The keyboards are perfect. Like a haunting song. I like how the video starts with the face thing in silence. That must have been quite a trip hearing the first time in 83’
I can’t tell you enough how happy I was to find this video. The motels were extremely popular my senior year of high school. I was married my senior year and attending high school four classes a day before working from 2pm to close at the Shell gas station. My wife would come visit me every night while I was working and do her homework and mine. We would have the stereo on, not a night went by that the Motels didn’t come on the radio. I didn’t know much about the band but because it wasn’t my type of music, but my wife sang along with their music. We didn’t have much money so music and a deck of cards were all we had for entertainment. April of 2023 we will celebrate our 40th anniversary. This video was sure a nice trip down memory lane.
Saw Martha Davis perform about 5 years ago. She still sings like a goddess. Super cool too. She hung out at the merch tent after, signing autographs, taking pics, chatting, etc. Just a lovely woman.
Merchandise is hard to spell out… But the fact is, and it’s an insider knowledge, she hangs out there, because she watches the nickles… She does not trust those at the register
I was also lucky enough to see the Motels at about that time. They were playing in Redondo Beach CA. and a buddy of mine was the drummer for the opening act that night. He got me "on the list" and I was able to hang out back stage before and after the show. Got to meet Martha and have a glass of wine. She is a really cool and lovely person. Her voice is still just magic. They did play a lot of the early music she so loved. I will always remember that evening show.
Seeing Aamer or however his name is spelt just makes me happy. I was a little kid watching these.. I LOVED Berlin.. was obsessed with their keyboards. This show was something special. Wouldn’t have worked if they tried it five years later. It was pure.
Watching this video august 1st 2024. I listen to the song ( only the lonely ) in my car along with ( suddenly ) often. Awesome songs that are timeless.
as a failed musician myself i sometimes wonder if bands and artists truly grasp how much they and their music might have played a part in some peoples lives. up there on stage and on tour or in the studio you do not know the fans or what they are going through in their lives, but for them your music is something that is a part of their day and a part of their memories of moments and times and places and people for years and decades. music is powerful, it is magical, it comforts us in our darkest moments and uplifts us with joy and exuberance on out best days. we all have that song that makes us think of our first love or crush, or reminds us of our mother or father who are no longer here. i want to give a special shout to all the bands out there that only experienced minor success, and worry that nobody even remembers them. there is some one out there that you and your song touched very deeply, someone who could not imagine the life they have lived if your song had not of been there for them when they needed it. and that is the unappreciated power of the sadder and slower songs.
They probably do but are so caught up in their current lives that they probably wonder every now and then what it would be like to have a comeback. Like no wants to forget something that made them want to the bills in the first place. And as for you NewWavePop, please keep pursuing your dream as a musician because music is already in you but you just need to extract that feeling further.
U expressed that beautifully. I am a semi successful singer who never pushed through and it’s so true about these bands that had the world by the balls and let it go. The go-go comes to mind. They always realize that they should’ve just stay together and work through their problems because they create some great music.
So many "successful" musicians wind up broken, miserable and without direction once the music stops. Perhaps your "failure" as a musician is the best thing that could have happened to you.
It's never too late. I'm almost 59 and writing the best music I've ever written. Planning to record eventually. It's what people like us do. We play because we love music.
cathartic for the members. Any of the bands that were able to do this were so lucky that they were all still alive and kicking. Many bands couldn't do this even if they wanted to as members have passed away. Shame VH-1 stopped doing this show.
Agreed. I really liked this show, especially seeing band members who haven't even talked in years getting together and making that magic one more time. In fact, when ABC got together for this show (one of my faves) they actually toured a few years later because of the generated excitement.
@@johnpauljones9310 It would definitely be necessary to do some background research before deciding on which bands to reunite. I feel, overall, they've done a good job of finding the right ones. But yeah, if half the members have died via suicide or alcoholism etc then that would not be a good candidate.
**If sooo good , why were there at least 34+ different band members through out the years ? Not all albums were good. 'Little Robbers' stunk up the place....
As a Metalhead in the 80's struggling through the musical landscape of strangeness being put out, I was a closet Motels fan then, still appreciate their art today
I watched many of these. This group sounded great. Truly. The lead guitar is a hell of a player. Killed the sax. The lead singer. Her voice is still excellent. It truly is. I was really impressed. Good work folks.
For me, their music had a melancholy, nostalgic quality. As well as being very alluring, and Martha’s voice perfectly embodied all of that. Looking like she stepped out of a film noir movie, so beautiful💕. Love you Martha!
Graduated HS in 1983. The Motels music is just as great today as it was then. Martha Davis still has that amazing voice. She is so beautiful! So happy to see that these guys reunited even if just one time. Rock Stars!!
