he had to drop out of grad school. He lived in Allston and started hanging out at Bunratty’s, an Irish bar that was teeming with the hottest Boston bands of the day, and it was there that he became friends with legendary entrepreneur Mickey O’ Halloran. The Mick (as he was affectionately known) was a scrappy kid with street smarts who grew up to be one of Beantown’s busiest businessmen.
In addition to managing Bunratty’s (one among many clubs over the years), Mickey and his business partner David Gee (Giammatteo) started up a weekly fanzine called The Beat Magazine – “Best Entertainment Around Town” – in 1984. Seeing AJ’s intelligence and passion for music, Mickey recruited AJ to help document the loud and lively club culture in the greater Boston area. It wasn’t long until he was going to three or four nightclubs a night to see bands play and translating those shows into cover stories, live reviews and tasty tidbits for the magazine’s gossip column, Insignifica.
Mickey O and Dave Gee were good friends with Steve Berkowitz, who had been road manager for The Cars for a decade. By the late 1980s, Berkowitz was involved in supporting another local band, Push Push, featuring the very talented Dennis Brennan playing guitar and fronting the group. Berkowitz had convinced Mickey and Dave to do a cover story on his new band for The Beat. It was first assigned to another writer who did a terrible job; bad enough that Steve complained to the publishers. Who would bail them out? The task fell on AJ.
He was pretty unfamiliar with the band and with Berkowitz, but he agreed to meet with them at a small club in The Fens for an interview.
“The first thing on my agenda to do was to impress them right away to be reassured that I would write a killer story. I was certain that this would greatly please everyone. We sit down at a table and Steve buys us beers. I ordered two drafts and when the beers came I guzzled the big 16 ouncers in a row in five seconds and then burped and told them ‘I was ready for the interview.’ I was sure that guzzling 32 ounces in five seconds would scare the shit out of them and I was surely glad when I saw the looks of horror on all of their faces. Of course, I wrote a fine story that they used for promotion.”
In a ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ world, AJ knew he had earned a gimme. He had an idea to ask Berkowitz to repay the favor by connecting him with The Cars for an interview and Berkowitz came through. “I was introduced to Ben Orr over the phone and I made him laugh with a few of my more offhand and off-color comments. We hit it off and kept in touch and hung out from then until just before he died.”
That phone interview with Ben in early October of 1987 resulted in an article published in issue 90 of The Beat later that month, and to backstage passes to a show at the Boston Garden in November during The Cars’ Door to Door tour. “Ben wanted me to be there and he put me on the guest list. Let me tell you, backstage at The Garden is many rooms and is pretty huge. The show was great and I didn’t really bother anyone after it ended. But I DID grab a few band beers!
AJ and Ben in the late 80s. Photo courtesy of AJ Wachtel.
“We got along from the beginning. I think he liked our shared passion for music and New Wave music. I think he liked my writing style. I know he appreciated my sense of humor. I think he was amused that I was very opinionated and was a typical loud Type A New Yorker, too. He invited me a few times to his nice home in Weston but I just never made it.”
When a journalist and a celebrity develop a bond, a special kind of trust must be established to move from ‘acquaintance’ to genuine friendship. Ben and AJ had a lot in common, but it was AJ’s discretion and sincerity that allowed Ben to relax and enjoy their time together.
“I was a friend AND a fan of Ben’s and always made sure I didn’t overstep my relationship by getting involved in his business world unless he brought it up. Even in his private life, I wouldn’t pepper him with questions about things he didn’t really want to talk about. I think that’s one reason Ben and I got along. He knew that if something was mentioned privately between us it wasn’t gonna end up at the top of my gossip column, Insignifica.”
AJ and Benjamin saw each other often through the 90s. In the same way that AJ’s respect for Ben’s privacy created an easy vibe, Ben’s humble personality made it natural for AJ to forget he was hanging out with a star.
“For a very complex individual, Ben to me was pretty laid back and easy going. He was a very serious person who often smiled and laughed a lot when he was in my presence. I sensed he didn’t feel the need to be the center of attention everywhere he went. He didn’t let his stardom go to his head. He didn’t have five big bodyguards protecting him and keeping fans away whenever he showed up around town. Ben was very approachable and accessible in a way that Ric Ocasek isn’t.
“I remember when his solo album The Lace came out about a year before I originally interviewed him, and we talked privately about his new music. When I told him my favorite song on the release was the rocker ‘Too Hot To Stop’ and then went into a five minute lecture on why I thought it was a great song, I could really tell he was genuinely very happy that I dug it so much. It’s a small thing, but I remember the big smile on his face as I talked.”
