The Cars

Let the Stories Be Told

By: Bill Janovitz, Greg Hawkes - introduction

Narrated by: Corey Carthew, Bill Janovitz

New York Times bestselling author Bill Janovitz delivers the definitive story of The Cars, one of the most popular, beloved, and influential bands to emerge from New Wave—with a foreword by Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes.

The Cars formed in the late 1970s as an alliance of five journeymen musicians with roots in Maryland, Ohio, New York, and New England. They had each performed in a series of bands before finding one another—along with the right sound at the right time. That sound, soon fortified by their iconic imagery, turned them into Rock and Roll Hall of Famers.
Biographer, critic, and musician Bill Janovitz explores the musical, cultural, and commercial impact of the band with articulate and knowing insights. He draws on his own exclusive new reporting along with the enthusiastic participation of the surviving members of the band, as well as nearly everyone who surrounded them over the years. The band's unusual providence is fully explored here for the first time, and each of their landmark albums is masterfully chronicled and dissected, as is their profound support of the Boston music scene that has reverberated around the world and throughout the decades.
Yet, with all of the success, there were also significant conflicts within the band, which led to an untimely end. Janovitz reveals the stories of each member, and of the group as a whole, with great care and understanding. To paraphrase The Car's own lyrics: Hello again, you might think this is just what you needed. It's magic. Let's shake it up and let the good times roll.

Critic reviews

“This inside account of the life of a rock band bristles with extravagant details and penetrating insights, much like his masterpiece biography of Leon Russell, but Bill Janovitz’s The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told persuasively makes the case for the Cars as one of the essential American rock bands of their day. Janovitz brings a fellow musician’s perspective, a scholar’s depth and a fan’s enthusiasm to this riveting, rollercoaster ride of the entire bell curve of the storied band’s epic career.” —Joel Selvin, author of Altamont and Fare Thee Well

“Like The Cars, I was born in Ohio in the late seventies. I grew up listening to their cool, stylized, slightly unnerving songs, but now, thanks to Bill Janovitz, the records sound new to me. With The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told, Janovitz has given us a meticulously researched and satisfyingly granular portrait of the band, the history, the personalities, and the unmistakable sound. And what a writer! He had me on page one.”—Maggie Smith, author of Keep Moving and You Could Make This Place Beautiful

“I loved The Cars and followed their career from beginning to end, and I loved this book. Well written and researched, it captures the rock scene from the hippie days to new wave. It also stands as a cautionary tale about how not to run a band. All band dynamics are slippery, but I have always believed that everybody in a great band should be valued and rewarded.”—Peter Buck, R.E.M.

Great info

Great detailed look into their history however early chapters spend far too much time going into biographies of other bands the Cars considered influences. Instead of a short paragraph on say Johnathan Richman you get a chapter almost on that band’s history because David Robinson was in the band for a while.

Finally a book about the Cars....but

I've been waiting for a book about the cars on Audible for years now and finally, here it is. The book is great!...the stories are great!... well researched and interesting as it should be. But this Narration SUCKS!..... It's fine most of the time, but everytime there is narration quoting Dialogue, speaking as the person being quoted. He laughs while he talks. EVERYTIME (almost). Sometimes it's so over the top you can't understand the words cause the guy is laughing so much. To be fair, people that laugh as they talk is a pet peeve of mine, along with people that close their eyes when they talk. But to hear a professional do this is a little surprising.

So everyone that was interviewed laughed as they spoke!!?...He also over acts to the point it's almost ridiculous. The book should be the focus....the stories are the attraction................... Not the the narrator trying too hard to be animated. I'd quit listening but I want to hear more about the Cars. 15 hours to go, I hope I can put up with it.

Great information

Great book if you like the band and are interested in the behind the scenes goings on.

Opened my eyes…

Cars came out when I was in college. Liked the catchy pop tunes on Candy-O but never took them seriously as to me it was just over produced studio Pop. Then Heartbeat City came out which I loved ,saw them in concert that year and I thought they were horrible(book discusses their weak live performances) However, through this book I discovered the Live at the Agora album. The Cars absolutely rocked. One of my favorite live albums of all times. Take what you want is a great tune.
Jump up: Loved the band dynamics, ribbing on Ben for his laid back style and Ric was wrong not sharing writing credits.

Wonderful! I love this book! So glad the life story of a fun band was told, and told so well!

Nothing to dislike! Love! Love! Love the cars! Love the book! I wish they never split up!