From: eheutchy@andrew.cmu.edu (Eric Heutchy) Newsgroups: none Mailing List: Whisper, 2AM, jade-v, whatever you want to call it Summary: This FAQ is about the band Catherine URL: http://pages.prodigy.net/heutchy/cathfaq.txt Version 1.33 Updated: June 25, 1998 Welcome to the Catherine Frequently Asked Questions file! Changes/updates from the previous version are marked by a '*'. Please read this entire FAQ before posting - it will save a lot of time covering basic info. TABLE OF CONTENTS 0. Legal Disclaimer 1. General 1.1 Mailing list - getting on/off 1.1a 2AM Mailing List 1.2 Mailing List Rules 1.3 Acronyms/abbreviations, etc 2. Songs 2.1 Lyrics 2.1a Incorrect copies 2.2 Guitar tablature 2.2b TAB books 2.3 Songs Catherine has covered 2.4 Songs sung by other members 2.5 Secret messages/sounds 2.6 Rereleased Sleepy 2.7 MIDI's 2.8 Live songs 2.9 What rare songs are there? 3. Band Info 3.1 How they formed *3.2 Origin of name 3.3 Short biographical sketches 3.4 What is Scratchie Records? 3.5 Fan Club 4. Merchandise 4.1 What is there? 4.2 Videos 4.2a Music Videos 4.3 T-shirts 4.4 Starchildren 5. Record Labels 5.1 TVT 5.2 Will they sign on Scratchie Records? 5.3 TWA Records 5.4 Current Label 6. Disclaimer / Thanks 6.1 Disclaimer 6.2 Thanks 0. Legal disclaimer The Catherine FAQ is copyright (c) 1998 Eric Heutchy. It is freely distributable online through usenet newsgroup, email, and ftp. It may not be used for commercial purposes, nor may any charge be imposed for its distribution. Mass distribution or otherwise non-personal use is prohibited without written permission, except where noted above (usenet, ftp, etc.) This file may be stored in an archive, but the most recent version should always be available there, or a pointer to the URL should be provided. As always, give credit where credit is due. 1. -General- 1.1 How to get on/off the mailing list To subscribe to the Catherine mailing list, send a message to majordomo@jade-v.com with the following message body: subscribe catherine (your id) Insert your id (i.e. person@server.com) and disregard the subject line. To unsubscribe from the list, send a letter to majordomo@jade-v.com with the following message body unsubscribe catherine (your id) To post to the list, simply reply to any of its messages, or start a new message addressed to: catherine@jade-v.com If you need any help with the mailing list, write to Eric Heutchy (heutchy@prodigy.net) or Jim Anderson (zig@iei.net) 1.1a What is the 2AM mailing list? The 2AM mailing list is the original Catherine mailing list. It was run by hand, and messages tended to take a long time to get out. The list started summer of 1996, and ended May 1997, when the jade-v list was formed 1.2 What mailing list rules exist? Due to recent problems on the Catherine mailing list, some rules have been created. They are more guidelines that will be used if there are problems, so please read them carefully. -Try to limit to one post a day. If you have breaking Catherine news, then go ahead and post, but don't fill our mailboxes -NO FLAMING. This is grounds for removal -Please limit swearing. I can handle some, but please don't fill messages with four letter words -Stay roughly on topic. Posts about the band are on topic. Posts about the list are ruled okay for now. -No surveys. If somebody wants to conduct a private survey, that is okay, but have people respond privately, and not to the list. -No pictures. If you have pictures, please tell the list, and then send them privately. They put too much strain on the server, and Jim Anderson (who owns jade-v said no). -No forwards. OK, if it is a Catherine forward, that is ok, but please not any top ten lists or such. 1.3 What are all those acronyms/abbreviations, etc? Here's a list of abbreviations that are common pertaining to Catherine 2AM: The old mailing list or the song ECLHM: Every Christian Lionhearted Man, a song from Sorry! EOS: End Of Something, song on The Absolute Middle of Nowhere Vol. 17 compilation FOC: Friend of Catherine, Fan of Catherine, etc. FLC / 4LC: Four Leaf Clover, the song from HS&BS HS&BS: Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories, the album MOC: Member of Catherine NP: Now Playing (used at the end