250 Albums- An Arbitrary Rumble Through My Record Collection # 241 The Cars -The Cars

 

Record companies are pragmatic.  Yhe $ is the common denominator. They look at The New York Dolls and think, 'No that won't work'. Kiss, Alice Cooper that will. Modern Lovers. No, Jonathan will not be marketed. Talking Heads. That's more robust. Robust wierd. But they'll tour. See Sparks, Queen. Orange Juice, Haircut 100. Japan, Duran Duran. It's not a tricky parlour game. It's probably a boo.

For Television think The Cars. Tom Verlaine was never going to sell to the masses. But you can see why the Cars sold to the Mid West. Filled arebas. Nothing that was likely to scare Mom and Dad who would have been more concerned to hear Marquee Moon blasting from Junior's room.

Not this. It's sleek and crisp and well produced. Just left field enough that the Jocks wouldn't tune in to it, but smooth and sleek enough to file next to Damn The Torpedoes and the first two Police albums. The sentiments are not threatening. Nobody gets hurt. Or particularly moved. But toes are tapped. A record that makes all the right New Wave sounds, ticks all the right boxes while keeping the cash tills ringing. You can imagine Andy Warhol approving.