A British band with blues and metal aspirations, but also a strong art rock tendency (thanks in part to producer
Steve Hillage),
It Bites were formed in the mid-'80s by vocalist and guitarist
Francis Dunnery, bassist
Dick Nolan, drummer
Bob Dalton, and keyboard player
John Beck. The group debuted with the single "All in Red," then signed to Virgin for its first album,
The Big Lad in the Windmill. Second single "Calling All Heroes" hit number six on the British charts, and though
It Bites never reentered the Top 40, the band matured with
Once Around the World, exerting more traditional rock influence. Last album
Eat Me in St. Louis was a quasi-compilation that included older tracks. Almost 20 years after their breakup,
It Bites reunited, with vocalist/guitarist John Mitchell replacing original frontman
Francis Dunnery. When the Lights Go Down documented their 2006 U.K. tour, and the band released a new studio album titled The Tall Ships in 2009. ~ John Bush