Catherine Wheel | |
|---|---|
 L-R: Dave Hawes, Brian Futter, Neil Sims, and Rob Dickinson, 1993 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Great Yarmouth, England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1990–2000 |
| Labels | |
| Past members | Rob Dickinson Brian Futter Dave Hawes Neil Sims Ben Ellis |
Catherine Wheel were an Englishalternative rock band fromGreat Yarmouth andLowestoft. The band was active from 1990 to 2000, releasing five full-length albums in their career, embarking on many lengthy tours and experiencing fluctuating levels of commercial success. Their early music was associated with theshoegazing scene, but gradually evolved to a more aggressive style influenced byhard rock andmetal. Initially receiving attention and success after releasing their debut albumFerment in 1992, the band achieved peak success with the release of "Crank" and their albumChrome in 1993. The band also achieved minor success with other albums, includingHappy Days, which featured a popular song "Judy Staring at the Sun" as a collaboration withTanya Donelly. Catherine Wheel also scored heavy rotation onMTV and performed there several times. Despite never having any albums or songs that achieved major success in their homeland, Catherine Wheel continue to be popular among alternative rock and shoegaze fans and critics.
Catherine Wheel formed in 1990, comprising singer-guitaristRob Dickinson (cousin ofIron Maiden'sBruce Dickinson), guitarist Brian Futter, bassist Dave Hawes, and drummer Neil Sims. Hawes had previously played in aJoy Division-influenced band called Eternal.[citation needed] They took their moniker from thefirework known as theCatherine wheel,[citation needed] which in turn had taken its name from themedieval torture device of the same name to combine the reference of Iron Maiden namesake. The band was sometimes included in theshoegazing scene, characterized by bands that made extensive use of guitarfeedback and droning washes of noise, as well as their continuous interaction with extensive numbers ofeffects pedals on the stage floor.[1]
The band performed aPeel session in early 1991 while still unsigned; two 12" vinyl EPs were released on the Norwich-based Wilde Club Records,[2] named after the regular weekly Wilde Club gigs run by Barry Newman atNorwich Arts Centre. They signed to major-labelFontana Records after being courted by bothCreation Records and theBrian Eno-run label Opal Records. The band's debut album, 1991/92'sFerment, made an immediate impression on themusic press and introduced Catherine Wheel's second-biggest US hit, "Black Metallic", as well as the moderate hit "I Want to Touch You".[3] The album features re-recorded versions of some of the Wilde Club-issued EPs. "Black Metallic" was later featured in the filmS. Darko.
The more aggressiveChrome followed in 1993, produced byGil Norton. With this album, the band began to shed its original shoegazing tag, while still making skillful use of atmospherics, such as on the song "Fripp".[2] In a 2007 interview, Rob Dickinson said that members ofDeath Cab for Cutie andInterpol told him that without this album, their bands "wouldn't exist."[4]
1995'sHappy Days saw the band delving further intometallic hard rock, which alienated a portion of their fanbase, even as it increased their exposure in the United States during the post-grunge era.[5][6] The single "Waydown", and especially its plane-crash themed video, received heavy play in the US. A more sedate strain of rock known asBritpop was taking over in the UK, causing Catherine Wheel to continue to have greater success abroad than at home.[2]
TheB-sides and outtakes collection,Like Cats and Dogs, came out the following year, revealing a quieter, more contemplative side of the band, spanning the previous five years. This carried over intoAdam and Eve in 1997, wherein the band scaled back the sonic force of their sound from itsHappy Days levels, with clean playing on some songs that featured extensive use of keyboards and acoustic guitars.[2] Alternately, songs like "Satellite" and "Here Comes the Fat Controller" were lush and orchestral in scope.
In 2000, Catherine Wheel re-emerged with a new record label, a new bassist (Ben Ellis); a modified name (The Catherine Wheel); and a new album,Wishville. After mixed reviews, record company turmoil[7] and lacklustre sales, the band went on a hiatus[citation needed]. In January 2022, the band began updating a new Instagram account,[8] suggesting that the band had reformed in some capacity.
In March 2010,Ferment was re-released, containing bonus tracks and extensive sleeve notes.
Futter and Sims have an ongoing project called 50 ft Monster. Ellis was in a band calledSerafin, and went on to play withIggy Pop. After working with/ playing live withTracy Bonham for several years, Dickinson released a solo album in 2005 calledFresh Wine for the Horses. Dickinson retired from recording and founded a Porsche restoration company calledSinger Vehicle Design in 2009.[9]
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Studio albums
EPs
Compilation albums
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Canada Alt | US Alt | US Rock | |||
| 1991 | "Black Metallic" | 68 | – | 9 | – | Ferment |
| 1992 | "Balloon" | 59 | – | – | – | Non-album single |
| "I Want to Touch You" | 35 | – | 20 | – | Ferment | |
| "30 Century Man" | 47 | – | – | – | Non-album single | |
| 1993 | "Crank" | 66 | – | 5 | – | Chrome |
| "Show Me Mary" | 62 | – | – | – | ||
| 1995 | "Waydown" | 67 | 5 | 15 | 24 | Happy Days |
| "Judy Staring at the Sun" | – | 10 | 22 | – | ||
| 1996 | "Heal 2" | – | 18 | – | – | Like Cats and Dogs |
| 1997 | "Delicious" | 53 | 12 | – | – | Adam and Eve |
| 1998 | "Ma Solituda" | 53 | – | – | – | |
| "Broken Nose" | 48 | – | – | – | ||
| 2000 | "Sparks Are Gonna Fly" | – | – | 37 | – | Wishville |
| Year | Song | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "Black Metallic" | Barry Magurie | 7" version |
| "I Want to Touch You" | Miles Aldridge | Tim Palmer remix | |
| 1993 | "Crank" | Geoff Everson | 2 versions: towards the end of the original version Rob is spinning on a spiked wheel while the censored version cuts away to shots of Brian and Dave |
| "Show Me Mary" | Melodie McDaniel | Scott Litt remix | |
| 1994 | "The Nude" | Elizabeth Baily | Scott Litt remix |
| 1995 | "Waydown" | Mark Pellington | |
| "Eat My Dust You Insensitive Fuck" | Stephen Dorff | LP version; starringSummer Phoenix | |
| "Judy Staring at the Sun" | Nick Egan | featuringTanya Donelly;MTV edited the words "smacked" and "vein" | |
| 1997 | "Delicious" | Mark Adcock | |
| 1998 | "Ma Solituda" | Karen Lamond | |
| 2000 | "Sparks Are Gonna Fly" | Dean Karr |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
