interesting...but Rob had obviously not found his sound or his voice yet at this point. I have to agree, once he did, CW was one of the best (if not THE best) bands of this time/genre.
Ah, 'Norwich's Catherine Wheel'. Thought they came from across the border in Lowestoft! Remember having to search high and low for their first release (Painful Thing) around Norwich. Must be a collector's item now! Only crazy offers will be accepted!
I agree; Ferment and Raise are really something else. But, both bands have changed their sound on later albums and I cannot compare them to their debut albums which had this eclectic touch of greatness in their sound. Catherine Wheel have gone more hard-core while the Swervedriver have gone more mainstream in a way.
But, I'd also add Nowhere and Whirlpool as great debuts of the time, especially the re-releases with bonus tracks (bonus tracks on Whirlpool are amazing).
Catherine Wheel is the most under-recognized band I know of, without a doubt. They put out one great album after another, and really cultivated their own unique sound.
I first saw them open for some act I've now forgotten back in the early 90's, and I was convinced they'd be as recognizable as Nirvana or Soundgarden in a year. Nope. One great album after another, largely ignored. Never made sense to me.
This band was way ahead of their time. I love Fermit, but for me, Happy Days is my favorite. That album just rocks and is so powerful. Too bad they broke up.
I disagree...I think that comparing albums such as Ferment and Adam and Eve side-by-side is a little unfair and unrewarding. Each album is its own little universe, really, and the only comparison you could really make between them all is production value...which is top-notch on each. This was one of the most talented and best produced bands ever to hit a studio and we've all been rewarded to a catalog of incredible, diverse music as a result. All-around, greatest band in my opinion.
Catherine Wheel were great, well Ferment was awesome one of the best shoegaze albums, Chrome was pretty good too, but they never captured the greatness of Ferment again
I was in heaven in 90-93. Total bliss seeing everything from Blur to the Verve and they were tragically underrated! Such extreme talent gone by the wayside only to succumb to the most horrible mass produced sounds of hip hop and rap crap that are destroying our society as we know it!
COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!! I caught some Hip-Hop last night on a late show. and thought, This stuff will never go away!. I'll come back 100 years from now, and they'll still be doing the same cliche' hand waving, jesturing, rapping played out crap!
@zoniggboum It's called honesty. Most bands today are pretentious disingenuous overproduced crap. There is no risk left in modern rock. It has been auto-tuned out.
Catherine Wheel was one of the most underrated band in the history of alternative rock. They had such a diversity of sounds and styles fused together. This is one of my favorite tracks of theirs. Thanks so much for the post!
interesting...but Rob had obviously not found his sound or his voice yet at this point. I have to agree, once he did, CW was one of the best (if not THE best) bands of this time/genre.
taradead 6 months ago
tune! oh the guilt i feel for being drunk and verbally abusing them on one of their comeback gigs in the late 90s - sorry lads - i was young . . .
gradrix 9 months ago
What is this off of an old Betamax tape?
shivashaktiful 10 months ago
Where's BEZ?
spakuloid 1 year ago
Ah, 'Norwich's Catherine Wheel'. Thought they came from across the border in Lowestoft! Remember having to search high and low for their first release (Painful Thing) around Norwich. Must be a collector's item now! Only crazy offers will be accepted!
NorwichMatt 2 years ago
I agree; Ferment and Raise are really something else. But, both bands have changed their sound on later albums and I cannot compare them to their debut albums which had this eclectic touch of greatness in their sound. Catherine Wheel have gone more hard-core while the Swervedriver have gone more mainstream in a way.
But, I'd also add Nowhere and Whirlpool as great debuts of the time, especially the re-releases with bonus tracks (bonus tracks on Whirlpool are amazing).
ijozic 2 years ago
Catherine Wheel: Ferment And Swervedriver: Raise were two of the best albums of that scene,
ZeroWipeOut 2 years ago 2
Catherine Wheel is the most under-recognized band I know of, without a doubt. They put out one great album after another, and really cultivated their own unique sound.