This was absolutely heartwarming how this unfolded and the members came together in the end…. Cathartic for all of them and the fans!! Bless them all!!!
I remember watching Bands Reunited when it first aired in the early 2000s. It still puts a smile on my face when the members put their differences aside and reunite. Life is short to hold grudges. I wish Squeeze could have pulled it together.
That was AWESOME! It’s so great to see them all doing well and having that moment of closure together. Thank them all for adding so much to so many people’s lives. Those moments in time were very special… Their masterpieces live on… and will long after we are all gone. ❤️
Whew.... That hit a very old deeply hidden nerve. Not sure why I am so emotional as Only The Lonely tails off but I hope each member reads these comments when they are having a bad day & realizes what a great part of my life The Motels belong to. My whole heart & entire spirit Thanks You for saying yes to this project & reminding me I've paid my due to play. #onlythelonely
TO EVERYONE OUT THERE LISTENING TO YOUR YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR POSTING POSITIVE COMMENTS , I WILL SAY THIS , TIME DOES HEAL WOUNDS ... THIS BAND IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS ! ALL THE MEMBERS WERE HONEST AND FORTHCOMING WITH ONE ANOTHER . LOVE THIS BAND , MARTHA'S VOICE HASN'T CHANGED ONE BIT ! GOD BLESS EACH ONE AND I HOPE THEY IN TOUCH .
My wife died of cancer last thanksgiving. 8 months later I woke up with a night terror and the words “last summer” in my head. I don’t know any motels songs! It was painful and profound but I took it as a message from my wife. I looked up the song and it clicked right away. Tears started streaming down my face but I wasn’t crying. I promised to live a full life and the summer was slipping by, and my subconscious knew it. I had been working out at the gym with my other son so it didn’t hurt that I was 40 pounds lighter and stronger than ever. The next day I hopped on my bike and rode 4 hours to help my son with a building mechanical issue. While I was there we partied like it was our last days on earth. I met several women and dated one for awhile. It was a special time and it reinforced what a gift life is. Time does heal all wounds, but it can’t heal regret so go do that thing that makes you feel alive, present in the moment, and connected to all of God’s creation.
I was a freshman in high-school when this song came out & I loved it immediately. what made them stand out to me from the Debbie Harry's, Olivia Newton John's & Pat Benatar's is that they were quirky. It pains me to see the labels steered them towards what they thought was a money maker & I shudder to think where they would've been today if they'd been given creative liberty. But I'm grateful for what we got. The whole band was great & all put their blood into the love child of Motels. But Martha... am I the only one that noticed how expressive her eyes are? One minute she's a demure & sultry lady in waiting, and then that crazy Lizzy Borden like maniacal glow in her eyes comes out. Adding to the drama, and I freaking love that element of danger about her. Goes perfectly with that voice. Great job, all of you. Bien fait!!!
My husband and I saw her a few weeks back in southern Illinois with the “Abducted by the 80s”… she was INCREDIBLE! Her stage presence and voice had our jaws on the floor. She signed my t-shirt afterwards too. Oh and she can still get with it on guitar. Catch the abducted tour you won’t be disappointed.
I totally forgot about that "Mission of Mercy" song. You never lose that passion for music. This is proof that it's laid dormant in all of them, other than Martha, the guys dug down and nailed it when it was time to. Great job 👍.
Stumbled across this on RUclips… absolutely loved this! First, what a great show on VH1 - that I never heard of, but will definitely watch other shows/bands get back together to play. Second, this band… those songs that put them on the map, Martha’s beautifully haunting voice… wow, what great nostalgic memories growing up listening to their music. That ending, “Only the looonelllyyyyyyy…” Love you Martha!! It was really great to see this band get back together for this. They sound great! Good for them that they were able to hash any old negative feelings… we all experience the same in life, with people we care about and then lose touch due to strained relationships. Hope these people stay in contact. They brought - bring back great memories for many.
That was great. The ninja move with aging is to not judge people or yourself. To live in the moment with courage, compassion and curiosity for what’s around the bend. These wonderfully beautiful people did the best with what they had and it was significant. It’s great to see them together and realize they still hold each other dearly letting go of prejudices. The guitarist cranks.
I was the keyboard roadie for The Motels on that “All 4 One” tour in 1982. Never saw this episode, glad they’re all okay, especially Michael, Brian and Marty. Don’t forget, Scott Thurston (Tom Petty & Heartbreakers for many years) was also keyboardist on the tour. Miss then all, Martha and her daughters, and the other two roadies on that tour.
The other roadies’ were Armondo “Mondo” (guitars and amps) and Andy (drums and sound man). Bill was tour mgr. and we toured USA, Australia and New Zealand. In US, we opened for J. Geils Band on their “FreezeFrame” tour of 1982. Motels we’re ALL a class act.
