psychodots News
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For more info on the Cincinnati band psychodots, see the official home page and the FAQ page (includes upcoming gigs).

The Bears emerge from hibernation for late 2001 / early 2002 promotional appearances and performances

The Bears will be making a number of promotional appearances on Tuesday, December 18 2001 in the Cincinnati area. These include: Also, the Bears taped an appearance on the World Cafe radio show, a nationally-syndicated public radio program which can also be heard from their web site, in early December. This interview and live performance is expected to be broadcast in early 2002, probably in January.

And perhaps most notable of all upcoming Bears activity is a tentative, small-scale tour. The word is that there may be a show in Dayton at the Canal Street Tavern, on Wednesday January 30, as reported in the Dayton Daily News but not yet confirmed. Shows in the southeast U.S., including Nashville and Atlanta, are also in the planning stages for Spring 2002.

The Bears web site is the official source for information on these events. Among the goodies there is a recently-added online version of the 1987 video for the Bears song Trust; the video for Aches And Pains and an appearance on a 1987 MTV Thanksgiving special are promised soon.


The Bears' Car Caught Fire named 2001 CEA Album of the Year; Fetters performs at awards show Fetters performs at the show

Car Caught Fire won Album of the Year in the 2001 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (CEA), an annual Cincinnati Awards show sponsored by Cincinnati CityBeat, a weekly alternative newspaper. The awards were presented at a show held Monday November 26 2001 at Old St. George, a former church on the edge of the University of Cincinnati campus. The Album of the Year award is in the Critical Achievement category, meaning it's not decided by election of the general public, as some of the awards are determined. Rob Fetters was one of the featured performers for the show.

The CEAs, which began in 1997, induct an artist or act into their Hall of Fame each year. The Bears were the very first inductees and when they reunited to perform at the awards show it marked their first public performance as the Bears in almost a decade.

Fetters accepts the award with a friend

psychodots play two November 2001 shows

The psychodots "turkey shows" seem to have become an annual tradition, after the band played two gigs in November 2001: Saturday the 10th at Canal Street Tavern in Dayton, and Wednesday the 21st at Southgate House in Newport with the Simpletons opening. Both performances were surprisingly tight considering they came a year after the previous Dots shows, and featured two new songs, Poor Suzette by Chris Arduser and It All Adds Up To Zero by Rob Fetters (these titles may not be exactly correct). Pictures from the Southgate House gig can be seen at the psychodots web site.

Articles on psychodots shows appear in the local media

Local newspapers have printed some articles previewing the psychodots' November 2001 gigs. The Cincinnati Enquirer blurb and two articles (1 and 2) from the Cincinnati Post are available online, as is an article from Cincinnati CityBeat and an inclusion in CityBeat's To Do column. A more expansive article including some humorous Q&A with the band that appeared in the Dayton Impact Weekly paper can be found in Psycho Depot issue #295. There's also a feature on the band at the cincymusic.com site.


Bears news: ABC promo, radio airplay, promotional activity, gig plans

Big happenings from the Bears den! Here's the scoop on several fronts of activity for the band, as posted on the Adrian Belew Yahoo group by Rob Murphree, Bears webmaster, on November 6 2001:

"Here's some news from Rob Fetters that you may find interesting:

Good Ole ABC-TV
ABC Television has picked up the Bears' "Caveman" to use as music behind the Jim Belushi Show promo spots. The spots will appear in the next couple of weeks. If you'll remember, ABC-TV used "Fear Is Never Boring" as background music for "Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place" a few years ago.

Airplay Around the Country
The Bears have enlisted the help of a "Promo" guy to keep us informed of stations around the country who have "Car Caught Fire". I will periodically post the list of stations who have added "Car Caught Fire" to their playlist so you can call them and make requests. This can only help.

The Bears LIVE??!!
The Bears are planning to actually play some live gigs in February 2002! They're having a BIG PROMO DAY in Cincinnati on December 18th and will visit radio stations, Everybody's Records, and will have a party at the Barrel House Brewery that night. They're even making a special "Bear Brew" for the occasion. They are also hoping to do some other radio promos which will be announced at a later date. In the "Little Effort Goes A Long Way" department, Bob and Adrian visited WRLT in Nashville last week. As you may already know, I sent WRLT a copy of Car Caught Fire about a month and a half ago and they've been playing "Under The Volcano" for about a month now.

Future live gigs are in the works and will be announced as dates are confirmed.

Rob Murphree"


The Bears' Car Caught Fire CD more widely available

Car Caught Fire, previously available only by telephone mail order in the U.S. and Canada, can now be purchased from two different web-based merchants, both of whom will ship internationally. These sites are: And by the way, both of these shops also carry psychodots titles, and Not Lame also sells Raisins and Graveblankets CDs.


Graveblankets' Where It Hurts reviewed in national publication

The most recent Graveblankets' album, Where It Hurts, is listed as a "Top 12 Pick For Do-it-yourself Songwriters" and given a positive review in the July/August 2001 issue of The Performing Songwriter magazine, a national publication geared towards professional musicians. The review, which is archived on the Graveblankets web site, goes as follows:

Erstwhile Adrian Belew sideman Chris Arduser has been living in Cincinnati for the past decade, alternating his time as a member of Belew’s power-pop outfit The Bears with his own side projects, The Graveblankets and psychodots. The former combo has had the most success, self-releasing four CDs since 1995. The tracks, laid down by The Graveblankets in Nashville while shopping for a major-label deal, have seen the light of day as Where It Hurts, a charming, intelligent set of folk-based pop-rock.

Mandolin and violin lend color and shape to warm mid-to-uptempo ballads like "You're Gonna Wish" and "Less Blue," while the same instruments add exoticism to wordless tunes like "The Innocent Spouse" and "The Glazebucket" and weight to driving rockers like "Safety Net." But the personality of The Graveblankets is best expressed in the story song "The Papercuts," about a fictional rock band that fades from public view. "Why did they stop making records?" Arduser half-moans on the chorus. If there's a special spark to The Graveblankets' performance on that song, it may be because that's a question that Arduser himself hopes his fans won't have to ask.

