Catch (band)

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Catch

| image = Catch (band).jpg

| caption = Catch in Bangkok, Thailand in 1997

| image_size =

| alias =

| origin = London, England

| genre = indie pop, Britpop[http://britpopnews.com/remember-catch/ "Remember Catch?"], Britpop News, 8 January 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2019.

| years_active = 1997–1999

| label = Virgin

| associated_acts =

| website =

| current_members = Toby Slater
Wayne Murray
Ben Etchells

}}

Catch were an English indie pop band consisting of singer and keyboardist Toby Slater, bassist Wayne Murray and guitarist Ben Etchells. The band were signed to Virgin Records and released two singles - "Bingo", which reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart, and "Dive In", which reached No. 44.{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 98}} The band released one self-titled album, which was only issued in Indonesia.

History

Catch descended from Toby Slater's first band Brattish, who were active in 1994–95. Brattish rehearsed the Catch material extensively, paid for by interested A&R men, but never gigged. Slater also was a driving-force behind the Romo movement, DJing at Soho's Arcadia at L'Equippe Anglais and Madame Jojo's in the autumn/winter of 1995. Melody Maker reported that an eleven track demo tape of Brattish, featuring a heavily synth/electro sound, was circulating among an elite handful at Arcadia/Club Skinny at the time.Romo: The Next Generation: Brattish, Romo special feature, Melody Maker 25 November 1995 page 17

The release of debut single "Bingo" saw the band appearing on Top of the Pops, Light Lunch, The Paul Ross Show (performing three songs live), The Jack Docherty Show and various Saturday morning UK TV shows. "Bingo" was also being shown on the ITV Chart Show when ITN interrupted programming to report on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGj5uHX0wlo YouTube footage of ITV's Breaking News] Slater also presented some shows on MTV around this time.

The band's debut album was rush released in Indonesia due to the band's sudden popularity there, and they visited Jakarta for a promotional tour and performed acoustically for fans.

The album was delayed in the UK due to Slater being unhappy with it at the time, however the band split up prior to it being released in any form in the UK. A working title was believed to have been Victim Support.

Post-split

Following the split of Catch, Slater moved to Los Angeles and began pursuing a solo career. Returning to London, he formed a group featuring former members of the UK band Salamanda, and began recording and gigging, under his own name. The Toby Slater Band released one single, "Consumption", and other songs that were made available online via Slater's own website and via the fledgling Napster file sharing service, on which Slater was a featured artist during August 2000.{{cite web|author=Brad King |url=https://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2001/03/42609 |title=Napster: Artists Getting Screwed |publisher=Wired.com |accessdate=2013-02-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113150811/http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2001/03/42609 |archivedate=13 November 2012 |df=dmy }}

Slater had written, recorded and released music with a band, initially under the name Kunta Kinte and subsequently as Tough Love. He was also involved in the White Mischief series of steampunk entertainment events based predominantly in London.{{cite web |url=http://steampunkchronicle.com/ArticleView/tabid/238/ArticleId/141/Steaming-in-London-at-White-Mischiefs-Ghost-in-the-Machine.aspx |title=Steaming in London at White Mischief's Ghost in the Machine |publisher=Steampunkchronicle.com |date=2011-11-29 |accessdate=2013-02-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908111119/http://steampunkchronicle.com/ArticleView/tabid/238/ArticleId/141/Steaming-in-London-at-White-Mischiefs-Ghost-in-the-Machine.aspx |archivedate=8 September 2013 |df=dmy }}

Wayne Murray is now a touring guitarist for the Manic Street Preachers and fronts a music project named Boy Cried Wolf.{{cite web | url=https://www.nme.com/news/manic-street-preachers/51322 | title=Manic Street Preachers guest on newcomer Boy Cried Wolf's EP | publisher=NME | accessdate=5 April 2014}} Ben Etchells is a sound engineer at Live Sound Training.

Toby Slater died on 13 December 2021 at the age of 42.{{cite web | url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/toby-slater-of-britpop-band-catch-has-died-3122727 | title=Toby Slater of Britpop band Catch has died | website=NME | date=20 December 2021 }}