The Cateran
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | mid-1980s in Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh , Scotland |
| Products | Punk music, albums, singles, EPs |
The Cateran, sometimes referred to as Cateran, was a punk group from Scotland that operated from the mid-1980s until 1991.
History
Originating in Edinburgh during the mid-1980s, The Cateran featured a lineup of musicians from Inverness: Sandy Macpherson on vocals, Cameron Fraser and Murdo MacLeod on guitars, Kai Davidson handling bass duties, and Andy Milne on drums. Davidson had previously been involved with bands like Reasons For Emotion, which included Craig and Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers. Drawing early inspiration from American bands such as Hüsker Dü and the Dead Kennedys, they secured a deal with DDT. Their first release was the 1986 mini-album Little Circles, which they promoted by touring alongside The Proclaimers, a band managed by Davidson himself. After releasing the 1987 single "Last Big Lie", Macpherson departed, leading Fraser to assume lead vocal responsibilities.
For their sophomore album Bite Deeper (1988), the band signed with Vinyl Solution, followed by the release of The Black Album EP later that year under Imaginary Records. Their third and concluding album, Ache, came out in 1989 via What Goes On. That same year, The Cateran supported Nirvana and Tad during a UK tour. Notably, Ache was also issued in France through the Black et Noir label, marking its first release. After issuing an EP in 1990, the group dissolved in 1991. Subsequently, MacLeod and Davidson established Joyriders, who released two singles that received "Single of the Week" honors from NME before disbanding in the mid-1990s. A compilation of Joyriders' work was released in Japan in 2009.
Davidson later pursued a career in social work but tragically passed away in 2007 at age 44 following a fall from a high-rise building. In his memory, a fund was created to aid emerging musicians, with The Proclaimers contributing £20,000 toward this cause in December 2007.
Albums
- Little Circles (1986), DDT
- Bite Deeper (1988), Vinyl Solution
- Ache (1989), What Goes On (WGO30)
Singles, EPs
- "Last Big Lie" (1987), DDT
- The Black Album EP (1988), Imaginary
- Die Tomorrow EP (1990), What Goes On
Compilation appearances
- Time Between - A Tribute To The Byrds - "She Don't Care About Time" (1989), Imaginary Records
- A Pox Upon The Poll Tax - "Teach Yourself" (1989), Peasants Revolt REVOLT1