New Cars mix the old with the new for latest tour

Elliot Easton is upbeat about touring but jaded about the recording industry. The former lead guitarist of the Cars thinks it’s harder to record forward-thinking rock and pop than it was when his Boston-based band hit the scene in the late 1970s.

An all-American, punk-influenced pop-rock band, the Cars were at the forefront of a new guitar-driven style of synthesized pop that emerged in the 1970s (and flowered in the ’80s). The result was a long string of hits, including “Just What I Needed,” “Shake it Up” and “You Might Think.”

This summer, Easton is touring with a reincarnation of his old band, the New Cars, the second go-round since the refurbished group hit the road in 2006. The band performs the Cars’ biggest hits alongside upbeat, newly recorded original work.

Now a 52-year-old father and husband whose family lives in Southern California, Easton took a moment to tell us what’s up with this version of the band, which also features original keyboardist Greg Hawkes and three rockers from other bands: guitarist Todd Rundgren, bassist-vocalist Kasim Sulton and drummer Prairie Prince.

Q: Anything different about the music you guys do as the New Cars?

A: As any band will tell you, if you change any member in a band, the entire chemistry changes.

It’s just a little bit different of a band with a very different approach, but I like to think that we approach the music we do with a lot of respect. ... The new members each bring their own flavor.

Q: The New Cars’ only album, “It’s Alive,” with live versions of Cars’ hits, was released last year. Is there another album in the works?

A: No, not really. We’re just working at establishing the band as a live act. You know, the record business is in such a weird place right now that, who knows, we’d like to record new music, but if it’s not going to sell enough to justify new music, then we’re not sure. So it’s up in the air.

Q: Your solos were part of what made the Cars’ songs so distinctive. Can fans look forward to a signature Easton solo at your show?

A: Expect all of it. I realize that people find it satisfying to hear the songs played in much the way that they were recorded, and I strive to do that and play the solos that are on the records.

I know it’s a part of the song that people want to hear.