Quick Change World (Ric Ocasek album)
Encyclopedia
Quick Change World is the fourth solo album released by Ric Ocasek
, who was the lead singer and songwriter for The Cars
. This was his second and final release for Reprise Records
.
Ocasek's fourth solo album was originally intended to be Negative Theater, an album consisting of a double CD and a book of poetry. However, in North America, Reprise Records declined to release the CD in Ocasek's original form. Instead, the company had him record 7 additional tracks with producer Mike Shipley
, and added them to 7 tracks from Ocasek's Negative Theater project. The resulting 14-song record was issued as Quick Change World in North America only. (The Shipley-produced tracks comprise the "Right Side" of Quick Change World; the "Left Side" consists of Ocasek-produced Negative Theater tracks.) Stylistically, the right side represents pop rock
in the vein of The Cars
(the song "Hard Times" was initially intended for the Cars' album Heartbeat City
) while the left-side represents experimental music
.
Negative Theater was issued as a 15-track CD in Europe only. It includes the 7 "Left Side" tracks that were issued on Quick Change World, and 8 tracks that are exclusive to the Negative Theater album.
Left side
Ric Ocasek
Ric Ocasek is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars....
, who was the lead singer and songwriter for The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
. This was his second and final release for Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
.
Ocasek's fourth solo album was originally intended to be Negative Theater, an album consisting of a double CD and a book of poetry. However, in North America, Reprise Records declined to release the CD in Ocasek's original form. Instead, the company had him record 7 additional tracks with producer Mike Shipley
Mike Shipley
Mike Shipley is a Grammy Award–winning mix engineer who has been prominent in the global music industry for several decades, having worked on projects with combined sales in the hundreds of millions....
, and added them to 7 tracks from Ocasek's Negative Theater project. The resulting 14-song record was issued as Quick Change World in North America only. (The Shipley-produced tracks comprise the "Right Side" of Quick Change World; the "Left Side" consists of Ocasek-produced Negative Theater tracks.) Stylistically, the right side represents pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
in the vein of The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
(the song "Hard Times" was initially intended for the Cars' album Heartbeat City
Heartbeat City
Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American rock band The Cars, released in 1984.Heartbeat City contains a total of five American Top 40 singles, two of which were Top 10 as well, reaching #3 and #7, respectively...
) while the left-side represents experimental music
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
.
Negative Theater was issued as a 15-track CD in Europe only. It includes the 7 "Left Side" tracks that were issued on Quick Change World, and 8 tracks that are exclusive to the Negative Theater album.
Track listing
Right side- "The Big Picture"
- "Don't Let Go"
- "Hard Times"
- "A Little Closer"
- "Riding Shotgun"
- "Feeling's Got to Stay"
- "She's on"
Left side
- "I Still Believe"
- "Come Alive"
- "Quick Change World"
- "What's on TV"
- "Hopped Up"
- "Help Me Find America"
- "Telephone Again" (hidden bonus track)
Personnel
- Ric Ocasek - vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Charlie Pettus - bass
- Darryl Jenifer - bass
- Eric SchermerhornEric SchermerhornEric Schermerhorn, is an American guitarist and composer. Born in Massachusetts on April 11th 1960, he has since lived in NYC and Los Angeles. He played with Iggy Pop on the American Caeser and Naughty Little Doggie albums, and David Bowie on the Tin Machine It's My Life....
- guitar, E-bow - Roger Greenwalt - guitar
- Greg HawkesGreg HawkesGreg Hawkes is a musician best known as the keyboardist for the Rock band The Cars.Hawkes, a native of Fulton, Maryland, attended Atholton High School where he played in a band called Teeth. He then attended Berklee College of Music for two years, majoring in composition and flute...
- keyboards