by request
biography
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This London, England-based band, who released their debut single
in 1998, arrived on the back of some wildly misplaced hype from the
capital’s music press. The band’s roots could be traced as far back as
1986, when Pete Voss (vocals) met Arge (b. Ian Carter; guitar) in his
native Portsmouth. The duo moved to London two years later and, after
teaming up with Barney Slater (bass), played their first gig in 1994. A
succession of drummers passed through their ranks before they recruited
Lascelles Gordon in 1997. The band’s ‘skunk rock’ sound earned
comparisons to contemporaries the Lo-Fidelity Allstars and Regular
Fries, while Voss’ childish lyrics and atonal vocals saw him heralded as
an avatar in some circles. Their debut single ‘Sauntry Sly Chic’ was an
infectious slice of funk rock, but set a high standard not matched by
the following September’s Bon Chic Bon Genre. From the calculated A
Clockwork Orange slogans on the cover art, to the overt musical
references to ‘baggy’ heroes the Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays, the
album was a triumph of artifice over art.
After parting company with their record
label the quartet continued to work on new material, some of which was
premiered at their live comeback in September 2002. After finalising a
recording contract with the London-based Pointy Records label, Campag
Velocet released their long-delayed second album in summer 2004.