| Fetchin Bones | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Fetchin' Bones |
| Origin | Charlotte, North Carolina, USA |
| Genres | Rock |
| Years active | 1983–1990 |
| Labels | DB Records, Capitol |
| Associated acts | Sugarsmack, Snagglepuss, Skeeters |
| Website | http://www.fetchin-bones.com |
| Past members | |
| Hope Nicholls (vocals), Aaron Pitkin (guitar), Danna Pentes (bass and occasional violin), Clay Richardson (drums), Errol Stewart (guitar), Marc Mueller (drums), Gary White (guitar and vocals) | |
Fetchin Bones was a cross-genre rock band from North Carolina. During a five-year career they produced four albums but were most celebrated for their consistently inspired live performances. As one reviewer put it they were "a band that must be seen live for a full grasp of their eclectic frenzy".[1] During numerous tours Fetchin Bones supported such well known acts as R.E.M., the B52s, X and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.[2] Allmusic described the band as "a truly underrated group that didn't hit it big when they should've".[3]
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The band's mixture of blues, punk and country music somewhat baffled critics of the era though Hope Nicholls' "powerhose" vocals were compared to Janis Joplin's in their "dirty intensity".[4] In an 1985 Whistle Test interview with Andy Kershaw Hope herself described her influences as including British bands Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Cocteau Twins.[5] The band's musical dexterity was particularly obvious in their concerts. For example when reports emerged of Hurricane Gloria approaching the Carolinas on the night of a September 1985 Charlotte, North Carolina concert, the band worked up an impromptu version of Van Morrison/Patti Smith classic Gloria just minutes before going on stage. The first three Fetchin Bones records were produced by Don Dixon, and were recorded at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studio and at Reflection Studios in Charlotte. The final album was produced by Ed Stasium in Los Angeles.
By their fourth album the band had pioneered a kind of grunge rock. However this was several years ahead of its time and failed to be a great commercial success.[6]
After Bad Pumpkin, Mueller and White left to form Skeeters, replaced by Richardson and Stewart
Monster was nominated in 1990 for the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package (ie artistic merit/look of an album) though beaten by David Bowie's Sound + Vision (box set)