Here & Now Anytime The Cars' decade of hits
Oct 17, 2025
Bill Janovitz, a musician and author, delves into the fascinating history of The Cars, a Boston band that dominated the late '70s and '80s. He reveals how a demo tape launched their career and highlights the pivotal role of DJ Max Ann Sartori. Janovitz discusses Rick Ocasek's control over the band and explores Ben Orr's contributions and challenges. The conversation covers their influence on MTV, the dynamics of songwriting credit, and factors leading to their breakup. Janovitz also shares insights from his new book on the band's legacy.
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Local DJ Launched Their Breakthrough
- Max Ann Sartori, a Boston DJ, played The Cars' demo in heavy rotation and jumpstarted their career.
- Her support led directly to the band getting signed and releasing their debut album.
Songwriting Distilled Into Pop Precision
- The Cars experimented across genres before Rick Ocasek distilled his songwriting into concise pop songs.
- That distillation plus the right lineup produced a distinct, enduring sound.
Early Videos Prepped Them For MTV
- The Cars had music videos made with Devo's Jerry Casale before MTV launched.
- Those early videos positioned them as quintessential MTV-era artists when the channel arrived.