The Cars: No Steering Wheel, All Sound | Bill Janovitz

They’re called The Cars, but there’s no engine, no steering wheel, and no gas involved — just songs that still take people places.
In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and Grubes welcome author and musician Bill Janovitz to talk about his book Let the Stories Be Told, a deeply researched, clear-eyed look at one of the most influential — and quietly complicated — bands of the late ’70s and ’80s.
Janovitz walks through The Cars’ rise from the Boston club scene to global dominance, how their futuristic sound blended new wave and pop rock without ever sounding gimmicky, and why the band’s internal dynamics slowly pulled them apart. From Rick Ocasek’s creative control and management decisions to the overlooked brilliance of Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, and Ben Orr, this conversation explores what really powered the band — and what ultimately stalled it.
Mike reflects on discovering The Cars during one of his own musical “dark periods,” while Janovitz explains why great bands don’t always function like great friendships. The episode also looks forward, touching on unreleased Cars material and Janovitz’s upcoming work on another American original.
No horsepower. No chrome. Just enduring music and the stories behind it.
📚 Books Mentioned in This Episode
Let the Stories Be Told: The Story of The Cars — Bill Janovitz
👉 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0306827122
👉 Bookshop.org (supports indie bookstores): https://bookshop.org/p/books/let-the-stories-be-told-the-story-of-the-cars-bill-janovitz/19562272
👉 Publisher (Da Capo / Hachette): https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-janovitz/let-the-stories-be-told/9780306827123/
Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History — Bill Janovitz
👉 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/030682803X
👉 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/leon-russell-the-master-of-space-and-time-s-journey-through-rock-roll-history-bill-janovitz/19850558
👉 Publisher: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-janovitz/leon-russell/9780306828038/
Chapters
00:00:00 – Lightning, chaos, and a proper Your Dark Companion opening
00:01:29 – Why Bill Janovitz writes rock biographies
00:03:16 – Discovering The Cars during a musical dark period
00:04:42 – Why The Cars felt different from everything else
00:05:52 – Hearing the debut album for the first time
00:07:04 – “Music made for our generation”
00:08:33 – Were The Cars really new wave?
00:10:26 – Synths, punk, and the future of pop music
00:12:26 – The song that sealed it
00:13:33 – Favorite Cars tracks and noir-pop brilliance
00:14:40 – Underrated musicianship inside the band
00:16:48 – Greg Hawkes and the sound of The Cars
00:17:53 – The Boston scene before the breakout
00:20:58 – Fame, singers, and shifting power
00:22:23 – Rick Ocasek and creative control
00:24:14 – Heartbeat City and the beginning of the end
00:25:32 – Songwriting vs. arranging
00:27:20 – Why Rick never succeeded without The Cars
00:29:04 – Management decisions and widening fractures
00:34:28 – Touring, money, and resentment
00:34:58 – Why The Cars’ live shows divided fans
00:39:00 – What the surviving members are doing now
00:41:45 – Unreleased Cars recordings
00:47:09 – Janovitz’s next project: Leon Russell
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