Martha Davis of The Motels: No Sleeping Allowed

For some, the eighties was a decade of forgettable fashion, absurd trends and not the greatest melting pot of music. I would beg to differ with alot of those people, for I grew up in the eighties too. One of my fondest memories was discovering the sultry voice of Martha Davis of The Motels. "Only The Lonely", "Take The L", "Suddenly Last Summer" and more great songs were staples of the eighties. She had the most mesmerizing eyes in her videos, ones that seemed to look deep into your soul. Flash forward about twenty five years and you'll find Martha working harder than ever, but you may just be surprised.

Martha recently released her first children's album entitled "Red Frog Presents 16 Songs for Parents and Children", although her idea goes back some thirteen years. "The idea for the children's album came some years ago from a big purple dinosaur. When my grand kids young, the airwaves were being permeated by Barney. My daughter was complaining about having to listen to the songs over and over, her further complaint was that the songs were, how you say, stupid. The songs I listened to as a kid were dark, funny, adventurous and never really talked down to kids. I then set a goal to write a kids album that would be fun, clever and palatable for adults as well. Well, that was about thirteen years ago, maybe more. I shopped it to the labels and I was told that it was too intellectual for children, so I shelved it. As of late, I had noticed pop bands getting into the children's market with some new and wonderful stuff. I ended up rewriting almost the entire album, so now we have a second album. I'm sure one day the former album will see the light of day," stated Martha.

How has the children's album been received? "It has only been out a short time (available by digital download right now on Amazon.com and Itunes) and with very little fanfare, we just plopped it on the internet. There is negotiation currently to have it released on an actual label, which would be wonderful. We'll keep you posted."

Martha's love of music and creating is apparent as she talks about all that she has been working on. Hearing her talk about her creations is like talking to a proud mama. "I have been making music of some sort since I learned my first three guitar chords at the age of eight. I couldn't possibly think of not doing it. It's part of who I am," said Martha.

Martha is currently has so many projects under development that you need a flowchart to keep track of all of them. She is putting together an album of jazz standards that she has written through the years that sound more from the 1920's through the 1950's than modern. There is also talk of new Motels music coming soon and possibly live dates. She is most definitely a multi-faceted woman.

Still, Martha is most remembered as the voice behind The Motels. What an amazing time to be in the music industry. The music was new and refreshing, it was a totally new scene. As far as road stories go, can you share you best and worst that pop into your head? "Well, as far as best goes, going to Australia in 1980 and not knowing 'Total Control' was a hit. When we first started playing, the whole audience rose with the lighters a blaze and swayed to the rhythm of the song. We had no idea, it was very cool. The worst? When a moth, a very big moth, flew into my mouth during an outdoor concert. You're basically faced with two choices....I swallowed."

Speaking of the music industry, it is a far cry from what it was like in the eighties. Care to comment? "Oh, I can comment....it's crazy!! The music industry I knew when I first signed appears to be gone. The record labels I think missed a great opportunity to be part of a new frontier. It's the wild west out there. Everyone can and does put out their own music, but there is very little filtration, which is what the record companies use to provide. I think there will be a distillation process, but it will involve intense creativity on the part of the artist to make themselves known in a crowd. The record companies? I'm sure there will be some new business models appearing."

I have been a fan of Martha's work for sometime now. I was an eighties child and I cannot tell you how many spins her "All For One" album got on my turntable. I love asking more intimate, personal questions at this point to get some goodies for the die hard fans that most sources don't. If she could record with anyone right now who might it be? Her response was David Bowie, but she would not turn down an evening with Radiohead. If she could only have one CD while trapped on a desert island, she chose Bowie's "Low" or Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloe". Last question, do you have any guilty pleasures that may surprise your fans? "I love housework, cleaning, yard work, I love work! I refer to myself as having two speeds: I am either working on something or asleep! OK, I also love to read, which is sort of a middle position. OK, I lied again! I love comedy, Jon Stewart, Simpsons, new fave The Mighty Boosh and rom coms (romantic comedies), probably not what people would expect, what can I say?"

Speaking with Martha is never a dull moment. She and her new business manager, Gaye Ann Bruno, have so many projects in the works right now that it seems like sleep is not an option. Fans of Martha's can keep up with her, if anyone can possible keep up with her pace, at www.themotels.com, www.myspace.com/themotels or www.myspace.com/marthadavis. She is a rare breed of artist who is always creating her next piece of art. I asked her what legacy did she wish to leave behind? What did she want to be remembered for? She summed it up in one simple word: songwriting.

Adriana and Ghost In The Graveyard: The Legend Of The Rocket Queen Revealed

The 80s. It was a decade of excess. Most people tend to dwell upon the bad elements that were left behind by the 80s. True, we had our fair share of bad fashion and bad music, but what decade hasn't? My memories of the 80s are very fond and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Such is the case for a woman whose voice has been somewhat of a mystery for over 20 years.

