English Motorbike Biography

At a recent show where ENGLISH MOTORBIKE was performing, a young musician, who had played in the opening act, came up to singer Billy Woodson and expressed his appreciation for EMB's bluesy rock style, referring to their music as “retro rock”. To Woodson this was a slightly confusing yet appropriate reference. He had never thought of doing anything deliberately “retro”. What English Motorbike plays today is similar to the music that he has always played since his early days in the OC rock scene back in the late 70’s. Billy Woodson (vocals/guitar), Steve Gage (guitar/vocals), Michael Riech (bass), Mick Rosen (drums), stand for everything that is raw, primitive, direct and loose about rock music. Like all the best bands, they traced their influences to the source, the fountainhead of which is found to share with bands like The Stones, Faces, and The Who.

Being referred to as “Retro Rock” is a handle that ENGLISH MOTORBIKE can wear very well. 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 does not produce the prototypical brand of rock one would expect from an odd group of seasoned musicians. They move well beyond the one-dimensional anger and aggression of their contemporaries, whose game plan was to simply exaggerate the legitimate disillusionment and assault of early groups like Nivarana and Nine Inch Nails. ENGLISH MOTORBIKE does not attempt to take this dark, dispiriting and hollow approach. They 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 EMB’s newest member having filled in for recent drummer Mike McCann who took over from original drummer Paul Rosen who had moved on to pursue his writing work. Mick was involved with the Los Angeles based punk innovators The Weasels. They were getting local attention and serious airplay on local FM stations, notably KROQ. The Ramones were often seen in the audience, closely observing the energy being generated and the crowds this West Coast band was drawing. A string of other bands led Mick to 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.