- The Velmas
Infobox musical artist
Name = The VeLMAs
Img_capt = The VeLMAs
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Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin =
Genre = Rock,Alternative rock , Indie
Years_active = 1999 – present
Label =City Canyons Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.thevelmas.com Official Web Site] [http://myspace.com/thevelmas MySpace] [http://purevolume.com/thevelmas PureVolume] [http://www.last.fm/music/The+Velmas Last.fm]
Current_members = Mike "Harvey" Grosshandler Todd "Figaro" Minnick Michael "Bruce" Bruce
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =The VeLMAs are a rock band from
Albany, New York . They formed in 1999 after its members left the bandpour.jayce . The band's current members are Mike "Harvey" Grosshandler on guitars, keyboards, and vocals; Todd "Figaro" Minnick on bass guitar and vocals; and Michael "Bruce" Bruce on drums and vocals.The VeLMAs write and perform original rock music. In concert, the VeLMAs back their music with a playful, high-energy live show. The band has been voted "Best Band" by the readers of Albany's "Metroland" in 2006 and 2007. Grosshandler and Minnick have also been voted "Best Local (Male) Celebrities With Whom You'd Like To Have A One Night Stand".
The VeLMAs submitted their version of the song "Restless, Restless" for a Howard Stern Show contest in 2004. That version was subsequently released on a
compilation CD "The Best of Restless, Restless (Volume 1) ", which also featured versions byWilliam Shatner andRobert Goulet .The VeLMAs have played with the following bands: Everclear,
Soul Asylum ,Collective Soul ,Nightmare of You ,Mohair ,moe. , Winger,Vertical Horizon , The X's, andTally Hall .The VeLMAs signed with the New York City independent record label
City Canyons Records in 2006.The VeLMAs have released three CDs and appear on several compilation albums.
In August 2007, The VeLMAs reached Number 5 out of 1000 songs on the Alternative Charts on Clearchannelmusic.com with their song released on their latest album Station, Tell Her I Love Her. As of June 2008, they are still at Number 5, but out of over 3600 songs.
They released their first music video for the song "Tell Her I Love Her" on April 11, 2008. They have also released several other videos, including a series of videos called "Hairband Fistfight", where they discuss and compare musicians in an entertaining game show format, which is filmed in their tour van on the road.
Grosshandler released his first solo CD of some of his acoustic recordings, Scales, in April 2003. He released his second acoustic CD, Wrote Myself, in October 2004.
The VeLMAs have appeared in numerous local and regional radio and print interviews. They have been featured on the front page of Albany's "Metroland". They have even been recognized by Gene Simmons from Kiss. During a press conference, he once asked "What's a Velma?"
Discography
*2006 - "Station"
*2004 - "Recess" (Live EP)
*2002 - "Another Day At School "Compilation CDs
*2006 - ""
*2005 - "Music Is Art 2005 "
*2005 - "The Best of Restless, Restless (Volume 1) "
*2004 - "LakeFX Radio's Best of 2004 "External links
* [http://www.thevelmas.com TheVelmas.com]
*myspace|thevelmas|The Velmas
* [http://www.last.fm/music/The+Velmas The Velmas onLast.fm ]
*musicbrainz artist|id=9c6eb98e-1a1e-43b8-a5fb-101f9d5dd505|name=The Velmas
* [http://www.blindmelontribute.com Twenty Stories Below: The Blind Melon Tribute Album]
* [http://www.musicisart.org Music Is Art]
* [http://www.ripthemusic.com/Restless%20restless%20story.htm Restless, Restless]
* [http://lakefxradio.com LakeFX Radio]
* [http://www.citycanyons.com City Canyons Records]
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