GOAT MOTOR

Halloween night 2003. 26 year old guitarist Nate Wolverton races through Chicago traffic determined to not be late. Through all the devils, goblins, vampires, and occasional Steve Bartman costumes he makes is way to the west side of Chicago's Lincoln Park where he met bassist and recent Toledo transplant Dustin Fillion face to face for the first time. The two had talked extensively over the phone for weeks leading up to this night and both were beyond anxious to see what the other could do. Although there was certainly hesitation in the air both knew there was something there. Discussions continued past that night regarding songs, bands, midgets, and musicians until they met to play a few weeks later. By the beginning of 2004 Goat Motor was born and in full swing. Consistently writing, rehearsing and promoting to the ground, the train had left the station and it had no signs of slowing down. Now four years later both Wolverton & Fillion are not surprised that the determination and excitement is still present even after the ups and downs the two have been through.
Last year The Goat was able to finally release a full-length album with the tremendous opportunity to work with producer Rick Barnes at Rax Trax Studios in Chicago. Critical acclaim soon followed the release of their self-titled debut as did a whole new group of people who were blown away by the fierce explosion from live shows that saturated the Midwest for the first part of 2007. Chicago Sun-Times Rock critic Jim DeRogatis declared "within the first 30 seconds of the opening track, it covered all the bases of what a hard-driving, vintage 70's power trio ought to do." David Eldridge from the Illinois Entertainer stated the LP "amply displays the solid chops they've honed during three years together." While Goat Motor feels that most reviews can be opinionated they didn't take these highly regarded statements for granted and were extremely flattered.
In May 2007 the two welcomed veteran drum master Jeff Kelly into the trio. With a truckload of new material waiting to be delivered, Goat Motor practically started all over again. A past which included stints headlining at Chicago's famed Cubby Bear, a jaw-dropping performance at moe.'s annual Summer Camp Music Festival, sharing the stage with Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbridge for a full weekend, and most recently being placed on a bill with The Flaming Lips & Cold War Kids, was put behind them and Goat Motor went back to the days of arduous writing, rehearsals, small clubs, and most importantly, having fun.
This past fall the three gathered to discuss the future and all three agreed that the time had come to not necessarily reinvent themselves but to go back to what they did to get to where they've been. Some of Goat Motor's most valued music was written while the band wasn't consistently on tour and concerning themselves with promoting several out of town shows at once. As any traveling band knows, the road is a beast that eats bands alive if they don't slow down once in a while. For the three plus years Goat Motor was on the road, the only break they would get would be to spend hours in the studio recording and it took an enormous toll on them mentally, physically, and socially. While a break from the road has always been discussed it has finally come to fruition and with that, so have several new songs. Two of which were recorded in November and offered on the bands website free of charge to their loyal fans as a gift of gratitude for Ridin' The Goat for the past four years. The band reports that there are several more that have been completed or in the works that they plan to unveil entering the new year. As news of Goat Motor's travels slowing down may come as unfortunate news to many fans, the news of more Chicagoland dates is a welcome report for several others. The onslaught of new material on it's way into the world however comes as great news for all. Rock on & Ride High.