Airport (song)
| "Airport" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Cold Love (Live)" "Be What You Gotta Be (Live)" |
"Airport" is a single by English power pop/new wave band The Motors. Released on 2 June 1978 by Virgin Records, the song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart.[2][4][5] On 1 July 1978, the single was awarded a silver certification by the BPI in the UK for sales of over 250,000 units. It also reached number 19 in South Africa on 24 November 1978.[6]
Origin
The song was written by singer Andy McMaster in 1976. McMaster then switched from keyboards to bass for the band's first album. After the release of their 1977 debut album 1, the Motors moved away from their pub rock sound to a new wave style with synthesizers (most prominent on tracks McMaster had previously written) and recognisable melodies.[7]
Reception
Reviewing the group's 1981 greatest hits compilation, Lance Philips (in the Rough Guide to Rock) describes "Airport" as "naturally stand[ing] out" and that the "rest doesn't quite match up". Philips also comments on the song's inclusion on the 1978 album Approved by the Motors, saying that despite its appearance the album failed to be a commercial success.[7]
The Motors' entry in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music notes that "Airport" has become a stock piece of music often accompanying footage of aeroplane or airports.[8] The encyclopedia suggests that the song's popularity did nothing to extend the life of the band, whose membership changed by the end of the year.[8]
Personnel
- Nick Garvey—guitar/vocal
- Andy McMaster—lead vocal/synthesizer/bass
- Bram Tchaikovsky—guitar/vocal
- Ricky Wernham—drums/vocal
References
- ^ http://www.45cat.com/record/vs219-2
- ^ a b c d e Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 381. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Song Review by Stewart Mason. "Airport - Motors | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ "Record Details". 45cat.com. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- ^ "MOTORS | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ "SA Charts 1965 - 1989, Songs A-B". Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ a b Philips, Lance (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 700. ISBN 1843531054.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4. ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 33. ISBN 0195313739.
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