Motor Ace
Encyclopedia
Motor Ace were an Australian alternative rock
band. Formed in Melbourne
around 1998 out of the remains of another band named Snowblind, their members were Patrick ('Patch') Robertson
(vocals/guitar), Damian Birchall Costin (drums), Matt Balfe (bass), and Dave Ong (guitar).
and Oasis
. Motor Ace supported the latter during their Australian tour in 2002. Unusually, they also once supported (along with Bodyjar
) Blink-182
during their 2000 Australian tour. Along with 28 Days
, Machine Gun Fellatio
, and NoKTuRNL
, they were part of a wave of mostly successful young Australian acts signed to Festival Mushroom
Records' development label Sputnik, which launched in 1999.
The band began recording their debut release, a self-titled EP, during April 1999. On it they worked with producer Paul McKercher, who has also assisted well-known efforts by You Am I
and The Cruel Sea
. The eventual tracklisting of their self-titled release included "Chairman of the Board", "Chromakey", "Criminal Past", "Lowrider", and "Fluke". Other songs, "American Shoes" and "Siamese", were also considered, but were left out after the band decided they wanted to make a straight-up rock EP (though they wound up on future releases). Triple J
gave the band heavy airplay, assisting the band on their touring schedule. Afterwards, the singles "Death Defy" (which was used as the title theme for TV show The Secret Life of Us
), "American Shoes", and "Hey Driver" were released throughout the course of 2000, in the build up to their debut album. Some of them charted in the top 100 of the ARIAnet singles chart, while they also gained popularity on Triple J
.
, entered the Australian ARIAnet albums chart at number 4. This was followed by more solid touring throughout Australia, and a partly animated video for the title track, which, along with "Lorenzo", was released as a radio single to keep up momentum. Five Star Laundry was produced and engineered by Craig Harnath and Chris Dickie in February 2000 at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne, during a particularly long and intense heatwave. All the power stations had been shut down, and the guys were crammed into an airless, sweltering studio for four weeks of consistent recording. Recording on an analogue tape machine made the process arduous and involved. After about three weeks in the studio, Patrick lost his voice and had to take a break. The vocals were finally completed by 2am on the day that Patrick and Damian were due to fly to London to mix the album with Chris Sheldon
, who had previously worked with the Foo Fighters
and Therapy?
.
, released in July 2002, gained even more commercial success, debuting at number 1 that year and, like its predecessor, eventually achieving gold status. The two lead singles ("Carry On" and "Keeping Secrets") reached the top 30 in the ARIAnet singles chart, with the Britpop
-esque string-laden former reaching the top 20. "Carry On" would also be used in a commercial for The Australian
newspaper. Capping off the year, the track "Pieces" was released as a radio-only single with an accompanying video.
Motor Ace were put on hold after their 2003 Japanese shows for Shoot This
, after the pressuring touring and work schedule was beginning to take its toll on the band - especially on Robertson, who suffered from Crohn's Disease
. During this period, Damian Costin started a music management group, Fat Guy Management (FGM), Patrick Robertson retreated to his home in the Melbourne inner suburb of Fitzroy and began to develop his songwriting and production techniques, while Dave Ong put together a country-influenced solo album under the name Joni Lightning. Towards the end of this hiatus, which would last well until the end of 2004, rumours abounded that the band had split up. However, the band's management subsequently denied this.
, was released the following August. The more reflective CD, with less emphasis on upbeat rock, was heralded by critics as Motor Ace's most mature work yet. A second single, "A Little Closer", followed on 12 September.
Unfortunately, Animal didn't quite reach the commercial heights of its predecessors, dropping out of the ARIA Top 40 after only three weeks. The album received little, if any, support from radio - including Triple J
. Possibly motivated by the album's failure to bring the band back into the limelight they once held, Motor Ace announced at the end of September 2005 that they would officially disband by the year's end, playing farewell shows in Melbourne
and Perth
during December.
The individual members remain on amicable terms. Robertson now professionally scores for film and television, while Ong still occasionally performs around Melbourne with his Joni Lightning project. Costin continues to work in the music industry. Matt Balfe is currently a freelance lion tamer.
