The Cateran
Encyclopedia
The Cateran were a Scottish
rock
band active between the mid-1980s and 1991.
in the mid-1980s, with a line-up comprising Inverness
natives Sandy Macpherson (vocals), Cameron Fraser (guitar), Murdo MacLeod (guitar), Kai Davidson (bass guitar), and Andy Milne (drums). Davidson had played in several bands in the early 1980s, including Reasons For Emotion, which also featured Craig and Charlie Reid, who later found fame as The Proclaimers
. They were initially influenced by US acts such as Hüsker Dü
and The Dead Kennedys, and signed to the DDT label. The band's debut release was the 1986 mini-LP
Little Circles, which they promoted by touring with The Proclaimers, for whom Davidson also acted as manager. They moved on to Vinyl Solution
for the second album, Bite Deeper in 1988, before moving on again to Imaginary Records
later that year for The Black Album EP
. The band's third and final album, Ache, was issued in 1989 on the What Goes On label, and the band supported Nirvana
on their UK tour that year. A further EP followed in 1990 before the band split in 1991, with MacLeod and Davidson forming a new band, Joyriders, who released two singles, both of which were named "Single of the Week" by the NME
, before splitting up in the mid-1990s. A compilation album of the Joyriders recordings was issued in Japan in 2009.
Davidson later had a career as a social worker, and died on 13 June 2007, aged 44, after falling from a tower block. A fund was set up in his memory to support young musicians. The Proclaimers donated £20,000 to the fund in December 2007.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band active between the mid-1980s and 1991.
History
The Cateran formed in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in the mid-1980s, with a line-up comprising Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
natives Sandy Macpherson (vocals), Cameron Fraser (guitar), Murdo MacLeod (guitar), Kai Davidson (bass guitar), and Andy Milne (drums). Davidson had played in several bands in the early 1980s, including Reasons For Emotion, which also featured Craig and Charlie Reid, who later found fame as The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
. They were initially influenced by US acts such as Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
and The Dead Kennedys, and signed to the DDT label. The band's debut release was the 1986 mini-LP
Mini-LP
A Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
Little Circles, which they promoted by touring with The Proclaimers, for whom Davidson also acted as manager. They moved on to Vinyl Solution
Vinyl Solution
Vinyl Solution was a record label of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the offshoot of an independent London based record store based at 231 Portobello Road . The label signed many unconventional acts in a number of uncompromising genres, such as skatepunk thrash band The Stupids, Britcore rappers...
for the second album, Bite Deeper in 1988, before moving on again to Imaginary Records
Imaginary Records
Imaginary Records was an independent record label based in Heywood, Lancashire, England, which specialised mainly in indie rock and post-punk. It was created and owned by Alan Duffy, known for his lyrical contributions to Porcupine Tree's first two albums, On the Sunday of Life and Up the...
later that year for The Black Album EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. The band's third and final album, Ache, was issued in 1989 on the What Goes On label, and the band supported Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
on their UK tour that year. A further EP followed in 1990 before the band split in 1991, with MacLeod and Davidson forming a new band, Joyriders, who released two singles, both of which were named "Single of the Week" by the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, before splitting up in the mid-1990s. A compilation album of the Joyriders recordings was issued in Japan in 2009.
Davidson later had a career as a social worker, and died on 13 June 2007, aged 44, after falling from a tower block. A fund was set up in his memory to support young musicians. The Proclaimers donated £20,000 to the fund in December 2007.
Albums
- Little Circles (1986), DDT
- Bite Deeper (1988), Vinyl SolutionVinyl SolutionVinyl Solution was a record label of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the offshoot of an independent London based record store based at 231 Portobello Road . The label signed many unconventional acts in a number of uncompromising genres, such as skatepunk thrash band The Stupids, Britcore rappers...
- Ache (1989), What Goes On
Singles, EPs
- "Last Big Lie" (1987), DDT
- The Black Album EP (1988), ImaginaryImaginary RecordsImaginary Records was an independent record label based in Heywood, Lancashire, England, which specialised mainly in indie rock and post-punk. It was created and owned by Alan Duffy, known for his lyrical contributions to Porcupine Tree's first two albums, On the Sunday of Life and Up the...
- Die Tomorrow EP (1990), What Goes On