It Bites won’t hardly ring a bell for the younger prog fans I think, while the more mature will recognize them from the late eighties. 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. 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.
They released 3 albums, The Big Lad In The Windmill, Once Around The World and Eat Me In St. Louis before disbanding in 1990.
Founder Francis Dunnery learned in 2003 that there was still interest in the band. This led to a reunion tour that spawned a live album in 2007. The band decided to continue but unfortunately Dunnery himself couldn’t commit to that plan. Arena and Kino singer John Mitchell was found as a replacement and proves to be an instant bulls eye hit. The end result was 2008's comeback, The Tall Ships and it is simply stunning.
If you frequent the progressive rock websites on the internet and you happened to browse through any of the numerous “Best Prog CDs of 2008” threads, it was impossible to miss the frequent appearance of The Tall Ships near the top of many of those lists.
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