Velvet Crush

Velvet Crush
Origin Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Genres Power pop
Years active 1989 – present
Labels Creation, Epic, Action Musik, Bobsled, 550 Music[1]
Associated acts Choo Choo Train
Bag-O-Shells
The Springfields
Stephen Duffy
Matthew Sweet
Members Paul Chastain
Ric Menck
Past members Jeffrey Borchardt

Velvet Crush is an American power pop band from Providence, Rhode Island, United States, that achieved prominence in indie-rock circles in the early- and mid-1990s. The band broke up in 1996 but re-formed in 1998 and have continued to record, releasing their most recent album in 2004. Vocalist/bassist Paul Chastain and drummer Ric Menck are the band's core members, having previously worked together as Choo Choo Train, Bag-O-Shells, and The Springfields, and they share singing and songwriting duties. Guitarist Jeffrey Borchardt (of Honeybunch) played on the band's first three albums, In the Presence of Greatness, Teenage Symphonies to God, and Heavy Changes. In the Presence of Greatness was produced by Matthew Sweet, while the second and third albums were produced by Mitch Easter.

History

Chastain had recorded in the mid-1980s as a solo artist and as a member of Nines and The Stupid Cupids, while Menck had been a member of The Reverbs[2][3] and The Paint Set.[4] The long association between Chastain and Menck began in 1987 with the indie pop band Choo Choo Train, who released two singles and an EP and were signed to the British indie label The Subway Organization.[2] The duo also recorded for Sarah Records as The Springfields, and for Bus Stop as Bag-O-Shells.[2] Both had been based in Chicago, but they relocated to Rhode Island around this time. Opting for a more rock-oriented power pop sound, the duo formed Velvet Crush in 1989, with Jeffery Borchardt of Honeybunch.[2] After three singles on Bus Stop Records, the band released a cover version of Teenage Fanclub's "Everything Flows", leading them to be signed by Creation Records in the UK, who issued the band's debut album, In the Presence of Greatness, in 1991.[2] The band stayed with Creation for a second album, Teenage Symphonies to God, released in 1994 (on Sony Records in the US).[2] The group members spent the next few years acting as Stephen Duffy's backing band, recording two albums with the singer.[2] Velvet Crush returned in 1998 with the Heavy Changes album, now on the Action Musik label. Another album, Free Expression, followed in 1999, by which time the band was reduced to a duo of Chastain and Menck. Soft Sounds followed in 2002, and Stereo Blues in 2004.

Discography

Choo Choo Train

Singles

Albums

The Springfields

Bag-O-Shells

Singles

Paul Chastain & Ric Menck

Velvet Crush

Albums

Compilations, live albums

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "Photographic image of band" (JPG). Web.archive.org. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Velvet Crush", in The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0
  3. ↑ Robbins, Ira "Velvet Crush, Trouser Press
  4. ↑ "Compilations featuring Eleventh Dream Day". Dirk's Discography Website. Retrieved Dec 2, 2009.
  5. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4
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