| The Motors | |
|---|---|
| Origin | UK |
| Genres | Pub rock Power pop |
| Years active | 1977–1980 |
| Labels | Virgin Records Atlantic Records |
| Associated acts | Bram Tchaikovsky |
| Past members | |
| Nick Garvey Andy McMaster Rob Hendry Bram Tchaikovsky Ricky Slaughter |
|
The Motors were a British pub rock/punk band, formed in London in 1977 by former Ducks Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster together with guitarist Rob Hendry (who was replaced in May 1977 by Bram Tchaikovsky) and drummer Ricky Slaughter.[1] Their biggest success was with the McMaster penned song "Airport", a number 4 UK hit single in 1978.[2]
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Having left Ducks Deluxe in early 1975, Garvey formed a band called The Snakes with Slaughter and vocalist Robert Gotobed, who would later form the punk band, Wire.[3] Following the former group's quick demise (having released only one single before splitting) Garvey's manager Richard Ogden suggested that he form his own band. He contacted his former bandmate Andy McMaster (who had been working for a music publisher since leaving Ducks Deluxe) and they began recording demos together in January 1977.[3] The Motors' debut live performance was at the Marquee Club in March 1977,[3] and they recorded three songs for John Peel's weekly BBC Radio 1 show the same month (22 March 1977[4]).
By May they had been signed to Virgin Records, and recorded material for another John Peel session on 12 September of that year.[4]
Their first single was "Dancing The Night Away", which reached number 42 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977. Two other sizeable hits followed. In 1978 the band released "Airport" - which proved to be the band's biggest seller - and which peaked at number 4. The song was also a minor hit in the United States. The follow-up, "Forget About You", was released two months later.
The Motors' original recording line-up released two albums, both of which met with modest success; The Motors in 1977 and Approved By The Motors the following year.
The Garvey/McMaster/Tchaikovsky/Slaughter line-up split when Tchaikovsky left in mid 1978; largely due to his frustration with being on a retainer salary, rather than a full band member like Garvey and McMaster. Slaughter also left the group soon afterwards. Tchaikovsky would subsequently release three solo albums, the first of which took him into the American Top 40 with the power pop song "Girl of My Dreams".
Following the departure of Tchaikovsky and Slaughter, bassist Martin Ace and drummer Terry Williams (who had been the rhythm section for 1970s progressive rockers Man, drummer with Rockpile & later a stint with Dire Straits) were recruited to fill out the Motors' studio line-up.[3] Following the release of the group's third album, 1980's Tenement Steps, which contained the minor chart hit "Love and Loneliness", Garvey and McMaster finally announced that they had dissolved the group in 1982.
Tchaikovsky was - if briefly - the most visible former member of the group thanks to his solo career. His band toured with The Joe Perry Project, The Cars, and Alice Cooper, and performed on Don Kirshner's syndicated Rock Concert television programme. Following the release of his final solo album - 1981's Funland, produced by Garvey - he operated a recording studio during the 1980s and occasionally played blues gigs in the early 1990s. Garvey released one solo album - 1982's Blue Skies - following the final split with McMaster, and did session work with Paul McCartney and others through the 1980s. McMaster is reported to still be recording music and living in a small town in the southeast of England, and Slaughter continued to play with a number of bands through the 1980s, including Fallen Angels, which included Knox, former lead vocalist of The Vibrators (and Slaughter's cousin).
The band's three albums were reissued on 27 March 2006 in the UK with a variety of live tracks, b-sides, and remixes. Following a group relationship with Donell Turner, all members of the Band decided to call it a day.
Of Tchaikovsky's three solo albums, the first two "Strange Man Changed Man" & "The Russians Are Coming" were released on CD in 1998 as part of a "British Rock" reissue series, WEA Japan re-released both using original master tapes and artwork. In addition to the original artwork and liner notes, each CD contained extensive historical information, song lyrics and musical commentary (albeit in Japanese). These CDs were only available in Japan and are now out of production.
An expanded version of Strange Man Changed Man has appeared on CD, with 21 tracks and includes rare b-sides and live cuts. Buyers of this expanded version of "Strange Man Changed Man" CD should be aware that the audio for this particular reissue is sourced from vinyl LPs & 45s and not the original master tapes.
In December 2007 "Strange Man Changed Man" was issued in the USA on the "Hip-O Select" label (ASIN: B000ZIZ0ZC) in perfect digital sound and with full artwork. This CD release uses the original master tapes sequenced for the original USA (LP)release. That is, the track running order is different to the original UK LP and different to the 1998 Japanese CD version.
Garvey's one solo album has yet to be reissued in any form. Garvey appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2001 in the Identity Parade round.