I believe that Elliot Easton is the most underrated guitarist in the world 🙌🙏 Long live this amazing brilliant man we were blessed with 🙌🤩 along with his bandmates (with us or not) who will live forever in our memories of perfect halcyon days 🙏🙏🙏🎸🎸🎸🎶🏆🏆🏆 ✨️⚡️💫🍀🌻💛🌈
Elliott Easton taught me the importance of note choices, especially how great a short 8 bar solo can be if carefully crafted. He is a great, great player.
Yes, instead of just improvising minor/major pentatonic runs, I learned from Easton how to really *play* over chord changes, how to compose a solo that has a function in the song, how to do it briefly and concisely, and how to make it memorable. Of course I can't do it with his mastery, but nonetheless he's been a huge teacher and inspiration for me.
@@chrisjones6020 Landing on 3rds in pentatonic. Also using notes from the current playing chord in the progression. And to get hooks that aren't cliche in the riff (those unexpected cool target notes coming out of nowhere) it takes rhythmic finesse as well. 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 To get those countryfide rockabilly licks, instead of a playing a basic or even expanded pentatonic scale on the 12th fret in E ////A ////B// 12 bar blues, move that same pentatonic scale back to the 9th fret. Bend the Gb (11th fret 3rd string) up to G, hold it up while playing B (2nd string 12th fret) and E ( 1st string 12th fret), then _release that bent up 3rd string_ from G back to Gb.
As much as everyone was raving about Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Angus Young, Alex Lifeson, Brian May and others back in the day, Elliot Easton was one of my favorite lead guitarists. Out of all the others, Elliot was the most diverse player who could add so many different styles to the music. His feel for guitar solo improvisation is genius. Those Cars songs would be nothing without his solos.
YES, you are correct, Elliott Easton was/is a Classically Trained musician and, not that it matters to any1, one of Slash's primary influences..Fuckin Guy ROCKS, NO DOUBT !
I really enjoyed this film. The girl was sweet, kind, respectful, and asked intelligent questions. And Elliot was (and is) a terrific, un-assuming guy. Between 1979 and 1989 (give or take a year or two) you literally could not listen to the radio for a day without hearing at least one Cars song. Brought back good memories of when I was a kid.
The Cars ushered in New Wave for me. In 78 I wasn't some hip rocker going to the lower east side NY. I was a 6th grader in Middle America looking for new music I liked. They made middle america and radio listen to innovative new sounds. Changed Rock n Roll!
Yes, and although they had a large number of classic hits, I really believe they had so many more in them. Their range was so different and new that they could have continued on making different sounds year after year
Elliot Easton is in that same category of rock & roll guitar players such as George Harrison and Mike Campbell. He _always_ plays _exactly_ the right part, phrase, or solo that's _exactly_ what a given song needs in order for it to be as good as it possibly can be. Phenomenal player with a phenomenal band.
I just saw Def Leppard and although I love them, they really didn't have that many songs that you could immediately identify from a guitar riff...Other than "Photograph" maybe. Queen was one of the best at it...The Cars have so many songs that are immediately recognizable and I find that a great talent. Like Joe Walsh was able to do...
What honestly makes this even more enjoyable to watch is that he seems like a genuinely nice guy. I always disliked rockers with arrogant attitudes...he is just a good guy making great music.
I have never heard Ric Ocasek give Elliot Easton any real credit. "He's a good person to have around" is the best he can do here. He may have given him a compliment somewhere, and he may agree he is a brilliant talent, but I have not seen it. I have seen the RRHOF Induction video where he thanked every member except Elliot. I've seen various Interview videos where he just can't bring himself to be magnanimous enough to say "yeah Elliot is a great player".. Elliot seems unfazed..I've never seen Elliot say a bad word about anyone.. Just my two cents..
Rik knew that Elliot could play circles around him. If you watch the film Rock Goes to College, there is a point when EE is riffing a great solo and Rik is seen enviously looking on. I didn't like the way Okasek talked all through Elliott's speech at the RRHOF ceremony with the guy from the Killers (forget his name). A great speech btw; the way he thanked so many people shows the person he is.
@@Craigke1964 Thanks for the reply. "...A great speech btw; the way he thanked so many people shows the person he is." You are referring to EE's speech right? Yes. Elliot seems to be a gracious human being..
I studied the on-stage chemistry between Elliot and Ric and it virtually didn’t exist. The interaction between Elliot and Ben is a totally different story. They played off each other and actually enjoyed each other. Just an observation.
