Lead vocals, backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums

Background:

Now 32, Matt has been singing since he first discovered music, playing guitar for around 16 years and playing in bands for around 10 years.

At 22, Matt jointly founded Spark Of Life, an original indie-rock band from Sheffield, reaching the semi-final of the Battle Of The Bands in London and playing at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool.

Spark Of Life’s final recordings, Like A Stone and Things Ain’t What They Seem were recorded (at great expense!) at Axis Studios in Doncaster in June 2004.

At the same time Matt founded Red Mosquito, a rock covers band playing the pubs and clubs of Yorkshire and beyond, earning acclaim as a vocalist, which led to being offered the chance to play in Red 13, a rock covers band promoted by the Alan Wood Agency in Sheffield.

Red 13 folded in 2009 and Matt joined Motel California in summer 2010 after developing an addiction to the Eagles.

Highlights:

Every positive comment received from audiences. Hearing the last two Spark Of Life singles and knowing that they stand the test of time. Having the opportunity to pay tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time.

Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Strings, Synths, Acoustic Guitar

Background:

Now approaching his seventieth birthday, Bob has been singing and playing keyboards in bands for around 50 years.

Aged 2, Bob joined the Glenn Miller Band as pilot, successfully bailing out before it all went wrong. He’s never looked at a mountain since.

Highlights:

Finding the parachute cord

Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, percussion, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, oboe, pedal-steel guitar, piano

Background:

At the age of 4, Peter asked his Mum and Dad for a guitar – they gave him a ukulele.

With this he learnt a few chords which could later be used on the guitar he was given when he was 10.

At the age of 12 (using an electric guitar he made in woodwork lessons at school) he was leading a 4-piece band ‘working’ the local youth clubs in South Birmingham.

In his early twenties he joined ‘Rockin’ Robin’ – a rock covers band working 4 nights a week in the Birmingham pubs and clubs.

When disco and funk came along, Peter joined ‘Hot Fusion’, a multi ethnic 11 piece funk-band touring many parts of England and Wales.

Later, after leading various 3-piece bands doing the ‘club’ circuit, Peter moved to Yorkshire where he took up bass guitar and worked with a small jazz ‘combo’, playing mostly wedding and anniversary engagements (see what he did there?).

In November 2006, Peter had the idea to form an Eagles Tribute Band.

Early 2007 rehearsals started, but it wasn’t until May 2008 (due to many changes of personnel) that the first gig took place.

Since then ‘Motel California’ has gone from strength to strength and the latest line-up, even Peter is happy with. (sometimes)

Highlights:

Playing at ‘Barbarellas’ night club in Birmingham in the early ‘80’s( the club that financed and promoted Duran Duran (of course)) . Meeting and playing with so many generous musicians. Hearing the audience appreciation of Motel California after so much heartache and graft.

Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar, Electric 12-string Guitar, Nylon Guitar, Acoustic 12-string Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, B-Bender Guitar, Banjo

Background:

Simon has been playing the guitar since he was 8 years old and by 18 was the resident ‘rock’ guitarist in the house band at Batley Variety Club.

Whenever the Club wanted something a bit more raunchy than Des O’Connor would need, Simon would get the call.

From there he went on to tour the British and American Forces bases in Germany in between summer seasons in glorious English seaside towns – well it was glorious in 1976 – before moving to Denmark to tour and record with top rock band Big Brother.

Following his return to the UK, Simon toured with a number of Yorkshire bands, including the Crown Jools whose album 15 Go Wild in St John’s Wood was recorded at Abbey Road studio on the twentieth anniversary of the release of the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper.

Highlights:

Playing and touring with Roy Orbison, Frankie Laine, Los Lobos, Smokie, Darts, Vince Eager, Shakin’ Stevens, recording at Abbey Road. Launching Big Brother’s first Danish album on Danish TV, seeing Motel California mature as a first-class live band.

