Take what you know about this band and throw half of it out the window. Sticking to their original musical roots yet at the same time stretching their boundaries, Motorhome has developed a whole new sound that is coming from a different place than before. “We have a much more dynamic sound…more quiet parts,” says Darren Radach, mandolin.
Last year, the introduction of a new drummer Dave Nezak, brought a fresh perspective and a new take on the songs and overall sound. Rather than playing the songs the way they had always been played, Nezak began playing them “his” way, which brought an unexpected freshness to old favorites.
Motorhome jam
“With the new sound, it’s all starting to coagulate,” according to P-Mann (a.k.a Matt Mahern; guitar, vocals). These five guys are a hilarious, dedicated bunch of music junkies. They share an intense love of making music, and an incredible shared sense of humor. They complement each other, especially when creating new music. Matt Thornton and P-Mann (both on guitar and vocals) write Motorhome’s songs, showcasing opposite styles through the contrasting concepts of dark and light. Thornton’s darker songs, like “Roses” (from their first album) and P-Mann’s lighter music, like “Snorkel,” an instrumental jam song, complement each other and create a rich diversity.
Before they bring a new song to the stage, the creative process is collaborative. “The writer has the main idea, then we fine-tune as a band,” says Radach. “We [practice together and] suggest other parts to each other,” says Ben Prytherch, bass.
The evolution of a song often means that it will progress from from a “folk style, slower, acoustic when it’s written, then, when we all get together, we make it rock!” says Thornton. According to P-Mann, he finds that when he writes a new tune it sounds one way, and when the rest of the band chimes in it morphs into “stuff that we never would have thought it would.” And playing a new song in front of an audience is unanimously “Awesome!” and “the best…especially to the people who really know us.”
Previously, you probably wouldn’t have described a Motorhome show with words like slow, jammy, or grooving. But now, these five guys are taking more chances: slowing it down, building it back up, and keeping both old and new fans on their toes. Five guys. Four instruments. Different styles, different perspectives, different music, but all cohesive.
Radach says now there is “more country, it’s more dancy, and less hard rock,” while Nezak adds “there is more groove,” and Prytherch calls it a “Cajun shuffle. I’ve changed bass lines with the change in drums…[the sound is] driven by the drumming, it’s been cool to change to a smaller rig that is a lot more quiet.” Over the last year, Motorhome has unveiled new material and basically done an overall re-vamp of the sound that used to be. But don’t be mistaken – they still know how to rock.
Motorhome will be playing a free show at the Aggie on February 25th. They are working on “how to become an incredible band. How do we get to the next level,” according to Radach, and it seems to be they’re on the right path.
great article ln