Ric Ocasek.....who obviously was a great songwriter, was a complete narcissist according to his son. This seems believable as he left his super-modle wife out of his will. Hmmmmmmm.......
ELLIOT ENDORSED OUR STRINGS FOR A WHILE IN THE 90S WHEN D'AQUISTO STRINGS WERE IN BUSINESS. HE'S A PHENOMENAL PLAYER I LOVE HIS STYLE HE IS EXTREMELY UNIQUE AS WELL AS THE CARS MUSIC...NO ONE CAN EVER MATCH HIM. IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO MEET HIM AND HAVE HIM COME TO THE SHOWS.
I was seventeen when this would play at the athlete's foot shoe store on weekend nights waiting for the seven oclock closing, dreaming of touching and finally staying maybe. Yes, great songs then on the radio 1980.
It wasn't just Elliot who made the band....each player and each singer, the drums and everything just worked together so well....And made a fantastic band.....
they all get my respect, iconic sounds from real musicians who took it to their own level, i can appreciate everything they were saying all those decades ago, i love the mix of influences in their music, wish i had got to see them, ohwell i can fire up spotify and play all their albums, Magic! 👏🏻🎼🌟
I'm five years older than Mr.Easton and have been in cover tune bands the majority of my life. I've had some pretty difficult lead parts to learn, and as easy as he makes them look and sound, his solos are among the more difficult ones I've had to learn. Honestly, where many guitarists solos are not a perfect fit for the song, his always seemed to be. Really a special artist.
This video is just a treasure. I never knew of its existence, but what a find! In my opinion, there is simply no guitarist in pop/rock music more versatile and eclectic than Easton. His solos are the most memorable and disparate that I have ever heard. Ridiculously tasteful and melodic. Just stunning really. But it is really (always) about the SONGS. Their first record is essentially a greatest hits package. Roy Thomas Baker clearly had an influence on these guys. Thanks for putting it up Calvin Thomas. Best to all of you out there, and of course, of COURSE, rest in peace dear Ben and Ric. Thank you for these wonderful tunes.
His tasty note selection is out of this world. Proves you don't have to dazzle with speed. He can touch so many things inside of us with his note selection, phrasing, tempo changes, etc. His solos are so unique in that no one comes close to his style. Eclectic. Crazy. Mind blowing. Listen to " Tonight She Comes" and the way he sneaks in and out of the main body of the solo by using feedback with his tremolo bar. Incomparable. My #1 fave.
The solo in " Shake it up " is a lesson in awesomeness in a pop song..........Everything this guy played on was made better by his presence. A truly great, and criminally underrated, player.
You’re totally correct. In my opinion, there is no guitar solo I’ve heard that is better than Elliot’s tasteful AND flashy solo on Shake It Up. It’s a masterpiece of melding distinct styles into one awesome solo, a solo that is over before I want it to be over. But it would not be an Elliot Easton solo if it was longer, and that is also part of his genius as a guitarist.
Massive thanks for putting this up. Can’t believe my algorithms have only just brought it up! Immense player, super talented, and beyond humble. Right up there for me, The Cars got me through many a year stuck in hospital when I was younger, and Elliot is massively behind my love of guitar
Lifelong guitarist here. Elliot Easton's playing was always several cuts above the crowd. His musical talent arranging guitar is amazing and usually carried the song.
Eliot Easton and Neil Geraldo are 2 great guitarists whose guitar parts defined the great songs of The Cars and Pat Benatar. You take those guys out of the mix with their out of the box playing styles and you are left with a whole lot of nothing. Amazing guitar players that deserve more attention than they have received.
Just the fact that Elliot was able to learn how to play left handed guitar shows how dedicated he was. Not only did he play left handed, he didn’t even have a “left handed guitar”. He simply turned the guitar around. Thats what you call pure talent.
EVH said some crappy things about Elliott back in the day but you know damn well EVH loved his playing while hiding in a closet crying listening to it.
Been loving this band for over 4 decades. They are all to be appreciated, but Elliot is now the living face of what remains of them. May he finally get the recognition he deserves while still with us... as they did as a whole by finally getting inducted to the R&R HOF last year. If I only had 6 words to say to the remaining members of the Cars, it would be "Thank You!, Thank You!, Thank You!..."
