The Catastrophes
The Story of Us
Early Days - starting at school
Spit (then know by his real name of Mewton) and his mate Ray Van Hare started a band at their school Calicoville High when they were both 15. Ray Van Hare took the lead vocal and guitar, Spit, lead guitar. They were soon joined by classmate Claude (soon to become known as Scratch) on bass and started gigging at school events. They decided they really needed a drummer and held auditions. No-one was suitable and the group were getting very frustrated. Then while passing the music room Spit heard someone playing drums. He barged into the room and interrupted a cat from the year below having a drum lesson (Yowl). Spit asked the young cat if he was in a band and when Yowl said 'no', Spit replied...'Well you are now!'
When they left school, the 4-piece band did local gigs around their hometown of Calicoville Springs performing songs written by Van Hare and Spit. Van Hare wanted his name to feature in the band name one way or the other and the band were known as The Ray Vans, Ray Van Hare & The Hare Dyes, Ray Vans of Light among many others.
Conflicts - Van Hare walks out
Spit soon realised the band were 'not great' and wanted to do something about it. He wanted them all to change their names to single syllable, punchy names and wanted to change the band name. He scrapped his real name of Mewton to become Spit. Claude and Yowl were happy to go along with that, Claude changed his name to Scratch and Yowl stayed as Yowl. Ray Van Hare however objected. According to Spit, Ray Van Hare became the big 'I Am', more interested in just being in a band than making good music.
Van Hare wanted to be the front cat with the other three as his backing band, often putting the others down. He started referring to Scratch as 'just the bass cat' and conflicts within the band grew. Things got gradually worse and then Spit and Ray had a massive argument during a rehearsal and Ray walked out leaving his guitar.
New Start - The Catastrophes & Reeow
After Ray Van Hare left the band, Spit assumed the band leadership (with no objections from Scratch or Yowl) and tried to get the band moving again. Spit took over on lead vocals, renamed the band 'The Catastrophes' and started writing songs by himself. The band did a few small gigs but didn't have a great deal of success. Spit admitted his songs weren't the best but kept pushing, determined to make it work.
One evening Spit was at an open mic night where he saw a young catgirl called Reeow singing a few rock classics. He was so impressed he caught up with her after her performance and asked her join the band. Reeow was unsure to begin with but Spit talked her into coming to a band rehearsal the next day.
The band Pre-Reeow
When Reeow arrived for the rehearsal she immediately clicked with Scratch and Yowl and started feeling more comfortable. She sang for them and again impressed. Spit asked her if she played guitar and handed her the guitar left by Ray Van Hare. Reeow hadn't played before but quickly took to it.
The guys asked Reeow if she would join and she agreed. Although she loved playing the guitar, she hated Ray Van Hare's old guitar so Spit took her guitar shopping. She fell in love with a custom-made Flying V style guitar in hot pink and said she had to have that one! Spit bought it for her.
Reeow playing Van Hare's Guitar
Choosing her Flying V type thingy...
Picking Up - Reeow's Influence
With Reeow now as the band's lead singer gigs came more frequently and the band quickly started to build a local fan base. They performed at some of the town's best underground music clubs including the Rock-A-Cat Club and The Flaming Chair.
Reeow started to write songs with Spit then as her confidence grew, began writing some tunes by herself. These songs became the core of The Catastrophes live set, Spit feeling that Reeow made even his songs sound great!
After a gig at the Rock-A-Cat Club Reeow literally bumped into a grey dog who had been in the audience knocking his drink all over him. The dog chased her out the building and cornered her in an alleyway. They both enjoyed the chase though and Reeow suggested he chase her again. The dog was Mr Catnap and he quickly became firm friends with Reeow and together they started the Catnab Club where Mr Catnap would chase, catch and tie up any catgirl who was up for being caught.
The "I'm Perfect For You" Promo pic
Tie-Up Songs - The Catnab Club influence
The new found enjoyment of being caught started influencing Reeow's lyrics. She wanted to use music to express how tie-up games can be fun, relaxing and positive rather than something sinister and perverted as she knew many people saw it.
Spit, Scratch and Yowl happily went along with her bondage-influenced songs and they soon became an integral part of their live sets proving very popular with their fans and attracting many new ones.
I'm Perfect For You - Melody arrives
Spit decided the band needed to start recording their songs and get their stuff online. He found an old 4-track recorder and set up a room in his house as a make-shift studio. The Catastrophes set up their own music label Tooth 'n' Claw Records. They started recording their first track (a song written by Reeow called "I'm Perfect For You") whilst still doing gigs round town. During this time Reeow sent a letter to her old friend Melody to ask her if she'd like to come and stay with her for a while. Melody agreed and soon moved to Calicoville Springs and became Reeow's roadie.
In August 2009 the band released their first recording ‘I’m Perfect For You’.
REeow's Goin' Nowhere tonight and after
The second single "Reeow's Goin' Nowhere Tonight" was released a year later shortly followed by "Extra Sensual Experience", a song written and sung by Spit.
The band went into a quiet patch (allegedly because Spit lost his guitar on a wild trip round the local area doing some solo stuff), but burst back onto the scene with a surprise EP "Life No 8". The EP featured 4 songs written by either Reeow, Spit or both and artwork hinting at Reeow's 'demise' leaving her on her eight life. (Reeow would like to point out she's actually still on number one but thanks for worrying!)
And that is where we are now. More to come? Mmm, maybe...do you wanna hear more?
Posing for the Extra Sensual Experience promo
The "Life No 8" EP cover