Add Jones - Lead Vox/ Rhythm Guitar
Paul Bradley - Bass/ Backing Vox
Rob Bamber - Lead Guitar
Chris Green - Drums


Once upon a time in the West (Midlands, that is), a snotty kid with attitude found himself kicked out of his own band for his refusal to compromise and accept second best. Add Jones was never very good at doing what he was told – a trait he still displays today, only now he has the band to match his punk rock attitude in The Motive.

The Motive began to emerge in 2004 when Add’s search for the 21st century punk rock sound meant leaving another local band who could not contain his ambition and passion.

‘The rest of ‘em just wanted a quiet life in Dudley – I guess I’m not made that way!’ remembers Add, when reminded of the roots of The Motive.

Add quickly found a like minded ally in Paul ‘Biff’ Bradley a Birmingham bassist with a deep love of classic punk rock and a legendary refusal to know when to quit.

Paul takes up the story; ‘I knew Add, we’d run into each other a few times and I’d always thought it would be good if we could work together. So when he told me his old band was falling apart we both knew that we’d put something together.’

That something started to become The Motive when guitarist Rob Bamber was recruited by a strange twist of fate. Paul; ‘Rob just turned up in the office I was working in as a temp, just at the time we needed a guitarist – no need to advertise or audition. The agency just sent him!’

To outsiders Rob is seen as the quiet man of The Motive, but with a classical music background, it’s just a case of give that man a guitar and he will say everything you need to know.

With the line up almost complete The Motive again ignored convention, as Add explains; ‘I knew a drummer from a previous band, he’s a cool guy with a unique style so he was the obvious choice’

That man was Chris Green and The Motive were born.


Since 2004 the band has developed a set of viciously catchy short, sharp indie punk songs that always rely on precision timing and passionate delivery. It’s won them a host of complimentary comparisons – names like The Rakes and The Hives cropping up most often, along with everyone from the Stooges to The Buzzcocks to The Ordinary Boys – and a steadily growing nationwide fanbase thanks to a very active myspace presence and their growing live reputation.

2005 saw the band establish their live reputation across the Midlands with gigs at JB’s in Dudley, Birmingham’s Artsfest, the Varsity in Wolverhampton, Birmingham’s Academy 2, The Medicine Bar and The Sunflower Lounge among the highlights, along with coverage on Kerrang 105.2 and the BBC TV’s new interactive service.

In 2006 the band has broken out of the Midlands circuit with gigs from Sheffield to London and coverage on Xfm and Beacon Radio.

Earlier this year the band released a second demo CD, called ‘Pay Attention’. With a harder, tighter sound it’s already gained the band increased media attention, with lead track ‘Young Offender’ winning an Xfm poll that saw the band offered a slot at the O2 Wireless Festival in London.

All this despite having the band’s spring schedule torn apart when a broken ankle sidelined Add for 10 weeks.

In typical The Motive style, the band used the enforced lay off to retreat to the studio and came back with a revamped set that includes some of their most compulsive new material to date.

‘There’s a real progression to this band’, confirms Add.

‘I don’t like standing still and in this band I’ve finally got what I wanted – we don’t know what we can achieve yet, but we know there’s loads more to come. As long as we keep pushing and progressing then The Motive is doing its job. And we’re getting bloody good at doing our job too!’

• Rock
• Indie
• Punk