of a message to indicate what you're listening to at the moment.) sp? or Spelling?: indicated someone is unsure of their spelling 2. -Songs- 2.1 Where can I find lyrics? http://pages.prodigy.net/heutchy/catherin.htm http://www.catherine.org/ http://www.halcyon.com/cantwell/cat/catherin.html http://members.aol.com/VegasGlam1/index.html http://www.smashing-pumpkins.net/catherine/main.htm http://www.tvtrecords.com/bands/catherine.html (may disappear soon) http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/4550/cat.html http://members.aol.com/cobain666k/catherine.html 2.1a Why are the lyric files all wrong? It's either wrong and the maintainer doesn't know, wrong and hasn't been updated it, or one of Neil's songs. Mark's songs are all correct (at least on my page), because he has e-mailed me official lyrics. 2.2 Where can I find tablature? http://pages.prodigy.net/heutchy/catherin.htm http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~bpmccal/catherin.html http://www.n81x.com/catherine/main.html 2.2b - What TAB books are out? Sorry! Warner Brothers Publications / Chrysalis Music Group $22.95 US Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories was rumored, probably will not happen 2.3 Songs Catherine has covered Catherine have covered a couple songs, here you are Song: Originally By: --------------------------------------------- ---------------- Every Christian Lionhearted Man Will Show You BeeGees Five Years David Bowie You Are In My Vision Gary Newman 2.4 Who sings [x]? It doesn't sound like Mark... Mark sings most, but not all songs. The songs that featured Neil on lead vocals are: -Sparkle, Charmed, End Of Something, Idiot, Sleep, Sleepy, Songs About Girls, Her Pills, Saint, 2AM, Sorry, Waterfall D'Arcy (Wretsky, Smashing Pumpkins) sings on "Four Leaf Clover," and "Punch Me Out" both on Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories Chris Connolley (KMFDM) did back up vocals on Sign of the Cross and Come Back Johnee 2.5 Secret messages/sounds Funny Bunny - At the end you can hear some various sounds, followed by "He doesn't want to be a big boy, he wants to scream" Good Luck Charm - At the beginning you can hear children (continued from Pink Floyd Poster) Idiot - "What are we doing?" at the end of the song Isabelle - If you turn the volume up, there are guitars tuning at the beginning for about a second Pink Floyd Poster - Children talking and screaming at the end of the two "heavy" parts 2.6 Rerelease of Sleepy Sleepy (the first EP), was originally released on March Records. A later pressing is on TVT Records. The March Records version has a big "M" written on the front of the album, the TVT does not. The sides are also different, but the CD is exactly the same. 2.7 Where can I find Catherine MIDI's http://pages.prodigy.net/heutchy/catherin.htm http://members.aol.com/VegasGlam1/index.html 2.8 What songs do they play live Straight from Gus: Usuals - Vegas Glam, Cotton Candy High, Inchworm, Funny Bunny, Four Leaf Clover, Blacklight, Insect Tree, It's Gonna Get Worse, Punch Me Out, Make Me Smile, Don't Touch Me There Sometimes - Milkshake, The Angels, Pink Floyd Poster, You Are In My Vision 2.9 What rare songs are there? Besides songs from Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories, Sorry!, and Sleepy, Catherine has a few songs, not all are definately available though. Charmed (For Taylor) - From Sparkle 7", out of print Come Back Johnee - From Australian Four Leaf Clover single (rare) Creep Away - From German Whisper single (rare) End Of Something - From The Absolute Middle of Nowhere Vol. 17, still available Four Leaf Clover (radio cut) - Four Leaf Clover with the chorus replacing the acousticy part in the middle (on all Four Leaf Clover singles) Isabelle - From Australian Four Leaf Clover single (rare) Rock Me Gently - From German Whisper single (rare) Sparkle - From Sparkle 7", out of print 3. -Band Info- 3.1 How did they form? Here it is, straight from a TVT press release for Sorry!: "The Chicago-based band came together piece by piece from 1985 to 1990. As a duo Neil Jendon and Jerome Brown named themselves Catherine (not sure why). Shortly thereafter, Kerry Brown (no relation to Jerome) was brought