Here’s news. The Cars are reuniting! Well, sort of. The New Cars, as they’re called, is without Ric Ocasek, drummer David Robinson, and bassist Benjamin Orr, who, sadly, died of cancer in 2000. Only two original members return: keyboardist Greg Hawkes and fellow lefty guitarist Elliot Easton. But an interesting (and surprising) replacement for Ocasek… Todd Rundgren. Former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince on drums and bassist Kasim Sulton round out the group.

The New Cars debuted on Jay Leno tonight, performing “Let the Good Times Roll”. Pretty spirited performance, Rundgren fits in well. And Greg Hawke, the uber geek keyboard player, has white hair!! I’m getting old.

So here it is, along with one of my favorite Cars album segueways…

The New Cars: Let the Good Times Roll (mp3) – from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 3/14/06

The Cars: Shoo be Doo / Candy-O (mp3) – from ‘Candy-O‘, buy it on Amazon.

P.S. I tried finding the official site of the New Cars, but didn’t feel like sifting through 50 Google pages of auto sites. See the comments for links to their web sites.

I watched part of the Cream reunion at the Royal Albert Hall from this past May. It was a treat to sit and watch this legendary trio wail through some of their tunes. Ginger Baker on drums, Clapton on guitar of course, and Jack Bruce on the bass.

I haven’t followed Jack Bruce’s solo stuff or other work through the years, but there is one tune of his that I love. It was released on 1993’s ‘Something Els”. It goes a little something like this….

Jack Bruce: Waiting on a Word (mp3)

• Buy The Collector’s Edition
• Jack Bruce Official Site

Waiting on a Word
Standing on the highway
Watchin’ all the cars go by
I’ve been searching the horizon
Wind is blowing dust in my eyes
You’ve been gone such a very long time
Seems like a hundred years have passed
I left my heart down at the pawnshop
Can’t afford it anymore, no more
Now I’m feeling such a space inside of me
Every time there’s someone at the door
I’m not living till I hear you on the line
and then you got to fly so very fast

Ooh, waiting on a word
Ooh, fires still burning
Ooh, baby turn around
Ooh, you gotta
Come on home

All those promises
That we drove

Together With nowhere to go
Well we started out so fine
Now the flame is all but dying

Ooh, waiting on a word . . .

This one goes out to all our brothers and sisters across the pond in London town. Other than some visits as a young child, I visited England twice in my twenties when my folks lived in Surrey. I was enamored of the place. The charm, the scenery, the history, the class, not to mention – ah yes – THE PUBS. How many pints of bitter were downed? No idea. I got from place to place like so many others: riding the tube. God Bless the poor souls affected by last week’s terror. To those on the other side, enjoy Hell, won’t you?

From Willesden to Cricklewood
I tell you the town looked good
Walking lonely avenues,
Where rhinestone cowboys find the blues
There’s people in, doing their thing
Gettin’ all the mozzarella in
And the passing time and passing moons
Words flying in cloudy rooms
Plastic bags, milk and eggs
The poor old crone’s got aching legs
How I would love to speak
To everybody on the street
Just for once to break the rules
I know it would be so cool

From Willesden to Cricklewood
From Willesden to Cricklewood
From Willesden to Cricklewood
Come with me and be no good

Be a mad man on the street
Sing something out like reet petite
Let’s hip-hop at traffic lights
Ten thumbs up and smilin’ bright
Crossing all the great divides
Colour,age,and heavy vibes

From Willesden to Cricklewood…

Oh let’s go down to Al Rashid’s
All the Aussie lagers are on me
Now you’ve got the absinthe out
Your old mother-she wants a stout..

From Willesden to Cricklewood
As I went it all looked good
Thought about my babies grown
Thought abour going home
Thought about what’s done is done
We’re alive and that’s the one
From Willesden to Cricklewood

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros: Willesden to Cricklewood (mp3) from Rock Art & the X Ray Style