Catherine Wheel >> Maybe you could come away

{_ Catherine Wheel - "Wish (Demo)" _}

{__ (unreleased, 1990 or '91; Fontana Records, 1992) __}

This song didn't even make it onto the Wheel's 1996 b-sides n' rarities compilation Like Cats And Dogs, which shows just how strong their body of work was.  As someone who has obsessed over the genre called "shoegaze" for the last 15 years, I would unhesitatingly say it's right in the top echelon of the best shoegaze songs ever.  Too bad it's so short.  The info about the release of this song is really confusing, so read on at your own risk: This was a b-side on their earth-shatteringly great "I Want To Touch You" 12", released in 1992.  Well, it's actually on the bonus 12" that you could buy separately from the main 12"!  (This bonus 12" consisted solely of demos of three of their best songs.)  The back cover says "Track B2: Recorded at home, can't remember when. Working title: 'I Can't Give.'"  Yes, this technically came out on a major label, but I'm posting it due both to its incredible scarcity, and due to what I believe is its significance in the history of shoegaze / Britpop music.  And it was originally home-recorded with no intention of ever being released, before the band was even signed to Fontana.  So it's a true "indie" song in my book, and it has never been released digitally; this mp3 is of course a vinyl rip.

Why am I uploading this version rather than the "real" (studio-recorded) version of it that came out in the band's own indie label, Wilde Club, in 1991 (on the "She's My Friend" 12")?  Because this demo has a slightly slower tempo, more tribal-ish / visceral drumming, and clearer, more assertive guitar, so I just like it a bit more overall.  If anyone involved with Fontana objects to me having this song on here, let me know and I'll ecstatically put up the Wilde Club version instead.

Probably the greatest photo ever taken: A dual-exposure called "Nude And Skyscraper" by André De Dienes (1960)

This one goes out to Broken Water.  After seeing them play at a coffee house a few weeks ago, I gave them an impromptu gift of a spare copy of C.W.'s Ferment CD (actually a CD-R, but in the actual CD case w/ booklet & back cover) which I scrounged up in my car's glovebox.  So hopefully they dig it on their neverending tour.  I told them it was my #2 favorite album ever, but I forgot to mention that my #1 is Daydream Nation.  I also asked their guitarist Jon if I could post one of their songs ("Eyeball") on here and he said yeah, so look for that soon.  If you haven't heard of Bro-H2O, they're from Olympia and sound like a lower-fi version of Sonic Youth with some Codeine and Live Skull mixed in, including the rare species of rocker known as the singing female drummer.  Jon also sings sometimes.

The other night I went to see this band White Hills, and wow, they are great live.  Their bassist Ego Sensation has to be seen to be believed; she wore a full red go-go(?) outfit.  Their singer/guitarist was born to be a rock god, and their drummer hit so hard that he broke off part of his main cymbal.  Most of their songs featured a smoke machine.  In general, they give you a full-on arena rock spectacle, even when playing in a club containing about 40 people, as was the case on this night.  Most of their music unfortunately runs to the "stoner rock" side of things, but they have a lot of spacey psychedelic stuff too.

It has still only rained once here in the last 5 or so weeks, which is absolutely mind-boggling for this part of the world.  I've been out watering stuff with the hose for around an hour each day.

Planets with similar climates: My Bloody Valentine: "When You Wake You're Still In A Dream" (1988), Ride - "Drive Blind" (1989), Juned - "Kyuss" (1995), Lush - "Nothing Natural" (1991), The Byrds - "8 Miles High" (1966).


Currently reading: A new collector's issue of SLAM magazine, which lists their picks for the top 500 players in NBA history.  Kobe Bryant is only #10, a mere 4 slots above Bob Cousy; Bill Russell is way too high; Chris Paul is at #107.  Way too many controversial rankings & omissions for me to even begin to describe here, so go pick up a copy for yourself.  I bought the first issue on the newsstand in 1994 since it had Grandmama on the cover.