Motorvators

CD cover

At the 3WAY FM concert at Lake Pertobe 1991

The Motorvators were a Warrnambool based rock band from 1983 to 2000. The original line up was John Maroniti and Russell Moody on guitars with Nick How on bass and Ron Philp on drums. The band's first gig was at the Lady Bay hotel on 31 March 1983. The combo was the first local band to operate its own tour bus (immortalised by artist Glenn Morgan on the Compact disc cover. In 2015 the band reformed for a "Back to the bay concert"

SOUND MOVE WITH VOLUME

Warrnambool Standard 24th August 2000 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 2000

Veterans of the local music scene, Motorvators are embracing new technology to recreate their original sound and control volume. Motorvators, which used to play a mixed set of electric and acoustic tracks, have abandoned acoustic music and will now play straight electric sets — but with a difference. The band is taking amplifiers off the stage opting for a new technology to get their sounds heard. "We'll have no amplifiers on stage at all, we're making use of new technology," Motorvators guitarist and vocalist John Maroniti explains. Maroniti said the technology, borrowed from that used in recording studios, was the way of the future. "The days of seeing DC and other bands with rows and rows of speaker cabinets on stage are gone," he said "What we do is we plug into a device that goes straight into the system. It's a lot easier to set up. "In-stead of having an amp and speaker cabinet you plug into a pre-amp device and the signal comes out through a speaker emulator. Then it gets plugged into a PA just like a micro-phone does. Everything comes out of the PA. "It gives you the choice of the sound coming through the speaker box. It allows us to be able to not have too much volume behind us competing with everything. We can control the amount of volume when we are playing in a smaller venue." He said the sound quality was just as good, "some people think it's even better," Maroniti said. The new Motorvators sound can be heard this weekend at the Criterion Hotel on Saturday night and the Cally Hotel on Sunday. Punters can also hear the band's acoustic sounds when Maroniti and Russell Moody team up for a set at the Grand Hotel next Wednesday night.


Warrnambool Standard 19th Aug. 1999 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1999.

The Motorvators, joint district winner of the campus bands competition heat.

SOUTH-WEST bands will battle it out on stage tomorrow night for a chance to represent the region at the annual Pushover event in Melbourne in November. Meanwhile, winners of the  Warrnambool heat of the National Campus Bands Competition, The Motorvators and Warrna-Grooves, are preparing for their regional final, on September 1 in Geelong. The two bands out-classed a bunch of other local acts to take out the heat at Deakin's Student Union bar last week. The campus bands competition has launched some great musical talent in previous years, including Perth's Jebediah. The two finalists from the Warrnambool Push Battle of the Bands will go on to compete in a regional final in Colac on September 17. Pushover regional winners will follow in the footsteps of Warrnambool bands Tukan Sam and Piffen Yonnies with a berth in the state final, to be held at the Corner Hotel in Richmond. Quirky four-piece Tukan Sam took out third place at the Pushover gig in 1997 before going on to record debut album What A Corker. Since Piffen Yonnies' appearance at Pushover last year, the threesome have also recorded a debut album and moved to Melbourne to pursue their musical career. Regional and state winners will not only benefit from the exposure of Pushover but also will be given studio time to record their winning songs. The heat will be held at the Warrnambool Performing Arts Centre from 6.30pm tomorrow. Tickets for the all-ages drug and alcohol-free event are $5 at the door.



LOCAL BANDS GO LIVE AT GALLERY

Warrnambool Standard 17th June 1999 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1999.

THE Gallery Nightclub is going live loud and local again this week with four original south-west bands plus solo entertainers. Headlining tonight's gig is Threepwood, a south-west four-piece consisting of  Harry Fahey on drums, Chris Wombwell on bass guitar, Brett McKinney on guitar and Simon Nuske on lead vocals. Threepwood have been playing gigs around Warrnambool for three years, including venues such as the Lady Bay Hotel and the Criterion. Tonight will be the band's first appearance at the Gallery. Also in the line-up is three-piece original band Ridalin and Portland's Ill Manner. A highlight of the night should be a full electric set from The Motorvators. Solo artists Nick Costa and Matt Neal will entertain the crowd with some acoustic numbers between sets. Prizes including drinks cards and vouchers will be handed out to lucky music fans at the door. Keep an eye out in a fortnight for the next Gallery live and local night, when Melbourne band Sex Bombs will take to the stage, with Portland band Cause & Effect, Cherry Swamp and local cover band Tarp.



NEW MUSICIANS GIVEN A HEARING

Warrnambool Standard 18th March 1999 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1999.

AN initiative to get local original musicians on stage in Warrnambool kicked off with a bang last week and promises to go from strength to strength. Last Thursday night's gig at the Gallery night-club featured It's Your Thing, Nutshell, The Motorvators and new-comers Post Alluvium. Organiser and Tafe music industry skills course coordinator Lyn Eales said the night,which is scheduled to become a fortnightly event, was extremely successful. Claire Hussey made her debut as It's Your Thing's newest member, the Motorvators played a full electric set and Paul Smith picked up the guitar to entertain the crowd between band sets. Ms Eales said the aim of the gigs is to provide a variety of music for the punters as well as giving emerging bands a chance to play supportslots. Former and present Tafe MIS students will be taking care of the technical side of things like sound mixing and lighting, and solo performers will be encouraged to take the stage during changeovers. The next event, scheduled for March 25, will feature Lee Morgan, No Exit and Mix Bowl, which is fresh from recording sessions at Motherlode studios.

 

Musical notes

(Warrnambool Standard Thursday 4/09/1997) - Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1997. All rights reserved.Warrnambool's bus-driven, guitar swinging Motorvators has motored its way on to the Internet. The site is still under construction but is already showing the graphics of the new CD and other accompanying drawing, where the CD can be bought and information about the group. The Motorvators are located at http://www.foodpath.com.au/motorvators.

This photo taken at Wunta at Lake Pertobe 2nd Feb. 2020