It Bites
Encyclopedia
It Bites are an English
progressive rock
and pop fusion band, formed in Egremont
, Cumbria
, England
in 1982 and best known for their 1986 single "Calling All The Heroes
", which gained them a Top 10 UK Singles Chart
hit. Initially fronted by Francis Dunnery
, the band split in 1990, eventually returning in 2006 with new frontman John Mitchell
.
, sophisti-pop
, and Queen
-style glam rock and processed it through their progressive rock
influences); the Once Around The World phase (in which they produced 1970s style progressive rock
with a 1980s contemporary producer-pop gloss); the Eat Me In St Louis phase (during which they produced detailed hard rock songs with elements of heavy metal
and glam rock
); and the current reunion phase (in which they play a more measured melodic progressive rock similar to that of the Once Around The World phase).
The band have historically incorporated and quoted from a wide variety of additional styles including jazz fusion
, sea shanty
, soul
, children's songs, reggae
, go-go, classical
, music hall
, and swing. Cited influences included progressive rock
bands such as Genesis
, Yes
and UK
, but also soul musicians such as Steve Arrington
and songwriters such as Joni Mitchell
. Francis Dunnery has repeatedly stated his admiration for The Smiths
and Morrissey
.
, It Bites started out in early 80s playing covers of bands like Level 42
and Haircut One Hundred in the village of Egremont
in Cumbria
, UK. Keyboard player John Beck
from Whitehaven
joined the group later in 1982, and for a short period of time It Bites also featured saxophonist Howard "H" Smith, a period in which the band worked playing gigs at nightclubs around Cumbria.
The band then split up at 1983, when Dalton and Nolan moved to Birmingham, Dunnery to London and Beck to Manchester. One year later, It Bites reunited in 1984 after a meetup in Egremont, and this time opted to relocate entirely to London.
All four members moved into a squat in Peckham
and spent a year living hand-to-mouth and writing original material. Bob Dalton later commented "it was actually the perfect situation because all we could afford to do was write songs 24/7. All that time was the making of us. We became strong writers and strong players." Their demo tape eventually secured them a management deal with Martyn Mayhead (at WEA Records), and shortly afterwards a recording contract
with Virgin Records
.
"All In Red", which only charted modestly. Their second single, "Calling All The Heroes
", was released in June 1986 and became a big hit
, reaching #6 in the UK Singles Chart
and gaining the band a huge amount of radio play and many television appearances (including Top of the Pops
, Wogan
, and The Old Grey Whistle Test). The third single, "Whole New World", also charted, but not at such a high position. All three singles appeared on the first It Bites album
The Big Lad In The Windmill (produced by Alan Shacklock), which was released in the summer of 1986 but met with only moderate commercial success, despite charting at number 35.
The band toured with Go West
and Marillion
in late 1987, played major European outdoor festivals (including the Montreaux Jazz Festival, broadcast live across Europe by Swiss TV) and supported Robert Plant
in early 1988. This diverse set of support slots revealed a problem in marketing the band which would last throughout their career. It Bites' blend of contemporary 1980s producer-pop, progressive rock and hard rock (setting glossy keyboards and massed harmony vocals against heavy drumming, complex time signatures and Allan-Holdsworth
-inspired guitar solos) would draw criticism from some music press writers who accused the band of failing to settle on a coherent direction. Despite this, the band forged a loyal and enthusiastic following in the UK.
The band began recording their second album Once Around The World with producer Mark Wallis in mid-1987. Footage of this process was broadcast on Channel 4 TV's "Equinox"
programme Twang, Bang, Kerrang! (which documented the history of the electric guitar. Francis Dunnery featured prominently in the programme, comparing his Japanese and American Fender Stratocaster guitars and discussing technique and equipment.
Once Around The World was released in March 1988 and signaled a departure from the more directly pop-oriented sound of It Bites' first album, something demonstrated explicitly by a fourteen-minute title track in full progressive rock style. Virgin Records had insisted on some more pop-orientated sessions with producer Steve Hillage
which resulted in the minor hit singles "Kiss Like Judas" (February 1988) and "Midnight" (April 1988). A third single "Old Man And The Angel" (a heavily-edited version of a lengthy track from the Wallis sessions) fared less well. Despite its split nature, the final album was consistent in tone and sound and was popular with fans. During this period, Dunnery also gained some press attention for his invention of the Tapboard
, an instrument based on two paired guitar necks and using a ten-finger tapping
technique to create exceptionally fast and clear melodic runs and chording.
