New Release – Motel Stardust by Rufusking

New Release – Motel Stardust by Rufusking

A solid base of rock. Bits of indie and acid. Rashers of grunge and blues. The members of Dutch band Rufusking prepare a musical meal for you with their very own ingredients. And they are ready to serve it to the world…

Since 2017 the four-piece band has been working on their own repertoire. They released their debut single ‘Vinegar Joe’ in September 2019. In December 2020, Rufusking released a follow up, ‘Poor Mister Lee’. The band members are inspired by bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, Oasis and the Stereophonics. Versatile, but recognizable.

Rufusking’s new track ‘Motel Stardust’ will be released on October 8th. It’ll be their third single.

“It is 2020 – the pandemic is in full-swing and none of us has any idea if, how and when we will get out of this situation that has the world in its grip. In this scorching hot summer, and because of all kinds of restrictive measures, the possibilities for outdoor (cooling) activities are very limited.”

“In Texas, near the town of Marfa, a weather-worn sign marks the place where the weary traveler can spend the night after a long journey. The sign raises questions about the quality of the establishment that bears the name ‘Stardust Motel’. However, when traveling further under a star-studded sky isn’t really an option, the prospect of all that is ordinary is enticing.”

“A remarkable detail: there is no motel on the site of the sign. The suggestion of such a welcome, safe place to catch your breath turns out to be non-existent – except for parking your car. Only the sign, referring to the resting point in the journey, marks this place with the sole purpose of misleading the daily passers-by.”

Motel Stardust describes a period when the ability to do what is normal and obvious is non-existent. A time when nothing is what it seems and in which the heat and measures make daily life feel like a hopeless trip across a vast plain. The invisibility of preventive measures that are so tangible, distorts the paradoxical reality. Although daily life at a distance does not seem to change, this is only the suggestion of something that once was and of which it is questionable whether it will ever return.

The idea for the song was born when the band stumbled upon the story of the motel road sign. Until Covid it was nothing more than a sign with a compelling story, but during the pandemic pieces fell into place: being forced to stay at home because of a lockdown, not allowed or able to do anything that used to be so obvious, made the place where one lives starting to change from a salvaged place into something that imprisons, even though the place itself remained the same.

“So at a certain point in time the lyrics were there. The song was written from a personal point of view, but more or less applicable to all of us. The second part of what was going to be Motel Stardust was the guitar riff, instantly evoking a sense of a deserted place. This was the vibe we tried to hold on to: the song was laidback, in service of the lyrics, yet full of energy towards the end demonstrating the frustration of the imprisonment.”

“The track was recorded at Studio Suma 201, Leiden (The Netherlands), by Jan Stroomer. During the recording sessions, Jan had some ideas and added his ‘special flavour’ which made the track what it is now. Recording with Jan is always a very nice and comfortable process, although you feel completely wasted at the end of the recording day. Most satisfying about the recording of Motel Stardust was that from the first step into the studio the song just got better and better. All the little changes we applied, suggested by Jan but also because the whole band is focusing on that single track, added-up, fell into place and contributed to the proud feeling Rufusking has about their most recent release: Motel Stardust.”

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