Also available on the Graveblankets site is a free download of the song Shoot You Down in MP3 format. This was recorded during the sessions for Where It Hurts but not included on the album, probably because a different version of it had already been released on the Apple Plum Blood Pudding CD.


Bears album receives some media attention

The release of the Bears' Car Caught Fire has been mentioned in a few articles from the regional press:

The Cincinnati Enquirer gives the new CD 4 stars out of 4 in their review on July 27 2001.

Cincinnati CityBeat published a very positive review of the album in the July 26-August 1 2001 issue.

The Cincinnati Post printed another enthusiastic review of the album on July 26 2001.

The Lexington (Kentucky) Herald Leader printed a July 22 article on Belew and King Crimson that barely mentions the Bears, but is interesting reading for Belew fans.

The Cincinnati Enquirer published a July 20 article that focuses on King Crimson and other Belew projects but quotes him thusly about the Bears CD: "'There's a flurry going on right now,' he says. 'It's really fun, because everyone is pitching in and filling lots of different roles. My computer is crowded with e-mails from everyone about everything, artwork and touring, the album cover, lyric sheets, everything.'" The article also says that the Bears will do some shows this fall if King Crimson's schedule allows it.

The Cincinnati Post printed an article about the new album on July 19, 2001. It quotes Adrian Belew as saying that a Bears tour is possible but depends in part on whether an American record label picks up the album for national distribution.


New Bears CD Car Caught Fire out in limited release; official Bears web site launched Car Caught Fire cover

The new Bears album, Car Caught Fire, is finally available, almost four years since the project's inception. 2001: A Bears Odyssey Initially, the CD will have a limited release beginning July 18, 2001 through two different channels: in Japan, on the Pony Canyon label; and in the U.S., a self-release by the band, distributed by QCA Inc., a Cincinnati CD manufacturer. You can order the CD ($16 plus shipping) by calling 800-859-8401. A limited number of autographed copies are available for $25 plus shipping.

Details on the CD can be found at the official Bears web site, which was developed by Rob Murphree, webmaster of the official Adrian Belew web site. The Bears site has been up in very limited form since June and was officially launched on July 15, 2001.


Graveblankets working on 5th album and other projects

Chris Arduser broadcast some updates on Graveblankets-related activity on the Blankets web site on April 29, 2001. The big news is that a fifth Graveblankets album is "slowly being recorded at a few different studios in Cincinnati and will probably be released early spring 2002." Also, Chris is considering assembling a "limited edition CD sold only at gigs and mail order" containing unreleased recordings covering the entire 10-year lifespan of the band, including demos and finished masters. Finally, there is a George Cunningham solo album in the works that Chris says "should be finished and released by fall of 2001 and will be celebrated by a show featuring George's new band the Flammables." The disc will apparently consist of instrumental guitar pieces written and performed by Cunningham, the Graveblankets' guitarist and the only member besides Arduser who has been a constant member of the band since the beginning.


Cincinnati Post article mentions psychodots, Bears, Fetters news

The Cincinnati Post published an article on April 27, 2001 titled "Still rockin' after all these years" that highlighted the activities of a number of Cincinnati-based musicians who are still active years after they started on the scene. Included was this paragraph containing updates on the psychodots, Bears, and Rob Fetters:

"Raisins/psychodots: Power popsters Rob Fetters, Bob Nyswonger and Chris Arduser plan several psychodots gigs this summer and will likely be releasing the new Bears album late this summer in a reunion with Adrian Belew. The three hope to hook up with Belew for a Bears tour maybe this fall. Fetters is working on a new solo album and will produce a new CD of local pop/reggae artist Lucky Spaulding."


Bears do photo shoot; Japanese distribution set for new CD

Rob Muphree, webmaster of the official Adrian Belew web site, says in a post to the Psycho Depot (issue # 283) that "Adrian visited Cincinnati (the weekend of April 20 [2001]) for a Bears photo shoot. I'm assuming it was for the new Bears cover/promo art and if it is, then it's only a short matter of time before we all get the new stuff. I DO know it WAS for the Bears so that's gotta be a good sign."

In Psycho Depot # 281, Pete Beshuk posted this news: "At the last 'blankets show at Borders, Chris mentioned a deal has been signed to distribute the upcoming Bears CD in Japan with Ponykeg (?) Records. It's likely the US release will have a different appearance from the Japanese release, but no word on artwork themes yet." The record label Chris mentioned is probably Pony Canyon, which has previously distributed King Crimson and Adrian Belew solo albums in Japan. If this is correct, the Bears CD may be available as an import before it's released domestically.


Bears album complete; release date not yet determined

The Bears have completed the recording and mixing of their new untitled album. The final recording session took place at Adrian Belew's home studio around the weekend of January 27, 2001; Adrian (who, incidentally, received a Lifetime Achievement Cammy award on March 11, 2001) and engineer Ken Latchney then worked to finalize the mix (read about a fan's visit with Adrian while the mixing was taking place). The album is currently being mastered; the timing and method of release and distribution have not yet been determined. The title Omnivore was reported as having been selected in late March, but that decision has apparently been changed and the title is still unknown. The new album will contain these songs:

Waiting Room (Arduser, Belew, Fetters, Nyswonger)
Under The Volcano (Fetters)
Caveman (Nyswonger)
Success (Fetters)
Safe In Hell (Arduser)
Dave (Fetters) (guitar solo by Robert Fripp)
When She Moves (Nyswonger)
117 Valley Drive (Belew)
Sooner or Later (Nyswonger)
What's The Good Of Knowing (Arduser)
Mr. Bonaparte (Belew)
As You Are (Fetters)
Life In A Nutshell (Belew)

Here are some comments from Bob Nyswonger and Chris Arduser from a few weeks after the last recording session:

Bob: "The Bears disk is fully tracked - 13 tunes - and will be mixed this month. The challenge at that point is what to do with it and we are considering everything. After spending the kind of time and energy in making exactly what we wanted, it would be nice if the thing had a similar devotion from the promotion / distribution aspect."

