Plus, we have an opportunity for you to win an autographed copy of The Motels’ “lost” LP, Apocalypso!
The cliche is that inspiration often comes to people in the shower, although I’m not sure why—maybe it’s the running water or something. Me, I tend to do my thinking in the kitchen. With an open bottle of merlot.
It was during one of these moments, contemplating the upcoming Omnivore Week and while listening to The Motels’ Apocalypso that it hit me—we’ve gotta get the band on the record about this record. I mean, imagine turning over your completed third LP to Capitol Records and having it knocked back to you to . . . y’know . . . make it a bit more commercial. And then to have Omnivore release the LP as recorded 30 years to the day of its intended release.
It’s a hell of a story and one we cornered The Motels’ Martha Davis and Marty Jourard to share. Omnivore Recordings Week continues at TVD:
Tell us a little bit about where you and The Motels were musically at the time you entered the studio to record Apocalypso. What and who were influencing the band as you set about to record LP three?
Martha: Like any band made up of five different personalities, you’re going to have a blend of different influences. I wish to god I could remember what all was being brought to the table, so to speak.
You carry with you the music you grow up with… Marty, from Florida, Brian, from England, Michael, from Albuquerque, Tim, from NY, and me from Berkeley. The diversity was there, but what we wanted in common was to create something that we hadn’t heard before. We weren’t listening to the latest hits, to try and emulate, we were trying to create something of our own.
Personally, I prefer dark and brooding, and as cinematic as possible. Tim came with his own unique sound and as I have said before, he had a lot to do with the production value of the album. Marty and his sonic styling with the keys and fantastic sax work. Michael, such a wonderful bass player and all round great musician. Brian, always ready to try some beat you couldn’t ever remember hearing before… and everyone wrote. I think in so many ways we influenced each other—it didn’t so much come from outside forces but internally… we were on a mission.
Marty: Tim McGovern was the leading force on this album in terms of arranging Martha’s songs and he was always into Jimi Hendrix and surf music. He also was experimenting with one of the first Roland guitar synthesizers. I was listening to a variety of stuff, Kind of Blue for sax playing, The Police, and going for a sort of over the top Ferrante & Tiecher meets Xavier Cugat style on the piano. I grew up in the South and listened to a lot of R&B and soul music.
Apocalypso as a “new” release succeeds in that there’s an air of timelessness to the production. It’s not a record you put on and think, “Oh, this is from the early ’80s.” Was this intentional – to keep the recordings a bit more direct and immediate – without the flavors of the moment taking center stage?
Martha: I think that was all part of just trying to make something new and different. It was part of making up our own rules, or in some cases throwing out the rule book entirely. There was a lot of raw forceful talent who didn’t want to play by the rules. We kind of ignored the “style” that was forming around the “New Wave.”
Marty: We did want to make something that didn’t sound like any other band or artist, but we weren’t more specific than that. It sounds like the ‘80s to me though, because of the synthesizers.
Tim played drums on a lot of these tracks and he is an amazing player, so there was definitely not a “New Wave” ‘80s rhythm feel on the tracks. I think it’s the rhythms that make this album unique as much as the songs and lyrics.
It’s understood that Capitol Records wasn’t too keen on the direct and immediate (and adventurous) territory Apocalypso charted and declined to release it, citing a lack of commercial viability. Was this a blow at the time or was it easy to simply reinvent the wheel?
Martha: Nothing was particularly easy during that time. Tim and I being in a tumultuous relationship, probably the most difficult part. Capitol’s refusal to release the album ended that particular musical momentum, and the relationship followed suit. At that point there was nothing else to do but reinvent the wheel.
Marty: Haha. It was a blow. It was to be our third album, and the first two didn’t exactly scream up the charts. There was a lot riding on this third album. They pointed out that the sales team was less than enthusiastic and we got it.
At first they said they wanted us to recut a few songs but it was all redone. There was plenty of ego going on between Val and Tim, and Val wanted to follow the worldwide success of having produced “Bette Davis Eyes” with producing an “artistic” album, proving he could do it all. But he was asking for it when he didn’t let Capitol Records hear anything until it was recorded, mixed, and sequenced.
Producer Val Garay was a constant behind the board for Apocalypso and its “follow-up,” the monster success that was All Four One. How did he remain a constant and how was it that the band could courageously turn the other cheek and chart a different creative path of sorts with All Four One?
Martha: My recollections are that Tim was pretty much in charge of the direction for Apocalypso. Val was there and had input, and a lovely studio, but Tim was the driving force. When Tim left, Val took over in earnest. It was a completely different approach than the previous album, or really any album we had made up until then. It was not an easy album to make, and in many ways marked the end of Motels’ artistic innocence.
