Motograter recently announced their first reunion show for this September at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival, though the news came from the festival and not the band themselves. Now in a lengthy statement, Motograter has explained their reunion, who's involved in the band, and why one certain (and unnamed) member will not be returning.
"With news reaching outlets such as Metal Injection, ThePRP.com, Ultimate Guitar, and more, I suppose the situation warrants being addressed in the form of a statement from the band. We were trying to go about this the easiest way possible, following the path of least resistance, but I suppose the inevitable has arrived. I'd like to shine a light on what is happening and what our thought process has been, regarding Motograter.
"First and foremost, this was done for the fans. We are constantly being asked if the band is going to continue; over and over again. It's been a few years since anyone has heard from Motograter; moreover, it's been a few years since anyone has seen or heard from one member in particular. I would like to point out that we aren't here to drag anyone's name through the mud or make anyone look bad.
"That's not what this is about at all. What this IS about, is the hope that the band could continue without violent, abusive behavior. Perhaps, the band could exist without the toxicity that has plagued the band for far too many years. Maybe, the band could continue without rampant substance abuse. Anyone close to Motograter at all knows there has always been one thing that has stopped this band from prospering… Yes, there is always the prospect that certain past members have changed their lives for the better or have rehabilitated themselves, but the chances are highly unlikely.
"It's true that Blue Ridge Rock Festival has announced Motograter as one of the acts on the 2023 lineup; alongside Pantera, Shinedown, Limp Bizkit, Lamb of God, Megadeth, and many, many more. Before this announcement was made, a number of steps were taken in order to ensure Motograter's future, whatever that may be.
"The trademark to the Motograter name was secured, through assistance from entertainment lawyers and other councils. The rights to the Motograter music were purchased and acquired. And finally, a brand new Motograter instrument was built from scratch; a new design if you will. We are not currently in control of the Motograter Facebook page.
"I'm going to leave it up to the fans to decide if they want the band to continue in this new direction or not. The Motograter machine is bigger than us all and as everyone is aware, it has undergone many line-up changes and has taken on several iterations over the years.
"This ever-evolving tribe just won't seem to go away. 2023 marks 20 years since the original Motograter album was released featuring Ivan Moody. As cliché as it is to say, many of the current members poured their blood, sweat, and tears into making a second album happen. A lot of sacrifices were made, lives were changed, and we'd like to see this thing continue…
"The members involved currently are James Anthony Legion, Mylon Guy, Dustin "Skunk" Anderson, and myself, Noah "Shark" Robertson. We have also been in talks with guitarists, J.R. Swartz and Jesse Stamper. Some people may remember J.R. from the Ozzfest days of Motograter…"
Motograter has been very on-again, off-again over the years. The band originally formed in 1995 and then broke up in 2005. There was a reunion show in 2006, and then a full reunion between 2008 and 2011. Then came the second breakup, followed by (you guessed it) a reunion that lasted between 2013 and 2018. Motograter has only released two albums – a self-titled in 2003 and a sophomore effort called Desolation in 2017 – as well as three EPs between 1998 and 2009.
Motograter's big claim to fame was that they were fronted by Five Finger Death Punch vocalist Ivan Moody between 2002 and 2005. Moody appears on Motograter's debut self-titled album, which spawned songs for soundtracks like NASCAR Thunder 2004 and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
