A touring keyboard road case from The Cars’ production, from the personal collection of Greg Hawkes — the band’s keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist — acquired from Hawkes’ Weiss Auctions sale (November 20, 2020). The case bears a handwritten “CARS” identification label on the front face and crew notation labels consistent with active road production use. It is offered as a standalone lot, having been originally acquired together with the Prophet-5 synthesizer (Lot 90) from the same auction.
Historical Context
The Cars were a Boston-based new wave and rock band comprising Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar), Ben Orr (vocals, bass), Elliot Easton (guitar), Greg Hawkes (keyboards, synthesizers), and David Robinson (drums). Formed in 1976 and signed to Elektra Records, the band released six studio albums between 1978 and 1987 and achieved sustained commercial success throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. Greg Hawkes served as the band’s primary keyboard and synthesizer player, and his use of a wide range of period instruments — including the ARP Omni, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, Roland Jupiter-8, and Yamaha DX series — was central to The Cars’ distinctive sonic identity across their catalog and touring productions.
Road cases of this type were standard-issue professional touring infrastructure, custom-fitted to specific instruments and assigned to individual crew members for the duration of a production. The crew notation labels present on this case — “Empty/Nelson/Arntz” — reflect the standard staging and load-in documentation used by professional touring crews of the era.
Stage Use
This case was part of The Cars’ touring keyboard production infrastructure from Greg Hawkes’ personal working inventory. A label on the case reads “JP8 #3,” suggesting an association with a Roland Jupiter-8 at some point during its working life — the Jupiter-8 was among the synthesizers used by Hawkes during The Cars’ touring activity. The case was retained by Hawkes following the band’s touring years and was included in his personal collection sale.
Specifications
· R&R Cases (Chicago, IL) keyboard road case
· Black laminate exterior with silver-tone aluminum extrusion edging and ball-corner hardware
· Front face bears handwritten “CARS” tape label and red crew notation label reading “Empty/Nelson/Arntz.”
· Top bears “JP8 #3” label
· R&R Cases manufacturer plate with serial number
· Interior features heavily worn custom foam lining
· Two butterfly latches and recessed carry handle on front
Condition
The case exhibits heavy wear consistent with extensive professional touring use. The exterior laminate shows significant cracking and loss in one area, with wood substrate exposed. All hardware is present and functional. The interior foam is heavily deteriorated, compressed, and soiled throughout, consistent with decades of active use. All original labels are present.
Provenance
From the personal collection of Greg Hawkes. Originally offered as part of Lot 725 at Weiss Auctions, Sale 378 (Historical Memorabilia, Rock N Roll, Hollywood, Advertising), November 20, 2020, Lynbrook, NY. Acquired from that sale and offered here as a standalone lot.
Nostalgia Bandit Letter of Provenance
This lot will be accompanied by a Nostalgia Bandit Letter of Provenance — a document printed on official Nostalgia Bandit letterhead, signed by Nostalgia Bandit’s principal, and affixed with the official Nostalgia Bandit embossed seal. The Letter of Provenance reproduces the complete final auction description for this lot in full, memorializing all provenance documentation, attribution, supporting evidence, and condition details as presented herein. It is designed to travel with the lot through all future ownership transfers as a permanent, platform-independent physical record of the item’s documented history.
Shipping & Measurements
THIRD PARTY SHIPPING ONLY. Contact Nostalgia Bandit for a shipping quote: shipping@nostalgiabandit.com
» Item: 46 x 22 x 8″ · 41 lbs.