Going by the one audience member's reaction where she said they played longer than she thought they would, I would tend to think The Motels played that song. It is a great song, so don't see why they would not play it.
Kirkland, WA... Some of those neighborhoods are permanently imprinted in my brain from a driving job I once held, and I could use some music lessons. Looking back, The Motels played a crucial role in my musical upbringing. This is a rare treat I did not expect.
Suddenly Last Summer always brings me back to a place and time in the mid 80s when I was in my late teens / early twenties and exploring life and relationships….beautiful!
I have Only The Lonely on my list of 80s new wave ballad hits on my music collection and the 80s we're truly amazing era of music - timeless Thank you The Motels for the music
@Pray Suguitan Do a Search for an 80's 7-disc CD compilation titled, "Like, OMG! The 80's Pop Culture Box (Totally)" to hear all of your favorite 80's hits again. And Yes, it includes Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl", LOL.
To have the gift of making music is truly rare and special. The great ones make it look easy. I wish they all would keep sharing their gift and let the true fans help provide them a living.
One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen....waay better than Behind the Music! She sounds fantastic, and a smart vocalist in that she was not a screamer, thus protecting the ol cords for the long haul. Just driving around LA in the 80s music, ya know? Kudos to you, VH1!👍😎
@Jack Scratch ...'Til Tuesday "Voices Carry", Men At Work, Flock Of Seagulls, Duran Duran, Billy Idol (check out "Prodigal Blues"), The Cars, Missing Persons, DEVO, B-52's, The Go-Go's, Prince, Depeche Mode, on & on. Do a Search for a 7-disc CD compilation of 80's music titled, "Like, OMG! The 80's Pop Culture Box (Totally)" to hear all of your favorite 80's hits again. And Yes, it includes Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl", LOL.
Wow! This aired in 2004 - 18 years ago. Makes me wonder what they're all doing now, and what they all look like with an extra 18 years on each of them. I think Marty is still playing in Martha's band, but not sure about the other three guys.
I think I've seen most of these on youtube, recently. This is a great formula for a show: 1.) Fans still love and want to see their old bands. 2.) What are the bandmates doing now, and listening to them talk about their rock and roll experience. 3.) Of course, there's the break up issue which is mostly from the pressures of the "business". 4.) Then the reunion and love from the time away, and it doesn't matter what they look like now. 5.) Most importantly, they finally get a chance to air out their post break-up issues. There's nothing at stake anymore. Just memories. 6.) Then watching the band mates "synch-up" and going through the mechanics of a band. Music is not easy and playing in unison doesn't happen naturally. You see the work and the love and the synergy, again. Especially, organically without any outside pressure. Just the music, memories and each other. 7.) Finally, this is where "we" come in. The fans. We never forget. We never stop listening. We will just show up. 8.) Then it's show time and magic. Rock and Roll. Someone should continue this type of show, because I would watch it and many other fans of music from the 80's, 90's,...
Certainly The Classic Lineup of Davis, Perry, Goodroe, Jourard and Glascock. I remember watching this when it first aired, loved the idea of reuniting a band from way back for a One Off show; proper closure.
Met Martha Once after a performance and she signed my Bam Magazine Cover , I had never seen this episode til now and it brought a tear to my eye... All 4 One n Lil Robbers will always hold a special place in my heart and mind! Thank You VH1 ,Martha, & The Boys!!!
They had the same problem a lot of bands have had. They were a solid group musically with their own voice. The problem is what they wanted to do was not what was selling. MTV helped create a lot of bands but it also helped destroy them too. Worse,bands that didn't fit the MTV mold ( new bands) couldn't get a record deal, that is just how much videos became the driving force. You can see from the first song how good they were. Groups like the Bangles and Go Gos same thing, both were really talented groups, I saw the go go's at nyu in the early 80s before they really hit it, they were a fantastic band.
This show was the best. Not just seeing the bands again, but the production was great as well. The amount of work that went into it (you don't walk into a medical center with a camera crew without a lot of permissions) and the editing of all the video into the finished product must have been a herculean task. Renting a venue, rehearsal space, the equipment, sound and lights...it also must have been very expensive!
I worked on this show (I'm actually playing keyboards at the end of the Only The Lonely when Marty is playing the sax, but you can't see me) as well as some of the others - they were pretty major productions (I remember the food was always really good!). Most of them were shot at SIR in Hollywood, but a couple at the Whisky and Roxy.
@@celebutante you must have bailed when things got sucky. This was a great time for VH1 and tv in general. Great show, thanks for doing it. You guys did justice to music.
@@fowchiiiliedpuppiesdied It was a side hustle for me - I was the keyboardist in Berlin at the time (I started working on the show b/c Berlin did the first one and they asked me to return - was actually a really posh gig). They couldn't keep the show going b/c they pretty quickly ran out of bands to "reunite."
