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