New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Pioneering shoegazers The Veldt present 'The Everlasting Gobstopper', the first taste of their 'Illuminated 1989' album, the release of which has been anticipated for decades. Produced by Cocteau Twins'
Robin Guthrie in autumn 1989 (and remastered by him in 2023), this record was intended to be the band's first album. However, their label Capital Records shelved the recording (resulting in their debut 'Marigolds' album being produced by Lincoln Fong of Moose).
Ahead of the full album (due out in autumn of this year), The Veldt is releasing the single digitally and as a 12" vinyl single via Disc Drive and 5BC Records. The accompanying video was produced by Jammi York and the late Yuko Sueta. The B-side is 'Joshuu Lullaby', a previously unreleased vinyl exclusive, produced by
Robin Guthrie in 2023.
One of the most notable first-wave shoegaze bands, formed in North Carolina in the 1980s, The Veldt surrounds identical twins
Daniel Chavis (vocals, guitar) and
Danny Chavis (guitar). Their unique sound was influenced by Cocteau
Twins as readily as
Marvin Gaye and free-jazz warriors Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders. Referencing European post-punk while embracing modern hip-hop, these trailblazers work with transient dreamscapes as fluidly as solid song structures.
Pitchfork included The Veldt's album 'Afrodisiac', produced by the legendary Ray Shulman (The Sundays, Bjork, The Sugarcubes) and released via Mercury Records, in the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released, while Stereogum included 'Until You're Forever' in the top 31 shoegaze tracks. Their sound also inspired future generations of alternative artists, including TV On the Radio.
"As the benchmark of the new sound we had started to develop, 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' was a throwback to our younger days of our family getting together on holidays when Willy Wonka will be playing and the certain atmosphere would be filled with a sense of love and security. Upon reminiscing about this, my brother
Danny came up with a riff and then called it the everlasting gobstopper as a lullaby to put his daughter (then maybe one year old) to go to sleep. Thus was born this sound that would develop into what we have right now, says
Daniel Chavis.
"This is significant - the birth of the sound that we have come to develop until present, because back then we were quite a different band.
Robin pretty much shaved off all the excess and led us toward the sound we have now, so 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' is the cornerstone that
Robin helped us to lay for our own unique sound, which we still have to this day."
The Veldt's journey is fascinating. Performing since they were children, the Chavis brothers' musical roots lead back to the church and southern juke-joints, and listening to music that included gospel, Motown and Pink Floyd. The Veldt formed in the late 80's in Raleigh amongst the legendary North Carolina music scene of the time, initially signing with Mammoth Records - leading to a chain of major-label relationships that took the group across
Europe and the U.S. playing shows with the likes of Throwing Muses, Pixies, Cocteau
Twins and Jesus & Mary Chain.
After moving from Raleigh to New York and a brief period under the name Apollo Heights, the band returned to their original name The Veldt, but now joined by bassist-programmer Hayato Nakao, together forging music that is a heady and sensual blend of shoegaze and progressive soul, dreamy soundscapes and infectious grooves. Some of the band's recent notable releases include 'The Shocking Fuzz Of Your Electric Fur' EP (2017) and the album 'Entropy is the Mainline to God' (2022).
Over the years, The Veldt has collaborated with TV On The Radio, Mos Def, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite), A.R.Kane and toured or played with Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Echo & The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Manic Street Preachers, Phantogram,
Modern English, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis, Chuck D, Living Colour and Schooly D.
As of May 5, 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' single will be released everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. The full 'Illuminated 1989' album will be released on vinyl, CD, cassette and digitally. The Veldt is touring North
America with Dead Leaf Echo in support of this release.
12" VINYL TRACKLIST
Side A: Everlasting Gobstopper 4:53 (LP Version)
Side B: Joshuu Lullaby 3:43
'THE EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER':
'Illuminated 1989' released via 5BC Records and Disc Drive
Danny Chavis - guitar
Daniel Chavis - vocals, guitar, lyrics
Marvin Levi - drums
Joseph Hue Boyle - bass
Elizabeth Fraser - additional vocals
Robin Guthrie - programming, additional guitars
Lincoln Fong - programming
Written by
Danny and
Daniel Chavis
Recorded and produced at
September Sound by
Robin Guthrie
Catalogue number 5BC001 [5BC Records]
ISRC code QZK6Q2394304
'JOSHU LULLABY':
Daniel Chavis - vocals, guitars, lyrics
Hayato Nakao - guitars
Danny Chavis - guitars
Robin Guthrie - programming, additional guitars
Written by
Danny Chavis,
Daniel Chavis & Hayato Nakao
Produced by
Robin Guthrie in 2023
TOUR DATES WITH DEAD LEAF ECHO:
May 3 DETROIT, MI @ Lager House
May 4 PITTSBURGH, PA @ the Government Center
May 5 CINCINNATI, OH @
Radio Artifact
May 6 COLUMBUS, OH @ Cafe Bourbon St.
May 8 CHICAGO, IL @ Montrose Saloon
May 9 NASHVILLE, TN @ The Eigth Room
May 10 INDIANAPOLIS, IN @ Healer
May 11 ST. LOUIS, MO @ Evangeline's Bistro &
Music House
May 12 MEMPHIS, TN @ Hi Tone
May 13 FAYETTEVILLE, AR @ Nomads Trailside
May 14 ARLINGTON, TX @ GROWL
May 15 AUSTIN, TX @ Chess Club (with Bloody Knives)
May 16 NEW ORLEANS, LA @ Gasa Gasa
May 17 BIRMINGHAM, AL @ The Nick
May 18 ATHENS, GA @ Flicker Bar
May 19 WINSTON-SALEM, NC @ Monstercade
May 20 RALEIGH, NC @ The Pour House
Music Hall
May 21 WASHINGTON, DC @ The Pocket
May 22 PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Ukie Club
May 24 NEW YORK, NY @ The Broadway
