Who Are The Blue Motel?
Electro-acoustic trio The Blue Motel, featuring talented singer-songwriter Paul Hedges, guitarist Alan Davies, and multi-instrumentalist Rupert Flindt, perform original songs from their albums as well as covers of songs by, amongst others: Jackson Browne, Paul Simon and Gerry Rafferty.
Paul has been playing guitar and writing songs for more years than he cares to remember! As a student he performed at London Folk Clubs and now, with Rupert and Alan, The Blue Motel are regulars at various Worcestershire music and festival venues. Their original songs, which have an “Americana Country” feel, have been played extensively on BBC Introducing and they also pepper their set with covers by artists such as Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Gerry Rafferty and Brian Protheroe.
Alan has played rhythm and lead guitar in bands and acoustic duos since the age of 15. Along the way he has played a wide range of music including folk, blues, rock, soul, and jazz. He cites Larry Carlton and Ry Cooder as influences. Alan was an original member of the legendary Soft Boys in the 1970s.
Rupert has had a long career in the music industry and has picked up countless influences from Bartok to Brand X. He also produces and arranges much of the Blue Motel’s recorded output. Blessed (or cursed) with a very short attention span, he keeps picking up new instruments to play, but is always happiest with four strings and fewer frets on a bass guitar.
To watch live videos of the band and to listen to their last album, ‘Sorry, No Vacancy’, just visit their website at thebluemotel.com.
Additional guest musicians include: David Hedges & Mike Hedges on harmony vocals, Tim Watkins on Drums and Hugh Robjohns on Hammond organ.
Recently the trio have been doing a lot of acoustic gigs and took this format into the BBC TV studios at Wood Norton - click here to see the session (think Old Grey Whistle Test with older musicians...;-)
A 10 track LP "Sorry, No Vacancy" is now available for streaming.
The new LP "Under New Management" will be available early next year.
Click here for a sneak preview of "The Last Summer's Day Has Gone"
(Paul and Rupert also make up two thirds of "The Hotel Whisky Foxtrot" - Peter Walters completes that band line up on keyboards. The trio have two EP releases to their name to date; ("Just Another Frame - A retrospective" and "Diesel or Poetry") - both are available on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon Music.)
Paul has recently been interviewed on Lyme Bay Radio on the Lisa Galvani Show where he discussed his musical influences, his work at the BBC and his experiences as a solo artist and playing in bands. He also performed 3 songs live! (Available in clip 3)
Click on the links below to hear edited highlights from the show
The Blue Motel has recently had some very positive radio airplay of several songs from the forthcoming album. Please click on the BBC Introducing link below and spool in 5 minutes from the start of the programme to hear The Blue Motel's "Last Thing on TV".
If you can't wait to see us live, we do have a recording of us in concert at the Evesham Arts Centre - hope you enjoy it and that you'll come to see us for real in the future!