I am talking about Adriana Smith, a/k/a the Rocket Queen. Adriana is the front person for a new band called Adriana and Ghost In The Graveyard. They are a four member band that hails from California that is dead set on putting the swagger back in rock and roll. I guess I should go ahead and tell you readers the story behind the moniker Rocket Queen that she has. I spoke with Adriana and she explained the story to me.

Well, Adriana was very fortunate to be in LA for the early part of the eighties where the metal scene was unbelievable. There were many upstart bands trying to get their big break and she soon found herself smack dab in the middle of what was soon to become one of the most influential juggernauts of that scene. " I remember walking down Sunset Strip with my friend Adriana Barbour and I would help her look for Duff McKagan who was in Guns and Roses because she had a really big crush on him. I never didn't purposely find my way into all of that. It seemed like everyone we knew back then had a band. I just knew that we were part of something special. I ended up dating Steven Adler who was the drummer of Guns and Roses, " said Adriana.

After an intense night of mixing their historical debut "Appetite For Destruction" and some legendary partying, Axel Rose had the idea to record someone having sex and put it in to the song "Rocket Queen." Well, one thing led to another and Adriana and Axel did the deed. The next morning, when the fine line between reality and a hangover started to settle in, she realized what she had done. She felt awful about what had happened and did not want Steven to find out about it and asked that it be left out of the song, but it was too late. The guys did lower it in the recording but left it a mystery as to who it was for over twenty years.

So, how did the secret see the light of day finally? "Mark Canter got in touch with me and told me he was working on this new book called "Reckless Road: Guns 'N Roses and The Making Of Appetite For Destruction." he was looking for a friend named Pamela who used to dance. Actually, we both used to dance for the band. He suggested that I tell my story and finally gain some closure to it. I was ashamed for what I had done and to this day, I still felt really guilty about it. So, I decided to come clean."

So, Adriana has a new band that she fronts called Adriana and Ghost in The Graveyard, which was named by her daughter. So, what made her venture into music after being around it for all that time? "I actually moved to LA to be a songwriter. I was actually working as a telemarketer a few years ago when I just decided one day that I had had enough. I'm done with this and I want to pursue my dream. It's something that I had always wanted to do, but I got steered in the wrong direction along the way. Doug Tilley, who is our bass player, I met him in a treatment center and he was in this band that played country cover songs. Well, I became the singer of that band and we got paid to do covers but it really wasn't what we wanted to do. Enter a old friend by the name of Dave Wagner and he was our missing link. He played guitar and had his own studio and things just clicked between us. Dave's son Zack is actually our drummer."

So, the band ventured into the studios and recording their first cd entitled "Wars In The Graveyard" which definitely encompasses that edge that seems to be missing in rock today, or as Adriana calls it "It's swagger". One can hear so many influences both lyrically and musically on the cd. who does she site as her musical inspirations? "Well of course Axel has been a major songwriting influence. He is so misunderstood at times. The stuff that he puts to pen and paper is amazing. I listen to so much different stuff that it's hard to name all of my influences. My mom was a dancer and I have been dancing since I was 3, so I have been around so many types of music. There are metal influences such as Guns and Roses and Judas Priest and Zepplin. I listened to alot of goth and draw from Bauhaus and the Cure and Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Cramps and the Cocteau Twins. I also love oldies like Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins. I love Debbie Harry and , oh my god, there's Elton John. I could go on and on."

You cannot help but to be drawn to Adriana's personality. She is very outspoken and she just has this quality that exudes from her. She is a delight and just radiates such a good feeling. True, she has been through alot in her lifetime, but as she says she fell on her face and pulled herself up and decided to get it right. One of the main turning points would have to be the birth of her daughter. "Oh definitely, it just solidified my purpose her on earth. everything with me revolves around her. I feel she came into my life to show me a different path to take. I wouldn't be who I am at this point in my life if it wasn't for her. She believes in me and she supports me."

I ended this amazing talk with Adriana by asking her what cd would she want with her if she was trapped on a desert island. Now, with vast taste in music I thought this may be a tough one for her to pick out, but I was wrong. "Without a doubt, "Houses Of The holy" by Led Zepplin. It just covers all the bases, it's spiritual, it has great harmonies, it has blues, it just has it all."

Our interview had come to an end and I have to admit I was somewhat sad. Adriana has this spirit about her that just rubs off on you when you talk to her. It was so much fun talking to her and she is such an amazing woman. I encourage you to go their MySpace, www.myspace.com/adrianaandghostinthegraveyard, or to the band's website which is www.therocketqueen.com and check out their music. It a brash mix of old school punk and metal with a twist of personality.