Michael Pearsall (MSB ‘06) and his band Motive are learning the sacrifices that come with putting together a successful rock/pop band.
“The guitarist traded in his jeep and got a conversion van,” Pearsall said. “That’s dedication.”
Pearsall’s taking some time off from Georgetown’s business school to jump-start his musical career. He will be back on campus this Friday as the opening act for GPB’s fall concert. According to GPB member Steve Medlock (CAS ‘06), Motive was chosen because, of all the campus bands, they have the greatest possibility of going far in the music industry.
“It’s music that’s meaningful to us,” Pearsall said. “Whether people like it or they can get into the groove, if we can make music that’s true to ourselves, people will find a way to relate.”
Apparently, people all over the country are relating to Motive. The band won the Grand Prize in the pop category of Billboard’s 2004 World Song Contest with “Only in Photographs,” their biggest hit as of yet. The band was also selected to perform, both acoustically and electrically, at the 8th Annual Millenium Music Conference, a corporate-sponsored music summit.
A small-town Jersey boy, Pearsall started playing guitar in sixth grade. Pearsall is self-taught, aside from three months of lessons in the eighth grade. With influences ranging from the Allman Brothers and Billy Joel to Metallica, Pearsall has brought together his mixed musical background to create his style.
His songs, while not overly complex, tap into common themes ranging from angry breakups to love-sick well-wishing.
“If a singer can convince you that they mean what they’re saying, then they’re doing a good job,” Pearsall said. “The songs are written with real emotion about real experiences.”
“Only in Photographs,” the band’s biggest hit thus far, was written when Pearsall was looking at photographs of an ex-girlfriend. The song is a manifestation of the anger and hurt that inevitably accompany a break-up. Although the theme might be a bit trite, their emotive execution makes it fresh.
“There are a couple record companies looking at us,” Pearsall said, shrugging his shoulders modestly. “Who knows what will happen. I don’t want to jinx it.”
In the meantime, Motive has signed a management deal with True Player Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based management team.
Although Pearsall runs the show and writes most of the lyrics and melodies, he freely admits his weakness as a guitarist. Wherever his personal talents lie, Pearsall has taken steps to bring together a group of talented musicians to flesh out his original material. Lead guitarist Evan Field adds a level of technical skill to the group, and Pearsall is accompanied by vocally-talented bassist Joe Wenger. Eddie Fleming, the drummer Motive selected in April to round out their sound, has been a great addition, improving Motive’s energy and depth.
While Pearsall denies that he’s living the life of a rock star, he’s putting in the long hours demanded of one. This summer, the band drove to Tulsa, Okla. for the Billboard Contest after playing a gig in Pennsylvania two nights before. Motive then continued on to Los Angeles to work on a recording. Despite all the pains related to travel, “that hour and a half on stage makes everything worth while.”
The band will be opening for Howie Day and the Disco Biscuits Oct. 1. Tickets will be available in Red Square. To get more information about the band, upcoming gigs, CD’s etc. visit www.motiveband.com.