Backing vocals, bass guitar, acoustic/electric 6 string and 12 string guitar, keyboards and drums

Background

Derek has played just about all types of music throughout his career, from 60s nostalgia, pop chart music, Irish folk and country, to blues and heavy rock.

In the beginning, he says, there were drums, toted to the youth club – then early gigs – by bus!

He quickly realised that a guitar would be far easier to manage, and set about learning his trade every evening after school, sat with his mate on the local graveyard wall, using left thumb and forefinger to play the chords to ‘Apache’ and ‘Diamonds ‘on his dad’s Hofner Senator guitar.
Eventually Derek progressed to bass guitar, his favourite instrument.

Derek’s early years were spent playing in youth clubs, before progressing to working men’s clubs and pubs, with frequent summer visits to east coast resorts providing a welcome break.

Highlights

Winning the Northern Clubland Award for ‘best all-round entertainers’ (way back in the hey-day of the working men’s clubs), during a 15 year stretch with the Brisbane Roadshow, a three piece club band.

Playing a set on stage with two cowboys in a country music club in Nashville whilst on holiday in the area.

Being part of Motel California – it’s hard work, but hearing the audience’s appreciation makes it all worthwhile.

Drums, Percussion, Saxophone, Harmonica

Born in 1967 and surrounded by music it was on the cards from the start.

Steve’s dad playing saxophone and listening to big band music and his mum who sang and played the piano – both were in a trio in the 70’s playing the clubs around Yorkshire.

Then in 1977 Steve asked his dad for a drum kit – the local club was selling one (an AJAX) and after a short time practising every night he soon learned their entire set and at the age of 11 was playing the clubs with his mum and dad.

At the age of 23 Steve bought a saxophone and for the next 15 years never looked back playing with many bands and recording on both alto and tenor. In 2008 Peter asked Steve to come out of drum retirement and help on a gig.

He enjoyed it so much he decided to keep on playing….

Concert Sound

Pete has been known as ‘PA Pete’ since PA systems were discovered by Charles Darwin in, ironically, Darwen, Lancashire.

The people of Darwen were skilled in lip-reading, due to many of them working in noisy textile mills.

The workers would communicate by ‘mouthing’ words to each other, resulting in an increased capability to have conversations whilst working.

Pete realised that by installing a 5000 watt public address system in each mill, together with a Neve desk, JBL monitors and a couple of hundred Shure SM58s, colleagues would no longer have to lip-read, but would be able to talk to each other over the sound of the looms.

This idea gained great popularity and led to the demise of the Luddite movement, whose last recorded message was ‘can we have more Protests in the monitors?’.

Theatre Lighting

Background:

John has been involved on the technical side of the entertainment industry for over forty years, joining his local Am. Dram. troupe in 1970.

During two years as Lighting Best Boy he quickly progressed to the position of Lighting Gaffer, designing, rigging and operating his own lighting.

His success at this was recognized and he soon received invitations to design lighting plots for other theatrical organizations. John has lit numerous productions in village halls, town halls and theatres in West Yorkshire including the Frontier Club, Batley (formerly Batley Variety Club) and where he never met Simon.

In 2003 along with a like minded friend he formed the Company LX Stage Services Ltd providing technical support for Am. Dram, Dance School and other small budget productions.

In 2008 his other good friend ( like Doc Holliday, “I have few good friends…..”) and Motel California founder Peter Davies asked him if he could put together some lighting for the embryonic band, a challenge he was more than ready to accept.

Since the first gig, lit with a few LED and conventional PAR cans, John has designed and built a small concert style lighting rig which is easily portable and assembled, and will run from a single 13amp outlet, which is useful in the smaller venues.

John’s knowledge and skills in theatrical lighting bring a fresh approach to the performances by Motel California, his belief that the lighting should enhance and not overpower the musical performance means his lighting is truly complimentary to the Eagles’ sound.

John drinks 8 year old Bells (it’s cheap), prefers Malt (it’s not cheap) and wears a silly hat at work.