| National Velvet | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Goth rock, hard rock |
| Years active | 1986–1995 |
| Labels | Capitol, Iron Music |
| Associated acts | Classic Albums Live |
| Past members | |
| Maria del Mar Mark Crossley Tim Welch Mark Storm Garry Flint |
|
National Velvet were a Canadian goth rock band in the 1980s and 1990s. The band took its name from the 1944 Elizabeth Taylor movie National Velvet.
The band members were vocalist Maria Del Mar, guitarist Mark Crossley, guitarist Tim Welch (also a member of Images in Vogue), bassist Mark Storm (real name Mark Erickson[1]) and drummer Garry Flint. They came together after a chance meeting between Del Mar and Storm in an alley during a party in Toronto, Ontario. Six months later, they released an independent, self-titled EP with original drummer Ken Sinclair and saxophonist Chris Reis. Second guitarist and keyboardist Mick Gzowski joined the line up soon after. Storm, Del Mar and Sinclair lived together and ran a rehearsal space at 50 Carroll Street called the 'Jam Factory' used by many Canadian, and International act, Jeff Healey, Lisa Del Belo, Paris, Aneon Rome,Honeymoon Suite, And Mott the Hoople with Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson The Tragically Hip spent a months in this space before recording their first album. 50 Carroll space also hosted some legendary after hours parties, the band members staffing them and the profits being used to support recordings for the group.
Mick Gzowski sent the band's demo to then-Capitol Records president Dean Cameron, who assigned an A&R scout to see the band in performance in Toronto. A record and management contract resulted. Sinclair, Reis and Gzowski were then replaced by Welch and Flint. The self-titled debut album was released in 1988, and spawned the radio hit "Flesh Under Skin". In 1989, their single and video for "68 Hours" garnered them a CASBY Award.
Their follow-up album, Courage was released in 1990. The album was recorded in England with producer Zeus B. Held, and gave the band hits with "Shine On" and "Sex Gorilla". (The latter title was a band in-joke. The song had actually been written as "Sasparilla", but the fans kept misunderstanding the lyrics, so the band relented and retitled the song.)
The band subsequently left Capitol Records, and released their third album Wildseed in 1995 on the independent label Iron Music. By this time their audience had largely faded, and the band subsequently broke up.
Despite frequent confusion, Del Mar is not the same person as television actress Maria del Mar. She has continued to work in the Toronto music scene, including gigs with Classic Albums Live.
Storm was reported missing in November 2002. The following June, his body was found in Lake Ontario.[2]