Catherine Wheel

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Catherine Wheel is an alternative rock band from Great Yarmouth, England. They take their moniker from the firework, the Catherine wheel.

Catherine Wheel was formed in 1990, comprising of singer/guitarist Rob Dickinson (cousin of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson), guitarist Brian Futter, bassist Dave Hawes and drummer Neil Sims. They were initially part of the shoegazer scene, characterized by songs that made extensive use of guitar feedback and droning washes of noise, delivered by bands who were virtually immobile on stage(ie 'showgazing').

The band's first album, 1992's Ferment, made an immediate impression on the music press and introduced Catherine Wheel's most recognizable song, "Black Metallic".

Chrome followed in 1993. With this album, the band began to shed their original shoegazer tag whilst still making skillful use of atmospherics. Chrome is viewed by most fans as the band's best and most solid album. 1995's Happy Days saw the band in full hard rock mode, which alienated a portion of their fanbase even as it increased their exposure in the United States.

The B-sides and outtakes collection, Like Cats and Dogs, came out the following year and demonstrated a quieter, more contemplative side of the band. This carried over into Adam and Eve in 1997, wherein the band scaled back the sonic force of their sound from its Happy Days levels while retaining the clean, stripped down playing they had begun to favor.

After a three year break, Catherine Wheel re-emerged with a new bassist, Ben Ellis, alongside a new album, 2000's Wishville. After mixed reviews and lacklustre sales of the work, the band went on a still-continuing hiatus.

Futter and Sims have an ongoing solo project called 50ft Monster, Ellis is in a new band called Serafin and Dickinson released a solo album in September 2005 called Fresh Wine for the Horses.