The Cars were one of the most successful and influential bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and in many ways were the first group to bring a new wave sound to American airwaves. While Ocasek and Cars bassist/vocalist and longtime musical partner Benjamin Orr had struggled for many years without success, in 1978 the Boston-based band hit it big — and fast. Spearheaded by the Top 40 success of “Just What I Needed,” the band’s self-titled debut (produced by late Queen collaborator Roy Thomas Baker) went on to be certified six-times platinum in the U.S. alone, and five more platinum albums followed — peaking with 1984’s blockbuster “Heartbeat City” — before the group went on hiatus after the release of their 1987 album “Door to Door.” Orr died of cancer in 2000, but the group reunited for another album in 2011 titled “Move Like This.” The Cars have continued in various incarnations without Ocasek ever since; he died in 2019 at the age of 75.
“Together with last year’s partnership for Ric Ocasek's publishing, Primary Wave is uniquely positioned to preserve and honor the legacy of The Cars” said Samantha Rhulen, SVP of Business and Legal Affairs at Primary Wave. She continues, “Their music has left a lasting imprint on culture and continues to inspire fans and musicians around the world. It’s a privilege to be entrusted with this partnership.”
Is Al Jardine still just at least a little bit boyish, at 82? Yes, he is, with both the small and big B. Although this 60-year-plus veteran of The Beach Boys has not toured or recorded under that umbrella for a while, he has continued to wave the group’s flag as an integral member of Brian Wilson's touring ensemble. And now that Wilson is effectively retired, Jardine is picking up the mantle by going out on the road fronting the same band that made the Boys’ music sound fuller and lusher than ever, now dubbed the Pet Sounds Band.
But with rehearsals still in progress for the first set of shows, Jardine has surprise-released a new digital EP, “Islands in the Sun,” out today via Universal. It’s his first all-new solo release since 2010’s “Postcard From California,” which, remarkably, was his first studio album out on his own ever. Jardine has never been one to barge into the limelight when he could be assuming a more supportive role with Wilson or the Boys, and just occasionally stepping in front with lead vocals on songs from “Help Me Rhonda” to “Honking Down the Highway.” But the most faithful fans of the group are bound to get considerable pleasure out of hearing Jardine assert himself as the lead guy for the length even of a short record.
Even here, he seems content to share the lead position, bringing in a few famous guests. Neil Young pops up for a duet, as he did on Jardine’s previous project, with Flea making a trumpet cameo on that same track. Other guests include fellow Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and son Matt Jardine, who handles some lead vocals in the touring unit. In this interview on the eve of the release of “Islands,” Jardine talked about working with those figures, picking up loose song threads from decades ago, taking over leadership of Wilson’s tour band, and the tantalizing promise of a forthcoming boxed set rounding up some of the Beach Boys’ 1970s work (which he plans to highlight on tour).
