# Bearsuit

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This article is about the band. For the type of costume, see [Bear suit](/source/Bear_suit).

**Bearsuit** are an English [art-rock](/source/Art-rock)/[indie pop](/source/Indie_pop) band from [Norwich](/source/Norwich), England, active from 2001.[1]

## Biography

Bearsuit first came to public attention following their championing by [BBC Radio 1](/source/BBC_Radio_1) DJ [John Peel](/source/John_Peel), and their debut single "Hey Charlie, Hey Chuck" was voted number four in the Peel programme's [Festive Fifty](/source/Festive_Fifty) of 2001.[2] They recorded four [Peel Sessions](/source/Peel_Sessions) in 2001 and 2002 and their single "Chargr" was number two in the first Festive Fifty after Peel's death.[2]

After their third album, *oh:io*, in 2007, the band underwent a line-up change, swapped violins, flutes and horns for synths and guitars, brought in producer Gareth Parton ([the Go! Team](/source/The_Go!_Team), [Foals](/source/Foals_(band)), [the Breeders](/source/The_Breeders)) and recorded the more pop-oriented album *The Phantom Forest* (released in 2011).

First single from the album "Please Don't Take Him Back" was released in October 2010 on the UK label [Fortuna Pop!](/source/Fortuna_Pop!); it was playlisted on [BBC6](/source/BBC6) Music, received airplay on Radio 1 and XFM, and was reviewed in NME, Vice, Artrocker, Clash Magazine, and many more online. A free download single, "A Train Wreck", was released in December 2010 followed by "When Will I Be Queen" in March 2011. The band toured the UK in March and April, followed by a European Tour in July 2011.

As well as touring extensively in the UK, the band toured the US, playing festivals including [Latitude](/source/Latitude_festival), [Bestival](/source/Bestival), [The Great Escape](/source/The_Great_Escape_Festival) and [Offset](/source/Offset_Festival), as well as several abroad including [SXSW](/source/SXSW), Emmaboda (Sweden), [Primavera Sound](/source/Primavera_Sound) (Spain), Contempopranea (Spain) and CMJ in New York, where they were voted 'Best Breakthrough Act' in a [New York Times](/source/New_York_Times) poll of badge-holders and received positive reviews, including [Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website)).

The band also supported the likes of [Crystal Castles](/source/Crystal_Castles_(band)), [Melt Banana](/source/Melt_Banana), [You Say Party](/source/You_Say_Party), [Future of the Left](/source/Future_of_the_Left), [Factory Floor](/source/Factory_Floor) and [Hot Chip](/source/Hot_Chip). In addition to [Fantastic Plastic Records](/source/Fantastic_Plastic_Records) and Fortuna Pop, the band released records on [Happy Happy Birthday to Me](/source/Happy_Happy_Birthday_to_Me) and Micro Indie in the US.

Bearsuit were championed by BBC radio DJs including John Peel, [Steve Lamacq](/source/Steve_Lamacq), [Huw Stephens](/source/Huw_Stephens), [Zane Lowe](/source/Zane_Lowe), [Rob Da Bank](/source/Rob_Da_Bank), [Phill Jupitus](/source/Phill_Jupitus), [Marc Riley](/source/Marc_Riley), [Tom Ravenscroft](/source/Tom_Ravenscroft), [Tom Robinson](/source/Tom_Robinson), [Colin Murray](/source/Colin_Murray), [Gideon Coe](/source/Gideon_Coe) and [John Kennedy](/source/John_Kennedy_(DJ)) on XFM. Accolades include scooping "Vinyl of the Week" in the [NME](/source/NME), "Pick of the Week" in *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*, and 'Album of the Fortnight' in [Artrocker](/source/Artrocker_magazine).

Members have also played in [the Polyphonic Spree](/source/The_Polyphonic_Spree), Cruiser Chimps, Evader, Keytarded, Hyper Kinako, The Bavarian Rocket Group, Velvia, Tell Me How, the Aprons, Mega Emotion, Lady Di, P0VT3R and Invisible Cities.

