The Motels is an American band formed in Berkeley in the 1970s and originally composed of Lisa Brenneis, Dean Chamberlain, Chuck Wada and Martha Davis. A group which in its first version takes the name of The Warfield Foxes.
But it was especially from 1978, under the leadership of Davis and a newcomer Jeff Jourard, that the group finally took off. A take-off that materialized in 1979 by signing with the Capitol Records label, a label that allowed the group to release their first album the same year.
Album which knows a significant success at the planetary level and which will especially produce their first top hit with the single "Total control", single which literally explodes their notoriety.
New album "Careful" a year later in 1980, album which will experience a higher level of success than its predecessor but which will struggle to produce a new top hit, except for the title "Danger" which will be the only one to succeed.
After a very promising start to their careers, the group is slipping a little and the year 1981 will not help matters with the production of an album called "Apocalypso" which will be outright rejected by the record company.
The album was re-recorded in 1982 and was released this time, but under a different name namely "All four one". Album which will be a real hit and which remains to this day the biggest success of all their discography on the album side.
An album that will produce 2 'small' hits with the singles "Missionj of mercy" and "Forever mine", 1 top hit with the single "Take the L" but also, and above all, a global mega hit with the enormous single "Only the lonely". Single which remains their biggest success to date on the single side.
Singles which will owe part of their success to the music channel MTV which will play the clips of the songs in a loop during this year 1982.
On the strength of its repeated successes, the group released a new album "Little robbers" a year later in 1983, an album which also became popular with the public. Notably thanks to a huge new single "Suddenly last summer" which will almost equal "Only the lonely" in terms of ranking in the Charts.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and the 1985 album "Shock", despite more than respectable sales scores, struggled to produce a major hit. Only the title "Shame" will experience any semblance of global success.
But who will indeed be the last because the group will not really recover from this semi-failure and will end up separating in 1987 leaving only Martha Davis in charge. A Martha Davis who will try to revive the group once again but without success this time.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Closets and bullets 1979
Total control 1979
Danger 1980
Whose problem ? 1980
Only the lonely 1982
Take the L 1982
Forever mine 1982
Suddenly last summer 1983
Remember the nights 1983
Little Robbers 1983
Footsteps 1984
Shame 1985
Shock 1985
Icy red 1985
Love and affection 1986
Don’t tell me the time 1987
Tell it to the moon 1988
Don't ask out loud 1988
Clips :
1979 ... the beginnings of a small group which will become in a few years one of the major groups of the beginning of the 80s. But at this stage, nobody knows it yet ...
1979 ... from the second title, it's the jackpot ! The group simply delivers here one of the biggest titles of the end of the 1970s and at the same time sees its notoriety explode internationally in a spectacular fashion. HU-GE !
1980 ... given what happened on the previous track, the group is therefore ideally placed for a successful transition to the 80s. Which will be the case !
1980 ... the group confirms all the good we could think of him. Even if he cannot repeat the exploit of 'Total control', what he continues to deliver largely holds up
1982 ... after a year 1981 when not much will happen surprisingly, the group comes back in force in this year 1982. To such an extent that they record here one of their biggest success and confirm at the same time their status of moment phenomenon
1982 ... a BIG year 1982 with a second top hit in the wake. Everything succeeds in the group in an insolent way and it is set to last !
1982 ... a year 1982 that never ends and which sees the group string together hits with disconcerting ease. This one will not have the level of success of its predecessors but will largely do well
1983 ... the group reaches its peak with this title. New global mega hit which makes them definitively return to the musical legend of the 80s. A well-deserved consecration !
1983 ... when you reach the top of the mountain, it is inevitable that you will have to go back down afterwards. The group will unfortunately quickly notice ...
1983 ... the deceleration increases impressively. The competition is now light years ahead and nothing, and no one, will be able to stop the gradual fall ...
1984 ... most of the titles that follow will not even be classified. Quality is always the order of the day but more sufficient to compete on a level playing field with the rest of the competition
1985 ... but when you have talent, anything is possible. The proof with this title which allows them to temporarily reconnect with success. Always that taken !
1985 ... the group tries to adapt to the new trends of the moment but it is already too late. Unfortunately, the public has already moved on ...
1985 ... the adventure continues for good. And they are right because they are far from being ridiculous. What is certain is that they are no longer fighting for the podium, it is clear ...
1986 ... a sweet parenthesis to which they had not really accustomed us. An Intimist area that they will have explored very little in favor of a much more punchy register. Too bad because they could surely have made some great discoveries there ...
1987 ... the adventure will continue solo. Martha Davis takes her career back in hand and shows us that she was indeed the boss in this adventure. A very beautiful adventure all the same, whether it be with others or alone !
1988 ... but whether alone or with others will not change the situation at the end of the decade. The dice have been cast for a long time and his good will will not change anything ...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :