Surprise Cast #89

Welcome to another exciting episode of Surprise Cast. This time, we take a nostalgic journey back to 1993 with the legendary indie pop band, Velocity Girl. Joining Dubya are Archie Moore and Sarah Shannon, two core members of the band, to discuss the re-release of their debut album, Copacetic, now remastered and remixed as UltraCopacetic. We begin with set of rapid fire questions and a reading from the Rick Rubin book, 'A Creative Mind: A way of Being' that taps into creativity. Archie says, "I get to edit and mix audio all day...where I get to explore the specific focus of creativity"). Sarah connects to creativity by "I am lucky enough to have been steeped in it because my family are artists").

Sarah (lead vocalist - "sing, sing, sing") and Archie (guitar/bass) dive deep into their creative process, sharing memories from the early days of Velocity Girl. They reflect on the challenges of recording Copacetic and how their inexperience and passion ("very passionate people who wanna make some noise and say something") shaped the album's unique sound. The conversation touches on the influence of bands like The Wedding Present ("I think myself and maybe several other people in the band listened to Sea Monsters almost daily") and the significance of working with producer Bob Weston (I was kind of overawed b/c he's a Volcano Sun and we loved him immediately").

The episode also features a discussion on the evolution of their music, the differences between the original ("it was not as satisfying as I wanted") and remixed versions of Copacetic, and the painstaking process of revisiting and reworking the tracks for UltraCopacetic. Archie and Sarah share their thoughts on specific songs, such as "Living Well" and "Copacetic," highlighting the newfound vibrancy and depth in the remixes.

Listeners are treated to exclusive insights into the band's live performances and their experiences recording a John Peel session ("that was so mind blowing...when we heard those mixes...that's what the album should have sounded like"), which is included in the new release. 

As a special treat, the episode concludes with recommendations from Sarah and Archie on albums and artists they've been enjoying lately, as well as a rapid-fire round of quirky questions that reveal more about their personalities.

Whether you're a long-time fan or new to their music, this episode is sure to resonate and inspire. Tune in to hear more about UltraCopacetic, available now via Sub Pop Records. Don't miss this captivating episode as Sarah and Archie take us on a trip down memory lane while celebrating the rebirth of a classic album. I really enjoyed speaking with them, so simpatico!

Follow Velocity Girl:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091826422416

https://velocitygirl.bandcamp.com/album/ultracopacetic-copacetic-remixed-and-expanded

https://www.instagram.com/velocitygirlband/

https://x.com/VelocityGirlDC

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