I first saw them open for some act I've now forgotten back in the early 90's, and I was convinced they'd be as recognizable as Nirvana or Soundgarden in a year. Nope. One great album after another, largely ignored. Never made sense to me.
CatAtomic99 2 years ago 7
This band was way ahead of their time. I love Fermit, but for me, Happy Days is my favorite. That album just rocks and is so powerful. Too bad they broke up.
drockny 2 years ago 4
I disagree...I think that comparing albums such as Ferment and Adam and Eve side-by-side is a little unfair and unrewarding. Each album is its own little universe, really, and the only comparison you could really make between them all is production value...which is top-notch on each. This was one of the most talented and best produced bands ever to hit a studio and we've all been rewarded to a catalog of incredible, diverse music as a result. All-around, greatest band in my opinion.
nbwatki 2 years ago 3
Catherine Wheel were great, well Ferment was awesome one of the best shoegaze albums, Chrome was pretty good too, but they never captured the greatness of Ferment again
Swervedriver007 3 years ago
Awesome, brilliant, excellent.... love em
Listendudeok 3 years ago
the gayest comment evegood thing i deleted it...CW rules!
how fun to play that kind of music and just get the fuck off every time?!
fundy76 3 years ago
Catherine Wheel were a great band, with an incredible guitar sound!
mick1316591 3 years ago
The band didn't go wrong the RIAA did, and never let them move on, The Catherine Wheel should be as big as Floyd!
Distilled13 3 years ago 3
Don't know where this band went wrong...but Ferment is among my favorite all time albums. I certainly wish they were around now.
skiporr 3 years ago 2
wish there was more of that super vintage CW-stuff around, I love their early pre-Ferment singles, so psychedelic and druggy in a unique way....
zoniggboum 3 years ago 3
how would you describe the feeling these bands were radiating with?
and why can't we find it nowadays?
zoniggboum 4 years ago 9
I was in heaven in 90-93. Total bliss seeing everything from Blur to the Verve and they were tragically underrated! Such extreme talent gone by the wayside only to succumb to the most horrible mass produced sounds of hip hop and rap crap that are destroying our society as we know it!
=D!
secretshine 3 years ago 4
COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!! I caught some Hip-Hop last night on a late show. and thought, This stuff will never go away!. I'll come back 100 years from now, and they'll still be doing the same cliche' hand waving, jesturing, rapping played out crap!
merkiron 3 years ago
@zoniggboum It's called honesty. Most bands today are pretentious disingenuous overproduced crap. There is no risk left in modern rock. It has been auto-tuned out.
spakuloid 1 year ago
Doesn't this sound like Pavement's "Holy Life" song? or is it the other way around?
domukaz 4 years ago
Has to be the other way. Pavement didn't release anything until 1992. This dates to '91.
primarybenelux 4 years ago 2
Classic, remember this dude's stripey tshirt from back in the day. Snub TV was great, wasn't it?
lukemcmanus 5 years ago
Catherine Wheel was one of the most underrated band in the history of alternative rock. They had such a diversity of sounds and styles fused together. This is one of my favorite tracks of theirs. Thanks so much for the post!
drockny 5 years ago 13
@drockny The guys covered Husker Du, for chrissake!!!
Underrated is putting their status lightly. They may have had a
following in Europe, but they hardly made a ripple stateside,
much like the also great Neds Atomic Dustbin, and Ash for that matter.
machinesbreathe 1 year ago
what a great wah wah sound!!!, no one in the sheogazer era played like that..
Boogazing 5 years ago 4
yea man...
limejuice69 5 years ago
Agreed, it is like old times.
Funkgun 5 years ago 2
Wow. I know I love a band when I can watch old grainy footage of them I've never seen before and get all giddy like I'm 15 again... Thanks :)
candycane15 5 years ago 4