Catherine Wheel

Catherine Wheel formed in Great Yarmouth in 1990, Rob Dickinson's powerful vocals and the band's heavy, layered guitar sound giving them a quality that stood out even in the crowded shoegaze landscape. They signed to Fontana Records and released their debut single 'She's My Friend' in 1991 — a song of immediate melodic appeal that announced a band with a fully formed sound.

'Ferment' (1992) was the debut album — 'Black Metallic', 'Painful Thing', and 'I Want to Touch You' were all excellent singles. The album showed a band capable of balancing noise and melody with a precision that few of their contemporaries could match. 'Chrome' (1993) was even better — a more ambitious record that showed the band developing rapidly.

Catherine Wheel continued to record through the 1990s, their sound evolving towards a harder, more alternative rock direction. 'Happy Days' (1995) and 'Adam and Eve' (1997) were both strong albums. The band split in 2000. Their early shoegaze records in particular have been reassessed very positively in recent years.