Ric Ocasek‘s music and production had a wide reach, touching most of us and influencing a wide variety of pop music over the last 40 years. Thesad news of his passinghas seen fellow musicians and more pay tribute to him on social media. Read tributes fromWeezer(who had Ric Ocasek produce their classic debutBlue Album, and a couple of their later albums),Billy Idol, Eddie Van Halen, The Hold Steady, AC Newman, Tom Morello, Bette Midler, actorsElijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Donal Logue, directorJudd Apatow), and more, below.
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The weezer family is devastated by the loss of our friend and mentor Ric Ocasek, who passed away Sunday. We will miss him forever, & will forever cherish the precious times we got to work and hang out with him. Rest in Peace & rock on Ric, we love you.# RIPRicOcasek# karlscornerpic.twitter.com/JcTXevr6V8
– weezer (@Weezer)September 16, 2019
Sorry 2 hear about# ricocasekRIP loved his work with the band# Suicide
– Billy Idol (@BillyIdol)September 16, 2019
I will never stop imitating the first Cars album. His influence will always stay with me. RIP and Thank You to Ric Ocasek.
– Carl Newman (@ACNewman)September 16, 2019
# RickOcasek, leader of# TheCars, has died. Unbelievable. Their sound was the sound of a whole decade; biting, mischievous, lighthearted, sardonic and fun… wish we were all that young again… RIP until vinyl returns… xoxo…
– Bette Midler (@BetteMidler)September 16, 2019
Our walkout: “Since You’re Gone”.
RIP Ric Ocasekpic.twitter.com/si1DI7HtOT
– The Hold Steady (@theholdsteady)September 16,
RIP Ric Ocasek say hi to Eddie and Benjamin.# ricocasekpic.twitter.com/PTtLorMBnL
– EVanHalen (@EVanHalen)September 16,
I remember listening to the first Cars record when I was ten with my mom and it was so much fun . Forty one years later it sounds like it was recorded yesterday. It created a new path and inspired so many great bands. He was a legend who brought us all a ton of joy.https://t.co/rbxzVPqKM2
– Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow)September 16, 2019
RIP# RicOcasekCars were the first band I saw that qualified as new wave – their synths and leathers were too pricey for pure punk. Long gone, of course, and now Ric too, a sweet guy. Suicide was one of several outside bands he produced:https: // t.co/9Xlu2kQFRR
– Kurt Loder (@kurt_loder) (September) , 2019
the label i founded, years ago, had the honor of putting out a song by the great@ rjd2with the legend Ric Ocasekhttps://t.co / xOWIC7y8pW
– el-p (@therealelp) (September) , 2019
pic.twitter .com / Mo (oXTE4) *********
– TWIN PEAKS ARCHIVE (@TwinPeaksArchve) (September) , 2019
Rest In Peace Ric Ocasek – This song has always been one of my favorites. The Cars – Drivehttps: //t.co/F3yKBpSa0l
– Tom Green (@tomgreenlive) (September) ,
https://twitter.com/donallogue/status/1173397042137190402
Lost & loserly, I visited Jane Curtain in NYC in 1989 & she made me lunch. I was wrenched out of my myopic bullshit by the sight of Ric Ocasek over the back fence. Ric & P were her neighbors. RIP Ric – & RIP Benjamin. Moving in Stereo & All Mixed Uphttps://t.co/ax5xRmkAGD
– donal logue (@donallogue)September 16, 2019
Oh man, Ric Ocasek.
– Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) (September) , 2019
The first Cars album is literally perfect; there might not be a better debut ever. The rest of the catalog is untouchable.
Ric Ocasek was the architect. Nobody could combine pop hits with straight up weirdness like he could.
What a body of work, what a cool guy. Rest in power.
– scharpling (@scharpling) (September) , 2019
I’m stunned and saddened by the loss of Ric Ocasek – he was a visionary who affected the lives and hearts of everyone who listened to music in the 80 s. God Speed, Ric! Keep Moving in Stereo!
– RainnWilson (@rainnwilson)September 16, 2019
The Bad Brains blew my mind but when I turned their album Rock For Light over to the back & found out Ric Ocasek of The Cars produced it, my world was set on fire. After that I didn’t give a fuck about “guilty pleasures” or what other people thought was cool.
RIP Ric Ocasekpic.twitter.com/2WLZQ4xvD4– Danko Jones (@dankojones) (September) , 2019
Ric Ocasek… I’m so sad. The Cars are a big part of my musical love affair. He was amazing and will be missed. The music of The Cars will inspire people and move people forever. My prayers go to his family friends and all the fans.
– Carnie Wilson (@CarnieWilson) (September) , 2019
In the late 70 ‘s, in between my obsessions for Kiss, the Ramones, The Clash & The Sex Pistols, I also was a big fan of The Pretenders, the B – 52 ‘s, the Police, Devo & The Cars… the 1st two albums are classics from start to finish. Sad to hear of Ric Ocasek’s passing# RIPRicOcasek(pic.twitter.com/mlIBnVVL)
– Mike Portnoy (@MikePortnoy) (September) , 2019
Aw, man. RIP# ricocasekand thank you for the songs on “Heartbeat City” alone. You were a true original.
– Richard Marx (@richardmarx) (September) , 2019
RIP# RickOcasek
– Bobby Lee (@bobbyleelive) (September) , 2019
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