Rock supergroup MOTOR SISTER — featuring Jim Wilson (MOTHER SUPERIOR), Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Pearl Aday (Scott's wife and daughter of late actor/musician Meat Loaf), Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT, FATES WARNING) and John Tempesta (THE CULT) — will release its new album, "Get Off", on May 6 via Metal Blade Records. The LP's second single, "Right There, Just Like That", can be streamed below.
"To me this tune has a great nod to our early '70s influences without it sounding trite," says Vera. "It sounds fresh and modern while still feeling familiar."
Wilson adds: "The riff was so driving and sexy, the song had to be about a girl who just wants to have fun! And it really shows the strength we have with two strong singers."
Concludes Ian: "Monster RIFF + giant HOOK = Right There, Just Like That. Bang your heads!!!"
"Get Off" will be available digitally as well as physically on digipak CD, 180-gram black vinyl, crimson red with blue smoke vinyl (U.S. exclusive) and pale blue gray marbled vinyl (EU exclusive — limited to 200 copies).
"Get Off" track listing:
01. Can't Get High Enough
02. Coming For You
03. Right There, Just Like That
04. Sooner Or Later
05. Excuse Me, Your Life Is Exposed
06. Lion's Den
07. 1,000,000 Miles
08. Pain
09. Bulletproof
10. Bruise It Or Lose It
11. Time's Up
12. Rolling Boy Blues
MOTOR SISTER was originally formed as a MOTHER SUPERIOR covers band made up of diehard fans — and aided by sharing the same frontman — playing the songs for the love of doing so. Catching the attention of Metal Blade, the label offered to put out a record and the result was "Ride" (2015), a collection of live-in-the-studio takes cherry-picked from MOTHER SUPERIOR's back catalog.
Now, they step beyond those parameters, returning with their second album, which is almost entirely brand new material. "The record of covers was already done, so there was no need to do it again," says Aday. "We're a bunch of songwriters with so much passion for the same kind of music, it just makes sense that we would make new music together, and it was easy as usual to follow Jim's lead on this one. He was overflowing with songs and ideas so we all happily jumped right in." Adds Wilson, "We definitely wanted to continue with the spirit of my old band and it's not difficult really because everything MOTHER SUPERIOR did was done with heart and soul and I think soul is an important word. Not necessarily 'soul music' but the feeling that comes with it."
The result is aptly described by Vera as "no-bullshit hard rock and roll", the record containing eleven originals and rounded out with a cover of MOTHER SUPERIOR's "Rolling Boy Blues", which has been a live staple. Kicking off with the compulsive, high-octane "Can't Get High Enough", they immediately put the pedal to the metal, likewise on the pure rock 'n' soul of "Bulletproof" and the swaggering "Excuse Me, Your Life Is Exposed". They slow things down a little on the singalong glory of "Sooner Or Later" and the more plaintive "Pain".
As with "Ride", the band entrusted Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER) with production, and this time headed into Dave Grohl's Studio 606.
"It's a great sounding room and we got to track on the Sound City Neve, which is perfect for our sound," says Ian. "And some really cool people — who took great care of us — own it." Also in common with its predecessor, "Get Off" was recorded live in the studio, with all five members in the same room, vocals and leads redone after the basic tracks were laid down, but tracking was interrupted mid-process by COVID-19. This put things on hold, resuming a year later as the band added the finishing touches to the record, but this interruption definitely did not harm the feelings of exuberance and spontaneity that bleed from the speakers. Now, the band is looking forward and excited to play these originals live alongside the covers they are known for.
Photo: Travis Shinn
