The Cars performed September 28, 1979 Follow us on Social Media: / themidnightspecialtvshow / themidnightspecialtvshow / themidnightspecialtvshow / tmstvshow
At a time when pretty much every other program just had bands lip synching to the single(s) on the radio, Midnight Special was amassing a priceless archive of actual live performances. I, for one, am grateful for that.
My first conceret was Kiss in 1976 and Bob Seger opened up for them, (What a match that was) I never missed a concert after that. Of course tickets were very resonable back then. I remember almost not going to see ZZ Top on New Years Eve because the tickets were $8.50 can you believe that. of course i only made $2.20 an hour back then.
@@terryhuebner877I went to see KISS in 1990...& concert Tix were still only $15. Nobody would be able to fathom that these days! Today it almost seems like you'd have to sell ur 1st newborn child to goto a damn concert.lol I feel very grateful to have lived during the greatest time in history for music.
I was in high school when the first album came out. We’d never heard anything like it before. It was like rock music from outer space. It was the 80’s before it was the 80’s.
People always group music by the decade, but it would probably make more sense to group it by the artists or inventions that prompted the shifts. Van Halen changed everything in '78, and we got hair metal. Keyboards hit their full stride around '82 or '83, and we got all the new wave and techno stuff. But just throwing it all into decade bins is easier, as if everything changes on January first.
@@4saken404- 'Moving In Stereo' is from the debut album of The Cars, released in 1978. As @leftybass5860 pointed out, it's like The Cars began '80s music before the 1980s.
The Cars first album was a breath of fresh air. This song was quite a leap in progressive music. Loved it as a 15 year old and it still holds up today.
There is just too much exceptional music from that era for me to fully grasp how lucky I am to have lived through it! The Cars were certainly a part of that massive golden age of exceptional performances and bands making really innovative and powerful music. I love this band!
I was going to also comment on how fortunate I am to have lived and experienced the 70s, 80s and 90s. I was 9 when this happened and it's the beginning of falling in love w rock and punk. 1979 really had some great releases, Buzzcocks 'Singles Going Steady', the Clash 'London Calling', Iggy Pop's ' New Values' and Devo 'Duty Now for the Future' are just a few others. Disco ruled then and the reaction of rock n roll to it really gave us some bangers! Ooh, I almost forgot another important smasher of a release from 1979- The Damned 'Machine Gun Etiquette'.
Graduate of '86 here. Definitely agree, there was so much great music. Been able to share some of this with my kids. I figured it was a good way to start them on their musical journey.
I saw them in ‘78 backing Styx. They were booed off the stage. But they fought back, came back out while the crew set up for Styx, and started flipping people off, and telling the crowd to “F” off. And vowed to not come back. Albuquerque wasn’t ready for them. But they did come back in 1980.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame waited for Benny to pass away before it would induct The Cars. What a crime this hometown guy from Cleveland couldn’t enjoy that magical moment with his fans while he was alive.
I don't mean to defend the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and I really do share the sentiment. However, this is inaccurate. Ben died in 2000, and, as per the Hall's rules, 25 years must have passed after an artist's first record release ("The Cars" was released in 1978). They became eligible in 2003, so, even if the Hall had loved The Cars, Bend would have never seen the induction with his very eyes.
Big Ben singing lead and rocking the Rick in all his glory. Ric had a unique voice. But Ben had the true rock star voice. This song is and will always remain iconic. So thankful The Midnight Special performances have been preserved for future generations. Phenomenal performance from true legends.
Believe it’s a “Dean” bass & maybe guitar too. You’re right, Ben was a beast singing & playing bass, love the whole band saw them in ‘79 @ Arrowhead Stadium when they hit the big time running, what a great memory.
@@KittyGrizGrizBass was a rickenbacker 4001, red guitar was a Deal ML and the white one was a Dean Elite as I recall. I think they changed the nameElite to Cadillac in the 90’s. I’m just a old gear head trying to help. I knew Dean Zelinskis roommate from San Diego.
@@Mttmkk everyone's youth was cool! even todays, but those 1970s were something else, like a dream. Better food (McD and Taco Bell were very good), better music (by far) better films and Oh, those drive-ins movies!
