I’m so so chuffed to let you all know that my David Bowie covers/tribute/labour of love album ‘Waiting In The Sky’ is AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW. Actual release date is Friday 7 October, and physical copies should be shipped to you by this date (if you are in the UK/Europe).
There’s a gatefold CD, an amazing blue-blue-electric-blue vinyl (with download code) and a ChrisBowie/RoseBowie t-shirt for streamers or people who just like my face. (Or Rosie’s.)
Features twelve of my favourite Bowie numbers from right across his career.
Plus the first 500 orders (or so) will get a couple of free stickers.
It’s Kaleidoscopes release day! I’ve been banging on about this for weeks, so I won’t take up any more of your time than I need to, except to say that this is my favourite record I’ve ever done! I know I always say that, but that’s the nature of always trying to better yourself!
On lovely 180g vinyl, in an amazing die-cut sleeve, as well as CD (with a similar sleeve). Along with the last few shirts – don’t hang around, because these won’t be re-ordered.
If you want to buy the digital version, it’s available over at:
These two places are the best place to buy it directly from me, cutting out the middle… person.
The first 1000 bought from me come with an EXCLUSIVE ‘zine with stories behind the songs, a chat with some of the other people involved, and a really nice picture of my cat. There’s a few left but they won’t be around forever, so do get cracking.
NOW would be a good time to buy this… I am in with a REALLY good chance of a chart position here, which would be excellent for press etc, so if you fancy it – do it! And if you’re into it, please share it around. That’s how we spread the word.
We’re having an online listening party tonight (Friday 2nd April) over on Twitter, at 9pm UK time, 10 EU, 1 LA and 4 NY. The hashtag to use so we can all follow it is, simply #kaleidoscopes. You can ask me anything, I can fill you in on some fun stuff about the songs, and so on. It’s always good fun, and depending how drunk I get, I’ll hop on Instagram Live afterwards for a chat too.
There’s also an online gig on Sunday 4th, usual place at https://www.youtube.com/ChrisCatalystMusic – no donations this time, but if you want to ‘pay what you want’ then please buy a copy of the album on Bandcamp or iTunes or whatever, if you’ve already bought it, in lieu of the usual ‘pay what you feel’ thing. If you haven’t bought it yet, what are ya waiting for?!
Last but not least, I am doing a tour with my new pals (and fellow DIY noiseniks) Massive Wagons in September. Dates are on the gigs page!
THANKS AS EVER FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY AT THE MOMENT!!
I am SO proud of this record, and what it represents. I’ve been a ‘professional’ musician for 15 years now, and this is the culmination of a lot of working, learning, listening and playing. It’s my favourite bunch of songs yet, and my favourite production (Dave Draper is a bit of a genius) yet.
(I know I always say that… but that’s the nature of trying to progress and better yourself with each go.)
It comes out on Friday 2nd April, but the pre-order starts NOW… there’s shirts, CDs and – for the FIRST TIME – I’ve done a vinyl, which really has to be seen to be believed. It is, of course, on heavyweight 180g vinyl, in black (because, on consultation, it apparently sounds the best, which is the point, right?), with an AMAZING die-cut sleeve. Have a peep over on the shop page.
The CD has a similar die-cut and also contains all the lyrics.
There’s a shirt too, if you are a streaming person but still want to show/wear your support.
All are designed by my magical friend Rich Jones for Turning Rebellion.
And the first 500 purchases that come direct from me will come with a free full-colour ‘zine packed with stuff about the record, stories behind the songs and a chat with some of the other people involved in the album.
I’m aiming for a chart position with this one, as that’ll be GREAT for press, so we’re doing it properly and all orders will be posted out to arrive (more or less) on the release date. It happens to be a Bandcamp Friday too, so it’ll be available to download there.
I’m REALLY excited for you all to hear this album, the response to the first few tracks has been so positive and amazing, and I can’t wait to get it out there. It’s a real journey through my mind and my record collection, both of which are sometimes quite interesting places to be.
THANK YOU as ever for your support and THANK YOU for coming with me on this ride.
It’s about the visceral and cathartic process of making art. Featuring Jason Bowld on drums, Dave Draper producing and AshTV Music Video making the video. And LITTLE ME (‘one of this generation’s quietly brilliant songwriters’ – Classic Rock magazine) on everything else. Please spread it around if you are into it. That’s how we do it these days. Thank you. X
It’s called Make Good Art and it stars my new mate Neil Gaiman on lead vocals… kind of.
It was recorded with Dave Draper at The Old Cider Press (Worcs) and Chris’s House Studios (Leeds… obviously). Mastered expertly by Dave too. James Hamilton on trumpet. Mad Gallica on gospel choir. And the MIGHTY Jason Bowld on drum duties. Everything else by me.
Video by Oly Edkins for No Focus.
It’s a call-to-arms for doing the best we can with what we’ve got in difficult times. Let’s have 2021!