From Shoot This
From Animal
and Daybreak Films on 19 March 2010. Filmed at the Hi-Fi Bar in Melbourne on 23 December 2005, it also incorporates some candid footage of the band from when they were in the USA and Japan, and also footage from the making of the "Carry On" video clip.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band. Formed in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
around 1998 out of the remains of another band named Snowblind, their members were Patrick ('Patch') Robertson
Patrick ('Patch') Robertson
Patrick "Patch" Thomas Robertson is an Australian musician and songwriter, who was frontman for the post-grunge rock band Motor Ace. Formed in Melbourne during 1998, Motor Ace had top five chart success on the Australian Recording Industry Association Albums Chart with Five Star Laundry and...
(vocals/guitar), Damian Birchall Costin (drums), Matt Balfe (bass), and Dave Ong (guitar).
Early history
Motor Ace's swaggering rock anthems have seen many commentators liken them to Brit rockers The VerveThe Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
and Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
. Motor Ace supported the latter during their Australian tour in 2002. Unusually, they also once supported (along with Bodyjar
Bodyjar
Bodyjar were an Australian punk rock/pop punk band based in Melbourne. They began performing under the name Bodyjar in 1994; their previous names included Damnation and Helium.-History:...
) Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
during their 2000 Australian tour. Along with 28 Days
28 Days
28 Days are a punk rock band formed in Bacchus Marsh, Australia during 1997. At their career peak, they had a #1 album on the Australian ARIAnet Albums Chart and also a #12 single on the ARIAnet Singles Chart....
, Machine Gun Fellatio
Machine Gun Fellatio
Machine Gun Fellatio was an Australian alternative rock band, formed in 1997. They were well-known for their provocative on-stage antics and humorous lyrics, as well as the musical merit of their songs. Their outrage-provoking name gives some idea of the attitude that pervades the band's work...
, and NoKTuRNL
NoKTuRNL
Nokturnl is a band formed in 1996 in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. Sometimes called rap metal their music is hard to categorise, but their lyrics are influenced by their experience as Indigenous Australians. Nokturnl won "Band of the Year" at The Deadlys in 1998, 2000 and 2003.They...
, they were part of a wave of mostly successful young Australian acts signed to Festival Mushroom
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
Records' development label Sputnik, which launched in 1999.
The band began recording their debut release, a self-titled EP, during April 1999. On it they worked with producer Paul McKercher, who has also assisted well-known efforts by You Am I
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
and The Cruel Sea
The Cruel Sea (band)
The Cruel Sea are an Australian indie rock band from Sydney formed in late 1987. Originally an instrumental-only band, they became more popular when fronted by vocalist Tex Perkins in addition to Jim Elliott on drums, Ken Gormly on bass guitar, Dan Rumour on guitar and James Cruickshank on guitar...
. The eventual tracklisting of their self-titled release included "Chairman of the Board", "Chromakey", "Criminal Past", "Lowrider", and "Fluke". Other songs, "American Shoes" and "Siamese", were also considered, but were left out after the band decided they wanted to make a straight-up rock EP (though they wound up on future releases). Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
gave the band heavy airplay, assisting the band on their touring schedule. Afterwards, the singles "Death Defy" (which was used as the title theme for TV show The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us was a television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The series was produced by Southern Star Entertainment and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK...
), "American Shoes", and "Hey Driver" were released throughout the course of 2000, in the build up to their debut album. Some of them charted in the top 100 of the ARIAnet singles chart, while they also gained popularity on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
.
Five Star Laundry
When released in March 2001 after some delays, Motor Ace's debut album, Five Star LaundryFive Star Laundry
Five Star Laundry is the debut album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2001. The album exposed Motor Ace to the Australian public, most notably to listeners of Triple J....
, entered the Australian ARIAnet albums chart at number 4. This was followed by more solid touring throughout Australia, and a partly animated video for the title track, which, along with "Lorenzo", was released as a radio single to keep up momentum. Five Star Laundry was produced and engineered by Craig Harnath and Chris Dickie in February 2000 at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne, during a particularly long and intense heatwave. All the power stations had been shut down, and the guys were crammed into an airless, sweltering studio for four weeks of consistent recording. Recording on an analogue tape machine made the process arduous and involved. After about three weeks in the studio, Patrick lost his voice and had to take a break. The vocals were finally completed by 2am on the day that Patrick and Damian were due to fly to London to mix the album with Chris Sheldon
Chris Sheldon
Chris Sheldon is a record producer, particularly of rock music, based in London, UK. He has produced or mixed records for the Foo Fighters, Garbage, Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Oceansize and Pixies amongst others...
