If it wasn’t clear, the timing of Monday’s post wasn’t random as yesterday marked the official first release of Good Day Father, a new project from Catherine Wheel guitarist Brian Futter featuring vocals from Belly frontwoman Tanya Donelly. So not quite “Judy Staring At The Sun” part two, but certainly very adjacent.
“Sonic Amadea” is the title track of their debut EP, whose three tracks are being rolled out one by one in indeterminate intervals, and while the production is a little on the dry side for the genre, it embraces Futter’s shoegazing roots as he layers guitars on guitars like a man who hasn’t had somewhere to layer guitars for 20 years. And while as a lifelong Belly fan I’m clearly biased, Donelly’s vocals are sonic honey anywhere but so much moreso over some beautiful noise.
It’s certainly an unexpected project. Aside from guesting on a couple tracks on Rob Dickinson’s 2005 solo record Fresh Wine For The Horses and a single album from his 50ft Monster project with CW drummer Neil Sims in 2007, Futter has largely been absent from the public eye beyond the fake Catherine Wheel news site named in his honour. And Donelly, after living la vida doula for many years with only sporadic musical output, dived head first back into things first with her solo Swan Song EPs in 2013 and 2014 and then with the Belly reunion starting in 2016 plus her Parkington Sisters side project – that she would have time for another project is remarkable. But here we are.
Newly arrived shoegaze-centric blog Tape Wounds has an interview with Futter about the project and how he came to work with Donelly on it:
We got to know Tanya and the guys from Belly well through touring; we shared shows and festivals in the US. After Tanya sang on the Catherine Wheel song “Judy Staring at the Sun,” I always had this germ of an idea that it would be great to work on something else with her. I’ve always loved her voice and she is such a great person. After I’d written “Sonic Amadea,” I could hear Tanya’s voice all over it. I bit the bullet and sent it to her; she loved it straight away and Good Day Father was born. The band name, by the way, is the phrase my son Jack uses to get rid of me when he’s bored talking to me on the phone.
Brian Futter, Good Day Father
Q/A with Brian Futter of Catherine Wheel @ Tape Wounds
And later on is an almost throwaway tidbit that Catherine Wheel fans have been waiting for for almost a quarter century – way to bury the lede!
We talk about another tour regularly. 2027 looks promising.
Brian Futter, Good Day Father
Q/A with Brian Futter of Catherine Wheel @ Tape Wounds
So… yeah! He also discusses the project with Louderwire, with a little more detail about their coming release plans:
What are the plans for Good Day Father in 2026?
Alternative and Shoegaze ’90s Stars Form New Band Good Day Father @ LoudWire
To keep doing it. Release the three songs off the EP in 2026 and then do the same from another EP for 2027, Then an album awaits.
And if you’re all about the Futter right now, here’s an old interview with him and Sims about the aforementioned 50ft Monster project.
