takin' a walk – Musician and Author Bill Janovitz: "The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told"

Podcast: takin' a walk
Host: Buzz Knight (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Bill Janovitz (musician, author, and Buffalo Tom frontman)
Episode Date: October 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, host Buzz Knight reconnects with Bill Janovitz, whose musical memoir The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told dives into the history and impact of the legendary band, The Cars. Through stories, personal anecdotes, and reflections, the conversation explores the band's formation, their sonic influences, legacy, and the intricacies of keeping a band together. Janovitz shares his insights not only as a biographer but also as a lifelong fan and fellow musician.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Take a Walk" Question: Who Would You Walk With?

• [04:31] Buzz asks Bill who he'd take a walk with, living or dead.
• Bill immediately picks Keith Richards, noting the depth of conversation he'd love to have about music.
  • Quote: “First person that comes to mind for me is Keith Richards. I'm sure there are better choices, but first of all, let's get the guy some exercise.” (Bill Janovitz, 04:55)
• Bill recounts meeting Keith Richards at a Boston literary award ceremony, conversing about Chuck Berry's lyricism.
  • Quote: “He said, ‘I feel the same way about Chuck Berry, mate, you know, he's my hero. So I had to be here for him’... And I'm sitting here having a conversation about rock and roll lyrics with Keith Richards.” (Bill Janovitz, 07:01)

2. Discovering the Cars – Childhood Memories

• [09:27] Bill’s first exposure to The Cars was as a 12-year-old in a friend's shag-carpeted, wood-paneled bedroom.
  • He recalls hearing "Let the Good Times Roll" for the first time and being struck by the band's fresh yet familiar sound.
  • Quote: “It sounds familiar, but it also sounds extremely new and novel. So that was the first time I had heard them and I just started the journey.” (Bill Janovitz, 09:54)

3. Personal Encounters with Band Members

• Describes eventually meeting Cars’ guitarist Elliot Easton during rehearsal for a benefit show in LA, which led to deeper conversations and the genesis of the Cars book.
  • Quote: “Elliot Easton, a warm and open and very conversational person. Kind of like my encounter with Keith Richards, except this time I was going to be playing music with this person. And again, my mind is blown.” (Bill Janovitz, 12:06)
• Bill explains how the book only materialized after Ric Ocasek’s passing, opening the door to access and trust from surviving members.

4. Live Performances: Regrets and Experiences

• [13:30] Bill admits he never saw The Cars live, due to age and timing, and shares second-hand stories from friends and bandmates.
• Buzz shares his experience seeing The Cars at the Yale Bowl, reflecting on how certain venues don't do justice to a band’s musical intricacies.

5. Origins & Dynamic of Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr

• [15:15] The duo met in Ohio, both already on their own artistic trajectories—Rick as a writer coping with various influences (Beat, Buddy Holly, Dylan, Velvet Underground), Ben as a charismatic multi-instrumentalist with TV exposure.
  • Their personalities and talents complemented each other: Rick, the angular and “awkward” writer; Ben, the smooth and natural frontman.
  • They moved through numerous band iterations before forming The Cars in Boston/Cambridge.
  • Quote: “They were sort of yin and yang... Ben wasn't really writing anything. Rick was.” (Bill Janovitz, 16:53)

6. Boston/Cambridge Scene’s Role in the Cars’ Success

• [22:41] The local scene, college radio (like WBCN, Oedipus), and supportive venues fueled their success, but Bill argues that similar outcomes may have been possible in other rich music hubs like Ohio.
  • The college town environment and radio DJ support, especially for original music, was pivotal.
  • Quote: “They really got traction in Boston... It’s hard to say. I don’t know if all those things could have happened in Ohio.” (Bill Janovitz, 26:18)

7. Roy Thomas Baker’s Production Influence

• [27:18] Baker, coming from a background with Queen, sought to trim rock excess and focus on impactful clarity.
  • Rather than changing arrangements, he emphasized sonic punch that made their songs leap off the radio.
  • Quote: “He really knew how to get the best out of this peak analog equipment... just sort of peek it to where it was just a little distorted, really saturate the tape and get this, what he called perceived loudness.” (Bill Janovitz, 28:53)

