Moncton’s power rockers The Motorleague have finally made the transition that every band hopes to achieve at some level in their career: progressing from making music, to becoming super-powered robot-wielding monster fighters. Don’t believe me? Ask any band, sure beats touring in a Chevy Lumina. Now you can check out the Motorleague’s sweet new Zord in their video for ‘A Little Obvious’.
DISCLAIMER: The Motorleague are only pretending to be Power Rangers. They don’t have giant monster fighting robots, and the city of Moncton remains relatively unharmed. #FakeNews
The band discovered that Power Ranger spoofs were a previously untapped market, especially here in the Atlantic Provinces. With a resurging popularity and soon expected film reboot, The Motorleague did their research and arrived at the conclusion this was the time to cash in on the franchise.
“I remember watching a youtube video of a power rangers spoof – and it was the only one I could find,” says Don Levandier, “There just wasn’t a ton of home-made power rangers content online. I remember thinking that the void of spoofed-power rangers made it the OBVIOUS choice.”
And so the band ordered (and misordered their costumes), and as one does, they then ran around town waving at traffic. Ask any band. They’d do it too.
“I think the consensus was that no one wanted to be yellow, but other than that, they really didn’t care. Our red-headed bassist had to be red though – we forced that mantle on him.”
Naturally, as many bands will tell you about their schedules, time was tight. Levandier explains that doubles had to be called in. “I’m pretty sure the Red Ranger in the video is actually a pro wrestler. We couldn’t schedule everyone in the band to be together for the shoot – so much like the actual power rangers show – the folks in the suits are different people than the actual rangers!”
“I’ve always been a big fan of anything where miniature cities or models are involved – like Power Rangers and THUNDERBIRDS especially,” says Levandier. “Music videos are just fun for us – we really like being idiots and just acting like kids. Videos became the outlet for all the silliness – and we’re always like ‘what if we did ______?’ The Megazord was built by a couple of guys in Moncton – Leigh Doerkson and Jared Betts, plus myself, Francis and Cathy MacDonald. Francis Landry (drummer) build all of the buildings and miniature people and other props. “
The bands explains that ‘A Little Too Obvious’ is at its heart stll just a simple song. “It’s about not being clued in to something everyone else around you sees – about something being so painfully obvious and under your nose, but you don’t realize it.” Which has nothing to do with fighting monsters in a giant robot, but who needs an excuse for that? Just ask any band…