Onto a bigger label and better backing from leaving Mercury, Catherine Wheel have a bigger and bright future due to their latest success with Wishville that Spark Are Gonna Fly. Now getting started for the European part of the tour for the newest release called Wishville for Columbia, I had the chance to talk to the band before they left. They just got finished playing for two nights straight and sold out both of them for The El Rey Theater, here in L.A., but Catherine Wheel, still were glad to talk to us. (Catherine Wheel opens for Smashing Pumpkins and plays wembly stadium in late October in London).
HD: You have used R.E.M.'s producer Scott Litt in your past, how was that working with him?
Brian: I wasn't there nor never met Scott Litt.
Rob: He remixed one of our songs. He really didn't even do a go job with it at all really.
HD: You went back and asked your original producer for Ferment, your debut release on Mercury Records, Tim Freeze Green to work on this new record why:
Rob: Actually, Tim requires a lot of persuasion to do these producing jobs. Tim only agreed to do this because there was more of a challenge to doing this particular record. Tim has been really working along side with us since the very beggings of Catherine Wheel. However, he didn't really do that much help on our second album Chrome. But he turned out to be of great help for our last record Adam & Eve. Tim here on Wishville is all over the new record. Tim plays and did a lot of production on the new record.
HD: How was this record put together that made it so challenging?
Rob: We wrote 60 songs between the two of us (Brian and myself) before ever bringing them forward to the band. This was different. We also wrote with loop drum tracks and an eight track machine. Both of us stumbled along at the beginning of writing by having to use basic home equipment but it has seemed to work out better this time. This way was sure a new way for us to write songs. We started writing songs last September 7th 1999 and we didn't finish writing until November 17 (3 months later). The it took a while to pick only 9 tracks (40 minutes). It still took after that 13 more days to mix the record down. The band succeeded in separating the responsibilities for each player for this record.
HD: Why only 40 minutes and 9 tracks total?
Rob: The great Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd albums never had more than 9 songs except Pink Floyd's The Wall album. That is a great way to make records, our best records are in the depth of the way we make them. But, if you need to experiment with that depth and encourage exploration of all of those depths within or you are completely done for. 40 minutes is I think the perfect length for an album. It allows you to build an intimate relationship quicker with your listeners. The listener gets to know how and what the record is in total and then has a chance to start it up and gain immediately due to it's shortness.
HD: Talk about the record in your own words. And If there is a statement, what is it for this new work?
Rob: We were focused on delivering a clear and very distinct statement that delivered on everything we have worked toward. We wanted to put out a CD which would completely illustrate what we are capable of doing as a band at it's best. So we separated everything and stripped it all down to each one's elements.
Neil: I could focus more on the material this way. The song like Gasoline I could make it more propulsive by adding in more dimension to it. I was working on more rhythm patterns which I wouldn't have dreamed as a band we could come up with. This allowed for more resonance of a lasting sound. The resonance wasn't only with just my drumming but with the whole record and recording process.
Brian: Well, The opener Spark Are Gonna Fly it seems to send forth out sparks of it's very own with it's wah - wah riff and mixing it's heavy stomping drums to push it forward right at you like a Catherine wheel sparkler does. There are lavishly layered arranged strings mixing the sour with the melody in the song Idle Life. Hearing Idle Life you can recall listening to Pink Floyd. With the track What We Want To Believe In while with it's chiming, insisteat drive through you from beginning to end.
Rob: In general we just wrote out songs this time till we felt the whole magic of them. The instruments were able to better breath and grow along with us. When we finally went to get the songs recorded and mixed in the studio, there really was not a lot of questions to be solved with any of them. We were confident with each song. We knew what each song was capable of. This gave us lots of freedom to capture the best performances and this is how a record should be made.
Catherine Wheel are back now on home soil in Europe and are starting the tour with Smashing Pumpkin's and with the release of the album Wishville in Europe it came in a two package deal. It include a live CD which was recorded Live at the begging of the original North American tour in New York at The Bowery Ball Room on July 11, 2000. This is a limited first editioon only of the release for Europe. So yoiu have to order the import to get this special Live CD. Other info is in the works is a cover Catherine Wheel tribute being made in the works and is being done so by people involved in their on line list groups chat list for the band. For more info on this texture@telelist.com. Thanks to Chris F. at Columbia Records in Los Angles for setting this interview up.
HD: Honestly, you've worked with four credited producers including Scott Lit, but you went back to working with Tim Freeze Green. Be truthful how was it really working with Tim for this new record like?
Rob Dickenson: I really think that Tim is the closest thing I have ever come to meeting a real genius. He is someone who has a talent ability that is out of this world. Tim is able to see things in a way which I am not even able to grasp but he can and does. His music abilities makes him a fantastic musician too. I trust his judgement on song we write. Yeah, we have worked with other producers, but it just felt right to work with Tim on this record. Actually, Tim was intrigued that this record had commercial potential possibilities. However, Tim also made it still a challenge for the listener to hear this record too. I just wanted to this time build on our being at heart a pop band. We did that and more with Tim’s help this time.
HD: What band’s drove you to ever wanting to do this:
Rob: Whitesnake, Queen, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
HD: hat is the song Idle Life about?
Rob: It’s all about me.
HD: Do you think Wishville will do better here in the USA or in Europe?
Rob: Well in Europe it has less to do with music and more with how fashionable the record is. It’s whether the music has resonance with what people are wanting to listen too. I think recording projects get released out at the wrong times sometimes. We have never ever tailored our music to any fashion, but I do not see why it will not do well. Wishville is a CD full of very strong songs. Some of the best musical brains have put so much of themselves into this art Wishville, just how could it not be good. Weather or not if it reflects what listeners taste are I really do not know. I think we are the only English band who has not singed any kind of pact with the devil to sell records. I feel we have a very good mental and emotional attitude toward it all. We take all the thing both that Europe and America gives us that nourish us and the rest we spit it out.
HD: You have so many B sides that are recordings of you live. Is their plans for a Live album being released?
Rob: Yeah, on the European release of Wishville found is a concert recorded from the beginning of our American tour. It’s a two CD set for the new record out in Europe. A packed deal with Wishville.
I enjoy a great deal talking with these guys from Europe. Catherine Wheel rock keep it up. They are the opening act for Smashing Pumpkin’s on the European tour. Wish I could see them play Wembley Stadium on October 30, 2000.
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