Yeah, I know, this is stuff that unless you’re at all familiar with the two individuals I’ve noted above, you probably don’t care.

But if you’re an old fart like me, you know Ric Ocasek was a member of the very popular (and, while they were around, fantastic) band The Cars and he and the then very successful supermodel Ms. Porizkova first met when they made the video to the 1984 song Drive, one of The Cars’ most popular releases:

Sung by Benjamin Orr (while Ric Ocasek is often presented as the “face” of The Cars and was the primary songwriter, it was Mr. Orr who sang most -but certainly not all!- the best of their songs.  He passed away in the year 2000 at the age of 52 of pancreatic cancer), Drive was a big hit and Mr. Ocasek and Ms. Porizkova married a few years later and have been together for 29 years.

However, this article by Ron Dicker and presented on HuffingtonPost.com notes…

Paulina Porizkova and Ric Ocasek are “Peacefully separated”

The reason I point out this article is not to titillate or spread gossip or wallow in nostalgia.

The reason I point out the article is because of this line from it, a bit that blew me away (and which is presented in bold):

Porizkova, 53, and Ocasek, 74, met during a music-video shoot for The Cars’ song “Drive” in 1984 and wed in 1989, according to People.

I’m just… speechless.

Rick Ocasek is 74 years old?!?!

He’s a grand total of 5 years younger than my… father?!?!

He’s three years older than David Bowie?!

I was so flabbergasted I had to investigate this a little further.  How old was Mr. Ocasek when the self-titled first (and, IMHO, best) Cars album was released in 1978?

The answer?  He was 34 years old at that time.  He was 40 years old when he met Ms. Porizkova in 1984.

Incredible!

The point I’m making is this: Mr. Ocasek -and The Cars- bloomed rather late considering the business they were so successful at -the music business- that tends to cater to two audiences: The young and the very young.

Good on ya, Mr. Ocasek!