Editing Catatonia (band) (section)

==History==
===Formation (1992)===
The story that Catatonia were formed after [[Mark Roberts (singer)|Mark Roberts]] spotted [[Cerys Matthews]] [[busking]] in [[Cardiff]] in 1992 was an invention for the media in order to give the band a newsworthy biography. While the duo did go busking, they did not meet this way.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=34}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roberts|first1=Andy|title=Cool to be Cerys once more|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/southeastwales/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8059000/8059195.stm|publisher=BBC South East Wales|date=20 May 2009|access-date=2 April 2016}}</ref> Matthews had been a fan of Roberts' previous band [[Y Cyrff]].{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=35}} They began dating as well as writing songs together at the end of 1991.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=41}}<ref name=goodlife/> For five years after this they remained in the relationship, many aspects of this being played out publicly in their lyrics.<ref name=goodlife>{{cite news| url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,958691,00.html | work=[[The Guardian]]| title=The Good Life|first=Siobhan|last=Grogan| date=19 May 2003|access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> They took the name of the band from Matthews' experience working in a mental health facility as well as the novel ''[[The Doors of Perception]]'' by [[Aldous Huxley]]. They believed it to mean a sense of extreme pleasure and sleep, and wrote the song "[[Sweet Catatonia]]", subsequently naming the band after the song. As Sweet Catatonia, Matthews and Roberts recorded a series of demos at the city centre youth project in Cardiff, nicknamed "Grassroots".{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=42}}

Roberts and Matthews routinely encountered [[Owen Powell]] during this time, who played guitar in the band Colour 45. Both bands entered a band competition to play at the [[Cardiff Bay]] Music Fiesta, and while Colour 45 came tenth and was given a place on the bill, Sweet Catatonia placed 45th. Roberts and Matthews hired a drummer, Stephen "Frog" Jenkins from the band U Thant, and continued to record bilingual [[Welsh language|Welsh]]/English tracks. The band began to play live, with Matthews and Roberts busking to support their income. They were spotted by the girlfriend of the lead singer of the band [[The Pooh Sticks]], who thought that Matthews would make a good female voice for the group. But after seeing Sweet Catatonia perform, the band members did not agree and so Matthews remained with Catatonia. Further recordings were made, with [[Guto Pryce]] joining the trio. This session included the track "Gyda Gwen" which attracted the attention of Rhys Mwyn at Crai Records.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=43–47}}

===The Crai EPs, "Whale", and "Bleed" (1993–95)===
The band line up changed as they signed to Crai, with Jenkins and Pryce departing for other projects. Mwyn arranged for Matthews and Roberts to be joined by [[Dafydd Ieuan]] on drums, former [[Y Cyrff]] member Paul Jones on bass, and Londoner Clancy Pegg (who had befriended Roberts and Matthews after moving to Cardiff) on keyboards. It was at this point that the band shortened its name to "Catatonia". Mwyn used his contacts to get Catatonia onto Welsh language television, and strove to move their live performances away from Cardiff so that they were not simply playing in front of their regulars the entire time. They had their first overseas gigs in Germany, support Mwyn in his [[punk music|punk]] band [[Yr Anhrefn|Anrhefn]]. Catatonia were hired by political party [[Plaid Cymru]] to headline a Welsh language concert at [[Builth Wells]] in August 1993, but they performed in both Welsh and English.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=49–51}}