into the fold as a welcome replacement for the drum machine. In 1991, the band released a 7" single on Limited Potential entitled "Sparkle/Charmed" recorded by Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Red Red Meat). Soon after, Mark Rew joined the group, followed by the newest band member Keith Brown (definite relation to Kerry)." This is missing some info, Cliff Fox joined as bass sometime early in the bands career. More recently, Fever, and Gus (Todd Tatnall) joined for the Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories tour, and Keith left during the tour. Fever left in December 1997. *3.2 Where did they get their name? The new name of the band is tentatively "My Friend the Snake." As for origin, Mark Rew said "Last year while I was away from home a lot my daughter, Isabelle made a little painting for me of her and a red snake in the water. She called it "swimming with my friend, the snake". According to a press release from Sorry!, the Neil and Keith named the band Catherine for no apparent reason. 3.3 Short biographical sketches (former and current members)... CURRENT MEMBERS Name: Mark Rew Band Position: Vocalist and Guitar Joined Band: Before Sleepy Residence: Lakeview, IL Marital Status: Married (wife speaks French) Name: Kerry Brown Band Position: Drummer Joined Band: After Sparkle 7" Residence: The Farm - Michigan City, MI Marital Status: Married to D'arcy Wretsky-Brown (The Smashing Pumpkins' bassist) Name: Gus (Todd Tatnall) Band Position: Percussion / Keyboards Joined Band: After Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories was released FORMER MEMBERS Name: Fever Band Position: Touring Guitar and Backing Vocals Joined Band: During recording of Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories Left Band: December 1997 Name: Keith Brown Band Position: Bass Joined Band: After Sorry was released Residence: Los Angeles, CA Left Band: August 1997 Name: Neil Jendon Band Position: Vocalist / Guitar Joined Band: Founding member Left Band: June 1996 Current Band: Was in X-Feline, with former Big Hat members, but the band broke up Name: Jerome Brown Band Position: Guitar Joined Band: Founding member Left Band: April 1996 Current Band: Glow Name: Cliff Fox Band Position: Bass Joined Band: Shortly after forming Left Band: November 1994 3.4 Scratchie Records Kerry Brown is part owner of the record label Scratchie Records. The August '95 Illinois Entertainer said this (thanks turnip@shout.net): "New local label Scratchie Records, owned by Pumpkin's D'arcy Wretzky-Brown and James Iha, Catherine's Kerry Brown and others, had planned a boffo record release party last month with label signees Chainsaw Kittens. Unfortunately, Kitten's lead guitarist Trent Bell fractured his wrist during a softball game back home in Norman, OK just a few days before the party was to happen. So Scratchie is putting the gig on hold and hopes to send off their label in rockin' style sometime early in September" Catherine has shown no interest in signing to Scratchie, as there would be problems with Kerry both owning interest in the label and the band. For more info, see http://www.scratchie.com/ 3.5 What's with the Fan Club Supposedly if you send a letter to the "Fan Club" address on Sorry, you can get some cool stuff back (stickers, Four Leaf Clover single, etc.) I don't know of many people who have, I got a postcard for Four Leaf Clover, somebody reportedly got a Four Leaf Clover promo CD. If you write to TVT for more info, all you will get back is catalogs of TVT stuff to buy. 4. -Merchandise- 4.1 What is there? The Absolute Middle Of Nowhere, Vol 17 (compilation) - Available Chante Des Chansons Sur Les Filles (split 7") - In Production (black vinyl) / Out of Print (white vinyl) (1500 copies) Cotton Candy High (Promo CD) - Not For Public Release (rare) Four Leaf Clover (Promo CD) - Not For Public Release (rare) Four Leaf Clover Single (Australian) - In Production Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories (LP) - In Production Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories (Australian LP) - In Production (TWA Records) Idiot (Promo CD) - Not For Public Release (rare) Idiot Single - Out of Print Saint (Promo