Eight years ago, CATHERINE WHEEL released Adam and Eve (Mercury), one of the decade’s finest albums. This fall, the group’s former frontman – ROB DICKINSON – proved he is still a hot commodity by recently raising the temperature at New York City’s Mercury Lounge.
The bulk of the set focused on songs from Fresh Wine for the Horses (Sanctuary), Dickinson’s recently released maiden voyage as a solo artist. This show, the second of two Big Apple appearances, wrapped up a brief eight-date Northeast tour in which Dickinson was supported by another acoustic guitarist and a keyboardist. It also strongly pointed to future productivity from one of today’s most underrated talents.
The Catherine Wheel (the group added the word ‘the’ to its name in 2000) had a loyal following and was widely respected by musicians and the music press but never made it big commercially. The Catherine Wheel’s first album, 1991’s Ferment, immediately established the group as a creative force. Three winners followed – Chrome, Happy Days and the b-sides compilation Like Cats and Dogs – before the group created its masterwork Adam and Eve, which should have been a commercial breakthrough.
In hindsight, it’s clear that if Adam and Eve couldn’t do the trick nothing could. And indeed the good, but not great, Wishville, released five years ago, did not do the trick despite it being better than most of the pap peddled as music today.
After soldiering on year after year and tour after tour, the group (named after a medieval torture device) went on an indefinite hiatus after Wishville, which makes Dickinson’s resurrection all the more surprising – and gratifying. His return could best be compared to the feeling you get when an old friend unexpectedly drops into town and rings you up with the promise of a pint of Guinness and hours of great conversation.
I saw the Catherine Wheel just once, in 2000. Dickinson’s voice and presence combined with the band’s well crafted songs and stellar musicianship exuded such power and majesty that the magical aura surrounding that show remains etched in my memory today.
So naturally I was excited about the Mercury Lounge gig, which didn’t disappoint. Dickinson convincingly performed some of Fresh Wine’s best material, including “Oceans” and “My Name is Love,” as well as the Catherine Wheel classics “Heal,” “Black Metallic” and “Ma Solituda.”
To delve deeper into what explains Dickinson’s power you won’t necessarily find the answer in his lyrics (“You’ve just got to smile and hang out with intelligent people” is the unfortunate refrain from Fresh Wine’s “Intelligent People”).
Dickinson’s voice is the star, propelling passion, conviction and a sense of purpose that few can match. The desire and emotional sweep in his silky voice are all the more powerful framed inside his accessible but highly accomplished songs. Dickinson shoots for the heart and hits his target time and time again, focusing almost single-mindedly on the timeless themes of love, loss and lust.
I was lucky then to hear that voice again, right after the show, when Rob mingled with the crowd, which included Big Takeover founder JACK RABID who spent a while speaking with him. I told Rob how great the show was and how much I admired his work. He was down to earth and gracious.
I had the CD sleeves for Adam and Eve and Fresh Wine in my pocket as I had heard that Rob would be signing items after the show. As I flipped through Adam and Eve, commenting on the various songs, I told Rob that this excellent record was extra special to me as it was the soundtrack to which I fell in love with my future wife, Myra. His eyes lit up.