Despite being signed to Crai, this was more as promoter than as a record label itself. It was only when Roberts suggested that Catatonia record some [[extended play]]s (EPs) after two months with the label that Mwyn made the arrangements.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=53}}<ref name="tomboy"/> The first, entitled ''[[For Tinkerbell]]'', had a cover photo taken by Roberts and Matthews' housemate Roland Dafis.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=53}} Mwyn successfully got the record on [[BBC Radio 1]] after sending a copy to radio presenter [[Mark Radcliffe (radio broadcaster)|Mark Radcliffe]]. After [[Iestyn George]] heard the release, the journalist named it as the record of the week for the magazine ''[[NME (magazine)|NME]]''.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=54}} ''For Tinkerbell'' contained some early tracks, including a version of "Sweet Catatonia".<ref name="moreroadrage">{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=More Road Rage|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/658|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=20 October 1998}}</ref> Matthews later explained that while she had liked the songs on the EP, she felt that she was not good at performing live at the time.<ref name="tomboy">{{cite news|last1=Dingwall|first1=John|title=Tomboy Jones|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60608243.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504201455/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60608243.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2016|access-date=2 April 2016|work=Daily Record|date=30 January 1998|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> They signed to Nursery Records to release the single "Bleed".{{sfn | Buckley| 2003 | p=179}} Catatonia's first national interview was published following the release of "For Tinkerbell", a 300-word piece appearing in ''[[Melody Maker]]''.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=56}}

They held their first London gigs in support of the EP, under the advice of George and [[The Pooh Sticks]] lead singer Hue Williams. After warm-up gigs in Cardiff and [[Birmingham]], the London performance took place at the Samuel Beckett [[pub]] in [[Stoke Newington]] on 13 November 1993 alongside Anrehfn and [[Margi Clarke]]. Further Welsh radio and television appearances followed, as did an interview for ''NME''. When George arrived for the interview, Matthews asked if he'd be interested in becoming the band's manager. He politely declined, saying that he did not have the experience.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=57–60}} On 19 and 20 February 1994, the band's follow-up EP, ''Hooked'' was recorded in [[Llandwrog]], [[Gwynedd]], and produced by [[Ken Nelson (British record producer)|Ken Nelson]] who they had met on Radio Wales. A performance was set up at [[The Falcon, Camden]] the Splash Club in London where several music executives were to be present. The band drove down from Cardiff in a [[Ford Transit]] with their equipment and then spent the afternoon drinking. Just prior to going out on stage, they began taking [[cocaine]], the result of which was a terrible performance later lamented by Roberts. The trip became a sobering experience, as they made no money from it and were only paid £50 for a gig at [[Kingston University]] a day later. Matthews later recalled that they'd needed to borrow money from a fan to pay the toll on the [[Severn Bridge]] on the way back to Cardiff.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=69–71}}

The band returned to the Falcon, where they played a still shambolic, but better gig in front of record executives.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=73}} Meanwhile, George had put the band in touch with their first manager, Richard Lowe from MRM management.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=77}} They made further appearances on Welsh television to support the release of ''Hooked'' in May,{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=79}} but another drunken performance followed, this time in [[Newport, Wales|Newport]].{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=81}} MRM sent them on a short tour in France during the second week of May, and then started their first UK wide support tour to the band [[Salad (band)|Salad]]. When due to perform at the Cnapan Music Festival in Wales on 2 July, the band ran into some difficulties. The security team refused to let Matthews in as they did not recognise her. It was only after the intervention of one of the fans of the band, actor [[Rhys Ifans]], that she was allowed in.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=85–86}}

Mwyn departed the band when the band's time with Crai came to an end, and a few weeks later MRM sought to remove Pegg, leaving it to Matthews to tell her. Pegg was upset, and refused to discuss it with journalists.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=89–91}} After her departure, the single "[[Whale (song)|Whale]]" was published on the [[Rough Trade Records]] label. The band had rushed to record it, having only been given a month's notice by the label that one of their songs would be released as a single in September 1994. "Whale" was named the ''NME'' single of the week, as ''For Tinkerbell'' had been the previous year. The band appeared in the mainstream press for two incidents, the first was when they were thrown off a train at [[Swindon]] as they were travelling to London after arguing with a train guard about [[punk rock]], and the other when they swore at the bouncers in Welsh at the [[Camden Underworld|Underworld]] club in [[Camden Town|Camden]] and were banned.{{sfn | Owens | 2000 | pp=93–96}} A further single, "Bleed" was recorded the following November,{{sfn | Owens | 2000 | p=102}} and was released in February 1995 on Nursery Records. [[Geoff Travis]], who had released "Whale" for his Rough Trade Records, offered the band £350,000 to sign for [[Blanco y Negro Records]], a subsidiary of [[Warner Bros. Records]]. They duly signed.{{sfn | Owens | 2000 | pp=107–110}}

