Art Bears

Art Bears were an English group formed in 1978 by Chris Cutler, Fred Frith and Dagmar Krause while Henry Cow was breaking up. The trio made short, dense art songs, with texts by Cutler sung by Krause over Frith's guitars, violin and keyboards and Cutler's drums. They are known for three albums made between 1978 and 1981 and for their part in the Rock in Opposition movement. Art Bears grew out of the Henry Cow sessions for what became Western Culture: the song material became Hopes and Fears, released in 1978, while the instrumentals went to that final Henry Cow album.