Brian, I loved all their speeches at the RRHOF. A nice bunch of guys! The death of Ric was something I didn't see coming, for sure! Eddie Money and Ric in the same week...😞
The Cars had a unique sound like non other. Their music was ahead of their time. I remember bring 14 years old and I knew then, that they were going to get big. Best band ever! R.I.P. Benjamin Orr and Ric Ocasek!
For me it 1979 in NYC when I was 15. I never looked back. A soundtrack to my life. When I was in the army in the early 80s it was funny to see the reaction of friends when introduced to their sound. Still listening.
A right handed player Switching to playing left handed for aesthetics is a heck of a feat. Then becoming one of the best players in rock just blows my mind. Pure talent
@@senorpumaWell, when he was little he may have been just holding the guitar, not actually playing it. It's possible he didn't even know what it was.😂 Elliot doesn't seem like the type of guy who'd lie, what would be the point of that?
This is just fantastic. Elliot Easton is simply brilliant. He reminds me of Harrison in that every note he plays is absolutely perfect. Nothing is superfluous. I mean he’s a wizard with his chops, and his note selection just couldn’t be more concise, compelling and lyrically rich. Every solo is distinct to each song, finely crafted and composed. He’s really an unassuming master. One of the best. (A side note, is the interviewer swooning and starstruck or is it just me?)
she's such a beautiful woman from the side. She actually looks like Snow White and I love the way she leans in when she's interviewing someone and really cares about what they're saying.
These 5 guys combined were, are and will forever remain a part of our youth beginning in 1977, thru our mid life, marriage, kids, and now were senior citizens on AARP. Go figure. Life's way way too short. THE CARS. infamous on film and recording immortal forever. Wish we had more time.
Very nicely done here. I appreciate this well tuned, informative approach to the history of the great band the Cars. Loved them from the beginning and still listening 46 years later. ❤❤❤
Fascinating video....filmed just before their biggest selling album apparently, Heartbeat City. As rabidly into Eddie Van Halen and all the hard rock and metal guitar gods in the 80's as I was , this was one guy that always grabbed my attention and I couldn't figure out why he wasnt getting the same amount of accolades for his superb playing but clearly, the world has come around to recognize him as one of the greats
Like the Cars or not, Elliot Easton's solos are ALL perfect for the song. His talent and ability is always on display during the solo but NEVER at the expense of the melody or vibe of the song. I happen to like the Cars music and for my money E.E. is one of the coolest and most underrated and tasteful players ever.
@@grimlyfiendish5579 I've seen articles back in the day where E.E. discussed how he thought out his solos. Pretty sure Ocasek realized it wasn't his own strong suit.
He’s right up there with Harrison, his parts can’t be separated from the song. You sing along with them, they’re crucial and bring the song up to a higher plane.
. Elliot has a genius for writing very catchy hooks that fit the song and are very musical sounding, and his 16 bar solos are always amazing in that they make a concise musical statement in an inspired, articulate and fun way. For that band, his playing couldn't be more perfect. I said he has a certain genius, and I meant it. Genius is a word used far too often...so much so that it's become nearly meaningless, but in Elliot's case, it is entirely appropriate.
He's not even close to being a genius. Stop using that word when you don't know what it means. He is however a terrific rock guitarist. Up there with Harrison. Maybe even better technically.
Great band! Never seen an 'in depth' documentary on The Cars, loved them in '78 & all the way through the 80s,& Elliott Easton is an unsung guitar hero for alot of us he has a very unique approach to playing that broughtThe Cars to the masses. Cool guy, very unassuming & no ego.
I love how the woman interviewing Elliot asks about the best friends girl rockabilly riff! She is laser focused when he plays it. Really solid interviewing on her part.
man, you could cut that sexual tension with a knife!!... she's a perfect interviewer.. I wish chicks were still on this wavelength, this cool, into the real stuff
This is a very cool window on Elliott Easton and his incredible musicianship and contributions to the Cars. If I only I could play like Elliot, I'd have given up my day job long ago. Wish they had filmed it, but the video lends its own type of patina to the time capsule quality it now holds.
It's been over 40 years now and you literally could turn a radio on right now and most likely find a Cars song playing..That says alot about how incredible they were and are.
“As musicians they are probably even more fragile- “ paraphrasing Elliot who sums up the conundrum of surviving fame. Ultimately they were a brilliant band that like Devo or other late 70’s pop rock bands had to get through the whole album-tour-album cycle without going crazy. Having lost Ric and Ben now, I remember how much Elliot’s playing meant to me. He just played so bitingly and tastefully but best of all he just plain rocked better and meaner and smarter than average players. Great period video, great insight into their whole story.
