By SCOTT SAALMAN
Scaramouch
Guitar Face Magazine was granted an exclusive interview with Indiana-based 1970s classic rockers Courtesy Flush, who will embark on their 50th Anniversary “Expiration Date” Tour this fall. We sat down with cofounders Tweed and Twill Seger to discuss a half-century of touring and recording, their notorious infighting, and what fans can expect. This is part one of a two-part interview.
GF: Today, you rehearsed your 1976 hit single, “Motel Indiana,” 12 times.
Tweed (Vocals): We had to. Twill kept mucking it up on that freakish octuple neck guitar.
Twill (Guitar): You try playing eight guitar parts simultaneously. That’s 48 strings to finger! My Fender Signature Series Eight Neck sound is what made “Motel Indiana” an FM rock staple! I didn’t muck anything. Tweed is the mucker. He kept singing hotel instead of motel –
Tweed: Excuse me! I wrote “Motel Indiana” 46 years ago! I’m pretty sure I didn’t muck the lyrics. I’ll sing it right now …
Greetings from the Motel Indiana
Cornfield maze in back (cornfield maze in back)
And a go-kart track
Vacancy at the Motel Indiana
You might hit a deer (you might hit a deer)
Lose dignity here
Twill: You still mucked it earlier, Tweed.
GF: How did the eight-neck guitar come about?
Twill: I got the idea from Cheap Trick when we opened for them. I love Rick Nielsen. Ricky and I were always trying to outdo each other during that tour. He started playing a double neck, so I upped the ante with a triple neck. Ricky bought a quint neck, which got him tons of attention. I had no choice but to break out the eight neck. He told me, “I surrender, man. That’s too much guitar neck for me.” Not long after, Cheap Trick had a hit with “Surrender.” Even today, Ricky bows when he sees me and says, “I’m not worthy, man.” Jimmy Page once told me, “Man, you look like an octopus playing that thing.” Jimmy Page, man! Forty-eight strings! If any song deserves 48-string sound, it’s “Motel Indiana.” I am the Octopus. Dig it!
GF: Excessiveness aside, I guess the eight neck actually does complement “Motel Indiana’s” socio-political themes of Hoosier hedonism, greed, and excess!
Tweed: Actually, it’s the opposite of excess. An eight neck is cheaper than hiring seven other guitarists to play one song.
GF: Regarding “Motel Indiana,” can you elaborate on the famous 1978 “Hotel California” court case in which you accused the Eagles of plagiarism?
Tweed: Simple … Don Henley stole our song. Read the affidavit.
Twill: The whole feud started at a truck stop.
Tweed: Twill and I were sharing the same urinal.
GF: Nothing awkward there.
Twill: Wait … what? It was the ‘70s, man. Besides, we’re brothers.
Tweed: Dad made us pee together in the pot to lessen the water bill. We’re military brats. The major was a stickler for synchronized peeing.
Tweed: I couldn’t pee at all.
Twill: Tweed has a shy bladder.
Tweed: I actually haven’t peed since 1969.
Twill: TMI, man. What Tweed just said is off the record.
GF: Duly noted.
Tweed: To mentally block out others in public restrooms, I think up new lyrics.
Twill: He first sang “Motel Indiana’s” chorus aloud in that truck stop restroom. The acoustics were amazing.
Tweed: Greetings from the Hotel Indiana –
Twill: See, you just said hotel not motel.
Tweed: Hey, who wrote a hit record while pretending to pee?
Twill: Next thing we knew, a lanky guy with a white man’s Afro busted out of a stall. He didn’t even flush.
Tweed: He rushed out like a man in a hurry to … oh … say … find a notebook to write a song he just overheard and steal it.
Twill: We looked at each other and said, “Wasn’t that Don Henley?”
Tweed: “Motel Indiana” was released before “Hotel California.” I mean, hello?
Twill: “Motel Indiana” topped Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 list at #40.
GF: Twill, #40 is actually the bottom, not the top. #1 is the top.
Twill: Wait … what?
GF: A week later, “Hotel California” bumped your song from the Top 40 and ultimately reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Twill: Yea, but “Hotel California” wasn’t good enough to hit Billboard’s #100 spot like “Motel Indiana” did.
Tweed: Touché!
GF: Will “Motel Indiana” be on the upcoming setlist?
Tweed: If Twill stops mucking it up –
Twill: You’re the mucker, Mr. Mucky Muck.
Tweed: We need to sell tickets. Definitely tell your readers we will play “Motel Indiana.”
Twill: Hell, tell them we’ll actually open the show with it.
GF: Wait … what? You are opening with your only hit? Don’t you worry your audience will leave after that?
Tweed: Hmmm. Tell them it will also be our encore. That’ll keep butts in seats.
GF: That’s crazy! “Motel Indiana” twice in one show?
Twill: Why not? When we released our Courtesy Flush Greatest Hits album, “Motel Indiana” occupied all 10 tracks. Same with our Best of Courtesy Flush Greatest Hits compilation. Dare I mention the box set?
GF: Did any of those compilations move enough units to achieve Platinum status?
Tweed: Pewter.
Twill: Tell readers we will also play “Motel Indiana” just before intermission. A “Motel Indiana” triple shot! How’s that for a Guitar Face exclusive?
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