Marty: Val was a very good engineer, he basically let Tim produce Apocalypso, but the success of the remake (All Four One) made him feel his way of making records was obviously “the” way, not just a way. Frankly, I was along for the ride, not knowing how it would play out. If I didn’t like how it was going I could always quit. I didn’t like working for Val on Little Robbers.
How was it that Omnivore approached you about releasing Apocalypso 30 years after its recording?
Martha: I have known Cheryl Pawelski for some years now. I knew her when she worked at EMI, and it was she that put together the Anthologyland CD, that came out in 2001. As happens, life gets in the way, and we lose track of each other, (my bad)… This year there was this series of one thing leads to another that was so wonderful I’m not sure which thing led to what other.
I remember getting back in touch with her, and hearing about her new label, which hadn’t launched yet. The funny thing was I was getting Facebooked about this great new label, and being that I’m not one who puts two and two together with any speed or reliability, it took me some time to figure out that the new great label was Cheryl’s Omnivore!
I had just finished recording the basics for a “standards” album with Marty Jourard (only they’re not standards cause they’re all originals). I sent a copy to Cheryl in the hope that maybe her new great label will be interested. Cheryl has a listen and says in effect, “Before we launch into a completely different sonic landscape, don’t you think it would be prudent to wake the fan base? Come out with something to reintroduce a lot of people to The Motels, and you??” And without as much as a beat, she asks, “What about Apocalypso???”
Well now, that’s a good idea… another beat… “You know this year is the 30 year anniversary of Apocalypso’s non-release…” Damn, she’s good!
So, I have had the very great fortune to not only get reunited with a wonderful friend and one of the most gifted record people I’ve ever known, but have had a 30 year old album finally see the light of day, with original artwork and screaming orange vinyl. Thank you Greg for your amazing job on the package…
But the cherry on that whole giant mound of goodness is that I have gotten to be part of a new label that is, in my humble opinion, the record label we’ve all been waiting for. I have not seen these many record geeks and music freaks at a label since I was signed to Capitol in 1979.
Yes, it’s true, in the “old” days the people who worked at labels loved music, cared about their product, and paraded their glorious artwork. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the enthusiasm I see at Omnivore… and I love it!
Was there any thought to revisiting or remixing any of the material or were you inclined to simply let it stand as a document of its time?
Martha: It was never even brought up. I think one of the things that makes Omnivore so incredible is their love of the authentic, the rare, and hard to find—sort of musical anthropologists.
Omnivore has released the first 1,200 copies of Apocalypso on glorious translucent orange vinyl. We’d be a bit remiss – as it is our favorite format – if we didn’t get your thoughts on the resurgence and timelessness of the vinyl medium in general?
Martha: It is awesome to see how vinyl is really on the up-swing. There is nothing like vinyl. It’s perfect… the right size the right shape, and oh lordy, when that needle hits the groove—that sound! Even before the music, needle on vinyl… I remember when they first trotted out CDs, how many speakers were almost blown from people turning the volume all the way up—all because of that deafening digital silence. The mom and pops that hung in should be very proud, and I believe Record Store Day should probably be a national holiday.
Marty: Vinyl was murdered by the record companies. It did not die a natural death as described in Appetite for Self-Destruction by Steve Knopper. My 20-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter are both way into vinyl now, played on their thrift shop stereo systems. It’s da bomb.
The independent, mom and pop record stores that remain with us in 2012 have lead the charge of the vinyl revival—along with labels such as Omnivore and its commitment to the format. Do you have a favorite record store either then or now?
Martha: Here we go again, the strange entanglement of Martha and Omnivore. The music store I used to love as a young’n was… Music City… yep the same Music city as featured on Omnivore’s Together Forever, The Music City Sessions. I had no idea they ever recorded there. It was just where my sister and I would go to pick up our “soul music.” Damn, that was good music!
If there’s one record out there you’d love to get your hands on again it would be?
Martha: Yes, and thank you for asking… one record I’ve been looking for off and on for the last forty years, is a record from my childhood. It’s a 78 set called “Lonesome Train.” It’s about Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train and its journey to his home. I believe it was Paul Robeson, Pete Seeger and a bunch of other folks.
I haven’t heard it since I was a child, but it still haunts me. If anyone out there has seen one let me know…
Enter to win The Motels’ Apocalypso by telling us your favorite re-recording of any piece of music in the comments to this post. Did the redo work – and why?
Will choose one winner on 1/16 with a North American mailing address!
