Cat Black
Perth, Western Australia, Australia | INDIE
Music
Press
It doesn't get much better for a musician than having Eddie Vedder congratulate you on a performance with a hug and demand for CDs.
Except maybe if Pearl Jam frontman Vedder then announces to a crowd of almost 30,000 people that he loves your band.
For musicians living and playing in Perth, it is a pretty unlikely occurrence.
But that's exactly what happened to Cat Black guitarist Ryan Gray on Friday night when Vedder saw his gig at the Hyde Park Hotel in North Perth.
Several Perth bands were playing to a crowd of about 150 people when Vedder popped in with his tour manager, keen to play some pool and relax the night before kicking off Pearl Jam's Australian tour with a gig at Member's Equity Stadium.
Settling in for a drink, Vedder soon realised that the swampy, bluesy, romantic rock sounds produced by the Perth band were to his liking.
Though he had indicated he would stay and watch a couple of songs only, Vedder remained for the entire set and then congratulated the Perth musicians.
"He came up and gave me a hug, asking about my guitar techniques, and said our singer Emma had been great," Gray said.
"Our drummer did the show in stilettos, and he was amazed."
Vedder asked Gray for some CDs so that he could listen to their stuff, but Gray had not brought any Cat Black tunes to the gig with him.
Unfazed, Vedder suggested Gray hand them over the following night at the Pearl Jam gig, which he said the band could watch from backstage.
"We were escorted backstage, had a couple of beers and met Eddie," Gray said.
"He asked for my CDs and said they were really cool. Then he showed me his trailer, which had a futon couch and a closet on wheels full of flannelette T-shirts.
"It has been a very strange weekend. I’m just really happy that he has got my CDs. Hopefully he is going to put it on at home and enjoy."
Vedder told the almost full stadium at the Pearl Jam gig that the Perth music scene was rocking, and he particularly loved Cat Black, The Bible Bashers and The Fags.
It was a huge rap for the local bands that struggle to pull a crowd when they play around Perth. - DAILE PEPPER (WA Today) November 17, 2009
Discography
Love Is Gone (2009)
"Beating Chest" + "Blanket of Stars" - Cellar Sessions Vol 1 (2010)
Photos
Bio
CAT BLACK is a 4 piece band from Perth, Australia who concoct a sexy mélange of swampy garage blues and sweet country sounds in songs of love and dejection. Over the last four years the band have cultivated their sound, live shows and earned the respect of local audiences, fellow musicians and local media alike. Their debut release Love Is Gone (2009) gained the CD of the week spot in Drum Media (see press section) and feature album on Rtr Fm a local community radio station in Perth.
They have supported a wide array of national acts including Melbourne’s Sailors and Swine, The Dead South and Brisbane’s notorious punk rock ‘n’ roll act 6ft Hick. In early February of 2010 Cat Black supported The Stabs (Vic) and also were hand picked to play at The Saint Jerome's Laneway Festival.
In July they recorded a couple of tracks at Cellar Sessions studios to go on a Compilation with other local Perth bands such as Mongrel Country, Bible Bashers and the Travallys which gained national airplay. And couple of months later they supported the likes of the Gin Club (QLD) and Brian Henry Hooper (VIC).
Come 2011 Cat Black are looking forward to putting out a new release and a national tour is on the horizon.
“…sleazy Detroit blues, thunderous drumming and some of the lowest slung bass riffs this side of Chicago all rolled into one under the sultry vocals of singer Emma” – fasterlouder.com.au
“Sometimes when a group kicks off, they are so evidently talented that people automatically start gravitating closer to the stage. Cat Black has this ability and is no secret this is, at least in part, dew to the darkly and captivating vocals of “Emma” – Drum Media
“…unbelievable. I was blown away. Blown the f**k away”.- Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)
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