{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use British English|date=October 2016}} {{refimprove|date=February 2021}} {{About|the British rock band|the Family Guy episode|Family Guy (season 19)}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = The Family Cat | image = | caption = | background = group_or_band | origin = Stoke Newington, London, England | genre = {{hlist|Garage punk|indie rock|garage rock}} | years_active = 1988–1995 | label = {{hlist|Bad Girl|Dedicated|RCA}} | website = | current_members = Paul Frederick<br/>John Graves<br/>Kev Downing<br/>Tim McVay<br/>Steve Jelbert }} '''The Family Cat''' were a British indie rock band, formed in Stoke Newington, London in 1988, although three of the five members were originally from Cornwall, Plymouth and Southampton.
==Career== The band played live for five years and recorded three albums, the mini-album ''Tell 'Em We're Surfin''', (produced by The Jam's drummer Rick Buckler) released on South London independent label Bad Girl Records, and its full-length follow-ups, ''Furthest from the Sun'' and ''Magic Happens'', released by Dedicated Records. The band never quite capitalised on the momentum generated by the success of debut single "Tom Verlaine", which was named 'Single of the Week' by the ''NME'',<ref name="Strong">{{cite book|title=The Great Alternative & Indie Discography|editor-first=Martin C.|editor-last=Strong|year=1999|publisher=Canongate Books|isbn=978-0862419134}}</ref> although the band's final LP, ''Magic Happens'' entered the lower reaches of the UK Albums Chart and "Airplane Gardens", lasted for one week in the UK Singles Chart. The Family Cat placed several singles on the UK Indie Chart including "Steamroller".
Between 1989 and 1992, the band recorded three Peel Sessions at Maida Vale Studios, and were included in John Peel's Festive Fifty in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/t/thefamilycat/|work=BBC Radio 1|title=Keeping it Peel {{!}} Artist A-Z {{!}} The Family Cat|access-date=25 November 2025}}</ref>
They also grabbed headlines by naming one of their songs "Bring Me the Head of Michael Portillo". Their music was melodic and radio friendly, but in spite of critical acclaim the band were unable to reach the heights of Britpop acts Oasis and Blur.
Amongst their cover versions were The Beatles' "Across the Universe", The Rolling Stones' "Rocks Off" and Scott Walker's "Montague Terrace (in Blue)".
In 2013, ''Five Lives Left'', an anthology features four songs from the album that the band started working on but never released, was released on 3 Loop Music.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.3loopmusic.com/the-family-cat-five-lives-left-3/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030814/http://www.3loopmusic.com/the-family-cat-five-lives-left-3/|archive-date=4 March 2016|work=3 Loop Music|title=The Family Cat - Five Lives Left|date=26 November 2012}}</ref>
==Members== *Paul Frederick – (guitar, vocals) *Stephen Jelbert – (lead guitar) *Tim McVay – (guitar) *John Graves – (bass guitar) *Kevin Downing – (drums)
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album ! <small>''Billboard'' 200</small> ! <small>UK Albums Chart<ref name="Roberts">{{cite book | title=British Hit Singles & Albums | editor-first=David | editor-last=Roberts | edition=19th | year=2006 | publisher=Guinness World Records | location=London | isbn=978-1904994107 | page= 194}}</ref></small> ! <small>Top Digital Albums</small> ! <small>UK Indie Chart<ref name="Lazell">{{cite book | title=Indie Hits 1980-1999 | first=Barry | last=Lazell | year=2000 | publisher=Cherry Red Books | isbn=978-0951720691}}</ref></small> ! Label |- | 1989 | ''Tell 'Em We're Surfin'' | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | Badgirl |- | 1992 | ''Furthest from the Sun'' | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| 55 | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| |rowspan="2"| Dedicated Records |- | 1994 | ''Magic Happens'' | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| 84 | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| |- | 2013 | ''Five Lives Left (An Anthology)'' | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| | 3 Loop Music |}
===Singles/EPs=== *"Tom Verlaine" (1989) Bad Girl (7-inch flexi-disc/12-inch) (UK Indie No. 6)<ref name="Lazell"/> *"Remember What It Is that You Love" (1990) Bad Girl *"Place With a Name" (1990) Bad Girl *"Colour Me Grey" (1991) Bad Girl *"Jesus Christ" (1991) Clawfist *"Steamroller" (1992) Dedicated *"River of Diamonds" (1992) Dedicated *"Airplane Gardens" (1993) Dedicated (UK No. 69)<ref name="Strong"/> *"Springing the Atom" (1993) Dedicated *"Wonderful Excuse" (1994) Dedicated/RCA (UK No. 48)<ref name="Strong"/> *''Goldenbook'' EP (1994) Dedicated/RCA (UK No. 42)<ref name="Strong"/><ref name="Roberts"/>
==After The Family Cat== Steve Jelbert is an arts review writer for ''The Independent''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/author/steve-jelbert|work=The Independent|title=Steve Jelbert {{!}} Reviews|access-date=25 November 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Family Cat, The}} Category:Indie rock groups from London Category:English garage punk groups Category:Musical groups established in 1988 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1995 Category:British jangle pop groups Category:English garage rock groups Category:Dedicated Records artists