The Cars burst onto the national music scene in the late 1970s, capturing the attention of rock radio listeners when the demo of their now-classic “Just What I Needed” went what today we would call “viral.” In the 1980s, the band was also a constant presence on MTV. Like the uniqueness of the Cars’ music, with its quirky mix of pop, rock, and new wave, guitarist Elliot Easton’s playing defies labeling, his genre-hopping blend of rock, blues, jazz and rockabilly seamlessly knit together by his savvy and adventurous musical sense.

Easton’s classic solos and creative rhythm playing turned so many of the Cars’ songs into thrilling guitar adventures, without overshadowing them. Let’s see if we can decipher just how he did it.