The Unarchived History of Velo-Deluxe
Velo-Deluxe
Velo-Deluxe was an American indie rock trio from Bloomington, Indiana, formed in 1994. The band consisted of John Strohm, Mitchell Mustin Harris, and Kenny Childers. Their sound blended noisy indie rock, jangle pop, psychedelia, punk, soul, and country influences.
The band released one full-length album, Superelastic, in 1995. Though the group achieved greater recognition in the UK and Europe than in the United States, they developed a strong regional following in the Midwest and shared stages with acts such as Guided by Voices, The Lemonheads, Hum, Veruca Salt, Red Red Meat, and Polara.
Despite favorable reviews and international interest, label support and touring limitations restricted the band’s distribution and exposure in the U.S.
History
Velo-Deluxe formed in 1994 when Strohm, previously and on/off member of The Lemonheads, and former member of Blake Babies and Antenna, recruited Harris and Childers to expand upon a collection of demos he had been developing.
The band’s name reportedly came from a vacuum cleaner brand Strohm encountered while living above a vacuum repair store, a name the band felt reflected their buzzing, overloaded sound.
Their debut album, Superelastic, was recorded in 1994 at Echo Park Studios in Bloomington, Indiana. Engineering and production work was handled by Anjali Dutt, known for work with My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, and Oasis.
After a showcase performance at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, the band attracted attention from several UK labels. Superelastic was subsequently released in the UK and Europe by Dedicated Records, resulting in multiple tours throughout the UK and Europe between 1994 and 1995.
In 1995, the band also released the Velo-Deluxe EP in the UK, featuring one album track alongside three new recordings.
Possible Influence on the Bloomington Music Scene
Velo-Deluxe played an indirect but potentially notable role in the development of the Bloomington, Indiana indie music scene during the mid-1990s.
According to Mitchell Harris, a performance at Indiana University’s CultureFest in 1995 helped inspire Chris Swanson to relocate from Fargo, North Dakota, to Bloomington after the two discussed the local music scene. Swanson and his brother Ben would later found Secretly Canadian in 1996, which went on to become one of the most influential independent music labels in the United States.
At the time, national publications such as Billboard were portraying Bloomington as a potential successor to Seattle as an emerging underground music hub.
Discography
Albums
Superelastic (1995)
EPs
Velo-Deluxe EP (1995, UK)
Reception
Superelastic received favorable reviews upon release. In a December 15, 1994 review, Rolling Stone awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars. Reviewer Parke Puterbaugh praised Strohm’s songwriting and described the album as a collision of contradictory moods and textures, combining “ugliness and beauty, hope and despair, momentum and inertia.”
The review highlighted the band’s loose yet heavy dynamic and extensive use of effects pedals, describing the music as “abstract at times, animated by a barrage of dissimilar elements competing for your ear.”
The band was also featured on Volume 13: The Lucky Issue, a UK CD magazine compilation released in 1995 alongside artists such as Radiohead and Juliana Hatfield.
Support and Management
The music video for “Skin & Bones” was directed by Tim Rutili of the bands Red Red Meat and Califone.
From 1995 to 1997, the band was managed by Hellfire Enterprises Ltd., a company also associated with The Flaming Lips.
Post–Velo-Deluxe Projects
Following the band’s initial European tour with Dodgy, Childers left the group and returned to Bloomington, joining The Mysteries of Life alongside former Antenna members Jake Smith and Freda Love. He later released solo work under the name Gentleman Caller.
Former Antenna and Zero Boys guitarist Matt Ruhtenberg later joined Velo-Deluxe for touring, including additional European dates with bands such as Drugstore and Del Amitri.
After the band dissolved, Strohm and Harris formed the alt-country project John P. Strohm and the Hello Strangers, releasing Caledonia on Flat Earth Records.
Strohm later attended law school and became an entertainment attorney representing artists such as Bon Iver, Alabama Shakes, and Sturgill Simpson. He also served as president of Rounder Records from 2017–2022.
Harris later studied film and sound design at New York University before becoming a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and professor of East Asian medicine. He continued releasing independent music projects and collaborated with Jorma Whittaker of Marmoset on releases for the boutique label St. Ives, an imprint associated with Secretly Canadian.
He later formed projects including ZiPS, Boom Baat, and Die Versa while also producing records for The Streets on Fire and reuniting with Childers for work on multiple Gentleman Caller releases.
