Not every band officially breaks up. There are those that do via press release or purported farewell tour, the ultra-rare ones like, say, The Rolling Stones that’ll live on until at least Mick or Keith die, but many simply stop recording and stop touring without explanation, only an assumption they’re no more. Catherine Wheel—the British prog-rock quartet responsible for five studio albums between 1992 and 2000—did the latter following the lackluster success of what would become their final album, Wishville.
Former Catherine Wheel bassist Dave Hawes says the band is simply on “hiatus,” before conceding the 15-plus years of white noise more or less implies a break-up. “It just fizzled out, from what I understand,” he says. Hawes was passive-aggressively sacked from the band shortly after a tour in support of their penultimate album, Adam & Eve. Today he lives in Ashtabula, Ohio—thousands of miles from his Kessingland homeland—and mostly works in merchandising, including selling music memorabilia on eBay.
“It just fizzled out, from what I understand.”
Hawes did reveal that one afternoon approximately six or seven years ago, the four original members of Catherine Wheel got on a call to discuss the possibility of a reunion, an idea originally floated by frontman Rob Dickinson. While Hawes says he was game, as was, obviously, Dickinson, guitarist Brian Sutter and drummer Neil Sims couldn’t be swayed. And that was that. (Neither Dickinson or Futter responded to interview requests)
Hawes says he “still has interest” in a reformation and now believes Futter—whom he communicates with regularly on Facebook—would too. “It didn’t finish as it should have finished,” Hawes says. “Especially for me, I wasn’t there right there at the end. I don’t know about recording a new album but I’d like to do another tour.”
Following rehearsals for what would become the group’s swan song, Wishville, the band—perhaps sensing Hawes’s ambivalence with the new material—told Hawes to stay home while they finished the bass parts without him, and they’d call him later when it was time to tour. “Well, that phone call never came,” he says with a laugh. “It wasn’t a big shock. I wasn’t that upset. We’d been together 10 years and you kind of just get the feeling that you plateau out. And [Wishville], from what I understand, didn’t do particularly well. It’s a shame that we went out like that.”
Wow, right from the mouth of David Hawes. Such a straightforward way to sum it up and a bit of a relief to hear his current take on things, after over 15 years of hiatus.
Catherine Wheel
Sounds like no other that move the soul. Best Rock Music Ever. Thank you for each and every song. My life is a better place to be in because of your music. Much Love. To see them live would be a dream come true!
Joel
September 11, 2016 at 6:35 pm
Wow, right from the mouth of David Hawes. Such a straightforward way to sum it up and a bit of a relief to hear his current take on things, after over 15 years of hiatus.
Joe
December 30, 2016 at 2:30 pm
I’d love to see them live, hell; another album as good as Wishville would be amazing aswell.
Dan
April 26, 2017 at 8:41 am
I really, really liked Wishville. I’d love a new album and tour!
Jg
June 18, 2017 at 1:43 am
To each their own…but I think it’s selfish to just stop like they did. What about your fan base? Not cool to leave them hanging!
Cora
May 30, 2019 at 7:07 pm
It may be time to perform again. I’ve been thinking of Catherine Wheel a lot lately. I wished I got on the bus..sorry Brian.
Chad Rice
July 7, 2019 at 10:45 pm
Catherine Wheel
Sounds like no other that move the soul. Best Rock Music Ever. Thank you for each and every song. My life is a better place to be in because of your music. Much Love. To see them live would be a dream come true!