“Just open your mouth, roll out your tongue, and let it take over.”
The final line in Velvet Trip’s bio is stunningly appropriate, this here is a band whose sound will take you for a ride – if you can handle it. Emerging in Sydney from the throngs of a few existing facemelter acts, Velvet Trip make blues-tinged psychedelic music with some serious steeze.
It’s time to indulge in Velvet Trip, a Sydney-based collective bringing a little blues into Australia’s much-loved psychedelic landscape.
The band is the brainchild of lead singer and guitarist Zeppelin Hamilton from Kimono Drag Queens, and calls in the drumming talents of Clayton Allen (Julia Jacklin, Boydos), Nick Savvas (Narla) on bass and Sinj Clarke on keys. According to Hamilton, their coming together was as easy as pie.
“It was quite serendipitous to be honest, right time right place stuff you know? I had some ideas floating around. One thing lead to another, we all just came together and jumped in the studio.
The band formed very quickly… we have been together for eight months or so now… Nick, Clay and myself have all moved in together. Sinj lives in another dimension haha.”
After melding minds, Velvet Trip wasted no time getting into the studio to lay down what would be their debut EP. Due for release this April, Velvet Trip & The Six Moon Skies was recorded live in single takes, an act that’s testament to their chemistry.
“We rehearsed twice as a band and no one really knew the songs we were going to record, so naturally we were ready for the studio haha. I guess the idea is that when you record live there isn’t any bullshit. It’s raw and it’s real and there is no hiding your flaws. I think that’s beautiful.
In saying that, I never want to repeat myself so I do believe we will expand on our sound and the recording process in the future.”
The world’s first taste of Velvet Trip soon followed, when the band dropped their debut single Take Control in 2018 (alongside the flashy clip you can check out above). Since then they’ve also let loose Hurricane, both tracks showcasing the loose, live feel they crafted in the studio.
The style is a bluesy and rhythmic psych, Hamilton’s vocals launching each new phrase with mountains of torque. The pedigree of Velvet Trip’s members reigns obvious – this isn’t the half-hearted buzz you’d think to hear from a new band’s two first tracks.
It’s something far sweeter, an acid trip that feels elegant like a rose… but not without a few thorns.
When asked about the band’s live show, Hamilton offered:
“It’s a special feeling when you play with people that are on the same wave length. It’s like no matter what twists and turns a song takes, you’ll be there together, mirroring each other’s energy. I hope that this energy spills into the audience. I hope that we can transport people into the moment and take them with us on this journey.
Whether we are pulling this off or not… I don’t know!! Haha. Come to a gig and decide for yourself!”
If you want to do just that, Velvet Trip are launching Hurricane on Tuesday January 29th at Waywards in Newtown. The event is free, so tell your friends and get on down.
All the details can be found here.
Velvet Trip & The Six Moon Skies is due out April 2019.
