Lonely Road by English Motorbike

It is a label that fits IF it is applied correctly. "Retro" in that ENGLISH MOTORBIKE creates a voice absent for so long in modern rock music. This voice is clear in the way that they present their modernist view of blues-based pop rock. They do so by celebrating rock and rolls classic traits - blazing guitars with searing leads, strong pounding back beat grounded by a heavy bottomed bass. These musical traits serve an attitude that is at once self-affirming and defiant, themes both questioning and confrontational created by musicians who follow their hearts rather than compromising or allowing to be compromised for sales. ENGLISH MOTORBIKE present their music honestly and humbly as possible in a fashion reminiscent of the Stones circa "Exile on Main Street" and the Yardbirds at their mid sixties peak.

The group can be considered veterans in the North Orange County music scene with infant beginnings that stretch back to the birth of punk and new wave with OC bands like the Mechanics, Eulogy, Audio, Sleeper, and Zicko Glick. There was an excitement and a nervous energy in the scene at the time as it was trying to define itself and become relevant like similar scenes in New York and Los Angeles.

It was in this time that Billy Woodson met Steve Gage for the first time. It was a chance meeting through the guitarist in Billy's then current band Eclipse, (Mike Jones, Zallen). They immediately hit it off and where soon jamming together in off times from their own respective bands. Steve was a member of the pop rock darlings of the LA scene, Audio who were making a name for themselves at clubs like the Troubadour, the Starwood, and Gazarri's. Billy's musical pursuits started soon after high school were he was recruited by a childhood friend to sing for his band because they had a gig playing at the campaign open for his father who was running for Sheriff of Orange County. The gig was a bust but it gave Billy the rock and roll bug. He was soon fronting his own bands working through a series of Orange County bands that included Eclipse, Wink and finally Sleeper. Sleeper was a guitar oriented power pop band that featured guitarist Jon Nichols (Beth Hart, Shovelhead) who in the 1980's developed considerable industry interest with the release of their record, Mine Tonight.

At the same time, Michael Riech was pursuing his own experimental art rock projects with a group known as Zicko Glick whose members included Dan Van Patten and Chris Velasco. Zicko Glick added bassist John Crawford and vocalist Terri Nunn and ultimately became the internationally famous techno pop band Berlin but not before Michael departed to pursue his own musical directions working with former YES guitarist Peter Banks. In the 1980's Michael released an album, Within Riech, which showcased his multi talents, playing most all the instruments and producing (with the engineering help of Berlin's Dan VanPatten). With ENGLISH MOTORBIKE Michael brings his talent and experience as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer to give the sound that blues rock edge with a sense of sophistication.

Mick Rosen is a veteran of the Hollywood strip rock scene and has been part of the rhythm sections of artists like Poison's C.C. Deville, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Steve Lynch from Autograph. Currently Mike sits on two drum stools, one for the Los Angeles based rock/rap outfit Superdank Brothers (Bleed) as well in the hot seat in ENGLISH MOTORBIKE.

Keith Richards once said about post 1990's rock music "Everyone talks about rock these days, the problem is, they forget about the roll." ENGLISH MOTORBIKE has never forgotten their roll or how to rock like their heroes, and has kept a clear sight on their roots and the roots of modern American rock music.

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