speed of dark

Catherine Wheel, one of the 90's most-underrated bands
Indie Mom and her sister grew up listening to whatever rock music their dad and I were listening to. He was a Pink Floyd fanatic, and I was into the Byrds and Jackson Browne. Indie Mom says she was born knowing the lyrics to those songs.

In the 90's my daughters and I were getting into alternative music, but each of us had a different slant on it. Sometimes one of us would turn on another to a certain artist. On rare occasions, we would all get into the same band. Indie Mom gave me the Cure and Depeche Mode. Her sister gave us Oingo Boingo and Matthew Sweet. But I gave both of them Catherine Wheel, and we all loved them. Indie Mom had a CW decal on her car windshield up until recently.

I recall hearing "Black Metallic" for the first time on the radio in 1992. At that moment--KACHING!--two little cards with red hearts on them rolled up in my eyes, just like in the old-timey cartoons. "That album is SOLD!" I said to myself. For perspective, remember that Radiohead's first album Pablo Honey still would not be released for another year, and "Creep" was never my favorite song. Not until 1995 when The Bends was released would Radiohead begin to replace Catherine Wheel at the top of my favorites list.

I couldn't wait to find Ferment, Chrome quickly followed, and I ended up with all five full-length CDs that Catherine Wheel released in the U.S. before the band went on seemingly permanent vacation.

I was able to see Catherine Wheel in concert in Los Angeles twice, once in 1995 right after the release of Happy Days, and again with Indie Mom in 2000 at the El Rey Theater, a wonder of faded elegance before its recent remodel. I still have my white Happy Days t-shirt with the faded red letters on the back: "World Famous KROQ." At both concerts I was right at the front, just to lead singer Rob Dickinson's right and in front of lead guitarist Brian Futter. I could swear that Futter heard me moan once when he played a particularly delicious riff. He looked at me right after I did it.

I still love Ferment and Chrome, every song single song from beginning to end--my first shoegaze experience and the epitome of the genre for me. I still search for music that thrills me as much as this does--those gorgeous sludgy layers laced with squealy feedback, the zoomy distortion, the drama of the loud and quiet parts, and Rob's flawless voice floating above it all. Amazingly, the lyrics don't get lost in all that sound. Just so you know, if I left out your favorite song here, believe me, it was mine too.

Black Metallic

Tumbledown

Shallow

I Want To Touch You

Buy at amazon | itunes

More info: wikipedia
Web article: history of "the most underrated band in the world"
a CW fansite

Current projects by former Catherine Wheel band members:
Rob Dickinson's website | myspace
50ft Monster (project of Brian Futter and drummer Neil Sims) website