Chris: "Yes, the Bears got together for less than 24 hours a few weeks ago. The task at hand was an Adrian tune that (barring nightmarish acts of God) finishes all tracking for the record. It's a rocking little number I want my disc jockey to play. (Does anyone remember when Chuck Berry wrote incredible rock'n'roll songs?!) Anyway... we worked feverishly and got it done. Now all that's left is mixing and that could be done by the end of Feb. Pray for us."


Bears work a 6-day session on upcoming album

The Bears gathered again in December 2000 to continue work on the album project they began in 1997. This session lasted six days and was quite productive, but the new album is still not completely finished. Here are accounts of the session from Fetters, Nyswonger and Arduser:

Rob: "Bears convened for 6 days of recording new tracks and repairing/adding to songs we already have in the can. None of the songs are 'final' mixed. This will be the best Bears record yet, I promise."

Bob: "Very productive time. We've basically got 12 songs absolutely done save final mixing; my guess is that we may do one or two more tunes before we say finito, but there is very much an impetus to get the thing done and out. I am really excited about the Bears record - it is very, very strong. The nice thing is that we're doing exactly what we want to with no real external pressure, and everybody's doing what they're good at, and it's just fun."

Chris: "The Bears convened for six days of recording and eating in beautiful Mt. Juliet, Tenn. I must say it was the most focused and relaxed session so far. We got alot of work done. The plan was to investigate every song thus recorded and see what it needed (if anything). This applied to half the album because sometimes during previous sessions we would only have time to record the essentials (i.e. drums, bass, a guitar or two and vocal). We also re-recorded a song of Rob's that needed less production and more screaming guitars. Much to our surprise we accomplished everything so desired. Right now we're all checking rough mixes of twelve tunes and figuring out how many more (if any) are needed."


New Graveblankets album Where it Hurts released

A new Graveblankets album, Where it Hurts, became available in November 2000. The CD's official release was December 1, ushered in with a Graveblankets show at Southgate House in Newport Kentucky, where the band was augmented by Charlie Fletcher on keyboards, Tom Huesman and Chris Novy on drums and percussion, and bass duties were shared by Bob Nyswonger and Brian Mahan. Cover of Where It Hurts

The material on the album has a complicated history, stemming from the "Nashville project" with producer Steve Keller that fans have been aware of since it began in 1996. These recordings were eventually part of Chris' deal with i.v. Records, who shopped the band to nationally-distributed record labels. These efforts didn't pan out, and the relationship with i.v. was terminated earlier in 2000. Since the songs were recorded, both Bridget Otto and Laura Chenault have left the band, and Bob Nyswonger and Karen Addie are part of the Graveblankets only in a limited capacity. In a way, Where it Hurts is a snapshot of the band in a form that no longer exists, and in fact it features some songs that have been around for years, including Arduser compositions that previously appeared on psychodots albums and/or live repertoire. Nevertheless, the album boasts a more richly-produced sound than the 'blanket's previous releases and has received highly enthusiastic reviews in the Cincinnati press (see three such reviews in the Psycho Depot).


psychodots play two shows near Thanksgiving 2000

psychodots played live for the first time in nearly two years around Thanksgiving 2000. There were two shows, at Canal Street Tavern in Dayton Ohio on November 22, and at Southgate House in Newport Kentucky on the 24th. Three new songs, one from each band member, were debuted at the shows, and the set lists varied a bit for each show. The Cincinnati Enquirer published an article previewing the Southgate show, and cincymusic.com featured another preview article including an interesting "interview" with the guys. Soon after these shows, Rob Fetters played solo acoustic, opening for Marshall Crenshaw at Southgate House on December 2, 2000.

In bonus news, band members confirm that they plan to play more shows in the near future, possibly in early 2001.


psychodots honored via a tribute show by local bandsPoster advertising the show

A benefit show for WAIF (a Cincinnati public radio station) featuring the songs of psychodots performed by local bands was held on Saturday August 12 2000 at Southgate House in Newport Kentucky. The event was organized by the band clabbergirl and also featured a visual presentation of images covering the history of the band. Part of the show was broadcast live on WAIF. An interview with Rob, Bob and Chris in anticipation of the show can be found at the cincymusic.com web site. The psychodots members attended the show and by all accounts were impressed and found it to be "a wonderful experience." Here's the official press release issued before the event:

"Big Love Now:" Cincinnati Bands Pay Tribute to local legends, Psychodots

Saturday August 12 Southgate House: Over thirty local musicians will pay tribute to the psychodots in a concert at the Historic Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky.  The psychodots are the highly regarded Nineties outfit for former Raisins/Bears members Chris Arduser, Rob Fetters and Bob Nyswonger.  Bands and solo artists paying tribute include Thread, the Simpletons, New Age Insomniacs, Greg Mahan, Brian Lovely, Rick Hickey, Gravy 8, Crosley, clabbergirl, and the Ryan Adcock Band. Some additional musicians have not been confirmed and will be announced later. The evening will include solo acoustic numbers as well as full band treatments of classic psychodots’ pop rock songs, including several songs written during the members Raisins/Bears’ tours of duty.  The show will also feature special guests and a visual show produced by Big Bang Productions.  Doors open at 9:00pm.

The "Big Love Now" Tribute will raise money for local radio station WAIF 88.3 and its listener supported public radio programs, several of which showcase original music in Cincinnati.

For further information, please contact:

Sean Rhiney
clabbergirl
Slrhiney@bisonjacobson.com
513-351-8828


Graveblankets leave i.v. Records; new album coming

The Graveblankets have ended their relationship with Nashville label i.v. Records. There was no immediate word on how this development would affect the fate of the recordings that i.v. was shopping around, but the band announced that a new album was coming and in late 2000, the Nashville project surfaced on the self-released Where it Hurts CD.


Bam Powell solo CD released

A long-anticipated solo album from Bam Powell, drummer for the mid-'80's Raisins, was released in June 2000. The CD is titled Bam & the Troublemakers and features 14 songs from the various bands Bam's been part of over his long career, including Stagger Lee, the Bluebirds, Bucket and the Raisins, re-recorded using the musicians from those bands. Four of the tracks, Movin' Again, Possum In The City, Home Sweet Home, and Thugs, are new versions of old Raisins songs recorded with Fetters, Nyswonger and Neiheisel. The CD can be ordered by contacting Elaine Diehl at the Hal Bernard office or by email (ediehl@cinci.rr.com).