![The Motels- "Only The Lonely" 1982 [Reelin' In The Years Archive]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ohzij-eZ4sE/mqdefault.jpg)
Gosh..I’m a 65 year old man with tears in my eyes. What a great reunion. What a great band!
Think Guy was right on. We all hold onto way too much bullshit.
Martha's voice has been giving me goosebumps for 41 years since I was 14 years old. Only the Lonely is one of my all-time favorite songs.
Same here man - that song is a time machine for me
Must had been awesome I always loved Martha Davis and the motels
The keyboards are perfect. Like a haunting song. I like how the video starts with the face thing in silence. That must have been quite a trip hearing the first time in 83’
I can’t tell you enough how happy I was to find this video.
The motels were extremely popular my senior year of high school. I was married my senior year and attending high school four classes a day before working from 2pm to close at the Shell gas station.
My wife would come visit me every night while I was working and do her homework and mine. We would have the stereo on, not a night went by that the Motels didn’t come on the radio.
I didn’t know much about the band but because it wasn’t my type of music, but my wife sang along with their music. We didn’t have much money so music and a deck of cards were all we had for entertainment.
April of 2023 we will celebrate our 40th anniversary. This video was sure a nice trip down memory lane.
What a great memory to share. That made my night.Thank you for that, and congratulations to you and your wife!
Yea, it seams like yesterday they were on the radio. Congrats to 40 years..
That is Awesome Randy . . . Happy Anniversary
Great story, love it!
Those are perfect memories 😍
Saw Martha Davis perform about 5 years ago. She still sings like a goddess. Super cool too. She hung out at the merch tent after, signing autographs, taking pics, chatting, etc. Just a lovely woman.
Merchandise is hard to spell out… But the fact is, and it’s an insider knowledge, she hangs out there, because she watches the nickles… She does not trust those at the register
Didn’t say it was her merch.
@@PrayWithUsNow I completely understand her thinking.
I was also lucky enough to see the Motels at about that time. They were playing in Redondo Beach CA. and a buddy of mine was the drummer for the opening act that night. He got me "on the list" and I was able to hang out back stage before and after the show. Got to meet Martha and have a glass of wine. She is a really cool and lovely person. Her voice is still just magic. They did play a lot of the early music she so loved.
I will always remember that evening show.
I Love Martha♡
A Big shout out to All the people that put together "Bands Reunited" It's helped All of us relive the 80's 90's and our youth .
Exactly
I agree!! Thank-you guys!!
Seeing Aamer or however his name is spelt just makes me happy. I was a little kid watching these.. I LOVED Berlin.. was obsessed with their keyboards. This show was something special. Wouldn’t have worked if they tried it five years later. It was pure.
Definitely one of my favorite groups, Graduated H.S. in 1983 We had great music and The Motels are proof
So the album is good?
class of 85 the 1st 4 years of MTV !!!
I highly suggest getting out more often.
Class of 83 here too!
1983 here too.
Watching this video august 1st 2024. I listen to the song ( only the lonely ) in my car along with ( suddenly ) often. Awesome songs that are timeless.
as a failed musician myself i sometimes wonder if bands and artists truly grasp how much they and their music might have played a part in some peoples lives. up there on stage and on tour or in the studio you do not know the fans or what they are going through in their lives, but for them your music is something that is a part of their day and a part of their memories of moments and times and places and people for years and decades. music is powerful, it is magical, it comforts us in our darkest moments and uplifts us with joy and exuberance on out best days. we all have that song that makes us think of our first love or crush, or reminds us of our mother or father who are no longer here.
i want to give a special shout to all the bands out there that only experienced minor success, and worry that nobody even remembers them. there is some one out there that you and your song touched very deeply, someone who could not imagine the life they have lived if your song had not of been there for them when they needed it. and that is the unappreciated power of the sadder and slower songs.
They probably do but are so caught up in their current lives that they probably wonder every now and then what it would be like to have a comeback. Like no wants to forget something that made them want to the bills in the first place. And as for you NewWavePop, please keep pursuing your dream as a musician because music is already in you but you just need to extract that feeling further.
U expressed that beautifully. I am a semi successful singer who never pushed through and it’s so true about these bands that had the world by the balls and let it go. The go-go comes to mind. They always realize that they should’ve just stay together and work through their problems because they create some great music.
So many "successful" musicians wind up broken, miserable and without direction once the music stops. Perhaps your "failure" as a musician is the best thing that could have happened to you.
It's never too late. I'm almost 59 and writing the best music I've ever written. Planning to record eventually. It's what people like us do. We play because we love music.
cathartic for the members. Any of the bands that were able to do this were so lucky that they were all still alive and kicking. Many bands couldn't do this even if they wanted to as members have passed away. Shame VH-1 stopped doing this show.