Youth is youth, fair enough! Your world is a playground, but the culture, the people, the music and the movies set us apart in an unimaginable way! We werent angry. Everyone mattered and the politicians weren't so far gone yet! We all had a choice and a chance to be free! Now, we are enslaved and most have no idea? Men were men, women were women and there are still only two genders! We are not confused! The USof A was a beloved nation with a couple of hiccups! Now. We are the laughing stock of the world!
This was a great era when synths came in and yet were still played live. The Cars first album remains a masterwork of punk, hard rock, space rock, ... God I love it.
They were New Wave. As were The Police, The Plimsouls, The Pretenders, The Go Go's, Joy Division, Wall of Voodoo, and... U2 (yes, U2 was classified as New Wave back then).
I don't always listen to the Cars, but when I do so do my neighbors. This is probably the best live version of Moving in Stereo ever to be captured on film!!!
@danno9608 - Check this out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pOjf7lNQaiE.htmlsi=GgJUnpIB_Q0pmKNR BONUS: It's a video of 'Moving In Stereo'/'All Mixed Up' Two songs on one video!!
If you knew the Cars, you knew that they didn’t care much for stage performance, as much as they did for musical perfection, and trying their best to re-create their album sound live, in front of the audience. ❤
Hey I was mixed up and moving in stereo as a sophomore in 1979 June 2024 they were a turning point for rock n roll inspiring the new wave progressive rock of the 80s
I am just beyond astounded by how beautiful these Midnight Special clips look! It truly is an opportunity to be transported back to when I was a teenager and just falling in love with music. Thank you, for this channel! (Also, if I may… Musical artist Paul Warren & Explorer were on the Midnight Special twice, I believe the years were 1979 and 1981, and I would be so grateful to these those performances again. All the best!)
@@that70sgirl90 It sure is! I love your “name” so cute 🥰. What is ‘this’ actually called in YT lingo, don’t think it’s ‘name’ haha, I’m new to YT after watching vids for many years, finally took the plunge.
@KittyGrizGriz I did the same thing. After watching RU-vid for some time, one day, I finally subscribed. I decided i wasn't going to use my real name. I could be anyone I wanted to be. I took my favorite era of time, which was the 70s, and one of my favorite shows of the 70s, which was "That Girl," and that's how I came up with my name.... "That70's girl." I hope you enjoy your time here on RU-vid. Thank you for sharing! 💖
@@that70sgirl90Love the name & how you arrived at it! I think our YT names (I didn't wanna use my real name either, so went with first initial & first part of last name😁) are called our usernames....I think!🤣Yes, I definitely remember "That Girl", "The Flying Nun", "Petticoat Junction", "Green Acres"....so many great shows from that era of time!📺
He still plays! Does about 6-8 gigs a year with a band out of Boston called Eddie Japan. He can still rock it! Even does some of those rare saxophone solos like the one in All Mixed Up.
In awe of Benjamin Orr there is something so so special about him and the whole band every member is a very unique musician in there own way and together wow what a band
The first concert I ever went to was in 1978 - the Cars opened for Styx, and this was their opening song. The bassline was so low and so loud it took my breath away. It was the first of a hundred or so concerts I've been to over the years, and will always be really special to me.
Wonderful! Saw them in ‘79 @ Arrowhead Stadium but had been to many concerts already. They were fabulous! Openers were Heart, Bob Welch, Ted Nugent, Sammy Hagar & local band Missouri. Great memories, eh? I love “Moving in Stereo” song followed by “All Mixed Up”, a 2 punch tune - knock out!!!
@@tedecker3792Woofer’s/Sub-Woofer’s and Tweeter’s, right? Or am I dreaming here haha. Your comment brought back some long forgotten memories. Ex husband was a bass player had reel to reel tapes too, I miss those great times of musical exploration-expression
There's tons of music played and sung that are real now. That's some "get off my lawn" stuff. The old people in 1979 said the same thing about The Cars and they were wrong too.
Here's what younger people don't realize about watching this after midnight in the 80s - you had no idea what to expect and there was absolutely NO pause or rewind. You either saw it on the TV or you missed it. Forever. That's what made concerts like these so magical and one-of-a-kind. When this came on I wasn't old enough to get high or get laid yet, but this show was a preview of just how special Friday nights could be (in the 80's at least).