CD) - Not For Public Release (rare) Scream (soundtrack) - In Production Sleepy (EP) - In Production (TVT) / Out of Print (March) Songs About Girls (Promo CD) - Not For Public Release (rare) Songs About Girls (7") (Rough Trade) - Out of Print (2000 made) Sorry! (LP) - In Production Sparkle / Charmed (7") - Out of Print (950 made) Spin This (compilation) - Contained Saint Walking and Talking (soundtrack?) - Contained 2AM Whisper Single - Not For Public Release (rare) 4.2 Videos/videotapes There are two performances, the 1996 Musique Plus (Blacklight, It's Gonna Get Worse, Make Me Smile), and the 1995 Jon Stewart (Saint and Funny Bunny). There are also videos for It's No Lie, Songs About Girls, Saint, and Four Leaf Clover, Whisper. 4.2a Music Videos It's No Lie - Black and white, band is in a car at one point, and there are shots of the band playing Songs About Girls - Teens at a birthday party for little kids (w/ puppets, clowns, etc.) When they break the clown-shaped pinata, it falls to the ground and bleeds, then utter chaos breaks loose. They end up playing spin the bottle, skateboarding in an empty pool, and lighting toy cars on fire. The band is shown playing their instruments nicely in the empty pool, but by the end of the video, they have destroyed the drumset and are running around in the pool with skateboards. Saint - Very colorful, and swirly. Shows the band playing, some girls hanging around and scenes with members flying around. At one part, Kerry's going around on a surfboard. Four Leaf Clover - Has the band singing in a lounge room type setting, and Mark is dressed in drag, D'arcy in minimal clothing. Directed by Floria Sigismondi. Whisper - Apparently has some little kids running around, if anyone has a description please send it to me. 4.3 T-shirts 1. Sorry! Puke-y orange, has blue and yellow "Catherine - Better Living Through Noise" logo on the front, and "Sorry" in yellow on the back 2. Sorry! Red with Sorry! in yellow and blue on the front and a small Catherine and Better Living Through Noise logo on the back. 3. Hot Saki Era Red, has the new (devil / angel) logo on the front, and a small flame logo on the back 4.4 Starchildren Starchildren is the name of a side project band consisting of Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins) and any other members of Catherine / SP. It's also the name that SP have performed "secret" concerts under. Starchildren have put out a split 7" with Catherine, as well as a cover of Joy Division's "Isolation", which appears on the Joy Division Tribute album. Rotating members of Starchildren have included Mark Rew, Kerry Brown, Neil Jendon, Cliff Fox, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlain, D'arcy Wretsky-Brown, and Bob English. 5. -Record Labels- 5.1 TVT Catherine is no longer on the TVT label as of December, 1997. 5.2 Scratchie Records Catherine is not interested in signing to Scratchie Records, because there would be a conflict of interest by Kerry Brown. 5.3 TWA Records TWA Records is an Australian label which Catherine was licensed to by TVT in 1997. They were supposed to distribute three albums, but only released Hot Saki & Bedtime Stories before Catherine and TVT parted. It is unclear about the release of other items in Australia / New Zealand at this time. Mark's comment about the label was "Why can't you be our label in the states? You're doing a fantastic job and I'm entirely greatful. I would love to make it there for a tour." So there is a possibility that Catherine may sign with TWA separately from TVT, but no word yet. 5.4 Current Label Catherine is currently looking for a label to release their next album. If they are signed, mid-1998 looks like a possibility. 6. -Disclaimer / Thanks- 6.1 Disclaimer I do not promise that everything (or even anything) in here is correct, it is what I have gathered to my best knowledge, and any corrections would be appreciated (heutchy@prodigy.net). 6.2 Thanks Kevin (Ibenez1@aol.com) - Info Noah Cantwell (cantwell@halcyon.com) - Proofreading / Ideas Rebecca Janz (mjanz@coredcs.com) - Info on shirts / videos / video descriptions William (wnnpjh@earthlink.net) - Info on merchandise Shelly Roye (sroye@cybergal.com) - Info about TWA Records