Raisins play again in June/July at Top Cats

Following the success of their Jammin' On Main reunion, the Fetters/Nyswonger/Neiheisel/Powell lineup of the Raisins, plus Chris Arduser, played two more gigs at Top Cats in Cincinnati on Friday June 30 and Saturday July 1, 2000. As Rob Fetters said when the shows were scheduled, "We want to do it while we're on the same wavelength. Add more songs. Sound good in a smaller venue. Hot. Sweaty. Loud. Sound checked." And they followed through, playing over two hours of vintage Raisins tunes each night, plus a solo spot for each member to perform their own songs. The shows were well attended by enthusiastic fans, though they didn't sell out. Prospects for more Raisins shows seem slim; as Fetters was quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer, "Judging by the level of neurosis still working in this band, we will probably do it only this once."


Raisins reunite for 2000 Jammin' On MainCincinnati Post preview of Jammin'

The '80's lineup of the Raisins played a reunion show on May 12, 2000 at Pepsi Jammin' On Main, the annual music festival held in the streets of downtown Cincinnati. Chris Arduser augmented the lineup, playing drums while Bam Powell played his "bucket kit." The Raisins' '80's lineup has only occasionally played together in the last 15 years, so this 50 minute set was received by a very enthusiastic crowd, many of whom sang along throughout the show. Reviews from the Cincinnati Enquirer and Post were very positive, proclaiming the Raisins' set to be the highlight of the evening.
Raisins perform at Jammin'

psychodots.com debuts

The official psychodots web site can now be accessed via http://psychodots.com or http://www.psychodots.com.  As always, Professor Ashley Morris is the webmaster of the site, but finally any Internet newbie can find it just by typing psychodots.com into their browser.


Everything And More re-released as CD box setEverything And More CD cover

The Raisins' Everything And More, originally released as a 3-cassette set in 1985, has been remastered by QCA and released as a 4-CD box set to coincide with their May 2000 reunion show. Everything... is a collection of live performances from various shows and a few studio recordings that represents most of the body of work created by the band in their late '70's to mid-'80's incarnation. Here's the official word from the Elaine at the record company, including ordering info:

"Way, way back when... the Raisins broke up to become the Bears with Adrian Belew, they released a 3-cassette set called Everything and More... it was a collection of all the unrecorded/unreleased Raisins tunes... tapes made live on the gig - no overdubs/no fixing up... The cassettes have long since been out of print, and classic Raisins tunes such as Hillbilly Break Dance seemed lost forever... UNTIL now!  In conjunction with the Raisins reunion show at Jammin' On Main (Friday, May 12, 2000), Everything and More will be re-released as a 4-CD set.  Along with the live cuts, Raisins' singles (that did NOT end up on their CD The Raisins) will also be included (Quarters, Hoy Hoy Hoy and Valentine).  Only 500 sets will be made!  Release date is tentatively scheduled for May 1, 2000, on Baby Ranch Records/distributed by Hal Bernard Enterprises.  Reserve your copy now!  Send $33.00 to: Hal Bernard Enterprises, P.O. Box 8385, Cincinnati OH 45208 or phone/fax/e-mail a Visa or MC # to: Elaine Diehl, phone (513) 871-1500, fax (513) 871-1510, email ediehl@cinci.rr.com.  As Rob Fetters told me, 'If you have the Raisins CD and this boxed set, then you really will have it ALL.'  Hoy."

And here's some more background on the project courtesy of Mr. Fetters:

"People have been requesting an E&M reissue for 15 years.  The artful bootleg CD that was created using the cassettes as source material [created by some fans] was very well done, but the new CD box sounds a whole lot better.  All thanks should go to Jim Bosken [of QCA] for finding a "safety" copy of the original tape compilation.  He did a ton of work in remastering it for CD and figuring out a way to help us pay for the pricey package.  We might break even on it.  Pigs can fly.  I'm a dolphin.  In addition to all the original material, we added Quarters, Tour Guide, Valentine, and Hoy, Hoy, Hoy -- recorded off a pair of previously unplayed 45's for more audio vérité amusement.  We replaced Bottom Line with a new mix using the original 2" tape.  The idea is to complete the Raisin song list for anyone who already has The Raisins CD in their collection.  The "Toth/Arduser/Nyswonger/Fetters" Raisin incarnation is not included.  That's a whole 'nother bag of worms.  Maybe we will address that era next year.  The first A. Belew as producer demos are bizarre, as are some live tapes I hear are making the rounds amongst the hard-core elite.  The only song from the Bam/Nihi/etc. era not included is The Sporting Life.  All the versions we heard were too awful for inclusion on E&M -- which says a lot about their awfulness indeed.  I wrote the song, so I take all the blame."

The Pepsi Jammin' On Main CD Sampler 2000 contains the remixed version of The Bottom Line (along with cuts by other artists appearing at the festival).  It's available for a limited time from Cincinnati-area Best Buy stores, free when purchasing another CD.  And an MP3 file containing the song is available for free download from the Jammin' On Main web site.


More Bears recording completed

More work has been done on the new Bears album. Adrian Belew reports from his web site: "March 10, 11 and 12 [2000] was spent in Cincinnati writing with the Bears. One new Belew song and one new group effort. We also learned Inner Man [originally a solo song from Adrian's Coming Attractions CD]. This weekend [March 24-26, 2000] the Bears arrive for session #7." Bob Nyswonger confirms "We had a nice, productive weekend in Nashville. Actually tracked and finished a group-written song Waiting Room and started on Inner Man with the intent being to finish that one and another one of Adrian's next month before Crimson cranks up again in May, at which point there may be enough material to consider releasing hopefully by next fall." Chris Arduser adds that "the bulk of the session was dedicated to work on the new tune we wrote a few weeks back that features a farfisa organ (played by Bob and myself), a few seconds of real (and slightly out of tune) piano (played by Rob and yours truly) and (GASP!) three part harmony. The fate of Inner Man has yet to be decided (I did however record a drum track for it). We're getting together again soon... probably mid-April." The three-part harmony is notable because the Bears' first incarnation in the '80's featured vocals from only Fetters and Belew.


