Tuesday 25 October 2022

Namesakes #9: Catherine Wheel

Last week, you had the choice between three different Honeys, although one of them did use a Z (much to George's horror). The votes were rather more evenly spread than in recent editions, but the Australian Honeys just took it. Will they do so again next week, having changed their name to Catherine Wheel?

As is often the case with this feature, I started out with a vague awareness of only two bands that have used the name Catherine Wheel… and ended up with four.


CATHERINE WHEEL #1

It’s hard to tell, but I’m guessing this band lot have got to the name Catherine Wheel first… but only just. The internet tells me they formed in 1989, out of the ashes of our winning Honeys from last week: Andrea Croft, Brett ‘Bert’ Thompson and Grant Shanahan. They burned brightly for a brief time, releasing a grand total of 10 songs before spluttering out in 1991.

CATHERINE WHEEL #2

Alternatively, this group of from Florida might well have been the first musical Catherine Wheel (the internet only tells me they were “part of the underground Tampa Bay music scene in the late 80s / early 90s). They lasted an even shorter amount of time than CW#1, releasing only 6 songs before changing their name to Edison Shine.

CATHERINE WHEEL #3

Definitely the most well-known of the Catherine Wheels, although hardly household names, this group of indie rockers from Norfolk started out as shoegazers in 1990, but got gradually heavier as the decade progressed, achieving far more success in the US, where they were regulars in the Alt Rock charts, than in the UK where they only troubled the Top 40 once (with the track below). Lead singer Rob Dickinson (the cousin of Iron Maiden’s Bruce) now restores Porsches for a living.

CATHERINE WHEEL #4

The Encyclopaedia Metallum informs me that this Texas Black Metal band arrived on the scene in 2020, led by Goatman (real name unknown), who is also involved in bands called Boiled In Bleach, Gothenbvrg and Grotesque Corpse Stabbing. You don’t have to listen to this one if you don’t want (especially as I could only find the full album on youtube)... but they’re still better than Oasis.


Which Catherine Wheel gets you in a spin? Vote now in the comments...

8 comments:

  1. Number 3 preferable to U2, but still not something I'd listen to again. I pick #2

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  2. 2, 1, 3 then 4, but not mad keen on any of them to be honest

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  3. I had no idea there were any Catherine Wheels other than no. 3 so I learned something today. My vote goes to said no. 3; I loved them at the time and they still sound good to my ears. I hadn't heard them before seeing them supporting Smashing Pumpkins in 1992, they were excellent - so I promptly went out and bought Ferment on the strength of a great live set.

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  4. I only know number 3 and for the song Delicious which is a great song so it's number 3 for me.

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  5. I think them Aussies might be taking it again. It's the best of the 4 songs and brings to mind those dreamy pop bands around the same time a shoegazing like The Sundays

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  6. My scores seem to be the same as Ernie's - No. 2 then 1, followed by 3 then 4 in bottom place. Glad we didn't have to listen to the whole of No. 4 as I only managed a few seconds!

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  7. I saw Number 3 a handful of times very early on in small rooms around Norwich. Their initial run of singles from 1991-93 were very good and showed great promise, as did that debut LP Ferment, but I wasn't so keen on their chosen direction thereafter. Still my pick of this bunch though.

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