Shame was a great Motels single
Agreed. I really liked this show, especially seeing band members who haven't even talked in years getting together and making that magic one more time. In fact, when ABC got together for this show (one of my faves) they actually toured a few years later because of the generated excitement.
@@JustWasted3HoursHere Look at the number of members of grunge bands that died... would be depressing to try to reunite them.
@@johnpauljones9310 It would definitely be necessary to do some background research before deciding on which bands to reunite. I feel, overall, they've done a good job of finding the right ones. But yeah, if half the members have died via suicide or alcoholism etc then that would not be a good candidate.
Where is VH1 thse days? Deeas meat
I was at the reunion show. That's my wife at 35:50 commenting on the Diva herself. What a joyful event! 10/10
What year was reunion?
2004 if memory serves @@clinteast7476
Yah ✅️ right???
@@clinteast7476 2004 at the SIR studio on Sunset I got the tickets from a radio show.
Man The Motels We're A Great Band. Only The Lonely. Love That Song. Shows Proof What The 80's Were.
*Were a great band. Not we’re.
**If sooo good , why were there at least 34+ different band members through out the years ? Not all albums were good. 'Little Robbers' stunk up the place....
I LOVED THIS SHOW!!!!!
Being a teenager in L.A. in that era was amazing. The Sunset Strip was on fire.
I lived in Los Angeles in the mid 90’s and always wondered what Melrose Ave was like in the early 80’s. Sunset Strip was cool, Fairfax Ave too.
Same here. I had the same stupid bullseye shirt too lol
God I loved the Motels on vinyl. Martha Davis is a godess.
She and Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar were the younger Me dream girls 🥰
@@OnlyglooYou left out the guitar play from the Pretenders...
@@frankt285 Yep! Chrissie Hynde was a special kind of kitten and I'd have also mentionned The Motels frontwoman, Martha Davis...🥰
@@Onlygloo She was emensly sensual on stage yet, with class....
@@frankt285 The most sensual voice of all time.
As a Metalhead in the 80's struggling through the musical landscape of strangeness being put out, I was a closet Motels fan then, still appreciate their art today
Me too
Same. There were so many bands/songs I liked but wouldn't dare tell my metal head friends about LOLOL
@@kayakuprising5914 You guys are like thugs who only listen to hardcore rap but they listen to country when they're boys aren't around.
How about Romeo Void?
@edp3202 Yes, there is a "Bands Reunited" with them.
This lineup should have reunited from this point on.
I watched many of these. This group sounded great. Truly. The lead guitar is a hell of a player. Killed the sax. The lead singer. Her voice is still excellent. It truly is. I was really impressed. Good work folks.
The Motels "were" the LA Sound of the 80's. Their music has the timeless staying power that today just flat blows the others away.
For me, their music had a melancholy, nostalgic quality. As well as being very alluring, and Martha’s voice perfectly embodied all of that. Looking like she stepped out of a film noir movie, so beautiful💕. Love you Martha!
Totally agree.
I agree, and well said Jill. 👍
Well said 👍
Graduated HS in 1983. The Motels music is just as great today as it was then. Martha Davis still has that amazing voice. She is so beautiful! So happy to see that these guys reunited even if just one time. Rock Stars!!
Never heard of them
Hearing them brought back so many memories and answered so many questions for me. It made me at 57 yrs old, cry
This was absolutely heartwarming how this unfolded and the members came together in the end…. Cathartic for all of them and the fans!! Bless them all!!!
This is the coolest thing I’ve seen. Ever. Thank you for doing this!
I miss this show. I watched it faithfully and loved it.
fantastic, so. emotional to see all of the years bridged, the healing and closure, epic
I remember watching Bands Reunited when it first aired in the early 2000s. It still puts a smile on my face when the members put their differences aside and reunite. Life is short to hold grudges. I wish Squeeze could have pulled it together.
ruclips.net/video/qOs90364jhE/видео.html
One of my all-time favorite new wave/punk bands... I'm pretty sure I would've teared up a little at this reunion. So glad they all said "yes" to it.
Damn they sounded just as good if not better! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had tears in my eyes ......and a smile on my face......
This was fantastic...a shame they didn't keep up with each other all those years...The Motels are always playing in our house and vehicles...
I could not stop my tears listening to them and seeing them reunited after so many years.
Only the lonely and Remember the nights are my favorites
Soundtrack of my youth. Great to see the healing. Thanks to them if they ever read this!
That was AWESOME! It’s so great to see them all doing well and having that moment of closure together.
Thank them all for adding so much to so many people’s lives.
