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LOST CLASSICS

Lost Classics: Velocity Girl “Copacetic”

They’re nobody’s buzz bands anymore. But since 1993, MAGNET has discovered and documented more great music than memory will allow. The groups may have broken up or the albums may be out of print, but this time, history is written by the losers. Here are some of the finest albums that time forgot but we remembered in issue #75, plus all-new additions to our list of Lost Classics.

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velocitygir366

:: VELOCITY GIRL
Copacetic // Sub Pop, 1993

Just when young, disaffected males had cornered the market on angsty yowling and bad clothing, Velocity Girl—a group of sun-drenched, pop-rock heroes fronted by Sarah Shannon—emerged. Dripping her sweet, wiry alto over tinny, feedback-laden guitars, Shannon charmed fans by commanding the middle ground between straight-up garage rock and saccharine twee pop. 1993’s Copacetic was, at the time, the second-highest seller in Sub Pop history behind Nirvana’s Bleach, helping to nudge the label out of its rather snug-fitting niche and giving a generation of young female rock fans a strong, sexy role model.

Catching Up: The band split in 1996 after two more albums. Shannon founded the short-lived Starry Eyes before going solo; her latest LP, City Morning Song, was issued in 2007. Guitarist Archie Moore was in the Heartworms from 1994 to 1998, and his current band, the Saturday People, most recently issued a self-titled EP in 2003. Drummer Jim Spelllman fronted Julie Ocean and got Tasered on CNN.

“Crazy Town”: