Weezerpedia:Featured article September 2025
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The following page holds the content that will be "transcluded" (i.e. sent over to) the Main Page as a featured article for September 2025. For assistance with editing, please consult Help:Featured article.
Featured article: Ric Ocasek
Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 — September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek, was a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. He is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for new wave rock band the Cars. He was also a producer for several bands including Weezer, Bad Brains, No Doubt, Guided by Voices, and Suicide.
Ocasek first worked with Weezer on the band's self-titled debut album (the Blue Album) in 1994. When Weezer was pressured by their label, Geffen, into using a producer on the album, the band requested Ocasek, with the logic that it should be someone who knew how to write good songs. To the band's surprise, Geffen allowed it. In preparation of Ocasek's arrival to their rehearsal, the band prepared a cover of the Cars song "Just What I Needed."
Ocasek would return to produce Weezer's next self-titled album (the Green Album) in 2001, as well as Everything Will Be Alright in the End in 2014. In 2011, Weezer covered the Cars' Ocasek-penned track "You Might Think" for the film Cars 2. Ocasek passed away in his New York City townhouse on September 15, 2019. He had recorded vocals for the Weezer song "I Need Some of That", which were released posthumously for the 2021 album Van Weezer.