===''Way Beyond Blue'' (1996)===
The band began work on a debut album, alongside producer Paul Sampson. Ieuan introduced Sampson to [[Aled Richards]], who later replaced him as Catatonia's drummer when Ieuan left to join the [[Super Furry Animals]].{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=111}} The label wanted to market the band, and so at some expense, had photographer [[Gered Mankowitz]] conduct a photoshoot with Matthews. She, the band and their management all hated the photos, but the label wanted to use them in order not to write the cost off as a loss. In order to have some photos, a series of black and white photos of Matthews drinking a bottle of wine while wearing a [[Pepsi]] T-shirt were taken by one of the press agency staff. Warner Bros liked the images and authorised their use.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=116–117}} The band had a recording session at [[Sawmills Studios]], [[Cornwall]], which saw some disagreements during recording between Matthews and Roberts. Afterwards, Sampson was removed as producer following a row over the arrangement for "Sweet Catatonia".{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=119–121}}

Music reviewers responded with surprise when the band began to perform live while sober. Meanwhile, the release of "Sweet Catatonia" as a single was pushed back to January 1996 due to the issues with finding a new producer.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=122–123}} The first time subsequent producer [[Stephen Street]] met the band was when they arrived to record at the Maison Rouge Studios in London. They found working with him far easier than Sampson, as Matthews later explained that he took their ideas into account. Ieuan left during the recording of the album to join Super Furry Animals, and was subsequently replaced by Aled Richards. They returned to live performances after completing the recording of the album,{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=125–127}} and decided to actively look for a second guitarist. They ultimately hired Colour 45's Owen Powell, who by this time was working as a music technician for the Super Furry Animals, to this role.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=128}}
[[file:Cerys Matthews - Cambridge Festival 2006.jpg|thumb|right|Cerys Matthews ''(pictured in 2006)'' and Mark Roberts broke up after the release of ''Way Beyond Blue'']]
As they prepared for the album, they released a special release for the Catatonia fanclub which had formed after "Bleed". Containing "Blow the Millenium, Blow" and "Beautiful Sailor", the [[vinyl record]] was sent to all members. The following month, on 18 January 1996, "Sweet Catatonia" was released.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=132–134}} It became the first Catatonia single to reach the [[UK singles chart]], peaking at 61st position.<ref name="ukcharts" /> MRM sought to expand the profile of the band in Europe, publishing the compilation ''[[The Sublime Magic of Catatonia]]''.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=137}} The band toured the UK, supported by [[Liverpool]]-based band [[Space (English band)|Space]],{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=144}} and while touring "[[Lost Cat (song)|Lost Cat]]" was released on 22 April. It just missed out on the top 40, reaching 41st position. As part of the tour, they appeared at several music festivals that year including [[Reading Festival|Reading]], [[Phoenix Festival|Phoenix]] and at [[Madstock!]] 3 in London.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=147–149}}

Catatonia began to get radio exposure with the single "[[You've Got a Lot to Answer For]]", which entered the top 40 for the first time in September 1996.{{sfn | Buckley| 2003 | p=179}}<ref name=ukcharts/> After several delays, the album ''[[Way Beyond Blue]]'' was released on 30 September. There were 12 tracks, several of which had appeared on previous EPs and as b-sides to singles.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=152}} On the background of the successful album, there were problems behind the scenes. Matthew's and Robert's relationship broke down, with Roberts ending it and seeing someone else within days. The duo sought to keep the band together despite the problems, and they found a way to continue working together.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=157}} Warner Bros. Records had intended to release "Lost Cat" from ''Way Beyond Blue'' in the United States, but due to problems at the record label this did not occur.<ref>{{cite news|title=Label misses chance to distribute hit song|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wb1IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5oEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1515,8597195&dq=international-velvet+catatonia&hl=en|access-date=2 April 2016|newspaper=The New York Times|date=14 August 1998}}</ref>

