Catherine Wheel on DeBaser

The Profile

Catherine Wheel are a British alternative rock band formed in 1990 in England by Rob Dickinson, Brian Futter, Dave Hawes and Neil Sims. They released five studio albums between 1992 and 2000, emerging from the shoegaze scene with Ferment and Chrome before shifting toward heavier alt-rock on later records. The single Black Metallic became their signature track.

Formed in 1990 in England; lineup included Rob Dickinson (vocals, guitar), Brian Futter (guitar), Dave Hawes (bass) and Neil Sims (drums). Known for the shoegaze classic Ferment (1992) featuring Black Metallic. Built a cult following, particularly in the US. Rob Dickinson is the cousin of Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden.

Reviews paint Catherine Wheel as UK shoegaze standouts who won a US cult following. Ferment and Chrome are celebrated for pathos, guitar architecture, and dream-pop hues. Happy Days’ grunge/alt-rock pivot divides opinions. Adam and Eve earns solid praise as heavier indie-pop done well. Wishville is viewed as the uninspired end of the arc.

Notable Quotes

❝ There are many interesting groups from the early 90s indie (or post-wave) scene that were fatefully and unjustly relegated to a niche circuit in their homeland of Great Britain: among them, surely, are the Catherine Wheel.

❝ And of Catherine Wheel, except here on DeBaser, of course, no trace.

❝ Adam And Eve is therefore a hard pop album that rightly places Catherine Wheel at the top, in terms of quality, of the list of artists I previously mentioned, and finally takes Rob Dickinson's band around European TVs.

❝ An album that marks the end of a band in the simplest and most perfect way: a natural death, a "physical" ending that coincides precisely with the inspiration's end.