Those moments in time were very special…
Their masterpieces live on… and will long after we are all gone. ❤️
This show is so old it needs it's own reunion show
fabulous, I always loved the motels
Kicking ass and taking names. Hell yes! Martha still sounds (and looks) amazing.
Whew.... That hit a very old deeply hidden nerve. Not sure why I am so emotional as Only The Lonely tails off but I hope each member reads these comments when they are having a bad day & realizes what a great part of my life The Motels belong to. My whole heart & entire spirit Thanks You for saying yes to this project & reminding me I've paid my due to play. #onlythelonely
Only the lonely, suddenly last summer, and take the L are all timeless classics
I saw her 2 years ago. Man, she puts most people to shame.
Great to hear. I think that Martha is 70 now!
i love this band. Martha Davis is a great singer. i LOVE YOU
The reunion gig brought tears to my eyes, as well as some golden memories♥️
You can tell they Love each other !
Miss this show so much
TO EVERYONE OUT THERE LISTENING
TO YOUR YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR
POSTING POSITIVE COMMENTS , I
WILL SAY THIS , TIME DOES HEAL
WOUNDS ... THIS BAND IS AN EXAMPLE
OF THIS ! ALL THE MEMBERS WERE
HONEST AND FORTHCOMING WITH
ONE ANOTHER . LOVE THIS BAND ,
MARTHA'S VOICE HASN'T CHANGED
ONE BIT ! GOD BLESS EACH ONE AND
I HOPE THEY IN TOUCH .
Please stop the shouting Keith you silly old c
My wife died of cancer last thanksgiving. 8 months later I woke up with a night terror and the words “last summer” in my head. I don’t know any motels songs! It was painful and profound but I took it as a message from my wife. I looked up the song and it clicked right away. Tears started streaming down my face but I wasn’t crying. I promised to live a full life and the summer was slipping by, and my subconscious knew it. I had been working out at the gym with my other son so it didn’t hurt that I was 40 pounds lighter and stronger than ever. The next day I hopped on my bike and rode 4 hours to help my son with a building mechanical issue. While I was there we partied like it was our last days on earth. I met several women and dated one for awhile. It was a special time and it reinforced what a gift life is. Time does heal all wounds, but it can’t heal regret so go do that thing that makes you feel alive, present in the moment, and connected to all of God’s creation.
Martha Davis is so fucking honest in exposing her artist's heart. What a gem. I can't help but love her.
Yep, what a woman!
nothing compares to 80s era
I was a freshman in high-school when this song came out & I loved it immediately. what made them stand out to me from the Debbie Harry's, Olivia Newton John's & Pat Benatar's is that they were quirky. It pains me to see the labels steered them towards what they thought was a money maker & I shudder to think where they would've been today if they'd been given creative liberty. But I'm grateful for what we got. The whole band was great & all put their blood into the love child of Motels. But Martha... am I the only one that noticed how expressive her eyes are? One minute she's a demure & sultry lady in waiting, and then that crazy Lizzy Borden like maniacal glow in her eyes comes out. Adding to the drama, and I freaking love that element of danger about her. Goes perfectly with that voice. Great job, all of you. Bien fait!!!
My husband and I saw her a few weeks back in southern Illinois with the “Abducted by the 80s”… she was INCREDIBLE! Her stage presence and voice had our jaws on the floor. She signed my t-shirt afterwards too. Oh and she can still get with it on guitar. Catch the abducted tour you won’t be disappointed.
I totally forgot about that "Mission of Mercy" song. You never lose that passion for music. This is proof that it's laid dormant in all of them, other than Martha, the guys dug down and nailed it when it was time to. Great job 👍.
Stumbled across this on RUclips… absolutely loved this! First, what a great show on VH1 - that I never heard of, but will definitely watch other shows/bands get back together to play.
Second, this band… those songs that put them on the map, Martha’s beautifully haunting voice… wow, what great nostalgic memories growing up listening to their music. That ending, “Only the looonelllyyyyyyy…” Love you Martha!! It was really great to see this band get back together for this. They sound great! Good for them that they were able to hash any old negative feelings… we all experience the same in life, with people we care about and then lose touch due to strained relationships. Hope these people stay in contact. They brought - bring back great memories for many.
Love how they decided to do the Peter Gunn riff during Mission of Mercy...
Mission Of Mercy!! We tore that song up in my 80's cover band back then!!
Ditto - in an 80s cover band, in the 80s, we played this song, and Only The Lonely. Good times
if you have a good stereo system, that song jumps out of the speakers!!
@@mikestrother4891 yeah. I just horribly overplayed on drums....Aldridge, very fun.
Same here, Mission of Mercy was one of our only covers. We killed it.
