Swearing At Motorists

20 years and 2 million miles under the radar

Swearing at Motorists has come a long way since its birth as a poster for a fake band in 1994. A few months after the posters mysteriously appeared in record stores and music venues around Dayton, OH, Dave Doughman jokingly scrawled the name on a cassette of home recordings that he gave to friends, and the band was officially born, joining already established Dayton bands Guided by Voices, Brainiac and the Breeders in releasing music made in the Miami Valley.

The late '90s found S@M releasing a slew of 7" EPs on different labels, and after getting repeated plays from the BBC's John Peel and favorable press worldwide, the band landed a contract with the then new label Secretly Canadian. They released 2 EPs and 4 LPs on Secretly Canadian, including 2000's Number Seven Uptown and 2002's This Flag Signals Goodbye, both of which were named MOJO Magazine's "Underground Album of the Year" the years they were released.

Swearing At Motorists relocated to Berlin, Germany in 2005, releasing their last LP for Secretly Canadian, Last Night Becomes This Morning, the following year before quietly disappearing into the never-ending Berlin night...

until now.

The band has resurfaced in Hamburg, Germany, with a new album titled While Laughing, The Joker Tells The Truth, released November 04, 2014 on Anton Newcombe's label, A Recordings Ltd (home of Brian Jonestown Massacre, Dirty Beaches, Magic Castles and more). The album is available on CD, 180-gram vinyl and digital outlets.

The album was recorded in Hamburg and Berlin Germany and co-produced by S@M founder Dave Doughman and Rick McPhail (of the legendary German band Tocotronic) and tells the tales of those "lost" eight years in classic Motorists' style.

"I think it's a really good insight of where I was and what I was dealing with the last eight years," says Doughman. "I was distracted. It may sound a bit cliched, but I had to live this record before I
could make it. A couple of the songs were written as far back as 2006, and represent how I felt at the beginning of this cycle. As the years passed, my thoughts and experiences became new songs, a musical
reflection of my life. There are some very dark moments, some unpleasant realities, but also a bit of hope as well. The record ends on a positive note but it's more realistic than optimistic..."

Eight years, three studios and two engineers later, While Laughing, The Joker Tells The Truth is finished. It was recorded at the Upper Room in Hamburg in four weeks of afternoons, with additional recording at
Doughman's home studio, Cardboard Skyline, in Berlin and Hamburg. The energy and feel of the songs are classic S@M.

The album artwork was created by William Schaff, who is perhaps best known for his work with Okkervil River, Songs: Ohia, & Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

"I sent William the rough mixes of the album to listen to, and within a few days he sent me the finished drawing," Doughman says. "I made the mistake of opening his package and viewing the artwork for the first time in a crowded coffee shop. I was immediately reduced to tears, as William had captured the underlying theme of the album: a man at odds with himself. It was perfect.

Swearing At Motorists will be hitting the road in March in support of their new album and to celebrate 20 years of releasing music. Originally released on 100 cassettes, the long out of print self titled debut album, Swearing At Motorists, will be reissued by A Recordings and released for the first time on vinyl for this tour.

The band will also be attending SXSW 2015. In addition to their official showcase, they will also be playing several day parties, including their own party, the 2nd annual All Tomorrow's Tacos, which features a mix of bands and stand up comics.