'Knock Knock' features guest vocals from Icehouse's Paul Gildea.
Melbourne rockers stalwarts Motor Ace are back with their first new single in 17 years, embracing their rock origins of the early 2000s with ‘Knock Knock’.
Reminiscent of the rockers’ 2001 debut album Five Star Laundry, ‘Knock Knock’ is packed with hard-rocking riffs and continues the legendary Motor Ace journey, blending remnants of the group’s trademark alt-rock and post-grunge grit with a sharpened modern slant.
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Bustling with driving guitars, infectious hooks and a guest vocal appearance from ICEHOUSE’s Paul Gildea, the jangly ‘Knock Knock’ sprang from an idea that had actually been written between Motor Ace’s 2001 debut full-length Five Star Laundry and the ravenous follow up, 2002’s Shoot This, but had been shelved before it could be finished.
“It’s an idea that was kicking around back in the day, but we never got around to finishing it. We’d always loved the sound, but it was written between the first and second records and didn’t really fit with what we were aiming for on the second. Probably should have finished it then,” Motor Ace vocalist and guitarist Patrick Robertson explains.
The single was revisited back in 2019, following the band’s sold-out reunion shows, sparking a renewed vigour for the band and their new chapter of music.
‘Coming back after 15 years away and receiving such a huge reaction at our shows was really humbling. It was a lightning rod for a new creative venture with the band. We wanted to capture the spirit of Five Star Laundry, which in retrospect we all feel had an energy and simplicity that was never fully explored,” says Robertson.
“The process of recording was extremely straight forward – no rehearsals. We wanted to capture the essence of band without overthinking every aspect of production – less talking, more playing. Sonically the track is up there with my favourite Motor Ace tunes yet.’
The single arrives alongside an accompanying music video – the band’s first in almost 20 years – which offers fans a tantalising fly-on-the-wall peek behind Motor Ace’s 2019 Five Star Reunion Tour, with Melbourne video wunderkind Matt Jasper utilising up close and personal backstage and onstage moments from the tour shot for a Motor Ace documentary.
Embracing the potent spirit of their debut album through this single comes as Motor Ace also imminently gearing up for their Five Star Laundry Anniversary tour, kicking off at Freo Social on June 10, before rolling through to Badlands (Perth), The Triffid (Brisbane), The Factory Theatre (Sydney), The Cambridge Hotel (Newcastle), The Gov (Adelaide) and concluding with a special hometown show at 170 Russell in Melbourne on June 24. Featuring Melbourne noughties rockers, Klinger as special guests at all shows, excluding WA.
‘Knock Knock’ is out now. Tickets to the Five Star Laundry 20th Anniversary tour are on sale now from www.livenation.com.au.