Everyone loves Benny-11 Letters! “Orzechowski” his given last name has eleven letters & was hard for some to pronounce~hence his cool nickname. One of the sexiest man-musician I’ve ever seen with massive stage presence, and his fabulous voice-bass playing! Used to think he was British, nope…Cleveland, Ohio native. Was glad to experience them live in ‘79 @ KC Arrowhead Stadium; opening acts were Heart, Bob Welch, Ted Nugent, Sammy Hagar & local band Missouri. Still have the memory of walking around the standing room only field section, sun setting a little lower on a hot summer day, my long hair lightly blowing in the welcoming cooler breeze as Ric sang; “Let them leave you up in the air Let them brush your rock and roll hair”, so ethereal, that feeling has never left me.
Cars, Devo, Knack, B-52's, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd were all part of a huge sandwich of bands. From high school to college, these were all popular. But the Cars were unique, became popular and easy to dance along. These live performances are priceless. 👏👏👏👍
OMG! really, really thanks for keep uploading more of The Cars!!!!! I love them!!! And please more performances of The Cars!!! ❤ Thanks TMS you're awesome!!!! 😃
🤩🔥🔥Such a cool song! It's one of those listening in headsets or driving in your car kind of songs. I don't know that keyboard player's name, but he's awesome! The Cars were just one of the coolest bands ever! I'm so glad you have this footage! 😁💜
From the first time I heard, “Let The Good Times Roll” I knew I was hearing a totally new and astonishing phase of rock n roll that was not going away. The Cars did it album after album without let up. What a time to be young!
Interesting. I’ve seen that movie several times for, well, the pool scene. But I couldn’t remember this song in the film. Keep it real - or rather “keep them real” - Phoebe Cates!
Oh, now I'm psyched for this, maybe will get a Midnight Special for point 5, which is the most important point in making out, which is to put on side 1 of Led Zeppelin IV.....which is, of course, Kashmir........ROTFLMAO ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zl-CriM6vx0.html
This is the best live version of this song I’ve ever heard and it’s good to have video too! The Cars debut album holds up and still sounds lean and mean. It’s like a greatest hits collection. Not a bad song on it. Solid gold! And it ends with this futuristic sounding song. I actually thought this was the musical direction they were going to go into afterwards. It’s still a song one can daydream to. Thanks Midnight Special for preserving this music for posterity. 👏🏻
The way the songs transitioned into one another on this debut album was unique; we'd have a few beers, pass a joint and get lost in these great songs. My favorite being Bye Bye Love
This is the 1st time I’ve been able to see who played which parts (and how) in this song. Totally awesome. It’s one of my favorite songs by anyone. I grew up listening to The Cars! I’m fascinated by those Dean guitars they’re playing. I’ve never seen one like Ric’s. Such a cool video all the way around. I’ve never seen this actual show on TV but it’s pretty cool here on YT.
I actually had a black Dean Cadillac back in the 80’s. Like a dummy I sold it to a buddy. I think ten years ago they reissued the Cadillac but I think they were made in Korea.. Trying to find a 80’s Dean Caddy now is pretty tough.
It was called an ML model but I never seen one in red. I’ve seen them in black, white and a sky blue color. For some reason you can still find them for sale. But they go for a pretty penny. Back in the day Dean made some solid guitars. Late 70’s and early 80’s they were the shit. I owned two different Deans and unfortunately moved on from both of them by the mid eighties. I had a 81 Black Caddy and 84 short scale 8 string bass. I can kick my ass for letting both of them go. As a guitarist you are always moving on to the next best thing.
Benjamin Orr, a name I only learned about a month ago. Now an obsession. I feel ripped off that Ocasek was the only face of The Cars I ever came across. And sad that I never saw them live. Orr should have sang 90, not 40% of the songs.
Every time I hear this, I picture Phoebe Cates climbing from the pool. SO good seeing them do this live. In 1979 I was just a young 22 year old, hard to believe that time has passed so quickly.
I am 64 and when I first heard The Cars, I knew that music was changing and New Wave was on the way. In my opinion, they kicked off a new era in popular music. Ahead of their time!
That first album... I played it almost as much as Boston's debut album. At deafening levels, of course. Great high school memories. When Boston bands ruled the world...
As some others have mentioned, what an incredible archive of live music. Midnight Special thank you! Time will prove me correct, this music is from a special era.
