Fetchin Bones

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Here’s the Fetchin’ Bones story, how it was for me, Danna.



14 years of intensive violin studies had left me raw for something new - something that would allow me to express myself outside the confines of a teacher and a technique and the proper interpretation of some ancient notes.



My brother and I were students at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1984. He was a senior and I was a freshman.



He introduced me to his friend Sam. Sam played bass and guitar. Sam taught me Little Red Corvette and Rockville on bass. That was it. I was hooked, and I had my instrument.



I went home to Charlotte, NC for Christmas vacation and got a job working as a baker. Aaron worked at the same bakery. Went back to school and a few weeks later my brother said, “Hey, remember Aaron?” “Yea,” I said. “Well, he and Hope have this band and they need a bass player, here’s a tape, they have a gig at the Cat’s Cradle in 3 weeks.”



So, I started picking out the songs on bass by ear. I didn’t even know the names of the bass strings. Never had a rehearsal with the band. Never even met the other band members until sound check the night of the show. We were opening for the Replacements. Who? My life revolved around classical music and I knew little about any other music except for Patti Smith and the Ramones. The gig went off with no problems and the band asked me to play again at the next nights gig opening for the Replacements at The Brewery in Raleigh. That gig was good too and I was in.



That was the beginning of a five-year stay in the band. We recorded four records.

Cabin Flounder was first. I played bass on all but four of the songs on that.

We released it on Danny Beards DB Records out of Atlanta and set off on one of many cross-country tours.



Next Came Bad Pumpkin, our debut release on a major label, Capitol Records. Not my favorite record. An argument sometime after it's release saw Hope, Aaron and myself part ways with Marc and Gary.

We recruited Errol and Clay, finished the songs for Galaxy 500, recorded that and toured more. The touring never ended. We played every weekend and were out for weeks and months at a time. We built a following from many repeat visits to towns all over the country.



Next, we wrote the songs for Monster together as a band and set out for LA to record our first real/professional/commercial record. We did pre- production, basics, over dubs and mixed at several different studios in and around LA in 21/2 months.



Things change, people change, circumstances change. That’s what happened to us.

Shortly after Monster was released, we broke up.



Some highlights for me were touring with REM, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and opening for the B52’s in a huge arena in Long Island, NY; Working with the legendary Ed Stasium; Playing the Grand Ole Opry, and The Staten Island Ferry.



Fetchin’ Bones was an awesome outlet for the built up angst of a childhood in the south. Thanks to all of you fans for making that possible. Great songs deserve to be heard, and that’s what has spurred this reunion tour. It was my brother’s idea and the band agreed. There’s nothing like a sweaty southern drenching of great lyrics bathed in crunchy guitar forced by driving drums and a steady groove.