Graveblankets show available on the web

A live show including a performance by the Graveblankets can be viewed over the web! The 'blankets played Saturday 10/2/99 at the 12th and Porter Subterranean Music & Supper Club in Nashville Tennessee as part of an i.v. Records showcase. The blankets were joined by violinist Peter Hurka (he plays on the some of the Nashville recordings) for the songs Knoxville Girl, The Tango, and Temporary Husband. The show, which also features i.v. artists Wes Cunningham and Fair Verona, can be seen and heard in Real format from the LiveOnTheNet site.

To check out the show:
  1. Install RealPlayer (for free) if you don't already have it: visit the RealNetworks site
  2. Access the LiveOnTheNet site from your web browser
  3. Follow the link to register for a "ticket number"
  4. Click the Back button on your browser to enter your "ticket number" (your password)
  5. Click the button that says "Video G2 Stream"
  6. The 'blankets are the third act in the show. It's streamed in live mode so you can't advance ahead; just sit back and enjoy the other acts
To see just the Graveblankets performance (thanks to 'blankets webmeister Jeff Burroway):
  1. Install RealPlayer (for free) if you don't already have it: visit the RealNetworks site
  2. Start RealPlayer, then click File - Open Location and enter rtsp://broadcast.liveonthenet.com/12thporter/1412_991002_g2.rm?start=23:00
  3. You can move the Clip Position bar forward and backward as desired; zoom to Double Size to see a larger picture

Bears recording includes Caveman & Under The Volcano

Another Bears recording spree, part of their work towards a new album, happened August 12-15, 1999. Chris Arduser reports, "The Bears have two more strong songs recorded" but he declined to reveal the titles: "it'll be more fun to be surprised when the record actually comes out, eh?...we're still not done but getting closer." That means there are 12 songs in the can.

A newer update comes from Adrian Belew (via Adrian's Corner at his official website): "The Bears completed our sixth session together with two new songs. One from Rob called Under The Volcano and one from Bob called Caveman. This Bears record is sizzling and I'm very excited about it... I have several new songs in the works for the Bears." Note: this was the fifth, not sixth, session that's been reported, but who are we to contradict Adrian?


Bucket album being recorded

An album is in the works from Bucket, the band that includes Bob Nyswonger, Bam Powell (who plays a bucket instead of a bass drum) and guitarist/singer Lee Rolfes. Bucket plays a repertoire that includes compositions by all three members, including some Raisins oldies. As Lee states in his July 1999 newsletter, "Work has begun on the Bucket album. We had a marathon session last week and got a lot of the basic tracks down on tape. Expect a very 'live' sounding recording featuring Bucket standards Big Bone Lick, Caveman and Gets the Job Done plus some new numbers. No release date as of yet, but stay tuned."


New Bears song included on Adrian Belew's Coming Attractions CD

The new Bears song 117 Valley Drive is now available as part of a CD released in June 1999 by Adrian Belew called Coming Attractions. The CD was produced in conjunction with Belew's summer 1999 solo tour; it contains songs from various projects he currently has in the works, including the new Bears album. Cover of Coming Attractions

As Adrian explains in the Coming Attractions liner notes: "It was a simple plan. The rest of The Bears live 5 hours from me. We decided every few months The Bears would stay at my house for a 3-day weekend during which we'd casually make a record. Everyone would bring his current songs, we'd pass around the guitar, play our songs, chose one, go in the studio, learn the song, and when it reached a boiling point: record it. What an exciting way to make records! Following our first four sessions we now have 10 tracks nearly complete. Maybe three more sessions and we'll have it. The first song I offered is 117 Valley Drive. It's about the magic of being in my first band, The Denems, infamous for our exacting Beatle covers. I was fifteen at the time. The Denems often practiced in my parent's backyard at, you guessed it, 117 Valley Drive. Whenever we did people appeared out of nowhere. A unique mix of grown-ups, teenage girls, kids, and dogs of all ages. All sitting in their plastic chairs, singing along. Joining me on this track are The Bears, of course: Rob Fetters on guitar and vocals; Bob Nyswonger on bass; and Chris Arduser on drums."

January 2000 update: Thirsty Ear, the national independent record label that released Belew's Salad Days CD (which consisted of songs previously available on the two Acoustic Adrian Belew discs) released Coming Attractions nationally on 2/8/00.


Graveblankets featured on two new web sites, and on Jammin' On Main CD

The Graveblankets have a web site in the making, graveblankets.com (created by fan Jeff Burroway).  Also, the i.v. Records web site includes a 'blankets page, complete with song samples. In other 'blankets news, a previously unreleased Graveblankets song, Mr. Backbone, appears on the new Pepsi Jammin' On Main CD Sampler '99, available for $5 from Cincinnati-area TGI Friday's restaurants. According to Chris Arduser, Mr. Backbone "was recorded and mixed in 1991 at Marc Magee's basement analog 8 track studio (aptly named CONFINED SPACE). It's one of those 'blanket tunes that features yours truly on everything....(I always wanted to re-record it with George and Bob and a girl singer of some variety)...I threw it on the cassette as an after thought and that's the tune the J on M committee chose." Graveblankets did not perform at this year's Jammin' On Main music festival, but Bucket, the band that includes Bob Nyswonger and ex-Raisin Bam Powell, had an opening slot on the Cinergy Stage.


Rob Fetters interview appears on the Innerviews web site

An in-depth interview with Rob Fetters, subtitled "Death of the wrong desires," appeared on the Innerviews web site in mid-March 1999. Subject matter includes the lyrical themes of Fetters' solo album, his "day job" creating music for commercials, and his thoughts on psychodots, the Bears, Adrian Belew, and more. Innerviews is a non-profit web site created by music journalist Anil Prasad featuring interviews and reviews covering a varied group of artists, many of whom receive less attention from mainstream media than they deserve.