My Goodness, what a magical time to have these so talented musicians together in the heyday of unabashed era. The Era of Records and CD , a time when record companies groomed invested in their talents, before Napster stole and decimated the record industry.
His choice of effects was SO COOL and actually benefit the song, whereas many players in the 80s just used effects because they were there and everyone was using them. Elliot made good use of those effects, showing a lot of foresight and thought went into his playing, and the effects made his sound more musical and memorable. You never felt he was overdoing effects on his tone. A sign of a truly great player is one who finds you humming his solos 40 years later even though you only heard the songs less then a handful of times since! Genious!
The interviewer was great in this, engaging, good technical questions. EE is so-NORMAL and sensible. One of my fave guitarists. In a song, he plays everything you need, nothing you don't. That is incredibly hard to do.
The Cars had 4 sold out Detroit shows on consecutive nights in September 1980 and it was right when school started and I remember the first day of school, everyone was talking about it. I was only 15 and didn't have my license yet, but my friend just turned 16 and his dad let him take the station wagon on a school night to see The Cars...so me and 3 of my friends went to see them and none of our parents liked the idea and why should they lol. Good times! Awesome band!
Every time I hear 'My Best Friend's Girl,' I'm transported back to High School days... My boyfriend's best friend asked me if I knew the song and told me it was my song because he thought of me whenever he heard it. I was his best friend's girl and he wished I was his. Why he always offered to walk me home finally made sense. Ah memories. I've liked The Cars my whole life thanks to my Mom having one or two of their records. They have a very unique sound. I listen to 'It's All I Can Do' and 'Heartbeat City' often. Thank you for sharing this fun little blast to the past. Elliot's a great guitar player! 🌹
This past week I was rediscovering the Cars 1978-1884 albums. I put together a playlist of over 35 Cars songs with the intent of getting back in touch with their lesser known tracks again as well as enjoying their more recognizable songs. In doing so, I realized more than ever how amazing and creative Elliot Easton's guitar playing is. It's what led me to find and watch this video. Thank you for posting, it's a real treasure and helped me appreciate Elliot and the entire band even more.
I woke up this morning from a hard sleep and a Cars song from 40 years ago was the 1st thing that came to mind. I actually lived in Cambridge MA in '77-78 and never heard of this band until '79 when I moved back to NJ. I realized I never saw a "behind the music" video of this band so this is what I found on the Tube. Great documentary and I saw so many concerts in my youth and had every Cars album which I played over and over on the turntable or my 8 track in my car. I regret never seeing this band live. I love how they seem to have very little ego about themselves and get along well without drama and BS.
Since I realized that Ben Orr is buried up the road from my home, I have been revisiting The Cars works. Non-scandalous, not too wholesome, just fucking right. Almost every last song. PERFECTION.
Same here. We live on the north end of Sidley Rd. Just found out about Ben this past summer and have been listening to the Cars almost every day ever since.
I remember talking to Elliot in the 80s at the Rat in Kemore Square. He was playing with some friends. He said it was kind of like bowling night for him. Great guitarist, tasteful licks.
Interesting documentary, was just watching live Cars vids and I kept thinking how Elliot Easton's guitar was like a 3rd vocalist in the band, his parts are integral to each song. RIP Ric Ocasek
What a great documentary. Lisa brought a sexy enthusiasm to it that put everyone at ease and enabled the interview to become very insightful. The mix of live footage interspersed with questions that ran the gamut from the obvious to the introspective was really well done. The Cars were a really great band. They were defined as punk, new wave...whatever the flavor but underneath they were really skilled musicians. Really close to the bone of original 50's rock and roll more than anything. Very friggin' cool indeed!
Yes! I always thought it was on a strat since he was using that pink one so much at the time, and that's what's on the video. Watching him play that was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. That's probably my favorite solo of all time, or at least top three!
Elliot being the 'baby' of The Cars he sure was a cutie patootie with so much natural musical talent to boot ! Just listening to him playing the blues --- groovy man !
A great life story, especially the part about switching to playing left handed. The line in the song "My Best Friend's Girl" - "With your suede blue eyes" is so easy to visualize, so memorable, so cool!
I grew up with the cars and never really considered them a rock band. But I'm older now and play the guitar, so with a new perspective i can see they were definitely a rock band! Thank you to whoever posted this to RU-vid!