8. Success and Band Dynamics

• [30:04] The massive success of the debut album validated the band’s hard-won efforts, turning them from journeymen to arena headliners.
  • The group dynamic was affected by age gaps and personal backgrounds, but the transition to fame was swift and exhilarating.
  • Quote: “Ben and Rick... were starving... now they finally hit it and it just... validated everything for them.” (Bill Janovitz, 30:18)

9. Visual Identity & MTV’s Influence

• [32:14] Drummer David Robinson shaped the band’s iconic visual style and early music videos, setting trends for future new wave acts.
  • The Cars quickly embraced video, despite Ric Ocasek’s initial reluctance, which helped cement their legacy in the MTV era.
  • Quote: “They won the first Video Music Award for ‘You Might Think’... this video cost, I think, over $400,000 at that time, which is incredible.” (Bill Janovitz, 35:45)

10. Surprises & Misconceptions From the Book

• [36:20] Bill was struck by the contrast between Ben Orr’s cheerful public persona and the darkness he faced post-Cars.
  • He clarifies that most of the band's catalog was penned by Ric Ocasek, not by Ben Orr, correcting a common misconception.
  • Quote: “A lot of people assume that Ben wrote the songs that he sang... but for the most part all of those songs were Rick Ocasek.” (Bill Janovitz, 38:00)

11. Fragility of Bands & Janovitz’s Perspective

• [38:50] Reflecting on the Cars and his own band, Bill discusses the inherent fragility of band dynamics, especially as members age and lives become more complex.
  • Quote: "Bands are such a knucklehead proposition... to be grown adults doing it as a sustained proposition, as you say, it's so fraught." (Bill Janovitz, 39:00)
• Notes that both the Cars and his long-time band Buffalo Tom are rare in sustaining consistent lineups for as long as they have.

12. Current State of Buffalo Tom

• [40:57] The band is now “a part-time, fun-for-fun outfit.” They selectively play festivals and international gigs when the stars align.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bill on the Cars' sound:
  “It sounds familiar, but it also sounds extremely new and novel.” [09:54]

• On meeting Keith Richards:
  “He said, ‘I feel the same way about Chuck Berry, mate...’ And I'm sitting here having a conversation about rock and roll lyrics with Keith Richards.” [07:01]

• On band dynamics:
  “Bands are such a knucklehead proposition... But what an amazing collaborative effort for those years from 1978 to 1986.” [39:00, 40:00]

• On MTV’s role:
  “At the end of the day, the Cars really benefited from it. Who knows how long their career would have lasted without it.” [35:08]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:31 – The ‘walk with anyone’ question and Janovitz’s Keith Richards story
• 09:27 – Childhood discovery of The Cars
• 13:30 – Seeing (or missing) The Cars live
• 15:15 – Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr: origins and dynamics
• 22:41 – The Boston/Cambridge scene’s impact on the band’s rise
• 27:18 – Roy Thomas Baker’s influence as a producer
• 30:04 – Navigating early stardom and band unity
• 32:14 – The Cars' visual branding and MTV era
• 36:20 – Surprises and myths addressed in the book
• 38:50 – The fragility of band relationships, with Buffalo Tom as a case study
• 40:57 – Buffalo Tom today

Summary & Takeaways

• This episode offers an in-depth look at The Cars’ journey—from their Ohio roots to their Boston heyday, trailblazing sound, and iconic visuals.
• Bill Janovitz provides a deeply personal and musical perspective, dissecting the band’s internal dynamics, creative processes, and industry impact.
• The conversation underscores the delicate balance and lasting luck required for bands to thrive, linking The Cars' experience to broader truths in music history.
• Listeners are left with deeper appreciation for The Cars’ place in rock and new wave and for the care—and candor—of Janovitz’s new biography.