Motor Ace were an Australian alternative rock band. Formed in Melbourne around 1998 out of the remains of another band named Snowblind, their members were Patrick ('Patch') Robertson (vocals/guitar), Damian Birchall Costin (drums), Matt Balfe (bass), and Dave Ong (guitar).
Motor Ace's swaggering rock anthems have seen many commentators liken them to Brit rockers The Verve and Oasis. Motor Ace supported the latter during their Australian tour in 2002. Unusually, they also once supported (along with Bodyjar) Blink-182 during their 2000 Australian tour. Along with 28 Days, Machine Gun Fellatio, and NoKTuRNL, they were part of a wave of mostly successful young Australian acts signed to Festival Mushroom Records' development label Sputnik, which launched in 1999.
The band began recording their debut release, a self-titled EP, during April 1999. On it they worked with producer Paul McKercher, who has also assisted well-known efforts by You Am I and The Cruel Sea. The eventual tracklisting of their self-titled release included "Chairman of the Board", "Chromakey", "Criminal Past", "Lowrider", and "Fluke". Other songs, "American Shoes" and "Siamese", were also considered, but were left out after the band decided they wanted to make a straight-up rock EP (though they wound up on future releases). Triple J gave the band heavy airplay, assisting the band on their touring schedule. Afterwards, the singles "Death Defy" (which was used as the title theme for TV show The Secret Life of Us), "American Shoes", and "Hey Driver" were released throughout the course of 2000, in the buildup to their debut album. Some of them charted in the top 100 of the ARIAnet singles chart, while they also gained popularity on Triple J.
The rain is beating on my face
My bikes still hot as a pistol
Running like i’m in race
Some kind of suicidal missile
They’re in some motel somewhere
My baby donme me low
Thought i’d never be there
But now they’re both gonna know
I been a long time gone
Been real close to hell
I kept my mouth tight shut
Thought they wouldn’t like prison too well
They took the money and run
Left me with a smoking gun
Said she’d always wait for me
But what she left me was misery
I can’t feel no colder
Outside or in
Cut down mosburg in my bag
Five shells for her and three for him
They gone and broke my heart
Supposed to be my friend
This should keep them apart
Hell all things come to an end
Hey boy just tell me the number
Point me to their room
If you want you can call the law
While i play around with doom
When it’s over i’m gone
This tigers running just fine
I’m gonna kiss my baby goodnight