and The Rolling Stones
). The album featured a harder-edged, more guitar-orientated sound than before, with shorter, punchier songs and the direct progressive rock influences cut back. In contemporary interviews, Dunnery claimed to have become dissatisfied with the more technical and virtuosic side of It Bites' music as demonstrated on the previous album - "That was very important to us at the time. We wanted to say to people, Look, but aren't we very clever? I can't be bothered now to write all them long sections, I just wanna see some good songs... Instead of flying around at 9,000 miles an hour, I've been playing tunes that people can remember." However, the band also chose to commission the artwork for Eat Me In St. Louis and its early single releases from the infamous progressive rock sleeve artist Roger Dean, in what Dunnery admitted was a calculated attempt to play on their own "progressive rock" reputation and to "annoy people."
On its release, Eat Me In St. Louis scored excellent reviews in rock magazines Kerrang!
and RAW
and spawned the minor hit single "Still Too Young To Remember". During this period, Virgin made strong attempts to break the band as a serious hard rock act with several re-releases and video shoots for "Still Too Young To Remember" and the follow-ups "Underneath Your Pillow" and "Sister Sarah". Although Virgin's efforts to boost the band's commercial profile were ultimately unsuccessful, the band still proved themselves popular as a live act, playing sell-out gigs across the UK, US and Japan, and touring with Jethro Tull
and the Beach Boys
. Certain band members also participated in outside projects - Nolan recording with Tony Banks
(on his 1989 Bankstatement album) and Dunnery singing backing vocals on the debut Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
album during the same year.
, to start writing and recording their fourth album. This was intended to be the record to break the American market, and Dunnery promised simpler songs with "a stronger taste of blues." However, tensions within the band reached breaking point during the pre-rehearsal period, and it was confirmed to the band's fanclub in November 1990 that the band had parted company with Francis Dunnery. Dunnery is rumoured to have demanded full band leadership and control over material, and it's also claimed that he clashed with former creative foil John Beck to the extent that he demanded Beck's expulsion from the band.
A new It Bites album was initially scheduled for early 1991. This was ultimately replaced by a live album covering the Francis Dunnery years, Thank You And Goodnight, which was mostly drawn from Eat Me In St Louis tour recordings and released in August 1991.
In an attempt to refresh their identity, the Knott-fronted It Bites renamed themselves as Navajo Kiss and played several gigs under that name. The concerts featured new material plus a vigorous cover of "Murder Of the Planet Earth" (from Eat Me In St Louis). A second name-change - to Sister Sarah - followed, but the band split quietly within the year due to lack of enthusiasm from audiences. John Beck would later admit "we found out pretty soon that people weren’t about to go along with such a change in direction." The various band members went their separate ways but remained in touch.
's band for a Japanese tour and a live album, Chasing The Dragon, with Beck moving on to become one of the keyboard players for the Alan Parsons Project
. Nolan (who also worked for the Alan Parsons Project) eventually established himself as Ray Davies
' bass player of choice. Dalton played drums for Chris Norman and Ray Davies and moved into teaching at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. Lee Knott spent some time in promotion (Portishead, Tricky, Underworld), and briefly resurfaced as the instrumental half of Superior (who released a couple of singles - "Being You" and "Coma" - on Virgin Records in 1997). Francis Dunnery, now based permanently in the US, re-emerged in 1991 to begin a successful solo career which continues to this day.
A partial It Bites reunion appeared in 1996 in the shape of the band Unicorn Jones. This project featured John Beck, Dick Nolan and singer David Banks (who'd once auditioned for It Bites and who'd previously been part of the band Mummy Calls, whose song "Beauty Has Her Way" appeared on the soundtrack to the film "The Lost Boys"). Banks had approached Beck and Nolan to help him record an album of Burt Bacharach
covers, but the trio had been sidetracked into recording a bizarre cover of Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades" (in which they described themselves as having "replac(ed) Lemmy's timeless vocal with David's crooner voice and transform(ed) the heavy metal trash into a dark deranged groove"). This cover version spawned the Unicorn Jones band, which recorded one album - 1996's 'A Hundred Thousand Million Stars' - but did not play live.
Beck and Dalton reunited in 2005 as members of the band Kino
, a progressive rock band which also featured Marillion
bass player Pete Trewavas
and British prog scene regular John Mitchell
(Arena
and others) on lead vocals and guitar (and in which Dalton replaced former Porcupine Tree
drummer Chris Maitland
). Kino's album 'Picture' was well-received on the British prog rock scene during 2005, and the band performed versions of the It Bites songs "Kiss Like Judas" and "Plastic Dreamer" at live concerts.
