Progressive Rock Music: It Bites

IT BITES was formed in the mid-'80s by vocalist and guitarist Francis DUNNERY, bassist Dick NOLAN, drummer Bob DALTON and keyboard player John BECK. The music is typical of Prog Rock bands that try to go mainstream, like some PENDRAGON stuff. Their ability to blend reggae, pop and new age into a metal foreground is totally mind blowing. Big sound and direct melodies form a cocktail which any fan will appreciate. Anyone who listens to this group for the first time is in for an audible rollercoaster ride. IT BITES should be considered a collector item for all listeners of all British Prog bands (PENDRAGON, BIG BIG TRAIN, MARILLION etc.).

The band matured with "Once Around the World", exerting more traditional rock influence. This release is the most progressive with its 15-minute title track. Fantastic...! Their final release, "Eat Me in St. Louis", was a collection of unreleased and new material. The disc shows that they truly were one of the best bands to successfully merge progressive rock with a more pop-oriented mode. IT BITES is really a great PROG BAND.

Apparently the band has reformed with a new lead singer and guitarist John Mitchell (Kino, Arena, Frost), as Francis Dunnery is no longer willing to contribute to a new album. The new IT BITES is writing new material and will start recording at the end of 2006 with a tour before and after the release.

Biografie

It Bites are a progressive rock and pop fusion band formed in Egremont, Cumbria, England, in 1982.

The group was a mix of post Peter Gabriel Genesis and 10cc with Van Halen like vocals and guitar histrionics. The group enjoyed number 6 single chart success in the UK with their only major hit single "Calling All The Heroes".The band's natural territory was the album charts and on the road, where their fans would turn out in their thousands to show support for a band who never really courted FM radio and the dreaded three and half minute pop song.

Despite a healthy fan-base around the world, It Bites were one of the many progressive pop rock bands to suffer the great cull of the early 90's, when major record labels consolidated their assets, to weather the economic downturn by throwing out musicians in favor of cheaper and cleaner pop stars, to form the huge multinational organizations we know and love today.

Reformation

The band are reportedly reforming (according to their own web site^[1]) to both record and tour. With Dunnery's life and career now being based in America he has been replaced by Beck and Dalton's bandmate in Kino, John Mitchell.

Current

John Mitchell (vocals, guitar)
John Beck (keyboards)
Dick Nolan (bass)
Bob Dalton (drums)

Past members

Francis Dunnery (vocals, guitar)
Lee Knott (vocals) For a brief period only, (following the departure of Francis Dunnery) ex-Innocence Lost frontman, Lee, was advertised as the new singer of It Bites. Soon after though, the band would change their name to Navajo Kiss.

Discography