Mid-eighties Raisins play at the 1999 Cammy awards show Raisins reunite at the Cammys, 3/14/99

The Raisins' mid-'80's lineup performed a five-song reunion set at the 1999 Cammy awards show, held on Sunday, 3/14/99! This group, consisting of Rob Fetters, Bob Nyswonger, Bam Powell, and Ricky Nye, hadn't played together since breaking up in 1985, except for a four-song live set on 3/20/98 and a recording session in May 1997. The Cammys set consisted of The Bends, Quit It, The Bottom Line, Miserable World, and Fear is Never Boring. The Cammy awards are the Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards sponsored by the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the show (held annually in the spring) benefits the Michael Bany Scholarship Fund (Bany was a Cincinnati musician who was tragically killed while being robbed after a gig in 1995).


Fetters performs & wins at '98 CEA awards; Graveblankets nominated Fetters performs with the 'blankets backing him!

psychodots members continue to be high-profile when it comes to Cincinnati music awards! Rob Fetters won the 1998 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (CEA) Album of the Year for lefty loose righty tight, and was also nominated as Rock Artist of the Year. The Graveblankets were also nominated, as Adult Alternative/Contemporary Artist of the Year. Fetters performed Everything's Gonna Be Alright at the awards show (with help from Bob Nyswonger, Chris Arduser, George Cunningham and Laura Chenault), which was held Monday November 23 1998 at the Taft Theatre.


New Graveblankets CD Western Medicine released

Cover of Western Medicine A new Graveblankets album, Western Medicine, was released November 18 1998! According to Chris, "It was recorded locally at Brian Lovely's Beat Parlor and Covington's Backstage studios (with excellent engineer, Jim Turner)." This "quick CD with mostly new songs" is separate from any releases that may result from the Graveblankets' deal with Whistler's Music/IV Records (see below). The album received positive reviews in the Cincinnati press - see the Psycho Depot. You can order it from Hal Bernard/Strugglebaby ($16 including shipping; email ediehl@cinci.rr.com for more info) or directly from the band ($12 including shipping; write to PO Box 19875, Cincinnati, OH 45219). The CD's release was celebrated at a special gig 11/18/98 at the York Street Intl. Cafe in Newport Kentucky.


Graveblankets sign deal with a Nashville label

Chris Arduser has signed an agreement with Whistler's Music/i.v. Records in Nashville, an independent label and production team. According to Chris, "This means we'll finish up the recording we started (almost 2 years ago!) and then they (Whistler's) will use their business savvy and know how to shop the blankets to major and indie labels." The Graveblankets recordings Chris is referring to were made with a producer in Nashville (see below). Bridget Otto, who sings on all Graveblankets albums including the new Western Medicine release, will not sing on the 'blankets recordings associated with the Whistler's deal, since her band All Weather Girl (formerly called Otto) is also working with Whistler's, but Chris says that Bridget continues to be part of the "ever-expanding unit" that is the Graveblankets.


psychodots Official Bootleg CD released - includes "Mattress" video

A new psychodots CD, Official Bootleg, was released 9/21/98! Cover of Official Bootleg This is a 2-disc set containing 31 cuts recorded live November 8, 1996 at Ripley's, the last Cincinnati psychodots show before the hiatus started. The show was recorded by fans Pete Beshuk, Greg Bechtel, and Mike Folz on DAT, and that tape (after some minor cleanup work supervised by the band) was the source for the CDs. As a bonus, a CD-ROM version of the Mattress video is included (it even comes with the software needed to view the video), along with some snapshots from the show that you can view through a web browser. The project was released through the Strugglebaby label, and you can order it from them (email ediehl@cinci.rr.com for more info). Here's the cover and a promotional blurb. See the Psycho Depot for the inside scoop on the project.


psychodots may get radio airplay if enough requests come in

psychodots, Graveblankets, and Fetters songs have all received airplay on some Cincinnati-area radio stations over the years, thanks in part to requests submitted by all of you. Now that a new psychodots CD and a new Graveblankets CD have been released there's an opportunity for fans to generate airplay for them. So bombard your favorite stations, particularly 97X and WNKU, with requests for songs from the new albums. 97X now broadcasts live over the web and you can submit requests from the site, which is great for those not residing in the Cinci area. Here's the station info:

Robert Fripp records a solo for the new Bears album

Robert Fripp has recorded a guitar solo for one of the new Bears songs! Here are the details from Adrian Belew (see Adrian's Corner at Rob Murphree's Belew web site): "[On] November 22 [1997] something special occurred. As many of you know The Bears are gradually making a new record. One of the new songs written by Rob Fetters is called Dave. It's a mature well-written autobiographical piece about the suicide of one of Rob's teenage friends. The Bears had left in the song an open area where I was to add a guitar solo later whenever I felt inspired. The more I listened to the song the more I felt the solo would be perfect for Robert Fripp and it somehow made sense that he should be an honorary Bear. And so on the 22nd Robert obliged and played a soaring solo not unlike his work on the Bowie song Heroes. Robert said he was honored to be involved with such a personal piece of writing." There's a touch of irony at work here, since the Bears used to poke a little fun at Fripp: during performances of King Crimson songs, such as Elephant Talk, that the Bears often included in their late '80's live sets, Fetters would don wire framed glasses and play seated on a stool, hunched over his guitar, in a playful imitation of Mr. Fripp.


New Bears album is in progress: over 75% done

The Bears are recording a new album! According to an article in the Cincinnati Post from August 14, 1997 by Rick Bird, the former band mates (Rob, Bob, Chris and Adrian Belew) "are continuing reunion recording sessions in Cincinnati and at guitarist Adrian Belew's home studio in Nashville." The article continues, "They recently began working in the studio again, but no one, not even the Bears, seems to know what might come of the sessions. 'They just want to see what it amounts to. It's an open-ended situation. They just want to make music,' said Stan Hertzman, Belew's Cincinnati-based manager. 'They have cut three new songs that I think sound fresh and better than where they left off in the '80s.'"