, which affected his ability to commit to the band). The brief reunion did, however, act as a spur for some archive It Bites releases - the Live At Montreux album (originally recorded in 1987) and the DVD Live In Tokyo (featuring footage dating from the Eat Me In St Louis period.) Both were released by Bob Dalton on behalf of the band.
bandmate John Mitchell
replacing Dunnery as lead singer and guitarist. According to an interview on francisdunnery.com, dated 15 October 2008, Dunnery said Bob Dalton called him out of the blue and said he was no longer wanted in the band. Dalton explained to Dunnery that they already had someone to replace him. Mitchell had been an enthusiastic It Bites fan since his teens, and was happy to take on the role. John Beck commented "I’ve met guitarists that could manage Frank’s licks but weren’t singers, or the other way around. John’s the first to do both. It’s all been so natural, I don’t even remember agreeing to do this; it took on a life of its own."
The new It Bites made their live debut for a well-received tour in winter 2006, playing material from the original three It Bites albums as well as premiering three new songs - "Memory Of Water", "Playground" and "Lights". The tour also spawned a live album called When The Lights Go Down, released in 2007. The band began recording material for a new album (predominantly written by Mitchell and Beck) between 2006 and 2008, opting to self-produce. Recording sessions were completed in May 2008.
-style", a reference to the 1978 Genesis album ...And Then There Were Three...
- and that It Bites had reluctantly parted company with Nolan due to his lack of involvement and commitment. Nolan was replaced by Lee Pomeroy, an established British session bass guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who'd played with Take That
, Mike Oldfield
and Rick Wakeman
's New English Rock Ensemble and shared It Bites' appreciation of English progressive rock musicians. Pomeroy had apparently been originally recommended to the band by Nolan.
It Bites' comeback album - The Tall Ships - was pre-released to members of the It Bites internet forum on 21 July 2008, with a full release following on Inside Out Music in October 2008. The album generally gained good reviews and was considered an excellent comeback ranking with the best of the band's previous work.
With Pomeroy installed, It Bites supported Status Quo at the latter's Whitehaven concert on 2 August 2008 and went on to their own headline tour around the UK between 26 September and 7 October 2008 with neo-prog rock newcomers Touchstone as support.
In summer 2009 It Bites played the Three Rivers Progressive Rock Festival and also toured Japan, with Level 42's guitarist Nathan King
covering for an unavailable Lee Pomeroy as bass player. (King has subsequently been confirmed as It Bites' regular deputising bass player for whenever Pomeroy is unavailable.) The band went on to play further British concerts in autumn 2009. A live album called This Is Japan - recorded at a Tokyo concert on 3 July 2009, and featuring King - was released in February 2010 (the album had previously been released in Japan only under the title It's Live).
On 28 February 2010, the band released a re-recorded version of their 1986 hit "Calling All The Heroes" in order to raise funds for flood relief following the Cumbrian floods of late 2009. For this release, the band were joined by various guest performers including former members Francis Dunnery
and Dick Nolan. Dunnery re-sang the opening lines of the song, with the rest of the vocals handled by John Mitchell, John Wetton
(Asia
, King Crimson
, UK
), Jason Perry (A
) and Steve Hogarth
(Marillion
). Further instrumental contributions came from Nolan, Geoff Downes
(Asia
, Yes
, Buggles), Jem Godfrey
(Frost*, Atomic Kitten
, etc.) and various members of Marillion
.
It Bites played more UK dates in March 2010 and two more dates in Japan during the same month (with Nathan King once again playing bass guitar for the Japanese concerts).
It has been announced that the next album will be titled Map of the Past.
Print
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and pop fusion band, formed in Egremont
Egremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1982 and best known for their 1986 single "Calling All The Heroes
Calling All The Heroes
"Calling All The Heroes" is the second single by It Bites. It was written by frontman Francis Dunnery, and charted at #6 on the UK charts in August 1986....
", which gained them a Top 10 UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
hit. Initially fronted by Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as a solo performer , and for fronting the original lineup of the band It Bites between 1982 and 1990 .Dunnery served as a sideman and...
, the band split in 1990, eventually returning in 2006 with new frontman John Mitchell
John Mitchell (musician)
John Mitchell is guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the UK band It Bites. He also plays guitar for a number of other progressive rock bands including Arena, The Urbane, Kino, Frost*, and John Wetton.In 2008, Mitchell joined A, playing bass in place of original bass player Daniel P...
.