Bought the album when it came out and listened to this song over and over as a kid in my room with my old record player. It's one of those songs that transports you to another place in the galaxy.
I was a teenager in the late 70s. I love The Cars just as much now as I did back then. Maybe even more so. Rest in Peace Ben and Ric. Your absences are *keenly* felt.
I discovered the Cars while stationed in South Korea in the US Army. I would set my stereo stack's timer to come on at 5am for PT with "Moving in Stereo" on the turntable. It was always strange to wake up to the song's intro from a deep sleep. I'm 65 years old now and still absolutely love their first two albums.
Was a huge Cars fan, and was lucky enough to see them in concert back in the day. Bye Bye Love, Moving in Stereo, and All Mixed Up is one of the best musical segues ever put together on an album. To this day, I can't hear one without my brain automatically sliding into one of the other songs! RIP Ben and Ric....
Benjamin Orr's lead vocals on all three tracks. As seen in this video, 'Moving in Stereo' is solo Benjamin. Plus, his bass playing on all three is great.
What ? He was on the cover of every music magazine out there more than once. The guy was huge ! Under appreciated is someone like Gary Siedel , He was a fantastic performer and songwriter, yet most everyone never heard of him.
Me too. Huge influence on me. I learned the synth parts and are working with an upcoming Cars tribute band. Greg Hawks really made this song stand out. Can't imagine what it would have sounded like without him. Totally different, that's for sure. To me, this is the most defining song of The Cars.
@@classicarcadeamusementpark4242Oh wow, that’s really cool you play keys and in a Cars tribute band too! I took lessons around age 9, overheard piano teacher telling my mom I couldn’t read music but could play by ear, thought it meant I sucked and lost interest. Have a nice Yamaha with all the bells and whistles but it’s “too complicated” electronically for me, bummer. Peace and happy songs~shows for you! 😄
@@KittyGrizGriz I play exclusively by ear. Most professional rock musicians do, even the famous ones. I bought 2 crates full of sheet music as a teen, but quickly discovered the keyboard tracks on sheet music for rock and popular music is not a transcription of the original recorded keyboard tracks, but rather a facsimile of the entire band including vocals as something meant to be played on a piano. Basically, sheet music was useless to me so I lost interest in learning how to read it better. My goal was always to play in a band covering the original keyboard parts. For people that play pure classic music or church Hymns I'm sure it's fine, but for other type of music, your ear is far more important. I also took notice a lot of people that do read sheet music and many have no feeling for the music, but have learned how to play what is written without really hearing what they are playing. Often things like learning the precise timing required in a band is not a skill they learned. Knowing how to do all this and reading sheeting, sure the more skills you have, the better.
@@classicarcadeamusementpark4242 So your saying, there’s still hope for me?? 😂 My ex husband was a bass player and jammed with his 2 older brother’s (electric guitar~drums), his best friend played acoustic and sounded just like Neil Young. Somewhere on a long forgotten reel to reel tape is my voice~harmonizing, I sang in choirs. Definitely missed my calling (dance too), have always “felt” the music 💃🎶 Rock On!🤘
Had the pleasure of meeting Eliot. He became the guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Very humble soft-spoken man. Always dead in the pocket with tasteful licks
In this performance you can hear Rick's guitar very distinctly. In so many videos it's hard to make out. Elliot's is set too loud at 1st but he tames it. This is my favorite cars song. Bc ftarh
The Midnight Special was just that, special. This was a showcase featuring top artists in their respective categories from R&B, Rock, Pop, Soul, Jazz, and Country. And they all played and sang live. One of my favorite segments was when George Benson and Carlos Santana took the stage and played together----musical gold.
While singing lead, not an easy feat, all while looking smokin’ hot to me and many others, whew Benjamin is a major pantie dropper! 😂 😅 He’s also made many a man “question” their sexuality, don’t blame them one bit either.
I was a freshman in HS when I first heard this song. I was in a friends car riding in the back seat where he had two tri-axle speakers behind the year seat. I started freaking out because we all had a buzz and the sound went from right to left speaker & left to right & it was amazing! I went out the next day & bought the vinyl! God Bless Benjamin Orr!
His features were model perfect, a direct contrast to Ric but I find Ric awkwardly cute too, mainly I like his height. I used to look like Paulina in my 20s, I was signed to her same modeling agency.