, who had previously worked with the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
and Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
.
Shoot This
Their second album, Shoot ThisShoot This
Shoot This is the second album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2002. The album gained more commercial success than their first album, debuting at number 1 on the Australian ARIA charts....
, released in July 2002, gained even more commercial success, debuting at number 1 that year and, like its predecessor, eventually achieving gold status. The two lead singles ("Carry On" and "Keeping Secrets") reached the top 30 in the ARIAnet singles chart, with the Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
-esque string-laden former reaching the top 20. "Carry On" would also be used in a commercial for The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
newspaper. Capping off the year, the track "Pieces" was released as a radio-only single with an accompanying video.
Motor Ace were put on hold after their 2003 Japanese shows for Shoot This
Shoot This
Shoot This is the second album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2002. The album gained more commercial success than their first album, debuting at number 1 on the Australian ARIA charts....
, after the pressuring touring and work schedule was beginning to take its toll on the band - especially on Robertson, who suffered from Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
. During this period, Damian Costin started a music management group, Fat Guy Management (FGM), Patrick Robertson retreated to his home in the Melbourne inner suburb of Fitzroy and began to develop his songwriting and production techniques, while Dave Ong put together a country-influenced solo album under the name Joni Lightning. Towards the end of this hiatus, which would last well until the end of 2004, rumours abounded that the band had split up. However, the band's management subsequently denied this.
Animal and band break-up
Preceded by its atmospheric first single "Tomorrow's Gone" in May 2005, their third album, AnimalAnimal (Motor Ace album)
Animal is the third and final album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2005. A more reflective CD, it had less emphasis on upbeat rock and was heralded by critics as Motor Ace's most mature work yet....
, was released the following August. The more reflective CD, with less emphasis on upbeat rock, was heralded by critics as Motor Ace's most mature work yet. A second single, "A Little Closer", followed on 12 September.
Unfortunately, Animal didn't quite reach the commercial heights of its predecessors, dropping out of the ARIA Top 40 after only three weeks. The album received little, if any, support from radio - including Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. Possibly motivated by the album's failure to bring the band back into the limelight they once held, Motor Ace announced at the end of September 2005 that they would officially disband by the year's end, playing farewell shows in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
during December.
The individual members remain on amicable terms. Robertson now professionally scores for film and television, while Ong still occasionally performs around Melbourne with his Joni Lightning project. Costin continues to work in the music industry. Matt Balfe is currently a freelance lion tamer.
Albums
- Five Star LaundryFive Star LaundryFive Star Laundry is the debut album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2001. The album exposed Motor Ace to the Australian public, most notably to listeners of Triple J....
(2001) #4 Australia - Shoot ThisShoot ThisShoot This is the second album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2002. The album gained more commercial success than their first album, debuting at number 1 on the Australian ARIA charts....
(2002) #1 Australia, #40 New Zealand - AnimalAnimal (Motor Ace album)Animal is the third and final album by Australian post-grunge band Motor Ace, released in 2005. A more reflective CD, it had less emphasis on upbeat rock and was heralded by critics as Motor Ace's most mature work yet....
(2005) #21 Australia
Singles
From Five Star Laundry- "American Shoes" (2000) #65 Triple J Hottest 100 (2000)
- "Criminal Past" (2000)
- "Chairman of the Board"
- "Five Star Laundry"
- "Death Defy" (2000) #98 Triple J Hottest 100 (2000)
- "Hey Driver" (2001) #53 Triple J Hottest 100 (2001)
From Shoot This
- "Carry On" (2002) #13 Australia, #29 Triple J Hottest 100 (2002)
- "Keeping Secrets" (2002) #30 Australia
From Animal
- "Tomorrow's Gone" (2005) #41 Australia
- "A Little Closer" (2005) #99 Australia
DVD
A DVD of Motor Ace's final show was released by Liberation MusicLiberation Music
Liberation Music is a boutique, independent Australasian record company, started in 1999 by Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello. Its stated aim is to find, nurture and then to develop new talent for a world market while remaining independent in the process...
and Daybreak Films on 19 March 2010. Filmed at the Hi-Fi Bar in Melbourne on 23 December 2005, it also incorporates some candid footage of the band from when they were in the USA and Japan, and also footage from the making of the "Carry On" video clip.