Velocity Girl

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Velocity Girl
Cover for the 1994 album Simpatico
Cover for the 1994 album Simpatico
Background information
Origin College Park, Maryland
Genre(s) Indie rock, Shoegaze, Indie pop
Years active 1989 to 1996
Label(s) Sub Pop, Slumberland
Members
Sarah Shannon, Archie Moore, Kelly Riles, Brian Nelson, Jim Spellman

Velocity Girl was an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in College Park, Maryland, although it was generally known as a Washington, DC-area band. The band took its name from a Primal Scream B-side. While much 1990s rock music featured an abrasive vocal and instrumental style, Velocity Girl's sound, especially post-1993, was more melodic and typically featured "clean" (non-distorted) electric guitar sounds and two-part harmonies. However, on their first seven-inch records on Slumberland and Merge, as well as their first Sub Pop album, Copacetic, Velocity Girl were noted for their shoegaze influences. The band was noted for its love of releasing a steady stream of 7" vinyl singles. Slumberland Records was formed in 1989 by members of several D.C.-area bands, including Velocity Girl.

Bridget Cross was initially the band's lead singer, with a very British vocal inflection, but she joined Unrest within a year. Velocity Girl was then fronted by lead singer Sarah Shannon for the rest of its career, though they often featured female/male vocals, sometimes simultaneously. In the group's recordings, Shannon's voice had a light, airy quality with a slight vibrato. Archie Moore provided the male vocals.

Velocity Girl toured frequently, releasing three full-length recordings on the Sub Pop label. Music videos were released for "Crazy Town" (1993), "Audrey's Eyes" ('93), "Sorry Again" ('94), "I Can't Stop Smiling" (directed by Spike Jonze) ('94), and "Nothing" (4.3 Mb Quicktime excerpt: http://www.subpop.com/bands/velocitygirl/videos/nothing.MOV) ('96). The group disbanded in late 1996. Coincidentally, this was the same time that the career of Lush, the band to which Velocity Girl were most frequently compared, ended as well. Shannon, Riles and Spellman reunited in a short-lived project called Starry Eyes.

Sarah Shannon went on to release her self-titled album in 2002. There was one Velocity Girl reunion show played at the Black Cat in Washington, DC on June 9, 2002 to benefit original vocalist Cross.

Jim Spellman now plays guitar in Washington DC based power-pop band Julie Ocean.

Contents

[edit] Personnel

  • Archie Moore, guitar/bass/vocals
  • Brian Nelson, guitar
  • Kelly Riles, guitar/bass
  • Sarah Shannon, vocals
  • Jim Spellman, drums
  • Bridget Cross, vocals (1989-90)

[edit] Discography

[edit] LPs/CDs

[edit] EPs

  • Crazy Town 12"/ CD EP (tracks: "Crazy Town", "Creepy", "My Forgotten Favorite") (Sub Pop - SP 179, Nov. 1992)
  • Velocity Girl (a.k.a. 6 Song Compilation) CD EP (Slumberland Records - SLR 23; April 16, 1993)
  • Sorry Again CD EP (tracks: "Sorry Again", "Marzipan", "Diamond Jubilee", "Labrador (remix)") (Sub Pop - SP 357; May 24, 1994)

[edit] 7"s

  • "I Don't Care If You Go" (full mp3: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/sounds/vgirl-dont_care.mp3) b/w "Always" (Slumberland Records - DRYL 4, 1990) (featured Bridget Cross on vocals)
  • "I Don't Care If You Go" b/w "Not At All" and "I Don't Care If You Go (acoustic version)" (Summershine - SHINE 006, 1990) (featured Bridget Cross on vocals)
  • "Clock" on What Kind Of Heaven Do You Want? comp. (bands: V.G., Black Tambourine, Powerderburns) (Slumberland Records - DRYL 1)
  • "What You Say" on Screw 7" comp. (bands: V.G., Jawbox, Candy Machine, Geek) (Simple Machines - SMR 04, 1991)
  • "My Forgotten Favorite" (full mp3: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/sounds/vgirl-forgotten.mp3) b/w "Why Should I Be Nice To You?" (Slumberland Records - DRYL 10, 1991)
  • "Breaking Lines" (on split 7" with Chisel) (Shute Records - No. 8)
  • "Warm", "Crawl" (on split 7" with Tsunami) (Sub Pop - SP 137, 1992)
  • "Merry Christmas, I Love You" on Season's Greetings 7" (Simple Machines - SMR 14, 1992)
  • "Crazy Town" b/w "Creepy" (Sub Pop - SP 179, Nov. 1992)
  • "Your Silent Face" (a New Order cover) b/w "You're So Good To Me" (a Beach Boys cover) (Merge Records - MRG 061, 1994)
  • "Sorry Again" b/w "Marzipan" (Sub Pop - SP 257, 1994)
  • "I Can't Stop Smiling" b/w "Marzipan" (Sub Pop [Europe], 1994)
  • "Seven Seas" b/w "Breaking Lines" (Heaven Records - HV 13, 1995)
  • "Nothing" b/w "Anatomy Of A Gutless Wonder" (Sub Pop - SP 341, Feb. 1996)

[edit] Appearances on various-artist compilations

  • "Blackzilla (live)" on Pre-Moon Syndrome Post-Summer Of Noise (Simple Machines - SMR 03, Dec. 1990)
  • "My Forgotten Favorite" on One Last Kiss (SpinArt Records - SPART 1, 1991)
  • "Tales Of Brave Aphrodite" on Fortune Cookie Prize: A Tribute To Beat Happening (Simple Machines - SMR 07, 1991)
  • "What You Say" on The Machines: Simple Machines 7"s (1990-1993) comp. (Simple Machines - SMR 19, 1994) [track from Screw EP][1]
  • "Here Comes", "Always" and "Crazy Town" on John Peel Sub Pop Sessions (Sub Pop, 1994)[2]
  • "My Forgotten Favorite" on Clueless soundtrack CD (Capitol, 1995))
  • "Finest Hour" on That Virtua Feeling: Sub Pop And Sega Get Together (1995)
  • "Same Old City" on Golden Jam: General Mills' Golden Grahams (EMI, 1996)[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Simple Machines: 1990-1993(All-Music Guide)
  2. ^ John Peel Sub Pop Sessions 1989-1993 (All-Music Guide)
  3. ^ Golden Jam: General Mills' Golden Grahams (All-Music Guide)

[edit] External links