===''International Velvet'' (1997–98)===
While Roberts sought to begin work on a second album, they began to tour with fellow Welsh band [[The Manic Street Preachers]] as a support act, and the label released the compilation ''[[Tourist EP]]'' in Japan.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=162–163}} They began recording demos for a new album in Cardiff at the start of January 1997. The subject matter was mostly based on the stories coming out of Roberts and Matthews' breakup. They booked in a recording session for the second album in June, at the [[Monnow Valley Studio]] in [[Rockfield, Monmouthshire]]. In the run up to the recording, they performed for the first time in the United States, supporting [[The Boo Radleys]] in New York. They went on to perform in [[Austin, Texas]] and in Los Angeles during March. The following month, they conducted a ten-night tour of the UK, in which songs such as "[[Mulder and Scully (song)|Mulder and Scully]]" made their first public appearances.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=167–169}}

As they worked on the album, Catatonia feared that they were about to be dropped by their record label, which they summed up in the song "That's All Folks". Further references to difficulties with Warner Bros were included in "[[I Am the Mob]]", but they preferred working with producer [[TommyD]] on the production than they had with those on ''Way Beyond Blue''.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=176-178}} The first single off the album had intended to be "Mulder and Scully", but the label insisted that "I Am the Mob" was released instead. As with previous works, this was delayed, and Catatonia performed at festivals during the summer of 1997 while they waited for the release. They were booked for the [[Glastonbury Festival]], but upon arriving they were told their spot had been cancelled.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=180}} Matthews continued to get the band mentioned in the gossip columns of newspapers due to her drunken behaviour.{{sfn | Buckley| 2003 | p=179}} One example followed an incident at a party celebrating the victory of the yes vote in the [[1997 Welsh devolution referendum]], as when asked how she felt about the result, she responded "What we want to know is who is going to shag [[Siân Lloyd]]?" Lloyd subsequently launched legal action, but accepted an apology from Matthews.<ref>{{cite news|title=TV Sian in storm at sex 'slur'|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-61070168.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504203432/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-61070168.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2016|access-date=2 April 2016|work=Daily Mirror|date=27 September 1997|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>

The new album was further delayed as Warner Bros ordered the removal of the six-minute-long anti-Warner track "That's All Folks". Meanwhile, work continued on "I Am The Mob" with a video shoot directed by [[Kevin Allen (actor)|Kevin Allen]].{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=183}} The single was released on 6 October and entered the top 40 for a single week in the 40th position. Catatonia found their roles reversed shortly afterwards, performing as the support act to Space after the Liverpudlians had a series of top 20 singles. They finished off the year with a tour of their own, originally aimed to support the new album, but this was still being held back by the label.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | pp=186–187}} Warners replaced "That's All Folks" with "My Selfish Gene", and agreed to release "Mulder and Scully" in January 1998 and ''[[International Velvet (album)|International Velvet]]'' some two weeks later.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=189}}