Following a hiatus from 2012, Bearsuit reformed to play at [Indietracks](/source/Indietracks) festival in 2016,[3] and one of Fortuna POP's 'Twenty Years Of Trouble' farewell concerts in 2017.[4]

## Band members

- Lisa Horton — keyboards, vocals, accordion
- Jan Robertson — guitar, keyboards, vocals, flute
- Iain Ross — guitar, vocals
- Emma Belka - drums (until 2001)
- Cerian Hutchings (née Hamer) — [cornet](/source/Cornet), violin, keyboards, vocals, piano, percussion
- Matt Hutchings — drums
- Matt Moss — bass (until 2004) (also a member of Lethargic Pigeon and The Rebeccas)
- Richard Squires — bass, guitar, vocals
- Charlene Katuwawala — bass guitar, vocals, keyboards
- Joe Naylor — drums, vocals

## Discography

### Albums

- *[Cat Spectacular!](/source/Cat_Spectacular!)* ([Fortuna Pop!](/source/Fortuna_Pop!), Microindie 2004)
- *Team Ping Pong* ([Fantastic Plastic](/source/Fantastic_Plastic_Records), 2005)
- *oh:io* ([Fantastic Plastic](/source/Fantastic_Plastic_Records), [Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records](/source/Happy_Happy_Birthday_To_Me_Records) 2007)
- *The Phantom Forest* ([Fortuna Pop!](/source/Fortuna_Pop!), 2011)

### Singles

- "Hey Charlie Hey Chuck" (Sickroom GC, 2001)
- "Drinkink" (Sickroom GC, 2002)
- "Stop What You're Doing What You're Doing Is Wrong" (Sickroom GC, 2002)
- "Itsuko Got Married" (Bearslut recordings, 2003)
- "The Bearsuit Jesus Will Spear You Through The Heart" EP (Fortuna Pop!, 2003)
- "Chargr!" (Fortuna POP!, 2004)
- "Steven Fucking Spielberg" (Fantastic Plastic, 2006)
- "More Soul Than Wigan Casino" (Fantastic Plastic, 2007) No. 24 UK Indie
- "Foxy Boxer" (Fantastic Plastic, 2007) No. 13 UK Indie
- "Pushover" (Fantastic Plastic, 2008)
- "Musclebelt" (Fantastic Plastic, 2009)
- "Please Don't Take Him Back" (Fortuna POP!, 2010)
- "A Train Wreck" (free digital download to mailing list, Fortuna Pop!, 2010)
- "When Will I Be Queen" (Fortuna Pop!, 2011)

### Compilation appearances

- *The Gazumper* (Sickroom GC, 2001)
- "Snowshoe" on *Should you be singing Christmas songs?* (Happy Capitalist, 2001)
- "Come Around" on *GoJonnyGoGoGoGo* (2001)
- "Drinkink" on *Blip Anomaly* (Sickroom GC, 2001)
- "Poor Prince Neal" on *GoJonnyGoGoGoGo2* (2002)
- "Little Donkey" on *A Christmas Gift from Fortuna Pop!* (Fortuna POP!, 2002)
- "On Your Special Day" on *I'm With Cupid* (WIAIWYA records, 2004)
- "Rodent Disco" on *GoJonnyGoGoGoGo* Favourites No. 1 (2005)
- "Rodent Disco" (edited version) on *Que Viva le Pop!* (Elefant Records/Fortuna POP!, 2006)
- "Itsuko Got Married" on *Kat's Karavan: The History of John Peel on the Radio* ([Universal Music](/source/Universal_Music), 2009)

## References

1. James Christopher Monger. ["Bearsuit | Biography & History"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bearsuit-mn0001015468/biography). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 2 May 2020.

1. ["Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - Bearsuit"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/b/bearsuit/). BBC. Retrieved 2 May 2020.

1. [\[1\]](http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/indietracks-bands-and-balloons-ensure-derbyshire-festival-goes-with-a-blast/story-29569595-detail/story.html) [dead link]

1. ["Fortuna POP!'s 20 Years Of Trouble - Farewell Shows feat. The Butterflies of Love, Sodastream, Martha/…WithGuitars"](http://www.withguitars.com/fortuna-pops-20-years-trouble-farewell-shows-feat-butterflies-love-sodastream-martha/). 17 February 2017. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170217070241/http://www.withguitars.com/fortuna-pops-20-years-trouble-farewell-shows-feat-butterflies-love-sodastream-martha/) 17 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 October 2020.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.bearsuit.co.uk)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bearsuit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearsuit) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearsuit?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.