AJ remembers Ben as being very personable, and that “he had a small stable of good friends he’d go and socialize with on his time off from his busy schedule recording and touring.” The guys always had a lot of fun when they were together, whether it was knocking back beers at a club or visiting backstage.
Benjamin and John Kalishes, South Station, 1995. Photo courtesy of AJ Wachtel.
“I saw Ben and John [Kalishes] play a gig with Muzz (John Muzzy from Farrenheit- Charlie Farren’s band) behind the kit. Bassist Ben played acoustic guitar and Kalishes played electric guitar. It was at the South Station T stop and I came to the show with my son who was a toddler; so it must have been around 1995. As soon as they finished their set, the guys couldn’t wait to show me ‘backstage’ at South Station and took me downstairs below the station to show me the many rooms and old tunnels with train tracks still on the floor. All three of them acted as tour guides to me and my son and I laughed when I thought how funny it was that Ben, John and Muzzy were showing me around and had so much enthusiasm after playing an hour set. The dressing room dungeon in this generally unknown and rarely seen basement is a place I have never been to again.
“I always felt like I was an equal part of the moment with them and that they enjoyed me being there. Again I was both a friend and a fan of these great musicians. A friend first. A fan second. And that’s the way it worked in our circle.
Tina, Gerard, Ben, and AJ at the Four Seasons circa 1994. Photo courtesy of AJ Wachtel.
“I don’t remember why, but once Ben and his friend Gerard met me and my son’s mother, Tina, at the really ritzy Four Seasons. All four of us were dressed up. I had my top hat and was wearing tails, Tina had a mink stole, and Ben and Gerard were in casual nouveau riche; dark suits with no ties and sneakers. We sat around and had drinks and hors d’oeuvres for a few hours before we parted ways.
Ben with AJ and AJ’s young son, Harrison, circa 1996. Photo courtesy of AJ Wachtel.
“Probably the last time I hung with Ben was when I ran into him backstage at The Hatch Shell for a show we had come to see separately with our kids in tow. The kids had met before and his young son and my young son, Harrison, were about the same age Both had very, very blonde hair. I remember watching them playing together, then glancing at Ben’s dyed blonde hair and my very brown locks, and joking that ‘it took the Wachtel family generations to breed the Jewish looks out….’ as Ben grinned and shook his head at me.”
Though their busy schedules didn’t allow Ben and AJ to hang out constantly, AJ treasures the time and the closeness the two shared, and feels Ben’s loss keenly.
“Ben Orr died just way too young. Like a Shakespearean tragedy, his early death and it’s resulting denial of potentiality is both saddening and inconsolable. But we still have his voice and the songs.”
And AJ has his memories, too. I’m honored that he shared them with us!
“What attracted us to Boston? It was an entirely different city, and Ric and I, neither one of us had ever been here before. When I showed up I came in at about three in the morning and drove right over a Rt. 2 hill in Cambridge, (laughs) and it just looked so stunning and I said to myself ‘this is the place I have to live.’ But I liked the city so much. And the next night after I got here we played out. So that about clinched it. And the people in town were mostly young people and it was a great place for a musician to be.” — interview by A. J. Wachtel of The Beat, October 1987
Regarding how Benjamin would feel about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction: “He grew up in Parma Heights, Ohio… There was a weekly TV show he was on called Upbeat and The Grasshoppers were the big stars of it. He was a good-looking 16-year-old singing wonderful songs with that great voice. He’s been inundated with music since he was a kid. He was pretty proud to have come from Cleveland.” — Ric Ocasek, Rolling Stone magazine, December 13, 2017
Ric speaking during The Cars’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, April 14, 2018. Photo credit unknown.
So many people would never understand my journey with Benjamin — and I don’t expect them to, really. There are just some days when it’s really hard to keep it to myself.
“Staggering through the daytime, your image on mind
Passing so close beside you babe, sometimes the feelings are so hard to hide but
In my midnight confession, when I’m telling the world that I love you…”
Dave and Donna ‘get in the game’ with a twist on an old musical favorite. Using Lyrics and Prose by Ric Ocasek, the two take turns quizzing each other on their knowledge of Cars lyrics… and both find that it’s harder than ‘you might think!’ [Yep, I said that.]
For some added mental strain (and a healthy dose of badassery), Donna puts Dave through his paces with the first ever “Ric Riff Challenge.” Using some VERY cool audio clips of The Cars’ rhythm guitar parts performed by the talented Ben Fields, Dave attempts to identify just exactly what it is Ric does in a Cars song. As it turns out? He plays some pretty cool stuff!