"Mulder and Scully" launched them into the mainstream public consciousness when it was released on 19 January 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cerys Matthews: Rise of a Star.|url=http://galenet.galegroup.com.www2.lib.ku.edu:2048/servlet/BCRC?srchtp=adv&c=1&ste=31&tbst=tsVS&tab=2&aca=nwmg&bConts=2&RNN=A92765353&docNum=A92765353&locID=ksstate_ukans|access-date=28 June 2012|newspaper=Europe Intelligence Wire|date=22 September 2002|url-access=subscription}}</ref>{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=193}} It entered the charts at number 3;<ref name="catatoniabiography">{{cite web|title=Catatonia|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/catatonia/pages/biography.shtml|publisher=BBC Wales|access-date=2 April 2016}}</ref> the highest position a single by Catatonia would ever achieve.<ref name="ukcharts" /> ''International Velvet'' became the breakout album for the band, charting at number one in the [[UK Album Charts]].<ref name="catatoniabiography" /> The album sold more than 900,000 copies in 22 months, being certified triple platinum by the [[British Phonographic Industry]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Certified Awards – Certification Levels |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certification-levels.aspx |publisher=BPI |access-date=2 April 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124102159/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certification-levels.aspx |archive-date=24 January 2013}}</ref> ''International Velvet'' was nominated for the [[Mercury Music Prize]] 1998,<ref>{{cite web|title=Albums of the Year: 1998|url=http://www.mercuryprize.com/aoty/shortlist.php?Year=1998|publisher=Mercury Prize|access-date=29 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915091823/http://www.mercuryprize.com/aoty/shortlist.php?Year=1998|archive-date=15 September 2013}}</ref> which was awarded to [[Gomez (band)|Gomez]] for ''[[Bring It On (Gomez album)|Bring It On]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mercury Rising: Gomez Win '98 Album Prize|url=http://www.nme.com/news/gomez/519|access-date=2 April 2016|newspaper=NME|date=17 August 1998}}</ref>

Of the five singles released from the album, "[[Road Rage (Catatonia song)|Road Rage]]" became the most critically acclaimed, being nominated for [[Brit Award for Song of the Year|best single]] at both the [[Ivor Novello Awards]] and the [[Brit Awards 1999|Brit Awards]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wright|first1=Matthew|title=Matthew Wright at the British Awards: The Winners|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60391168.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504201315/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60391168.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2016|access-date=1 April 2016|work=Daily Mirror|date=17 February 1999|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wright|first1=Matthew|title=Matthew Wright's Column: Ivor Novello Songwriting Awards: Moody Matty|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60383663.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504201309/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60383663.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2016|access-date=1 April 2016|work=Daily Mirror|date=28 May 1999|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> while winning in that category at the [[Q Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wright|first1=Matthew|title=Matthew Wright's column: Wales – and moans|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60622067.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504201504/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60622067.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2016|access-date=1 April 2016|work=Daily Mirror|date=31 October 1998|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Despite this, it did not chart as high as "Mulder and Scully", reaching number 5 on the [[UK Singles Charts]]. The subsequent releases "[[Strange Glue]]" and "[[Game On (song)|Game On]]" did not get into the top ten, reaching number 11 and number 33 respectively.<ref name=ukchart>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/32451/catatonia/ |title=Catatonia |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=2 April 2016}}</ref>

The title track of the album, "International Velvet", featuring the line "Every day when I wake up I thank the Lord I'm Welsh" and Welsh language verses, received additional attention from the media. Matthews explained in an interview that she wanted to turn to invert the idea of being Welsh from an apparent negative into a positive, "We're not seen to be very good at anything. Our [[Wales national football team|football team]] is shit. The song is saying, despite all these things, I still wake up in the morning and thank the Lord that I'm Welsh. Hopefully, by now people realise that Wales is brimmed full of talent and we're great people with massive brains."<ref name="tomboy"/> In front of 70,000 spectators, Catatonia performed "International Velvet" at the opening ceremony of the [[1999 Rugby World Cup]] in the [[Millennium Stadium]] in Cardiff.<ref>{{cite news|title=World Cup kicks off in style|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/rugby_world_cup/461052.stm|access-date=2 April 2016|work=BBC News|date=1 October 1999}}</ref> The album became the first to be released for Catatonia in the United States, but failed to chart. ''[[The Washington Post]]'' called it "overlooked".<ref name=abroad>{{cite news|last=Jenkins|first=Mark|title=Welsh Band Catatonia: Internationalists Abroad|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/03/29/catatonia-time-to-wake-america/ff59b596-50ed-4ee6-8223-98bd626b610b/|access-date=2 April 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=9 August 1998}}</ref>