This is the first song from the long-awaited follow-up to Life Is Often Brilliant… it’s called KALEIDOSCOPES and it’ll be out in April. Pre-order will kick off in March.
In the meantime, you can still buy the facemasks and my ‘Very Best Of Quaran-Tour’ album over at my shop.
PLEASE spread this around as much as you can – I know I can rely on you. THANK YOU!
And welcome to what is – fingers crossed – the FINAL part of the ‘Quaran-Tour’. The home straight, if you will. With a vaccine speeding its way around lots of octogenarians and heading towards us all, it seems as good a time as any to launch my EXCLUSIVE AND UNAVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE, EVER new DOUBLE CD:
‘The Very Best Of Quaran-Tour’.
With 24 tracks, that’s almost TWO HOURS of acoustically-arranged artisan… art. This CD contains no less than SIX exclusive tracks that will never be available ANYWHERE ELSE.
You can also get your hands on TWO exclusive new face coverings – one ‘Q-Tour’ and one Eureka Machines design.
As with everything on the Quaran-Tour, 50% of all profits go to charity, and this time, it’s going to Cancer Research – a cause which has surely touched all of our hearts and lives over the years. The lightbulb design on the EM one was by one of our own, the fabulous Vicky Peck, who we tragically lost on Christmas Day 2020 from the bastard cancer. So I thought it was the best possible charity to remember her by.
Hope you get behind this as much as all the other stuff I’ve done over the past year or so. Together, we have raised over £12,000 for a host of amazing charities – it would be amazing to push this up further, maybe even to £15,000.
As ever, there are special bundles with mega discounts, so go have a look. The CDs are with me NOW and the face coverings should be with me in a couple of weeks, so expect it all to land with you by the start of February (slightly longer if you are further afield, but the postage to America is back to a reasonable rate, so shouldn’t take forever this time).
The eagle-eyed among you will have spotted that there’s this thing going on at the moment which means we don’t really have gigs any more. So I’ve been doing these ‘Quaran-Tour’ online gigs, and recorded an acoustic mini-album to celebrate. You can get it over here:
It’s been a while… it’s young Chris Catalyst’s birthday today (February 11th), and he’s done a couple of solo-project-style songs for you.
There’s two new songs up here and on the Bandcamp page for free or a ‘Pay What You Like’ basis. If you can’t afford it – don’t worry about it. This isn’t about the money – this is a thank you for all the support over the past few years.
Chris: ‘There’s two songs for you – the first is called ‘Happy’ and it’s a song about acceptance and growing and understanding. I feel very fortunate that, following a lot of ups and downs throughout my thirties, things have actually turned out pretty good now I’ve hit 40. It’s taken a lot of work, and more importantly a lot of support from lots of people around me, and I guess that’s why I wanted to do it as a giveaway. Someone asked me yesterday how I felt about turning 40, and I have to say it isn’t phasing me at all, I think because I am just in a really good and happy place, and just generally excited to see what is coming next.’
‘The second song is called ‘Dreams’, and it’s a bit different. I like them both equally in different ways, and I hope you do too.’
‘The idea of the song is to spread a bit of positivity in an increasingly negative world… My old pal Ash Pears has helped me out with a little video that we thought highlighted some things that might help people who aren’t feeling so good right now. Please spread it around, as it’s a good message, and as ever I rely on you all to be our PR team, music press and hype machine. Thank you, as ever!’
The video is HERE – please share it about on your Facebooks and your Twitters and your everything elses.
As this is Chris’s 40th birthday, there are a strictly limited – to 40, natch – copies of the handwritten lyrics to ‘Happy’ over on the EM MusicGlue page. Please note, these can’t be bundled with any other orders (because they are sent out separate from the other EM stuff).
Credits for both songs:
All music and words written by Chris Catalyst.
Drums by Hayden Scott.
Everything else by Chris.
Produced by Dave Draper. Twitter: @voltadave
Mastered by Dave Archbold for Kapow! Audio.
Artwork by Ana Valdez. www.anavaldez.com / Instagram: @badddcat
Video by Ash Pears for AshTV. AshTV independent music video production
Thank you as ever.
X
All the info for it is over there. Please share it about on your social media and so on, as ever you are my PR company and record label and radio stations, so the more you can get it about the more people will get to hear it, and I will be able to carry on doing it!
There’s a new/old blog post with some info about it at the end. I did these blogs on my various tours over the second half of last year and am sort of drip feeding them as (a) I didn’t know how to put them online then and (b) I’m aiming to bring it up to date by the end of my Pledge Campaign thing.
Speaking of the Pledge Campaign thing… I’m thinking Sunday 8th January, or Tuesday 10th January to launch that. Check back soon for confirmation. And/or check on social media, you know the script.
Happy new year to you all – hope it’s a great one for you – after the ups and downs of 2016, I am determined to make this year the greatest of all time.
Thank you as ever.
X