Sound
Described as "a British band with blues and metal aspirations, but also a strong art-rock tendency" by Allmusic, It Bites are better described as a band composed of voracious pop fans with a parallel taste for progressive rock. The band's musical development can be split into four clear phases - the Big Lad In The Windmill phase (in which they embraced various varieties of contemporary pop, funkFunk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, sophisti-pop
Sophisti-pop
Sophisti-pop was a sub-genre of pop that flourished in the UK between the mid-1980s and early 1990s, incorporating elements of soft rock, jazz, and blue-eyed soul. The genre made extensive use of electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and polished arrangements, particularly horn sections. Acts were...
, and Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
-style glam rock and processed it through their progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
influences); the Once Around The World phase (in which they produced 1970s style progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
with a 1980s contemporary producer-pop gloss); the Eat Me In St Louis phase (during which they produced detailed hard rock songs with elements of heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
); and the current reunion phase (in which they play a more measured melodic progressive rock similar to that of the Once Around The World phase).
The band have historically incorporated and quoted from a wide variety of additional styles including jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
, sea shanty
Sea shanty
A shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, children's songs, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, go-go, classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
, and swing. Cited influences included progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
bands such as Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and UK
UK (band)
U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
, but also soul musicians such as Steve Arrington
Steve Arrington
Steve Arrington , is an American singer, songwriter, drummer, record producer, engineer and minister, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio.-Biography:...
and songwriters such as Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
. Francis Dunnery has repeatedly stated his admiration for The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
and Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
.
Early years: 1982-1985
Originally formed by drummer Bob Dalton, bass player Dick Nolan and guitarist/singer Francis DunneryFrancis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as a solo performer , and for fronting the original lineup of the band It Bites between 1982 and 1990 .Dunnery served as a sideman and...
, It Bites started out in early 80s playing covers of bands like Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
and Haircut One Hundred in the village of Egremont
Egremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, UK. Keyboard player John Beck
John Beck (musician)
John Beck is an English musician in progressive rock band, It Bites.-Work:John Beck is a writer, producer, keyboard player and guitarist known for his work with Tasmin Archer and Corinne Bailey Rae....
from Whitehaven
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
joined the group later in 1982, and for a short period of time It Bites also featured saxophonist Howard "H" Smith, a period in which the band worked playing gigs at nightclubs around Cumbria.
The band then split up at 1983, when Dalton and Nolan moved to Birmingham, Dunnery to London and Beck to Manchester. One year later, It Bites reunited in 1984 after a meetup in Egremont, and this time opted to relocate entirely to London.
All four members moved into a squat in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
and spent a year living hand-to-mouth and writing original material. Bob Dalton later commented "it was actually the perfect situation because all we could afford to do was write songs 24/7. All that time was the making of us. We became strong writers and strong players." Their demo tape eventually secured them a management deal with Martyn Mayhead (at WEA Records), and shortly afterwards a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
.
Success - 1986-1988
In March 1986, It Bites released their first singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"All In Red", which only charted modestly. Their second single, "Calling All The Heroes
Calling All The Heroes
"Calling All The Heroes" is the second single by It Bites. It was written by frontman Francis Dunnery, and charted at #6 on the UK charts in August 1986....
", was released in June 1986 and became a big hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, reaching #6 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and gaining the band a huge amount of radio play and many television appearances (including Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, Wogan
Wogan
Wogan was a chat show on British television, hosted by Terry Wogan. It followed the format of a series broadcast in 1980 entitled What's On Wogan?, which failed to gather viewers. The Wogan show was initially broadcast on Tuesday evenings on BBC1 in 1981 and from 1982 to 1984, it moved into the...
, and The Old Grey Whistle Test). The third single, "Whole New World", also charted, but not at such a high position. All three singles appeared on the first It Bites album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
The Big Lad In The Windmill (produced by Alan Shacklock), which was released in the summer of 1986 but met with only moderate commercial success, despite charting at number 35.
The band toured with Go West
Go West (band)
Go West is an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist and drummer Peter Cox ; and guitarist and vocalist Richard Drummie...
and Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
in late 1987, played major European outdoor festivals (including the Montreaux Jazz Festival, broadcast live across Europe by Swiss TV) and supported Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
in early 1988. This diverse set of support slots revealed a problem in marketing the band which would last throughout their career. It Bites' blend of contemporary 1980s producer-pop, progressive rock and hard rock (setting glossy keyboards and massed harmony vocals against heavy drumming, complex time signatures and Allan-Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
-inspired guitar solos) would draw criticism from some music press writers who accused the band of failing to settle on a coherent direction. Despite this, the band forged a loyal and enthusiastic following in the UK.