===''Equally Cursed and Blessed'' (1999–2000)===
Following the success of ''International Velvet'', and the heavy touring that followed, the band were pleased to return to the [[Monnow Valley Studio]] to record a third studio album.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=213}} On the recommendation of TommyD, the band had been recording sample tracks onto a DPS12 [[hard disk recorder]] in their tour bus while on an American tour and they returned to Monnow Valley to record them properly.<ref name="sos">{{cite news|title=TOMMY D: Recording Catatonia's 'Dead From The Waist Down'|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may99/articles/tracks.htm|access-date=15 April 2016|work=Sound on Sound|date=May 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412213847/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may99/articles/tracks.htm|archive-date=12 April 2016}}</ref> The band felt less pressure on them for the new album, due to the success of ''International Velvet'' and because they no longer feared being dropped by the label.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=214}}

In January 1999, the band announced their new album, ''[[Equally Cursed and Blessed]]''. The title was taken from a line from "She's A Millionaire", a song on the album. Preceded by the first single, "[[Dead from the Waist Down]]" on 22 March, ''Equally Cursed and Blessed'' was released on 12 April.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Catatonia: Kung Fu and Curses|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/1015|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=25 January 1999}}</ref> The album, like ''International Velvet'', reached the top spot in the UK charts. Catatonia were so popular at the time that in April 1999, ''Way Beyond Blue'', ''International Velvet'' and ''Equally Cursed and Blessed'' were all in the top 40 of the [[UK Albums Chart]].{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=229}} But, the singles from ''Equally Cursed and Blessed'' did not repeat the success seen in the previous album.<ref name="catatoniabiography" /> "Dead From The Waist Down" ended up becoming the final single by Catatonia to reach the top ten in the singles charts, getting to number seven in the UK singles charts. "[[Londinium (Catatonia song)|Londinium]]" reached number 20, while "[[Karaoke Queen]]" barely entered the top 40 at number 36.<ref name="ukchart" />

In May, they played two outdoor concerts at the [[Llangollen]] International Pavilion in front of 6,000 people on successive days.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://link2wales.co.uk/1999/gigreviews/catatonia-gorkys-zygotic-mynci-llangollen-eisteddfod-field/|title = CATATONIA / GORky's ZYGOTIC MYNCI – Llangollen Eisteddfod Field – link2wales.co.uk| date=22 May 1999 }}</ref> This was a warm up to their largest concert so far, held at [[Margam Country Park]] near [[Port Talbot]]. Guitarist Powell stated the importance of the Llangollen performances, as North Wales was the first place where the crowd had sung along to their songs. Matthews added that Margam Park was chosen as no-one had ever held a concert there before.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Welsh Assembled|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/1424|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=27 April 1999}}</ref>

Catatonia supported [[R.E.M.]] on two European dates in June; there was an incident at [[Kindl-Bühne Wuhlheide]], Berlin, when Matthews ran on the stage during the R.E.M. performance to kiss bassist [[Mike Mills]]. It was later attributed to her having drunk a bottle of wine.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me|url=http://www.nme.com/news/mogwai/1609|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=8 June 1999}}</ref> The band had wanted to release "Karaoke Queen" as the second single off the album, but the record label forced them to release "Londinium" instead. Matthews was also equally angry that the cost for the video for the single was higher than the cost to produce the entire album.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Cerys: We Hate 'Londinium'|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/1735|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=29 June 1999}}</ref> A month later, Barry Cawley, who had been a [[roadie]] for the band since it originally formed, was killed in a road accident in [[North Wales]]. Cawley had been cycling when he was killed by a driver in a [[Fiat Punto]]. Roberts explained prior to the funeral that the roadie had helped keep Matthews' "feet on the ground".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Cerys Heartbroken over Roadie's Death|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/4012|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=31 July 2000}}</ref>

The band attempted to break into the United States once more with ''Equally Cursed and Blessed''. The album release included two tracks from ''International Velvet'', including "Road Rage".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jenkins|first1=Mark|title=Catatonia: Time to Wake America|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-504067.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505122258/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-504067.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2016|access-date=1 April 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=29 March 2000|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> They had been scheduled to make appearances on American television shows such as ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'' and conduct interviews with the media. But after drummer Richards was taken to hospital in the UK with [[appendicitis]], it was abandoned and the rest of the band returned to the UK. Richards had remained in the UK and was due to join them a day and a half later. Rumours began to appear in the press that the band was about to break up, but a band spokesman stated that the intention was to return to the States later in the year.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Catatonia Can't Stomach the States|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/3191|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=2 May 2000}}</ref> Performances did take place in Japan, Australia and New Zealand.{{sfn | Owens| 2000 | p=247}}