And about those riffs, let’s all extend a hearty “thank you!!” to the members of Drive: The Colorado Cars Tribute Band! It was their drummer, Alan, who first suggested the game to Donna and stumped her with guitarist Ben’s rocking recordings. He then graciously granted permission for her to share them with Dave, and generously provided all of the audio files and the answer sheet for her to share. On top of all of that? They rock! Be sure to like their Facebook page and let them know you enjoyed their participation in the podcast!
The ultimate challenge in the show comes when Dave presents Donna with a four-song Cars mash-up and asks her to pick out the individual titles. It sounds sooo wild! Can you name them all?
The Midnight Scroll puts us in touch with Superfan B.B., Pirate Steeb, and the sweet Miss Liz from ‘across the water.’ Rico writes in with his questions about the forthcoming biography, Let’s Go! Benjamin Orr and The Cars, which leads into a discussion of an audio book format and speculations about Benjamin’s possible sugar addiction. The episode plays out with Drive: The Colorado Cars Tribute Band’s version of “Cruiser.” Love it!
Don’t forget… Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @TheCarsPodcast (individually we’re @night_spots and @sweetpurplejune ), and subscribe to our audio outlets! You can listen by clicking the Youtube link below, or visit us on iTunes or Soundcloud. Wherever you connect, be sure to subscribe, share and comment. Let us know your thoughts — we’d love to hear from you!
And now… are YOU ready to play? Click below and enjoy!
What am I to do about this? Who am I to you?
There’s a splice somewhere in all this
You can find a way, you know it… Not so hard to do
All you got to do is show it
It’s only got to do with you
Spinning our wheels, spinning our wheels
Spinning our wheels for years
Well, you can’t get there, you can’t get there
You can’t get there from here
Doesn’t seem so well connected, threads are almost bare
Something’s new; just not expected
Tell me is it really there?
Spinning our wheels, spinning our wheels
Spinning our wheels for years
You can’t get there, you can’t get there
You can’t get there from here
Why should this be so hard? So close… Why are you afraid?
Just tell me where we are, I would try another way
How can I get to you? Where do I begin?
I try, but can’t get through… You won’t let me in
Spinning our wheels
How does it feel? Caught in the wheels for years
Doesn’t seem so well connected, threads are almost bare
Something’s new; just not expected
What am I to do about this? Who am I to you?
There’s a splice somewhere in all this
It’s only got to do with you
Spinning our wheels, spinning our wheels
Spinning our wheels for years (spinning)
You can’t get there, you can’t get there
You can’t get there from here (yeah)
Spinning our wheels, how does it feel?
Caught in the wheels for years (spinning… wheels)
You can’t get there, you can’t get there
You can’t get there from here (yeah)
Yeah, spinning our wheels, spinning our wheels
Spinning our wheels for years (spinning… wheels)
You can’t get there, you can’t get there
You can’t get there from here
Sprinkled throughout are other ponderings: How did the recording process for this album affect the band’s relationships? Is “I Refuse” forgettable? Will Elliot Easton ever be on our podcast? In the video for “Drive,” are those wax figures or the real guys? And while we’re at it, who was actually on the stage during the SNL performance of “Drive”? And possibly the most pressing question… Is Kenny Loggins the slut of movie scores???
AJ Wachtel is a long-time entertainment journalist who has rubbed elbows with the best and worst of Boston’s famed music scene, and chronicled it all for posterity. When he heard I was trying to get in touch he responded immediately; I was a bit blown away by his eagerness to help. He offered to scan and send the original article, and ended up finding a vintage issue of The Beat magazine for me in his files. On top of that, he sent me photos of Benjamin that I hadn’t seen before! And when I asked, he was more than willing to tell me of his friendship with Ben, and give me permission to share his stories here.
Dave and Donna ‘get in the game’ with a twist on an old musical favorite. Using Lyrics and Prose by Ric Ocasek, the two take turns quizzing each other on their knowledge of Cars lyrics… and both find that it’s harder than ‘you might think!’ [Yep, I said that.]
o Cars Tribute Band! It was their drummer, Alan, who first suggested the game to Donna and stumped her with guitarist Ben’s rocking recordings. He then graciously granted permission for her to share them with Dave, and generously provided all of the audio files and the answer sheet for her to share. On top of all of that? They rock! Be sure to like 
The Midnight Scroll puts us in touch with Superfan B.B., Pirate Steeb, and the sweet Miss Liz from ‘across the water.’ Rico writes in with his questions about the forthcoming biography, Let’s Go! Benjamin Orr and The Cars, which leads into a discussion of an audio book format and speculations about Benjamin’s possible sugar addiction. The episode plays out with Drive: The Colorado Cars Tribute Band’s version of “Cruiser.” Love it!
sweetpurplejune 