The band began recording their second album Once Around The World with producer Mark Wallis in mid-1987. Footage of this process was broadcast on Channel 4 TV's "Equinox"
Equinox (television)
Equinox was a long-running Channel 4 popular science and documentary programme. The series ran from 1986 to 2001, originally aired on a weekly basis....
programme Twang, Bang, Kerrang! (which documented the history of the electric guitar. Francis Dunnery featured prominently in the programme, comparing his Japanese and American Fender Stratocaster guitars and discussing technique and equipment.
Once Around The World was released in March 1988 and signaled a departure from the more directly pop-oriented sound of It Bites' first album, something demonstrated explicitly by a fourteen-minute title track in full progressive rock style. Virgin Records had insisted on some more pop-orientated sessions with producer Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
which resulted in the minor hit singles "Kiss Like Judas" (February 1988) and "Midnight" (April 1988). A third single "Old Man And The Angel" (a heavily-edited version of a lengthy track from the Wallis sessions) fared less well. Despite its split nature, the final album was consistent in tone and sound and was popular with fans. During this period, Dunnery also gained some press attention for his invention of the Tapboard
Tapboard
The term Tapboard is used to describe two separate guitar-based instruments designed to employ variations of the tapping technique.-Origins:The first recorded Tapboard instrument was devised by former It Bites guitarist Francis Dunnery between 1988 and 1989...
, an instrument based on two paired guitar necks and using a ten-finger tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
technique to create exceptionally fast and clear melodic runs and chording.
The shift towards hard rock - 1989
The third album, Eat Me In St. Louis was recorded in early 1989 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, produced by Rheinhold Mack (best known for work with QueenQueen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
). The album featured a harder-edged, more guitar-orientated sound than before, with shorter, punchier songs and the direct progressive rock influences cut back. In contemporary interviews, Dunnery claimed to have become dissatisfied with the more technical and virtuosic side of It Bites' music as demonstrated on the previous album - "That was very important to us at the time. We wanted to say to people, Look, but aren't we very clever? I can't be bothered now to write all them long sections, I just wanna see some good songs... Instead of flying around at 9,000 miles an hour, I've been playing tunes that people can remember." However, the band also chose to commission the artwork for Eat Me In St. Louis and its early single releases from the infamous progressive rock sleeve artist Roger Dean, in what Dunnery admitted was a calculated attempt to play on their own "progressive rock" reputation and to "annoy people."
On its release, Eat Me In St. Louis scored excellent reviews in rock magazines Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
and RAW
RAW (magazine)
RAW was a comics anthology edited by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly and published by Mouly from 1980 to 1991. It was a flagship publication of the 1980s alternative comics movement, serving as a more intellectual counterpoint to Robert Crumb's visceral Weirdo, which followed squarely in the...
and spawned the minor hit single "Still Too Young To Remember". During this period, Virgin made strong attempts to break the band as a serious hard rock act with several re-releases and video shoots for "Still Too Young To Remember" and the follow-ups "Underneath Your Pillow" and "Sister Sarah". Although Virgin's efforts to boost the band's commercial profile were ultimately unsuccessful, the band still proved themselves popular as a live act, playing sell-out gigs across the UK, US and Japan, and touring with Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
and the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. Certain band members also participated in outside projects - Nolan recording with Tony Banks
Tony Banks (musician)
This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
(on his 1989 Bankstatement album) and Dunnery singing backing vocals on the debut Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was a project of four progressive rock musicians, vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and guitarist Steve Howe . They had played together in Yes in the early 1970s...
album during the same year.
Departure of Francis Dunnery - mid-1990
It Bites showcased some new post-Eat Me In St Louis material on an eight-date UK tour during March and April 1990. In June 1990, the band travelled to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, to start writing and recording their fourth album. This was intended to be the record to break the American market, and Dunnery promised simpler songs with "a stronger taste of blues." However, tensions within the band reached breaking point during the pre-rehearsal period, and it was confirmed to the band's fanclub in November 1990 that the band had parted company with Francis Dunnery. Dunnery is rumoured to have demanded full band leadership and control over material, and it's also claimed that he clashed with former creative foil John Beck to the extent that he demanded Beck's expulsion from the band.
