Meet Martin Motnik
Perhaps it was fate that a German born musician and heavy metal bassist would move to United States a decade ago and then in 2019 find himself in Nashville at the same time when ACCEPT found itself saying goodbye to their longtime bassist. It was the right place and the right time for Martin Motnik. ACCEPT is pleased to welcome Martin and introduce him to all of you.
Perhaps it was fate that a German born musician and heavy metal bassist would move to United States a decade ago and then in 2019 find a home in Nashville at the same time when ACCEPT found itself saying goodbye to their longtime bassist. It was the right place and the right time for Martin Motnik.
About Martin
Born in Ludwigshafen, Germany Martin began playing acoustic guitar early at age 7 and was introduced to the bass when he was just 12 by his brother, Frank (now a sound engineer in Frankfurt, Germany), who was also a guitar player.
“He was probably planning on making me a bass player for his band. So one day he brought home a bass guitar for me to try out and I instantly loved the feel and the sound of the instrument. That day I became a bass player and have played ever since.”
By the late 80s through 90s – Martin was playing bass in several rock and metal bands, both original and covers. Martin recalls he even played “Balls To The Wall” in a cover band in Ludwigshafen during that time.
In addition to playing bass and studio recordings, he also was a keyboard arranger, and programmer. Then in 2002 he moved to Munich to finish college. After school, he was part of several bands from the Munich area including:
• Darkseed (2003 – 2006), bass player with recording credits on album “Ultimate Darkness”, live performances in clubs and festivals in Germany, Austria, Slovenia (Summer Breeze, Sundown Festival, Skeleton Bash etc.)
• The Roxx (2006 – 2008), bass player with recording credits on album “Unleash Your Demon” & Live DVD “Unleash The Demon”, European tour 2008 as support for Graham Bonnet
• Eisbrecher (2006 – 2008), live bass player, Germany tour 2006 as support for J.B.O,, European tour 2007 as headliner, live performances on festivals (Summer Breeze, Wave Gotik Treffen, Dark Dance Treffen) Theatron Munich, Club Tochka Moscow
Martin released his solo CD “Bass Invader” with prolific studio drummer Gregg Bissonette, feat. Mattias IA Eklundh (signed with Steve Vai’s label “Favored Nations”) on guitar; favorable reviews in magazines in Europe, U.S., and Japan.
Following two years of solo performances and bass clinics at Musikmesse Frankfurt, Musikhaus Thomann, European Bassday, Music Shop Munich, it was time to try out a new city, travel to explore Los Angeles with just a suitcase and his bass guitar.
There he jammed with ECOTNIC featuring Jason Ebs (guitarist for Peter Criss) and Chris Slade (drummer for AC/DC), also jammed at legendary jazz club, The Baked Potato.
Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles in the summer 2008, Martin got the call to join Uli Jon Roth (The Scorpions) for his US tour.
In addition to touring, he began his website www.studiobassist.com to record bass tracks for songs online. Then in 2009 he move to Las Vegas working as a freelance bass player with different bands on the Las Vegas strip and with Classic Rock Tribute band “Rok Of Ages” on Fremont Street, opening for Night Ranger, Vince Neil, Warrant, Skid Row, Dee Snider
2009 and 2012 included two more North American tours with Uli Jon Roth.
From 2014 to 2018 Martin was a bass player, band leader, and music director for Carnival Cruise Lines traveling to Australia, South Pacific (Fiji, Tahiti, Bora Bora), Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and the Bahamas.
In February 2019 Martin made his way to Nashville to work as freelance studio and live bass player.
April 2019 – Martin Motnik joins ACCEPT with his first performance with the band on April 20, 2019.
Excerpt of Recordings / Discography
Freelance and Studio Work:
• Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions)
• Dale Bozzio’s Missing Person
• Lionel Cole (Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Mariah Carey)
• Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Ringo Starr, Carlos Santana etc.)
• Chris Slade (AC/DC, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Tom Jones, Asia)
• Mugs Cain (Michael Bolton, Sammy Hagar, Eric Martin)
• Ray Parker Jr. (“Ghostbusters”)
• Marco Minnemann (Paul Gilbert, The Aristocrats)
• Walfredo Reyes Jr. (Christina Aguilera Band)
• Phil Campbell (Motörhead)
• Dizzy Reed (Gund N’ Roses)
• Don Dokken (Dokken)
• Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake)
• Alex Skolnick (Testament)
• Doug Bossi (David Coverdale, Jennifer Paige, Don Henley etc.)
