Get thee to a Dunnery! Prog finally whelps a creative, pop-driven dynamo, and its mastermind is a Brit named Francis born on Christmas Day. If only IB could've prevented early '90s plaid-clad grunge!
Again, you have expanded my musical horizons. As much as I abhor the band name, It Bites does in fact, not bite. Though I wouldn't describe them as toothless or gummy either. I am surprised that I hadn't heard of them as they seem right in my musical wheelhouse, especially during their late '80s heyday. I wouldn't describe "Calling All The Heroes" prog -- but I've yet to listen to any of their other songs. I'm struggling to think of who they remind me of, definitely a new wave band. The drums are too generic, the rhythm to adherent to one time signature to fit the prog leanings (at least as defined by me, which should be the standard definition from which all opinions veer from).
I wonder if you'd been stockpiling them to write about or if something brought them to attention to write about at this time and place?
I was anxious to hear your reaction, more so on if you'd ever run across them at all. As is easy to do with this band (knowing their "impact" from the day), I was guessing you hadn't (and would've been stunned if you had, but thru no failings on your part...just no airplay here, etc).
I think you know I find labels useless, and really only use them as easy "handles" in writing for readers to have something to hold onto. But, the non-prog you're hearing is their unusual lean to the accessible and strong pop sense. If pressed, I'd say they were 75% rockin' pop, 25% "prog." But, here, knowing the influences/inspirations of the main songwriter helps to zero in on the sound's outcome i.e. Dunnery loves Genesis.
Francis has said that he can "do" Gabriel, but when asked to audition to be Phil Collins' replacement in '96, he admitted to not being able to "do" Collins (pitched too high, I reckon)!
I look forward to your reaction to other/more songs of theirs.
Great last question! They've been in my Q for months...there have been artists whom I KNEW I wanted to put my stamp on with this 'Stack thing, and theirs was one (plus, the attendant personal story from when I first heard them, and the links Dunnery has with Tull and Genesis, two of MY all-time faves...plus, seeing the band live).
Sometimes, when I peruse my couple dozen in my backed-up Q, the muse will just hit, as it should when music is involved! Future possible earworms? "Kiss Like Judas," "Underneath Your Pillow," "Black December," "Sister Sarah," and "Rose Marie."
Yeah I loved reading about the audition for Genesis story! And opening for Tull as well! I suppose when you think about prog in the mid-late 80s, if it wasn't Marillion, it was probably more pop than prog. Thinking of Asia and Yes and how those early prog bands amazingly returned to top the charts with their slick and over-produced albums. Good for them I say! I do still play 90125 on occasion! Now that I finished my next Earworm just now (definitely curious what you'll have to say), I'll give It Bites another taste and check out how it tastes. That pun even made me groan.
Do you know how "90125" got its name? 'Twas the Atco/Atlantic Records catalog number for the album! I knew that from back in the day, but now as I check its Wiki (to make sure my memory is still working), it's confirmed! Speaking of latter day Yes, I was on Trevor Rabin from his first taste of vinyl in 1975, with S. African band, Rabbitt, and their debut, "Boys Will Be Boys."
They (like White Witch) were woefully mis-labeled, as they were signed to Capricorn Records, home to all bands Southern Rock, and (like White Witch), were anything BUT! They were a pleasant little pop rock band, and even housed future Bay City Roller, Duncan Faure.
Anyhoo, rapid healing to you, Steve, and rapid heeling to Bernie and the herd!
Curious, Paul....you said "excellent band pick"---had you heard/heard of It Bites before, or were you just referring to the music provided in the post? Would love to hear your IB "exposure" if you were aware of them before....thanks in advance!
Yeah, I think my musical tastes have been quite limited to certain things. I love Johnny Winter, and early blues influenced British Rock. Also love Motown and rock that came out of Detroit. I like almost all rock and roll. Pop, not so much. Select Country, Country and Western (not much), but appreciate great instrumentalists, even if they are in a genre I don't typically follow. (see Hayseed Dixie).
Not unlike oceans, Paul, you're all over the map! The Winters were born, as you may know, near my Houston hometown, in Beaumont, TX. I was born about a decade after them, though! As you're a fan of Brit rock influenced by da blues, you might be interested in my very first concert experience!
I've yet to write about it, so kindly keep it under your hat! Picture it: University of Houston's Hofheinz Pavilion, sometime in 1970. I had floor seats to "An Evening with Led Zeppelin"--that's what they called it...no opening act! I was 15, and Dad got me freebies from his radio station (KLOL-FM, the "progressive rock" station for whom I worked as a DJ for a year half-a-decade later)! I took a girl, and impressed her with the floor-seat perspective!
Cut to the turn of the century (this one): I'm selling all 2,000 of my albums, plus all my promo items and ephemera....I put my 1-inch-square ticket stub from that 1970 concert on eBay, and it sells for $100! Remember, now........not a word.😉
That concert must have been awesome. I actually don't remember my first real concert. It would have been early to mid 70's at Cobo Hall in Detroit, but no idea who it was. I do remember watching "The New Barbarians" on April 28, 1979. Interesting story about this band. Might do a newsletter about this.
Have you sold all your albums yet? I am buying all mine back, after I sold them all 20 years ago:(✌️
That's funny! I wonder (however unlikely it might be) if they took their podcast title from the It Bites album title! More likely, though, I'm sure they took it as a play on the 1944 Judy Garland "Meet Me in St. Louis" film, like IB did, originally!
