R.I.P. Ric Ocasek, 1944-2019

Sadly, songwriter and producer Ric Ocasek (born Richard Theodore Otcasek) of The Cars passed away at his Manhattan home on Sunday.  

Richard Buckner decides to put out a seven-inch

Having been reasonably well served by the CD format for the past 18 years, singer/songwriter Richard Buckner has unexpectedly decided to jump into the Record Store Day fray with his first ever 7" single. Hey, all the kids are doing it.

Unlike many RSD releases which simply repackage previously issued material, Buckner's Merge label seven-inch features two good unreleased songs Willow and Lost which were recorded for the soundtrack of a film that was unfortunately shelved. In addition to the pair of non-throwaways, the limited edition 7" will include a download card for a bonus track: Buckner's version of The Cars' Candy-O with which he's been known to delight crowds of flannel-wearing folks who survived the 80s.

Check out the vibes-enhanced studio take of Willow (below), tastefully mixed by Jon Marshall Smith, followed by a clip of Buckner strumming the song solo on his trusty Harmony Hollywood for Boston's Sleepover Shows.


Willow (single version) by Richard Buckner