Airport - Motors

The song 'Airport' by the Motors used to freak me out, because in the last minute you can hear a high-pitched voice screaming 'Airport!' in the same way my mother used to call me out for dinner. Many times I thought I was actually called by my mother while I was listening to this song.

'Airport' would prove to be the Motors' biggest hit, peaking at number 4 in the UK and number 28 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 621
Found: Parkpop, June 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Airport' / 'Cold love'

Forget about you - The Motors

The Motors had their debut live performance at the Marquee Club in March 1977. That same month, they recorded three songs for John Peel's weekly BBC Radio 1 show. By May they had been signed to Virgin Records, appearing in another John Peel session in September of the same year.

Their first single was 'Dancing the night away', which reached number 42 in the UK singles chart. Two big hits followed. In 1978 the band released 'Airport', which proved to be the band's biggest seller. The follow-up, 'Forget about you', was released two months later and reached number 13.

My collection: 7" single no. 1482

Found: Breda, July 3, 1991

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Forget about you' / 'Picturama'

Love and loneliness - The Motors

'Tenement steps' was taken from the Motors' third and last album of the same name. But so was this single, also released in 1980. It peaked at number 58 in the UK singles chart, making it the band's last hit before they finally disbanded in 1982.

'Love and loneliness' was covered by Chris Thompson in 1986 for the soundtrack of the movie 'American Anthem'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3720

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Love and loneliness' / 'Time for make-up'

Tenement steps - The Motors

The Motors were formed in London in 1977 by Nick Garvey, Andy McMaster, Rob Hendry (quickly replaced by Bram Tchaikovsky) and Ricky Slaughter. Their third album, 'Tenement steps' was released in 1980. The title track was released as a single, and was often played on Dutch radio at the time. It didn't become a hit.

It stuck in my mind, nevertheless, and so when the opportunity came up to buy this single cheaply, I grabbed it.

My collection: 7" single no. 267

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Tenement steps' / 'Here comes the hustler'

Download: Album 'Airport (Greatest Hits)', including both tracks (part 1 / part 2)