Again, you have expanded my musical horizons. As much as I abhor the band name, It Bites does in fact, not bite. Though I wouldn't describe them as toothless or gummy either. I am surprised that I hadn't heard of them as they seem right in my musical wheelhouse, especially during their late '80s heyday. I wouldn't describe "Calling All The Heroes" prog -- but I've yet to listen to any of their other songs. I'm struggling to think of who they remind me of, definitely a new wave band. The drums are too generic, the rhythm to adherent to one time signature to fit the prog leanings (at least as defined by me, which should be the standard definition from which all opinions veer from).
I wonder if you'd been stockpiling them to write about or if something brought them to attention to write about at this time and place?
I was anxious to hear your reaction, more so on if you'd ever run across them at all. As is easy to do with this band (knowing their "impact" from the day), I was guessing you hadn't (and would've been stunned if you had, but thru no failings on your part...just no airplay here, etc).
I think you know I find labels useless, and really only use them as easy "handles" in writing for readers to have something to hold onto. But, the non-prog you're hearing is their unusual lean to the accessible and strong pop sense. If pressed, I'd say they were 75% rockin' pop, 25% "prog." But, here, knowing the influences/inspirations of the main songwriter helps to zero in on the sound's outcome i.e. Dunnery loves Genesis.
Here he is singing "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight," an early Peter Gabriel-sung Genesis song (from '73's "Selling England by the Pound") from Steve Hackett's 2012 "Genesis Revisited II" album: https://open.spotify.com/track/4UpitEpClH1Ke8Hn0ALyEL?si=0049e9f62776414b
Francis has said that he can "do" Gabriel, but when asked to audition to be Phil Collins' replacement in '96, he admitted to not being able to "do" Collins (pitched too high, I reckon)!
I look forward to your reaction to other/more songs of theirs.
Great last question! They've been in my Q for months...there have been artists whom I KNEW I wanted to put my stamp on with this 'Stack thing, and theirs was one (plus, the attendant personal story from when I first heard them, and the links Dunnery has with Tull and Genesis, two of MY all-time faves...plus, seeing the band live).
Sometimes, when I peruse my couple dozen in my backed-up Q, the muse will just hit, as it should when music is involved! Future possible earworms? "Kiss Like Judas," "Underneath Your Pillow," "Black December," "Sister Sarah," and "Rose Marie."
Yeah I loved reading about the audition for Genesis story! And opening for Tull as well! I suppose when you think about prog in the mid-late 80s, if it wasn't Marillion, it was probably more pop than prog. Thinking of Asia and Yes and how those early prog bands amazingly returned to top the charts with their slick and over-produced albums. Good for them I say! I do still play 90125 on occasion! Now that I finished my next Earworm just now (definitely curious what you'll have to say), I'll give It Bites another taste and check out how it tastes. That pun even made me groan.
Do you know how "90125" got its name? 'Twas the Atco/Atlantic Records catalog number for the album! I knew that from back in the day, but now as I check its Wiki (to make sure my memory is still working), it's confirmed! Speaking of latter day Yes, I was on Trevor Rabin from his first taste of vinyl in 1975, with S. African band, Rabbitt, and their debut, "Boys Will Be Boys."
They (like White Witch) were woefully mis-labeled, as they were signed to Capricorn Records, home to all bands Southern Rock, and (like White Witch), were anything BUT! They were a pleasant little pop rock band, and even housed future Bay City Roller, Duncan Faure.
Anyhoo, rapid healing to you, Steve, and rapid heeling to Bernie and the herd!
Excellent band pick Brad. Funnily, when you search "Eat me in St. Louis" in Spotify you get a dining review podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/1EQlM08wtsT3Gslfi64Hwq?si=c8c02f52d30844a5
Curious, Paul....you said "excellent band pick"---had you heard/heard of It Bites before, or were you just referring to the music provided in the post? Would love to hear your IB "exposure" if you were aware of them before....thanks in advance!
Never heard of them before today. But I did like the tracks I listened to on spotify. So no IB exposure :(
Thanks for that! I'm always curious if a band/artist is as little-heard as I sometimes imagine. But, I'm glad you like what you've heard!
Yeah, I think my musical tastes have been quite limited to certain things. I love Johnny Winter, and early blues influenced British Rock. Also love Motown and rock that came out of Detroit. I like almost all rock and roll. Pop, not so much. Select Country, Country and Western (not much), but appreciate great instrumentalists, even if they are in a genre I don't typically follow. (see Hayseed Dixie).
Eclectric :)
Not unlike oceans, Paul, you're all over the map! The Winters were born, as you may know, near my Houston hometown, in Beaumont, TX. I was born about a decade after them, though! As you're a fan of Brit rock influenced by da blues, you might be interested in my very first concert experience!
I've yet to write about it, so kindly keep it under your hat! Picture it: University of Houston's Hofheinz Pavilion, sometime in 1970. I had floor seats to "An Evening with Led Zeppelin"--that's what they called it...no opening act! I was 15, and Dad got me freebies from his radio station (KLOL-FM, the "progressive rock" station for whom I worked as a DJ for a year half-a-decade later)! I took a girl, and impressed her with the floor-seat perspective!
Cut to the turn of the century (this one): I'm selling all 2,000 of my albums, plus all my promo items and ephemera....I put my 1-inch-square ticket stub from that 1970 concert on eBay, and it sells for $100! Remember, now........not a word.😉
That concert must have been awesome. I actually don't remember my first real concert. It would have been early to mid 70's at Cobo Hall in Detroit, but no idea who it was. I do remember watching "The New Barbarians" on April 28, 1979. Interesting story about this band. Might do a newsletter about this.
Have you sold all your albums yet? I am buying all mine back, after I sold them all 20 years ago:(✌️
That's funny! I wonder (however unlikely it might be) if they took their podcast title from the It Bites album title! More likely, though, I'm sure they took it as a play on the 1944 Judy Garland "Meet Me in St. Louis" film, like IB did, originally!