LOCAL band Velvela are aiming for the big time with a new single out on April 5.

The band, whose members hail from Cross Hills and Silsden, recently signed to the company Animal Time Management in readiness for their return to the limelight.

The trio – originally members of popular Keighley band The Escapades – have spent almost a year in their band room reinventing themselves.

The Escapades started out as a covers band playing local towns and villages, but the musicians gradually added their own songs as they adopted a blues rock ‘n’ roll’ style.

The Escapades were together for a couple of years and during that time played Leeds Festival and the Download Festival.

Three guys from The Escapades went on to form Velvela, blending together influences such as Jimmy Page, James Brown, John Bonham from Led Zeppelin, and Jack White.

Velvela member Tom Bowman said: “We played about three gigs at the beginning of last year then sat down to focus. We weren’t happy with some of the songs so we took time out to rewrite then.

“We’ve been hidden away in our band room getting some good songs. Now we think we are ready to attack. We think we’ve got it right.

“We’ve acclimatised our sound, so it’s rock with a bit of blues. As a band we compare ourselves with Queens of the Stone Age and Royal Blood.”

Velvela will play an acoustic gig in Glasgow this month followed by gigs in London, then will launch the single Bottomless Rose.