===''Paper Scissors Stone'' and dissolution (2001)===
The band took a break from performing live between the [[NetAid]] charity concert in October 1999 and 2001. They returned to the stage for a further charity gig on 28 April, in support of [[Unison]]'s campaign for a living wage at the [[Manchester Evening News Arena]]. Matthews said prior to the performance that "It's a cause I think's really important and it just seemed to be the right time for us to come back – it's a long, long time since we played live. It should be really great. We're really looking forward to what they (the new songs) are going to sound like live. It'll be good to get back on the old live circuit again." They played several tracks from their upcoming album, at that point entitled ''It's What's Not There That Makes What's There What It Is''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Catatonia's Wage Rage|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/6576|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=20 February 2001}}</ref> By May, it had been renamed to ''[[Paper Scissors Stone (album)|Paper Scissors Stone]]''. Matthews was looking forward to the new releasing, explaining to ''NME'' that "I think it's stronger than the last album, a bit more [[Avant-garde|avant garde]]!...It's a bit less stupid. [''Equally Cursed and Blessed''] was all over the shop stylistically, I think it's a bit more focused. And I think it's a bit more impassioned".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Stone Me! A New Catatonia Album|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/7725|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=11 May 2001}}</ref>

Catatonia went on to headline the ''NME'' stage at the [[T in the Park 2001|T in the Park]] festival on 7 July, having conducted a warm up concert at [[The Lighthouse, Glasgow]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Catatonia: Glasgow Lighthouse|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/5379|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=12 September 2005}}</ref> The lead single from the new album, "[[Stone by Stone (song)|Stone by Stone]]", was poorly received by the media with ''NME'' giving it a score of one out of ten, calling it "lumpen, the voice grating" and that Catatonia are "fading from the public consciousness quicker than [[Shane Ritchie]]" and "awkwardly out of date".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mark|first1=Timothy|title=Catatonia: Stone by Stone|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-nme-5469-343709|access-date=2 April 2016|date=12 September 2005}}</ref> On the other hand, Andy Gill of ''[[The Independent]]'' felt the song is the "closest they come" to a hook "as memorable as" their erstwhile hits.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gill |first=Andy |title=Album: Catatonia |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-catatonia-9131514.html |work=[[The Independent]] |access-date=26 April 2020 |date=3 August 2001}}</ref>

The media reported that Matthews entered [[drug rehabilitation]] for drinking and smoking in mid-2001, with the singer stating that she was also suffering from depression.<ref name="splitupbbc"/> As a result, the tour to support ''Paper Scissors Stone'' was cancelled at the start of August. At the time this was because Matthews had not yet finished her "ongoing treatment for anxiety and exhaustion".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Catatonia Cancel UK Tour|url=http://www.nme.com/news/catatonia/8980|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=15 August 2001}}</ref> It was suggested that the band might split up in August, which was dismissed as "rubbish" by Catatonia. However, on 21 September it was announced that they were breaking up with the record label releasing a statement which said "Their decision has been made entirely amicably, and there are no details at present as to their future plan".<ref name="splitupbbc">{{cite news|title=Troubled Catatonia split up|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1556250.stm|access-date=2 April 2016|work=BBC News|date=21 September 2001}}</ref>

Tributes came in for the band from a variety of sources, with [[BBC Radio 1]] presenter [[Huw Stephens]] describing them as "international superstars", and adding "I always thought they were one of the best Welsh bands. They were not just a throwaway pop band – they had real, meaningful songs." [[Iestyn George]], editor of the magazine [[Maxim (magazine)|''Maxim'']] at the time, praised the influence that Matthews had through Catatonia in the later 1990s, saying that "Around 1998 and 1999, Cerys was in the papers every other day". He also referenced that she had never intended this role as Catatonia had thought that they had already peaked prior to ''International Velvet''.<ref name="splitupbbc"/>

