That describes the Marquee gig in a nutshell. Rare to hear such energy alongside impeccable musicianship.
It’s a shame they never made it big, but maybe not too surprising given that their particular sound - a rock’n’roll / prog hybrid - was always going to be a bit niche.
I heard nothing about them for many years until I saw some promotion for a solo gig by Francis Dunnery at the long-gone OK Hotel on Seattle’s waterfront, a fantastic live music venue that was forced to close after the 2001 earthquake. I was shocked by how terrible he looked, as if he had spent the intervening years in jail or homeless (or both). The gig was just him and his guitar, mostly low-key ballads, but, when he let rip, it was clear he still had it.
I chatted to him during an interval. He was very open about the demise of It Bites, believing that his own self-destructive behaviour was a major part of it. All during the conversation he was sipping water, and there was a big guy standing next to him who I assumed was a management-mandated minder.
Those impressions aside, he seems to have gotten things together, and his life appears to be on track. I would love to see him play again.
Francis is indeed still active. Although I saw him performing with Robert Plant in the mid 90s, I didn’t see him again until 2001 at the Cropredy festival (an annual ‘folk’ music event celebrating Fairport Convention) in a trio called the Grass Virgins. We went to see that trio at Whitehaven and followed him trough many house concerts, in which he spoke openly about his alcoholic downfall. He usually hosts an annual charity event at Egremont (his home town) too. He now lives in Pennsylvania and performs frequently across the USA, so should be easier for you to see him. Check him out on YouTube.
Have we covered the 100 Club, the Twelve Bar Club on Denmark Street, The East Dulwich Tavern, the Half Moon in Putney or the one in Herne Hill, or the Cabbage Patch in Richmond? How about Haslemere Hall?
Also a school concrete 5-a-side pitch at the tatty end of Fulham where Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Gary Moore played in about 1994. It wan’t that small physically, but that must be the only time great musicians played there.
I grew up in an East Anglian seaside town. Summertime was spent entertaining the tourists, usually from the Midlands/Yorkshire. This was the early 70s and there were regular visits by “pop” bands. I remember many nights bopping away to Mud, The Sweet and a certain Mr Glitter at Tiffany’s Ballroom. Good times. After school I relocated to Bletchley. The only saviour was a 50p evening return to Euston so many nights was spent in Wardour Street (AC/DC and Eddie and the Hot Rods!) and the Half Moon in Islington (Clash, Damned etc).
I was briefly involved with a local band and remember they persuaded the landlord of the Talbot Inn at Loughton (on the A5, now probably a relic in the Milton Keynes metropolis) to open up the backroom to local bands in exchange for the takings. The opening night featured John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett - well before the “hit”. That was enough to start a run of great gigs.
I also remember the band was asked to open for Alvin Stardust at Bletchley Leisure Centre and I was recruited to man the stage door! A 17 year-old fending off lust driven wenches all wanting a bit of coochachoo!
I am now on the other side of the pond and more recently had the great pleasure to catch the Drifters at Ben E King’s place in Times Square. A very small venue but they aced it.