Maria Del Mar (lead vocals)
Mark Crossley (guitar)
Garry Flint (drums)
Mark Storm (bass)
Tim Welch (guitar)
Chris Weiss (saxophone; 1986-87)
National Velvet, named after the Elizabeth Taylor movie, came together after a chance meeting between vocalist Maria Del Mar and bassist Mark Storm in an alley during a party in Toronto. Six months after the formation of the band they released an independent, self-titled EP featuring the radio played "Flesh Under Skin".
An introduction to Intrepid Records' Stuart Raven-Hill via Molly Johnson led to a management and record deal with distribution through Capitol Records. Their full-length, self-titled album debut saw a remake and video for 'Flesh Under Skin' and critical comparison's Del Mar's vocal style to Rush's Geddy Lee.
In 1989 their single/video for '68 Hours' became all the rage and garnered them a CFNY-FM CASBY Award. They soon moved up to Capitol Records proper as Intrepid president Stuart Raven-Hill folded up his label and moved back to England.
1990's 'Courage' was recorded in England with producer Zeus B. Held (Nina Hagen, Dead Or Alive, Men Without Hats). The lead single, "Sex Gorilla", became an 'IN' joke because it was originally called "Sasperilla" (named after the soft drink from the 1930's) but audiences kept misinterpreting the lyrics so the band changed the title of the song. It became their biggest single.
With notes from John Gladish .
Singles
1987 Pacifist At Risk/Equus (National Velvet)
1988 Flesh Under The Skin (Intrepid/Capitol)
1988 Bam Bam (Intrepid/Captiol)
1989 68 Hours (Intrepid/Capitol)
1990 Shine On (EMI)
1990 Sex Gorilla (EMI)
1990 Hysteria (EMI)
Albums
1986 National Velvet [4 song EP] (National Velvet)
1988 National Velvet (Intrepid)
1990 Courage (EMI)
1995 Wildseed (Iron Music)
Video
1989 68 Hours
1990 Sex Gorilla
1990 Shine On
Compilation Tracks
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