The Vels
Encyclopedia
The Vels were an American
New wave
band
, formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
group, The Normals, invited Chris Larkin and Alice Desoto to join him for a show at the now defunct Love Club in Philadelphia. The band used lo-tech synthesizer
s, drum machine
, and bass guitar
. The Philadelphia Inquirer music critic, Lee Paris was there, and wrote a positive review. The Vels were a prominent fixture on the Philadelphia music scene of the early 1980s. They caught the attention of Mercury Records
and were signed to a recording contract
.
The Vels' first album, Velocity
was recorded in Nassau
, Bahamas at the Compass Point Recording Studio, and was produced
by Steven Stanley, who also produced the Tom Tom Club
. Their second album, House of Miracles
was produced by Steve Levine, who had produced Culture Club
.
A music video for their song "Look My Way" was filmed in London
, and became popular during the early days of MTV
.
In 1986, The Vels toured the U.S.
as the opening act for The Psychedelic Furs, but disbanded in 1987.
Keyboardist and singer, Chris Larkin, died from complications due to pneumonia
, on November 21, 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Career
The Vels began when Charles Hanson, former member of the 1970s New Orleans punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group, The Normals, invited Chris Larkin and Alice Desoto to join him for a show at the now defunct Love Club in Philadelphia. The band used lo-tech synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
, and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. The Philadelphia Inquirer music critic, Lee Paris was there, and wrote a positive review. The Vels were a prominent fixture on the Philadelphia music scene of the early 1980s. They caught the attention of Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and were signed to a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
.
The Vels' first album, Velocity
Velocity (album)
Velocity is the first album recorded by the The Vels ."Velocity" was published in 1984 under the Mercury Records label, and was produced by Steven Stanley.-Track listing:#"Tell Me Something" – 5:08...
was recorded in Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, Bahamas at the Compass Point Recording Studio, and was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Steven Stanley, who also produced the Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club is an American new wave band founded in 1981 by husband-and-wife team Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz, both also known for being bandmembers of Talking Heads.-Biography:...
. Their second album, House of Miracles
House of Miracles (album)
House of Miracles is the second and final album recorded by The Vels ."House of Miracles" was published in 1986 under the Mercury Records label, and was produced by Steve Levine.-Track listing:...
was produced by Steve Levine, who had produced Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
.
A music video for their song "Look My Way" was filmed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and became popular during the early days of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
In 1986, The Vels toured the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the opening act for The Psychedelic Furs, but disbanded in 1987.
Keyboardist and singer, Chris Larkin, died from complications due to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, on November 21, 2007.
Albums
- VelocityVelocity (album)Velocity is the first album recorded by the The Vels ."Velocity" was published in 1984 under the Mercury Records label, and was produced by Steven Stanley.-Track listing:#"Tell Me Something" – 5:08...
(1984) - House of MiraclesHouse of Miracles (album)House of Miracles is the second and final album recorded by The Vels ."House of Miracles" was published in 1986 under the Mercury Records label, and was produced by Steve Levine.-Track listing:...
(1986)
Singles
- "Private World" / "Hieroglyphics" (1984)
- "Look My Way" / "Tell Me Something" (1984)
- "Girl Most Likely To" (1986)
External links
- Video archive of live Vels performances (while on tour with The Psychedelic Furs)
- "Velocity" by The Vels (published Oct. 10, 2008)