According to Adrian's Corner at Rob Murphree's Belew web site, the Bears recording project has now resulted in ten new Bears songs recorded during two summer '97 weekend work sessions and two '98 sessions. Quoting Adrian: "June 29-July 1 [1997]: the Bears record together again for the first time in nine years. We do three songs: 117 Valley Drive (the song I wrote about my days with The Denems), Sooner Or Later (a new Bob Nyswonger tune), and What's The Good Of Knowing (written and sung by Chris Arduser). Aug 22-24 [1997]: the second Bears' session. We record a chilling new Rob Fetters song about a friend's suicide called Dave and a second Bob Nyswonger anthem called When She Moves ... [Feb. 13 1998] I recorded a VDrum loop in anticipation of the arrival of The Bears. The loop was to be used in a new Rob Fetters song (he had sent a tape of the song in advance). February 14 thru 16 The Bears recorded two more songs giving us a total of 7 tracks thus far."

The fourth session was held August 9 and 10, 1998. Bob Nyswonger reports, "We did a song Rob wrote called Success, one of Chris's called Safe in Hell, a track with a working title Last Chance Gas or (my preference) Dust Devil, and a new tune of Adrian's as yet untitled, but it's a fully developed version of the song snippet Plate of Words off OP ZOP. Things are moving along well for the amount of time we've been able to spend working. I would say at this time we're about 3/4ths done." This session brought the total of completed songs to 10.

There was a mini 3/4 Bears reunion on April 24, 1999, when Chris and Bob joined Adrian at the 97X/WNKU Earth Day show in Cincinnati to perform Save Me. Adrian also debuted the new Bears song 117 Valley Drive during his solo set.


Mid-eighties Raisins reunite for short but thrilling live set

The Raisins' mid-'80's lineup reunited for a brief but thrilling four song live set! The unexpected magic happened during the benefit performance held for George Cunningham (guitarist for the Graveblankets who recently underwent surgery) on Friday March 20, 1998 at the Southgate House in Newport (northern Kentucky). The show also featured the Graveblankets (including George), Rob Fetters, Bucket (with Bob Nyswonger and Bam Powell), and Brian Lovely. After Rob Fetters' solo acoustic set, which introduced a new song that the Bears have recorded for their new album, psychodots played a few acoustic numbers. As if a psychodots performance wasn't enough, Rob and Bob Nyswonger were then joined onstage by Ricky Nye and Bam Powell, reuniting this Raisins lineup on stage for the first time since 1985! To the crowd's delight, the band ripped through a performance of Miserable World, Movin' Again, The Bends, and Quarters that, though a bit rough around the edges, was heartfelt and joyous. If you missed it, read all about it in the Psycho Depot.


psychodots play live and score big at the 1998 Cammy awards

psychodots members scored again at the 1998 Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards (nicknamed the Cammys)! Before psychodots performed a wild three-song set, Rob Fetters won awards for Rock Instrumentalist, Solo act, and Songwriter of the Year. And the Graveblankets won as the best Folk Band. Most of these were repeat wins from last year's awards (see below). "Put the cigarette butts in your ears, granny," Fetters said as he spit out his gum and jumped into the psychodots' first tune.


"Fear Is Never Boring" heard on network TV

Fear Is Never Boring refuses to die! The Fetters composition that was a massive hit on Cincinnati radio for the Raisins in 1983 and was also recorded by the Bears for their debut album found new life in promos for a new ABC sitcom called Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. Some of the ads for the 1998 midseason replacement series featured the recording from the Raisins album, sans vocals. Network TV exposure (and residuals) can't be bad, even if it's via a song that the band wasn't fond of performing in recent years. Read all about it in the Psycho Depot! Fetters has also done some original music for promo spots for ABC.


psychodots break the hiatus with occasional live shows

Hiatus relief history - psychodots have rejoined to perform together irregularly since disbanding. Here's a handy guide to these shows: We aren't supposed to think of these as "reunion" shows, because officially the band never broke up.


psychodots members appear live on Cincinnati-area radio stations

psychodots and Graveblankets members have made some recent live radio appearances - here's a partial list:

Bears play live after induction into the Cinci Entertainment Awards Hall of Fame CityBeat issue 401

The Bears performed live after being made the first inductees into the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards Hall Of Fame! The awards show was held at the Sycamore Gardens club in Cincinnati on November 24, 1997, and those who made it through the first three hours were treated to the Bears performing None Of The Above, Trust, and Superboy. The audience, whose size and enthusiasm had dwindled with the length of the show, instantly came to enthusiastic life when the Bears did their thing. See above for info about the new Bears recording project.

Bears play, 11/24/97 In other Bears news, Adrian Belew has announced his intention to release in the future a boxed set called Dust comprised of rarities from throughout his career, including the Bears' demos used to try to secure a record deal, featuring the unreleased song Kiss It Goodbye. Adrian and Rob 'fight' over the trophy

There's also some talk of the Bears re-recording the songs from their first two albums. From a 12/18/98 article by Fred Kraus in the Dayton Daily News: "Another possible project may involve re-recording the songs from the two Bears albums, Fetters said, because those albums are no longer in print and the master tapes were lost when the original recording company folded. 'Just to have a few for fans at the clubs,' he said."


Rob Fetters releases his first solo album, lefty loose righty tight, and plays solo

Rob Fetters released his first solo album, lefty loose - righty tight, in November 1997. Cover of lefty loose - righty tight For more info on this accomplished CD, including ordering instructions and a letter from Rob himself, go to "Rob's Page" at the Dots Web site, or check out this album review. Two of the songs were co-written with Adrian Belew (including Try, which is familiar to psychodots fans), and were partially recorded at Adrian's home studio. Those tracks plus a few others feature Adrian playing drums. Other tracks feature Chris Arduser on drums, and the song Career Move includes Bob Nyswonger on fretless bass, says Rob, "and thus, with a sampled drum loop of Mr. Arduser I snitched from [the song] every day, I completed a kind of psychodot swan song." For more inside scoop on the album and Fetters-dom in general, check out this "interview" Rob did for the Psycho Depot mailing list.