• Paul Shortino (Quiet Riot)
• Jimmy Crespo (Aerosmith, Rod Stewart)
• Akira Jimbo (Casiopea)
• Hal Blaine (Nancy Sinatra, Elvis Presley, John Denver, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys et al.)
• Don Randi (Linda Ronstadt, Quincy Jones, Cannonball Adderley, Herb Alpert, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Zappa et al.)
• Matt Bissonette (Don Henley, Joe Satriani et al.)
• Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa et al.)
• Michael Landau (Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, B.B. King, Ray Charles et al.)
• Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, Bob Seger, Elton John, Meat Loaf et al.)Atma Anur (Jason Becker, Richie Kotzen, Tony MacAlpine et al.)
Discography/Recordings on CD/DVD (excerpt)
• Worlds Apart – Everlasting love (single) – ©1996 Arista/BMG, BMG Eurodisc Ltd.
• The Body & Soul Allstars – Best things in life are free (single) – ©1996 Sony Music
• The Winners – Island of sun (LP) – ©1996 Weltbild Verlag GmbH – CD 703447
• Dan Lucas – News (LP) – ©1996 Arcade Music Company GmbH – CD 8800576
• O2 – Oxygene (single) – ©1996 ZYX Music GmbH – CD 8536-8
• Martha Wash feat RuPaul – It’s raining man … The Sequel (single) – ©1997 BMG/Logic Records
• Clueless – Don’t speak (single) – ©1998 ZYX Music GmbH & Co. KG – CD 2145-8
• What4 – What4 (LP) – ©1999 Kintom Music KM-199001-2
• What4 – All behind (single) – ©2003 Kintom Music KM-103001-1
• Graham Bonney – Der letzte Rock’n’roll (single) – ©2003 Emi Electrola GmbH
• What4 Fourward (LP) – ©2004 Kintom Music – KM-104001-2
• Darkseed – Ultimate Darkness (LP) – ©2005 Massacre Records GmbH – MAS CD 0454
• Martin Motnik with Gregg Bissonette – Bass Invader (LP) feat. Mattias IA Eklundh – ©2005 Kintom Music – 023144
• Atargatis – Wasteland (LP) ©2006 Massacre Records GmbH – MAS CD 0492
• “Gitarre & Bass” workshop playbacks (German guitar player magazine) © 2006 Musik Media Verlag
• “Sticks” workshop playbacks (German guitar player magazine) © 2006 Musik Media Verlag
• Harold Faltermeyer feat. Ambermoon – “Two Worlds” Computer game soundtrack – ©2007 Topware
• The Roxx – Unleash your demon (LP) – ©2007 Rockville Music
• Q-Ten-Peck – Prestige (LP) – ©2008
• Die Zeitmaschine – Film music, German TV documentary about watchmaker Helmut Sinn ©2008 frame-spotting mediaport
• Beyond the void – Gloom is a trip for two (LP) – ©2008
• The Roxx – The Roxx Unleash The Demon (DVD) – ©2008 Rockville Music
• Jason Sadites – Weve (LP) feat. Chad Wackerman, Tony Levin, Kenny Aronoff, Gregg Bissonette – ©2008
• Ralf Jung – Art of Pop (LP) – ©2010
• Ecotonic – When Sparks Fly (CD) – © 2010
• Mansour – Live in Concert (CD & DVD) – © 2010
• Various Artists – Guitar Addiction – A Tribute To Modern Guitar (Song) – © 2011, song “Frankly Speaking” feat. Christophe Godin, Cyril Achard, Mattias Eklundh Joop Wolters, and Atma Anur
• Marcus Boeltz and the Transatlantic Funk Unit – Departure (CD) – © 2011, feat. Michael Landau
• Jason Sadites – Broken (CD) – © 2012, feat. Tony Levin, Marco Minnemann, Bryan Beller, Alex Machacek and Kenny Aronoff
• Velvet Steel – Thunderous Rain (CD) – © 2013
• All the Wise – All the Wise (CD) – © 2013
• Mark Clear – Gave You My Heart (Single) – © 2013
• Marty and the Bad Punch – Troubleshooter (CD) – © 2013
• Born 2 Rule – World at War (CD) – © 2014
• Rob the Voice – Blues in the Night (CD) – © 2014
• Jason Sadites – Fuzzy Math (Song) – © 2015, feat. Marco Minnemann
• Chantal Hartmann – 365 Days Of The Year (CD) – © 2017 CAP Sounds3
• Tim Lucas – Born in Canada (CD) – © 2018 Middleway Records
• Crave and Wonder – Tales From The Porch (CD) – © 2018 Crave and Wonder