That was great. The ninja move with aging is to not judge people or yourself. To live in the moment with courage, compassion and curiosity for what’s around the bend. These wonderfully beautiful people did the best with what they had and it was significant. It’s great to see them together and realize they still hold each other dearly letting go of prejudices. The guitarist cranks.
I was the keyboard roadie for The Motels on that “All 4 One” tour in 1982. Never saw this episode, glad they’re all okay, especially Michael, Brian and Marty. Don’t forget, Scott Thurston (Tom Petty & Heartbreakers for many years) was also keyboardist on the tour. Miss then all, Martha and her daughters, and the other two roadies on that tour.
The other roadies’ were Armondo “Mondo” (guitars and amps) and Andy (drums and sound man). Bill was tour mgr. and we toured USA, Australia and New Zealand. In US, we opened for J. Geils Band on their “FreezeFrame” tour of 1982. Motels we’re ALL a class act.
@@michaelmarchello5211
Good times. They also performed with The Cars and Huey Lewis & The News.
She and the whole band sound Great
Best episode of the reunited
Should have had "Suddenly Last Summer" during the live segment...their best song.
Going by the one audience member's reaction where she said they played longer than she thought they would, I would tend to think The Motels played that song. It is a great song, so don't see why they would not play it.
They did play it, but was left out of here for whatever reason
That was one of the songs I was waiting to hear. Bummer VH1 didn't include it in this video.
Their best . I remember the saturation of radio play. Suddenly last SUMMER was really catchy and eerie.
Thanks for the music and the memories...
Great concept and show you've put together, VH1. This was as much about relationships and forgiving old grievances as it was the music. Bravo.
Kirkland, WA... Some of those neighborhoods are permanently imprinted in my brain from a driving job I once held, and I could use some music lessons. Looking back, The Motels played a crucial role in my musical upbringing. This is a rare treat I did not expect.
Yep new wave movement in the 80s was amazing and the Motels were a big part of it . ❤️ Loved this band ❤️
Suddenly Last Summer always brings me back to a place and time in the mid 80s when I was in my late teens / early twenties and exploring life and relationships….beautiful!
THAT was simply amazing...
this was so cool. we had such a great soundtrack to growing up 1979-1985
Absolutely loved this! Need more. ❤️
I remember watching them on MTV back in the 80s. She was so beautiful and the songs were great too. Kudos to them for doing the reunion.
Great band, peaceful ending. I still love their music...thank goodness for recordings!
I have Only The Lonely on my list of 80s new wave ballad hits on my music collection and the 80s we're truly amazing era of music - timeless
Thank you The Motels for the music
@Pray Suguitan
Do a Search for an 80's 7-disc CD compilation titled, "Like, OMG! The 80's Pop Culture Box (Totally)" to hear all of your favorite 80's hits again. And Yes, it includes Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl", LOL.
They've got magic between them.
I like all their personalities in that they seem like very sensible folks these days.
I got happy tears! 😭😁
Awesome! Great Video! Great Performance. Loved the Motels. Wonderful to seem them older and happy. ONLY THE LONELY!!!
Missed this when it aired. The Motels still Rock! Thanks for sharing. Made my night! Now I'm digging out my Motels albums.
✌️❤️🙂
was one of my favorites in High School. every song was a movie in my walkman
My god, this was great! Beautiful band mates.... beautiful people!
The Motels was the first concert I saw as a High School student in RI at the RI Auditorum. It was great, and I’ll never forget it!
Total Control was only a hit in Australia and NZ.
It was an exciting time to be a teenager.
To have the gift of making music is truly rare and special. The great ones make it look easy. I wish they all would keep sharing their gift and let the true fans help provide them a living.
One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen....waay better than Behind the Music! She sounds fantastic, and a smart vocalist in that she was not a screamer, thus protecting the ol cords for the long haul. Just driving around LA in the 80s music, ya know? Kudos to you, VH1!👍😎
Huge fan. Martha is just a rock and roll Goddess
QuarterFlash, Romeo Void, The Motels... saxophone New Wave.
@Jack Scratch
...'Til Tuesday "Voices Carry", Men At Work, Flock Of Seagulls, Duran Duran, Billy Idol (check out "Prodigal Blues"), The Cars, Missing Persons, DEVO, B-52's, The Go-Go's, Prince, Depeche Mode, on & on.
Do a Search for a 7-disc CD compilation of 80's music titled, "Like, OMG! The 80's Pop Culture Box (Totally)" to hear all of your favorite 80's hits again. And Yes, it includes Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl", LOL.
One of the best songs from the 80's. Sultry, playful and well put together. That sax tho.
Wow! This aired in 2004 - 18 years ago. Makes me wonder what they're all doing now, and what they all look like with an extra 18 years on each of them. I think Marty is still playing in Martha's band, but not sure about the other three guys.
.. Yes, he is and they are still touring a lot of different venues, across the country.