It Bites lineup 2 (Lee Knott briefly replaces Francis Dunnery) - 1990
Now minus Dunnery, the remaining trio initially stayed on in Los Angeles, continuing to write and auditioning new singers (at this point, John Beck also switched from keyboards to guitar). Returning to England, they recruited Lee Knott as the new It Bites singer. Knott had previously fronted the band Innocence Lost, who had played support slots to It Bites on previous UK dates. Beck would later recall that "at the time I think we were all sick of what was happening and wanted a total change. I was playing guitar, and a little bit of keyboards, but mainly guitar. It was a change for me, and Bob & Dick were happy doing that..."A new It Bites album was initially scheduled for early 1991. This was ultimately replaced by a live album covering the Francis Dunnery years, Thank You And Goodnight, which was mostly drawn from Eat Me In St Louis tour recordings and released in August 1991.
In an attempt to refresh their identity, the Knott-fronted It Bites renamed themselves as Navajo Kiss and played several gigs under that name. The concerts featured new material plus a vigorous cover of "Murder Of the Planet Earth" (from Eat Me In St Louis). A second name-change - to Sister Sarah - followed, but the band split quietly within the year due to lack of enthusiasm from audiences. John Beck would later admit "we found out pretty soon that people weren’t about to go along with such a change in direction." The various band members went their separate ways but remained in touch.
Post-split (sessions, Superior, Unicorn Jones and Dunnery solo) - 1990-2003
After the split of It Bites, Beck and Dalton joined John WettonJohn Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
's band for a Japanese tour and a live album, Chasing The Dragon, with Beck moving on to become one of the keyboard players for the Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock band, active between 1975 and 1990, consisting of singer Eric Woolfson and keyboardist Alan Parsons surrounded by a varying number of session musicians....
. Nolan (who also worked for the Alan Parsons Project) eventually established himself as Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
' bass player of choice. Dalton played drums for Chris Norman and Ray Davies and moved into teaching at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. Lee Knott spent some time in promotion (Portishead, Tricky, Underworld), and briefly resurfaced as the instrumental half of Superior (who released a couple of singles - "Being You" and "Coma" - on Virgin Records in 1997). Francis Dunnery, now based permanently in the US, re-emerged in 1991 to begin a successful solo career which continues to this day.
A partial It Bites reunion appeared in 1996 in the shape of the band Unicorn Jones. This project featured John Beck, Dick Nolan and singer David Banks (who'd once auditioned for It Bites and who'd previously been part of the band Mummy Calls, whose song "Beauty Has Her Way" appeared on the soundtrack to the film "The Lost Boys"). Banks had approached Beck and Nolan to help him record an album of Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
covers, but the trio had been sidetracked into recording a bizarre cover of Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades" (in which they described themselves as having "replac(ed) Lemmy's timeless vocal with David's crooner voice and transform(ed) the heavy metal trash into a dark deranged groove"). This cover version spawned the Unicorn Jones band, which recorded one album - 1996's 'A Hundred Thousand Million Stars' - but did not play live.
Beck and Dalton reunited in 2005 as members of the band Kino
Kino (UK rock band)
Kino was a British neo-progressive rock band made up of members from other progressive rock acts .The band released their debut album Picture in February 2005.-Line up:*John Mitchell: lead...
, a progressive rock band which also featured Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
bass player Pete Trewavas
Pete Trewavas
Pete Trewavas is an English musician. He joined Marillion in 1982, taking over the role of bassist, from Diz Minnett, while acting occasionally as a backing vocalist and acoustic guitarist.Although he was born in Middlesbrough, Trewavas spent much of his childhood in the Buckinghamshire town of...
and British prog scene regular John Mitchell
John Mitchell (musician)
John Mitchell is guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the UK band It Bites. He also plays guitar for a number of other progressive rock bands including Arena, The Urbane, Kino, Frost*, and John Wetton.In 2008, Mitchell joined A, playing bass in place of original bass player Daniel P...
(Arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
and others) on lead vocals and guitar (and in which Dalton replaced former Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
drummer Chris Maitland
Chris Maitland
Chris Maitland is an English drummer.After being the drummer for No-Man on their Autumn 1993 tour , Maitland was asked by the band's Steven Wilson to join his other main project, the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
). Kino's album 'Picture' was well-received on the British prog rock scene during 2005, and the band performed versions of the It Bites songs "Kiss Like Judas" and "Plastic Dreamer" at live concerts.
