While some bands travel with bodyguards, Motive moves with an entire built-in support system. That’s probably because the members don’t need guards.
Even sitting in the Sun’s conference room with his petite and pigtailed cutie of a daughter in his lap, drummer Brian Campbell had a bigger-than-life presence—until he began to recap the band’s successful year. His enthusiasm chipped away at his imposing exterior.
Next to him sat Rick Plumlee II, one of the band’s founders, who may be equally imposing when not talking about his passion for music.
Rounding out the group on this particular interview was Plumlee’s dad, Rick—the band’s very active manager—and Campbell’s and the younger Plumlee’s significant others. The guys were quick to point out why they’ve had such a successful year.
“We couldn’t have done it if we didn’t have such a supportive home front,” Campbell said.
They both also gave credit to the elder Plumlee for managing the band, handling the bookings, and securing a coveted gig at the Whisky A Go Go just two weeks after taking over as manager.
“He went from knowing nothing and no one to having dozens of contacts in the music business,” Plumlee said.
The band consists of Julian Clymer (lead vocals), Rick Plumlee II (guitar/backing vocals), Jordan Espinoza (bass), and Brian “The Hammer” Campbell (drums).
The band plays its own material, written primarily by Plumlee and lead singer Clymer.
“We don’t do covers,” Plumlee said. “A lot of local bands do covers in their sets, but anytime we think about doing a cover, we get together and it’s like, ‘I’ve got an idea; let’s do this,’ and we come up with a song.”
Plumlee finds inspiration just about everywhere.
“Something makes you mad, you write about it. Something makes you happy, you write about it,” he explained. “We’re able to translate it well from life into music.”
Plumlee’s style tends to lean toward the “something makes you mad” type of inspiration, creating an angry, hard, dark sound that’s heavy and guitar driven, while Clymer writes grungy, upbeat, party-pop punk. Campbell brings an influence that’s a mix of ’80s metal bands from Motley Crue and Skid Row, to recent metal bands, while Espinoza brings a punk, progressive influence a la bands like Tool. The fusion of styles reveals skill in the band’s ability to incorporate musical genres while not focusing on too much of any one genre that would put them in a box. One producer called their sound new metal, and the band members themselves have likened their sound to a harder-sounding Rage Against the Machine—only lighter on the hip-hop. In other words, it’s “alternative metal music meets pop,” they said.
“We’ll go from heavy-double-bass-breakdown-slam-your-head to double-paced-punk and back again,” Campbell said.
“Yeah, we’ll go from crazy riffs to complex breakdowns to simple then complex again,” Plumlee said.
That style makes it easy for them to provide a high-energy show as well.
“Our goal with our live performances is to not be able to walk off the stage when we’re done,” Plumlee said. “To be so sore and tired from moving around that we can barely walk off the stage.”
“I don’t like watching bands who stand there and play music,” Campbell said. “I don’t like watching a boring drummer, so I’m not boring behind my kit.”
Audiences on the Central Coast and across the state have noticed. After playing clubs both locally and in Southern California, Motive scored a plum of a gig at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in August.
They were the first band to open the festival, which featured renowned guitarist Slash of Guns ‘N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver fame. Nearly 2,000 bands were vying for that slot, but management at the Whisky A Go Go called the band and offered it to Motive.
“And that’s really something, when someplace like the Whisky likes you,” Rick said. “The world-famous Whisky.”
That performance earned them interviews in Los Angeles music media—including being listed as one of Skinnie Magazine’s Top Southern California bands—and kudos from Slash himself, who gave them positive praise for their performance.
Sailing on the momentum from this summer’s successful performances, the band—which is in talks with New Chord Records and 52nd Street Productions—is set to head to the studio in January to record an EP. Based on the success of that effort, the band will follow up with a full album late next year. Plans are also in the works to embark on a summer Western/Midwest tour.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone sometimes can’t walk when she’s done writing a story. Send her painkillers at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 23-30, 2010.