@@ausfuhrpramienjagar would love to see/hear her again. Saw her about 10+ years ago, and the show was phenomenal.
@@Osnosis .. I saw them about 3 years ago and got to chat with Martha for a couple of minutes after they were done on stage.
Marty is touring with Martha
I want to like this a thousand times! Loved this band! The 80s were the best!
Wow, she sounds wonderful, Still after all these years!!! Amazing!
I think I've seen most of these on youtube, recently. This is a great formula for a show:
1.) Fans still love and want to see their old bands.
2.) What are the bandmates doing now, and listening to them talk about their rock and roll experience.
3.) Of course, there's the break up issue which is mostly from the pressures of the "business".
4.) Then the reunion and love from the time away, and it doesn't matter what they look like now.
5.) Most importantly, they finally get a chance to air out their post break-up issues. There's nothing at stake anymore. Just memories.
6.) Then watching the band mates "synch-up" and going through the mechanics of a band. Music is not easy and playing in unison doesn't happen naturally. You see the work and the love and the synergy, again. Especially, organically without any outside pressure. Just the music, memories and each other.
7.) Finally, this is where "we" come in. The fans. We never forget. We never stop listening. We will just show up.
8.) Then it's show time and magic. Rock and Roll.
Someone should continue this type of show, because I would watch it and many other fans of music from the 80's, 90's,...
I wish you would keep doing these, I love these shows
Awesome takes me back to a Great Decade 👍🤙
Certainly The Classic Lineup of Davis, Perry, Goodroe, Jourard and Glascock. I remember watching this when it first aired, loved the idea of reuniting a band from way back for a One Off show; proper closure.
Wow!! So cool to see them reunite! Her voice is still amazing! Great band! Great memories!
Wow what a voice Motels Killing Killing it
Saw them in a little club in Dayton Ohio in 1982 before I joined the army. It was an awesome show. So brings back memories of the 80’s.
They still have that dynamic so would love to see (seriously) a world tour...
Out of all the Bands Reunited this may be the best one. Martha could still sing.👏🏾👏🏾
I’m 63 now - Motels , Martha Davis , one of my first car cassettes of my youth.
Why do I watch these band reunion videos? They always bring me to tears. I love these bands.
AWESOME BAND! always loved them.
Met Martha Once after a performance and she signed my Bam Magazine Cover , I had never seen this episode til now and it brought a tear to my eye... All 4 One n Lil Robbers will always hold a special place in my heart and mind! Thank You VH1 ,Martha, & The Boys!!!
They had the same problem a lot of bands have had. They were a solid group musically with their own voice. The problem is what they wanted to do was not what was selling. MTV helped create a lot of bands but it also helped destroy them too. Worse,bands that didn't fit the MTV mold ( new bands) couldn't get a record deal, that is just how much videos became the driving force. You can see from the first song how good they were. Groups like the Bangles and Go Gos same thing, both were really talented groups, I saw the go go's at nyu in the early 80s before they really hit it, they were a fantastic band.
Probably the most beautifull song of the post new wave era...i still listen to it and suggest when jamming with Bands ❤️🔥💖
The drummer was a scenic artist that we used to hire for our set design company. Excellent artist.
I saw them in 1982 with the cars..great show....Martha is one of my all time favorites along with Terri Nunn and Johnette Napolitano
This show was the best. Not just seeing the bands again, but the production was great as well. The amount of work that went into it (you don't walk into a medical center with a camera crew without a lot of permissions) and the editing of all the video into the finished product must have been a herculean task. Renting a venue, rehearsal space, the equipment, sound and lights...it also must have been very expensive!
I worked on this show (I'm actually playing keyboards at the end of the Only The Lonely when Marty is playing the sax, but you can't see me) as well as some of the others - they were pretty major productions (I remember the food was always really good!). Most of them were shot at SIR in Hollywood, but a couple at the Whisky and Roxy.
Thanks for the insider info, broseph.
@@celebutante you must have bailed when things got sucky. This was a great time for VH1 and tv in general. Great show, thanks for doing it. You guys did justice to music.
@@fowchiiiliedpuppiesdied It was a side hustle for me - I was the keyboardist in Berlin at the time (I started working on the show b/c Berlin did the first one and they asked me to return - was actually a really posh gig). They couldn't keep the show going b/c they pretty quickly ran out of bands to "reunite."
@@celebutanteyou did awesome sir. We all appreciate you and what you all had done. Please know this.
well this was fun. great music that aged like fine wine.
EPIC. Great band, great times. And my lord, Martha was an absolute goddess.
Goddess? Lol..WTF
@@BAKER22-l4u helps if you aren’t gay.
So Gorgeous and well done she is and you aimed high to find an imitation of that beauty and never found it .