===Post-dissolution (2002–present)===
Matthews went on to release her first solo album, ''[[Cockahoop]]'', in May 2003.<ref name="catatoniabiography" /> Her second album ''[[Never Said Goodbye]]'' was released in August 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cerys Matthews – Never Said Goodbye|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/cerys-matthews/pages/never_said_goodbye.shtml|publisher=BBC Wales|access-date=2 April 2016|date=2 January 2009}}</ref> In November 2007 she released a mini-album of Welsh language songs ''Awyren=Aeroplane'' on the My Kung Fu label.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cerys Matthews – Awyren = Aeroplane|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/cerys-matthews/pages/awyren.shtml|publisher=BBC Wales|access-date=2 April 2016|date=2 January 2009}}</ref> Matthews returned in late 2009 by releasing albums simultaneously in both Welsh and English (''Paid Edrych I Lawr'' and ''[[Don't Look Down (Cerys Matthews album)|Don't Look Down]]'', respectively).<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Brien|first1=Jon|title=Don't Look Down – Cerys Matthews|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-look-down-mw0001334592|website=AllMusic|access-date=2 April 2016}}</ref>
Her next album Explorer released in 2011 inbetween the release of two Welsh cover albums TIR in 2010 & Hullabaloo in 2013. Since 2008 she has thrived as a music radio host: an award winning BBC Radio programmer and broadcaster including radio academy awards , the Prix Italia and Prix Europa . Cerys currently has 2 weekly radio shows on BBC, which she programmes and hosts: BBC Radio 2 's Blues show and a multi-genre  BBC Radio 6 music Sunday show , 10-1pm .
Powell has gone on to write songs, including for [[Duffy (singer)|Duffy]],<ref>{{cite news|title=20 Songs With Surprising Writers|url=http://www.nme.com/photos/20-songs-with-surprising-writers/315116#/photo/15|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=16 June 2011}}</ref> and from 2007 onwards has presented a Welsh language show on [[Radio Cymru]].<ref name="catatoniabiography" /> He also replaced drummer [[Stuart Cable]] from the [[Stereophonics]], following his death, in the supergroup The Stand. They released a charity single in 2010 to fund construction of a statue of Welsh footballer [[Fred Keenor]] in Cardiff city centre.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bychawski|first1=Adam|title=Super Furry Animals, Funeral for a Friend members releasing Cardiff City song|url=http://www.nme.com/news/super-furry-animals/53510|access-date=2 April 2016|work=NME|date=21 October 2010}}</ref>

On 17 April 2020, during the [[COVID-19]] pandemic, Matthews confirmed<ref>{{cite news|last1=Matthews|first1=Cerys|title=Tweet on 17 April 2020|url= https://twitter.com/cerysmatthews/status/1251160113513000960|access-date=2 August 2021|work=Twitter|date=17 April 2020}}</ref> that Catatonia were aiming to take part in a #timslisteningparty for ''International Velvet''. A date was announced, but postponed due to an unspecified problem with either Matthews' or Roberts's internet connection. The party remained on timstwitterlisteningparty.com as an upcoming event until the autumn of 2020, when all reference to it was removed.  Matthews did appear as a guest on ''[[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]]' Listening Party'' radio show on [[Absolute Radio]] in 2023, where the album was played in its entirety, marking its 25th anniversary.

On 3 June 2023, Matthews announced on [[Twitter]] that a new retrospective collection of music titled ''Make Hay Not War: The Blanco Y Negro Years'' would be released by [[Cherry Red Records]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Matthews|first1=Cerys|title=Tweet on 03 June 2023|url=https://twitter.com/cerysmatthews/status/1665024533621882881|access-date=14 September 2023|work=Twitter|date=3 June 2023}}</ref>