Reunion of It Bites lineup 1 (the Union Chapel performance and subsequent writing sessions) - 2003-2006
On 30 August 2003, during a solo concert at the Union Chapel in London, Francis Dunnery was joined onstage by his old It Bites band-mates for the first time since 1990. John Beck joined Dunnery for a duet on the It Bites song "Hunting The Whale", following which Dick Nolan and Bob Dalton also joined in for a gig finale of "Still Too Young To Remember". Following this, it was announced that It Bites would be getting back together to write and record a new album followed by a tour. Although some writing and initial recording did take place, the full reunion of the original lineup never materialised (apparently due to Dunnery's hectic schedule back in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which affected his ability to commit to the band). The brief reunion did, however, act as a spur for some archive It Bites releases - the Live At Montreux album (originally recorded in 1987) and the DVD Live In Tokyo (featuring footage dating from the Eat Me In St Louis period.) Both were released by Bob Dalton on behalf of the band.
It Bites lineup 3 (John Mitchell replaces Francis Dunnery) - 2006-2009
In 2006, It Bites opted to formally reunite, but with Beck and Dalton's KinoKino (UK rock band)
Kino was a British neo-progressive rock band made up of members from other progressive rock acts .The band released their debut album Picture in February 2005.-Line up:*John Mitchell: lead...
bandmate John Mitchell
John Mitchell (musician)
John Mitchell is guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the UK band It Bites. He also plays guitar for a number of other progressive rock bands including Arena, The Urbane, Kino, Frost*, and John Wetton.In 2008, Mitchell joined A, playing bass in place of original bass player Daniel P...
replacing Dunnery as lead singer and guitarist. According to an interview on francisdunnery.com, dated 15 October 2008, Dunnery said Bob Dalton called him out of the blue and said he was no longer wanted in the band. Dalton explained to Dunnery that they already had someone to replace him. Mitchell had been an enthusiastic It Bites fan since his teens, and was happy to take on the role. John Beck commented "I’ve met guitarists that could manage Frank’s licks but weren’t singers, or the other way around. John’s the first to do both. It’s all been so natural, I don’t even remember agreeing to do this; it took on a life of its own."
The new It Bites made their live debut for a well-received tour in winter 2006, playing material from the original three It Bites albums as well as premiering three new songs - "Memory Of Water", "Playground" and "Lights". The tour also spawned a live album called When The Lights Go Down, released in 2007. The band began recording material for a new album (predominantly written by Mitchell and Beck) between 2006 and 2008, opting to self-produce. Recording sessions were completed in May 2008.
It Bites lineup 4 (Lee Pomeroy replaces Dick Nolan) - 2009-present
On 23 June 2008 the band announced a further change to their line-up with the departure of another founder member, bass player Dick Nolan (earlier in the year, Nolan had failed to show up for a performance at a Classic Rock Society concert, and there had been rumours of his dissatisfaction with the project). The band's statement revealed that all bass playing on the forthcoming album had in fact been performed by either John Mitchell or John Beck - in what the band referred to as "GenesisGenesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
-style", a reference to the 1978 Genesis album ...And Then There Were Three...
...And Then There Were Three...
...And Then There Were Three... is the ninth studio album by the British band Genesis and was released in 1978. It is the band's first album as a trio.-Background and recording:...
- and that It Bites had reluctantly parted company with Nolan due to his lack of involvement and commitment. Nolan was replaced by Lee Pomeroy, an established British session bass guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who'd played with Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
, Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
and Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
's New English Rock Ensemble and shared It Bites' appreciation of English progressive rock musicians. Pomeroy had apparently been originally recommended to the band by Nolan.
It Bites' comeback album - The Tall Ships - was pre-released to members of the It Bites internet forum on 21 July 2008, with a full release following on Inside Out Music in October 2008. The album generally gained good reviews and was considered an excellent comeback ranking with the best of the band's previous work.
With Pomeroy installed, It Bites supported Status Quo at the latter's Whitehaven concert on 2 August 2008 and went on to their own headline tour around the UK between 26 September and 7 October 2008 with neo-prog rock newcomers Touchstone as support.
In summer 2009 It Bites played the Three Rivers Progressive Rock Festival and also toured Japan, with Level 42's guitarist Nathan King
Nathan King (musician)
Nathan King is a guitarist, bass player and singer, and has been a member of Level 42 since 1998. He is also currently working with Frost* and It Bites.-References:...
covering for an unavailable Lee Pomeroy as bass player. (King has subsequently been confirmed as It Bites' regular deputising bass player for whenever Pomeroy is unavailable.) The band went on to play further British concerts in autumn 2009. A live album called This Is Japan - recorded at a Tokyo concert on 3 July 2009, and featuring King - was released in February 2010 (the album had previously been released in Japan only under the title It's Live).