Rob has supported his solo album by doing some sporadic solo performing. He opened two shows for Adrian at the Caffe' Milano in Nashville on November 7, 1997, performing acoustically. Fetters also did an in-store appearance at Everybody's Records in Cincinnati on November 29th, featuring another acoustic performance, and made three local radio appearances in November to promote his new release. Rob performed an acoustic opening spot for Porterhouse and the Simpletons, two bands that have opened for psychodots in the past, on February (Friday the) 13th 1998 at Top Cats in Cinci, and at the Blue Note in Price Hill (Cincinnati) on March 14, 1998 opening for Todd Schneider. He also played a short acoustic solo set on March 20, 1998 at the George Cunningham benefit show, introducing a new song that was recently recorded by the Bears. Other recent Rob gigs: July 10, 1998 at Wilbert's in Cleveland; August 29, 1998 at "Cummings-fest," a private party that was well-attended by fans; and September 26, 1998 at Popopolis, the Cincinnati Pop Music Festival, at the Southgate House in Newport Kentucky.


Graveblankets release their second CD Apple Plum Blood Pudding

The Graveblankets, a band led by Chris Arduser that includes Bob Nyswonger on bass, have released their second CD, Apple Plum Blood Pudding. Cover of Apple Plum Blood Pudding This is a locally-produced album, distinct from the "Nashville project" that they have been working on sporadically for some time. There was a well-attended CD Release Party featuring a performance by the "large band" configuration of the 'blankets on Friday, November 14, 1997 at Top Cats in Cincinnati. The band also performed live on WNKU-FM's "Exit 89" show on 11/20/97. The Graveblankets' performance on 1/16/98 at Top Cats was their last live show before a break during which their guitarist, George Cunningham, underwent heart surgery. The 'blankets have since resumed playing out fairly regularly, sometimes as a 6-piece band, other times with a smaller configuration. The Nashville project referred to above involved working with a producer there, doing recording to be used as demos or towards another finished CD. They played a "showcase" gig on May 28, 1997 at Caffe' Milano in Nashville (old pal Adrian Belew was in the audience), hoping to connect with funding that will allow them to complete this project.

Also, Bob and Chris are actively playing with various other local musicians. Bob is a member of Bucket, a band that includes Bam Powell (who literally has a bucket in his drum kit) and guitarist/singer Lee Rolfes. Bucket plays a repertoire that includes compositions by all three members, including some Raisins oldies. Chris also plays with other Cincinnati bands including Ricky Nye & the Red Hots and the Bluebirds. All three psychodots members occasionally play solo acoustic shows as well, including appearances as part of Brian Lovely's weekly "songwriter night" at Allyn's Cafe.


Mid-eighties Raisins record together for the first time in a dozen years

Rob and Bob got together at the end of May 1997 with Rick Neiheisel (aka Ricky Nye) and Rick "Bam" Powell (thus reuniting the mid-eighties lineup of the Raisins), and the four recorded the Raisins oldies Movin' Again, Possum In The City, Home Sweet Home, and Thugs. These recordings were released in June 2000 on Bam Powell's solo CD Bam & The Troublemakers.


psychodots named Favorite Band & more at the 1997 Cammy awards

psychodots members cleaned up at the Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards (nicknamed the Cammys) held May 18, 1997! The Graveblankets won for Best Folk Band; Rob Fetters won for both Best Songwriter and Best Rock Instrumentalist; and psychodots won as Favorite Band (this last award was based on votes from Cincinnati Enquirer readers, whereas the others were selected by a panel of local music industry members). This was an amazing sweep - they won in all categories in which they were nominated. And who knows, this recognition may have accelerated the decision for the guys to play together again. As he accepted the award, Bob Nyswonger said, "We're not playing right now... that doesn't mean we'll never play again."


psychodots record their "last CD" but release is in question

psychodots announced at their final 1996 show that they had just done some studio recording. The plan was for the band to release a final CD containing around 15 songs representing tunes from their live repertoire that were not included on any of the bands' previously released CDs (live versions of some have since been released on the Official Bootleg CD). Some of the compositions that they had been playing at live shows would not be included on the final CD, because they instead appeared on Rob's solo CD or the new Graveblankets (the band Chris and Bob continue to play in) recording. The original word was that the songs would be presented as recorded "live-in-the-studio" without a lot of overdubs, which would make for a good representation of the band's live sound (previous CDs were produced with some degree of "studio polish"). The latest word from the grapevine is that progress is slow (or stopped) in completing the project. This is because the recording was being done using free studio time, only available when the studio they're using is not booked. Reportedly, vocal tracks are unfinished and Rob wanted to redo some guitar parts (so the sound may not end up being as close to "live" as originally envisioned). The song selection was reported to be as follows (in no particular order): Voice Of Experience, Catherine The Great, I Hope It Works Out, You Will Never Be Satisfied, Across the White House Lawn, Don't Bury Me, Old Fashioned Girl, Dark Inside, I Didn't Want To Kill You, The Problem Song, My Red Truck, Worry No More, The Great Communicator, and Disposable Man (Age of Miracles was originally listed as well, but since this surfaced on Rob's CD it likely wouldn't be included on a psychodots disc). Some of these are probably acoustic versions. At this point it's unclear if or when the project will be completed.


psychodots announce hiatus and explain why

psychodots announced in the fall of 1996 that they were soon to go "on hiatus." Their last live show before the hiatus began was Saturday, November 16, 1996, at the Canal Street Tavern in Dayton. Band members stated in interviews at the time that the three intended to play together again at some point, just not right away: "We're not going to get back together in two months," as Rob Fetters was quoted (Dayton Daily News, 11/15/96). The hiatus is not a result of any problems within the band. It happened because attendance had become spotty at psychodots' live shows, resulting in problems getting booked. But the last few shows were attended by very large, extremely enthusiastic crowds, which was also the case for the two November 1997 psychodots shows.

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This page is part of the psychodots FAQ site and was originally created by David Ash, and is now maintained by Ashley Morris. Please send comments/additions/corrections to me.
Changes last made on April 4, 2002