Classic Rock Bottom

Who? It Bites

When? 1986

Album title? The Big Lad In The Windmill

Is this prog? Sure.

Is this pop? Sure.

Allmusic.com review ? No, but there's a bio if you want that.

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.

The Big Lad In The Windmill

1. I Got You Eating Out Of My Hand
2. All In Red
3. Whole New World
4. Screaming On The Beaches
5. Wanna Shout
6. Turn Me Loose
7. Cold, Tired & Hungry
8. Calling All The Heroes
9. You'll Never Go To Heaven
10. The Big Lad In The Windmill

Availability: The standalone album can be had for around $10 but you can also get the Whole New World set which includes four albums which are remastered and contain bonus tracks all for around $20.

Views: 56

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I heard the name but not the music. (I do know who Steve Hillage is, though)

The progressive elements are good. I'd say very good. I really liked few of the solo's. It sounded like they were stealing them from "Yes - 90125".

The Pop elements dragged the songs down on side one. They weren't very memorable and thus they failed to make the songs more enjoyable to a casual listener. No wonder the band flew under my radar. On second half the Pop pops out a bit and "Calling All Heroes" does a good job of fusing the two genres together. 

I hope they dropped the pop elements on their subsequent releases, because their strength is clearly in the progressive side.

BTW, I don't hear Blues, Metal or Art Rock here. I find Art Rock vocally to be hard to get excited about for it's unconventional melody. Not that I hate it, I just have to be in the right mood for it, while the melodic lines of these songs flow pretty easy for me.

Well, I'm way behind again.  Nothin' unusual as of late.  But I just got this one in and I hope the catch last week's later tonight.  

I'm not at all familiar with this band.  I'm not sure how much prog I hear, maybe a touch here and there.  I definitely don't hear any metal, which was mentioned in the review.  Can't really pick out any blues either.  I hear some occasional guitar work that is pleasant to the ears.  

I really just hear the pop reachings.  Something like a mix between Mr. Mister and Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello.  The biggest problem is that I don't hear any particularly good songs.  I mean, they aren't terrible, but nothing that would ever spark Top 40 interest.  And that's what it was all about in the mid-80's.  

So this is probably one of my, if not the, least favorite post in the LFAOTW forum in 2018.  I've been pretty interested in the majority of your posts so far.  But nobody's perfect, right?

RSS

Question Of The Week

CRB Features (Click photo to visit)

Birthdays

There are no birthdays today

CRB Staff Members

 

In Memory Of

Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Badge

Loading…

© 2024   Created by RJhog (Admin).   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service