by Goth Brooks

MOTORSOULE is not your typical Orange County, tattooed, wife beater, and chain wallet wearing, "I used to get loaded with Mike Ness" bragging bunch of idiot musicians. 

MOTORSOULE is everything a great Rock band should be.  High volume, bright lights, antagonistic, in your face Rock and Roll!  MOTORSOULE is goddamned loud and goddamned dangerous!  Formed out of the remains of The Wheels, Johnny Monster, Tripwire, Dirt Clod Fight, and other O.C. bands either too famous or too shameful to mention, MOTORSOULE have been around for a few years.  This final and undoubtedly the best incarnation of MOTORSOULE have been at it less than a year.  After listening to their self-produced, self-titled, and self-released CD, and seeing them live, you get the feeling they've been around forever, and you're even more amazed knowing that this isn't the case.  I'd say MOTORSOULE has got to be the most conceptually perfect band since KISS.  And that just makes MOTORSOULE that much more intriguing.

The closest I can come to labeling MOTORSOULE would be to describe their sound, and their image as "Punk Rock and Roll" (But don't you dare call them Punk!).  Their sound and their style is reminiscent of legendary bands like X, The Flesheaters, The Dead Boys, and early Pretenders.  Their highly stylized guitar riffs have that unmistakable "Groovy Ghoulies" vibe to them courtesy of Guitar God Dan and his masterful six string stylings.  In addition to that there's the obvious cartoon influence carried over by ex-Johnny Monster bass player, now MOTORSOULE guitarist Shane.  Like Stiv Bators before him, vocalist Ricki Menace is a scary little sucker, and I get the feeling that one of these days he's gonna hurt himself, or someone else with his onstage antics (Watch where you swing that microphone stand!).  Although unintentionally and not blatantly, Ricki showcases a voice that sounds a lot like Jello Biafra.  It's a good thing though, and it's one of the many parts of the synthesis that works to create the sound that is pure MOTORSOULE.

What MOTORSOULE have done with their self-titled CD is thrown in all their best influences, their own deft musical and songwriting skills, and the ability to get the desired effect onto CD.  They've bravely entered into the unknown and come out with something unique and of EPIC proportions here.  The overall sound is amazing and professional, yet not an "overproduced" production.  MOTORSOULE has mixed 12 raucous songs into an awesome sonic landscape that entices you to go for a second and third spin, and eventually makes you want to hit the replay button and listen until you get tired of it.  Which of course, you never do.

MOTORSOULE live is like a Rock and Roll lounge act set to killer music.  Their shows are quickly becoming the stuff that legends are made of.  MOTORSOULE incorporates pieces of glitter, glitz, and gore galore into their Rock and Roll spectacle.  These four guys and one fine gal have got such a cool style with their BIG starched white collars and smoking jackets, offset by Ricki decked out in the feather boa and motorcycle riding gear, looking like a deranged version of Rob Halford ready to commit aggravated acts of  whatever it takes to mow-down anyone who gets in his way.  They've got the cool light show happening, and they've got a big, shiny, silvery, sparkly "M" surrounded by red Christmas tree lights hovering over Murdock and the drum set.  MOTORSOULE's festival of lights live show goes over equally as well in bigger clubs as it does in smaller clubs. 

The buzz surrounding MOTORSOULE has gotten around mostly by word-of-mouth.  They've played with well known, as well as lesser-known bands.  Most notably was the historic one-off gig opening for the OFFSPRING at the 13th floor a few months back.  I see big things around the corner for MOTORSOULE (Does the term "bidding war" ring a bell?).  Yep, I can feel it!  I predict MOTORSOULE will find themselves in the right place, at the right time, very soon!  Catch MOTORSOULE at the Whiskey on the 4th, The Tiki Bar on the 6th, The Coconut Teaser on the 7th, House of Blues for two sold out nights on the 11th and the 12th, Johnny Depp's World famous Viper Room on the 21st, and Anaheim Stadium���Someday Soon!

MOTORSOULE is:

Ricki---Vocals
Dan---Guitars 
Jen---Bass
Shane---Guitars
Murdock---Drums

For shows, reviews and other news, check out www.motorsoule.com

Download MOTORSOULE MP3's at www.loudenergy.com(scroll down for Motorsoule)

To order MOTORSOULE's 12 song CD, send check or money order in the amount of $14.00 USD ($10.00 CD, plus $4.00 shipping fee) to:
                                                              MOTORSOULE
2565 Greenbriar Ln. 
Costa Mesa, Calif 92626

Comments Questions for Goth Brooks? You can email him at [email protected]

All photos courtesy of Lou Jimenez