On 28 February 2010, the band released a re-recorded version of their 1986 hit "Calling All The Heroes" in order to raise funds for flood relief following the Cumbrian floods of late 2009. For this release, the band were joined by various guest performers including former members Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as a solo performer , and for fronting the original lineup of the band It Bites between 1982 and 1990 .Dunnery served as a sideman and...
and Dick Nolan. Dunnery re-sang the opening lines of the song, with the rest of the vocals handled by John Mitchell, John Wetton
John Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
(Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, UK
UK (band)
U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
), Jason Perry (A
A (band)
A are a British alternative rock band from Suffolk, England, that formed in 1993. They have released four albums, and two live mini-albums.In 2002, the band enjoyed a brief period of commercial success, in which "Nothing", the first single from Hi-Fi Serious , charted at #9 on the UK singles chart...
) and Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth also known as "h", is the lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist/guitarist with the British rock band Marillion. Hogarth was formerly a keyboard player and co-lead vocalist with The Europeans and vocalist with How We Live...
(Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
). Further instrumental contributions came from Nolan, Geoff Downes
Geoff Downes
Geoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
(Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, Buggles), Jem Godfrey
Jem Godfrey
Jeremy "Jem" Godfrey is a British music producer, keyboardist and songwriter.Godfrey was responsible, with Bill Padley at Wise Buddah music, for many UK number one hits including Atomic Kitten's platinum-selling single, "Whole Again", which earned the pair two Ivor Novello Award nominations, and...
(Frost*, Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
, etc.) and various members of Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
.
It Bites played more UK dates in March 2010 and two more dates in Japan during the same month (with Nathan King once again playing bass guitar for the Japanese concerts).
It has been announced that the next album will be titled Map of the Past.
Current
- John MitchellJohn Mitchell (musician)John Mitchell is guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the UK band It Bites. He also plays guitar for a number of other progressive rock bands including Arena, The Urbane, Kino, Frost*, and John Wetton.In 2008, Mitchell joined A, playing bass in place of original bass player Daniel P...
(lead vocals, guitar) - John BeckJohn Beck (musician)John Beck is an English musician in progressive rock band, It Bites.-Work:John Beck is a writer, producer, keyboard player and guitarist known for his work with Tasmin Archer and Corinne Bailey Rae....
(keyboards, backing vocals) - Bob Dalton (drums, backing vocals)
- Lee Pomeroy (bass guitar, backing vocals)
- Nathan KingNathan King (musician)Nathan King is a guitarist, bass player and singer, and has been a member of Level 42 since 1998. He is also currently working with Frost* and It Bites.-References:...
(bass guitar, backing vocals - deputises for Lee Pomeroy when the former is unavailable)
Past members
- Francis DunneryFrancis DunneryFrancis Dunnery is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as a solo performer , and for fronting the original lineup of the band It Bites between 1982 and 1990 .Dunnery served as a sideman and...
(lead vocals, guitar) - Lee Knott (lead vocals)
- Dick Nolan (bass guitar, backing vocals)
- Howard "H" Smith (saxophone)
Discography
- The Big Lad in the WindmillThe Big Lad in the WindmillThe Big Lad in the Windmill is the debut album of British progressive pop/rock band It Bites. It contains the hit singles "All in Red", "Calling All The Heroes" and "Whole New World"-Track listing:# All In Red 3:31 # Turn Me Loose 4:11...
(Studio Album, Virgin/Geffen, 1986) - Once Around the WorldOnce Around the WorldOnce Around the World is the second album of British progressive pop/rock band It Bites. It showcased their more progressive musical influences, including their longest composition, Once Around the World, clocking in at almost 15 minutes. Released in 1988, it was recorded at Manor Hill Studios in...
(Studio Album, Virgin/Geffen, 1988) - Eat Me in St Louis (Studio Album, Virgin/Geffen, 1989)
- The It Bites Album (Compilation Album, Virgin Japan, 1990)
- Thank You And Goodnight - Live (Live Album, Virgin, 1991)
- Best Of - Calling All the Heroes (EMI, 2003)
- Live in Montreux (Live CD, 2003)
- Live in Tokyo (Live DVD, 2003)
- When The Lights Go Down (Live CD, May 2007)
- The Tall ShipsThe Tall ShipsThe Tall Ships is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock band It Bites. It was released in 2008, nineteen years after the previous studio album, Eat Me In St. Louis, now with a new band line-up. The Japanese version of this features an extra track, These Words...
(Studio Album, InsideOut, October 2008) - This is Japan (Live CD, 2010)
- It Happened One Night (2011)
- Article in Kerrang!Kerrang!Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine #128 (1986) - Article in Guitarist magazine vol 3 no. 8 (January 1987) - four page article with photos