Calling all the Heroes.

There are some bands that you are simply never going to get to see, no matter what happens the gods simply throw obstacles in the way, I had been given a four track sampler in March of 1986 from a nice person from Virgin Records ( I wish I still had it) of a new band called It Bites I used to get samplers all the time I rarely played them, this one however took my interest as it came with a proper picture sleeve and the band had hair, Ok I was interested, the sampler had three  tracks off the new album and a track called staring at the whitewash, I loved all of the songs I was hooked, however they had (allegedly) just played Newcastle and I had missed them, then my tales of woe had started and I got a menial task with a cleaning company, we occasionally were sent off site down the country to do initial clean ups after contractors had been on site.

I was sent off with some other bods to Bradford in October 1986 to do one such job, when we got there it was bedlam and we were told we had a 24 hour paid holiday go on the lash and enjoy yourself, eight hairy arsed contractors loose in Bradford what could go wrong, well lots actually, I didn’t care for my work mates at this point all short haired “clubbers” there was only one other chap of a similar mind set we split from the pack to see if we could find a rock bar of sorts, we located it but it emptied as we got there, not my broken hoop I can assure you, we got a pint and enquired what was going on to be informed that there was a band on at the university just up the road called “it Bites” we guzzled our pints and headed up to the venue, we got in after some crap at the door (bloody students) just as the band came  on to a crowd of about 100 if it was that, they were fantastic, did about an hour and a bit, played like they were at Wembley arena, this was a band to keep an eye on.

When we met up at the van to travel to the site the next day there was a bunch of black eyes and broken teeth one lad was in hospital ( I never saw him again and we were  there for nearly three weeks) and one had been arrested, they had had an eventful night and they called us worse than shite as we would have fought for them…………..erm NO! I was determined to see It Bites again but whenever they played Newcastle I was screwed either on a shift I couldn’t get out of, or I was away seeing other bands, I did get to see them play the Royal Standard  in London again it coincided with a court date for me and my publisher (the good old days) I had taken a sickie and met up with some peeps, we had a drink or three and jumped around, I have no recollection of the band or anything that resembles  the show, I did enjoy them, I must have, as I broke a bone in my foot and was crippled the next morning. I couldn’t put my boot on and was given a load of sympathy from the court who adjourned the case and told me to go and get some treatment(result). I saw them again in Bradford and at the Astoria in London but yet again missed them at the Riverside in Newcastle.

I saw them support Robert Plant at the city hall in Newcastle, actually that was the gig that I decided to stop drinking when going to see bands as I was carried out by the bouncers and deposited on the steps of the venue thankfully before Robert Plant came on hahaha, I’m only serious LOL! Somebody complained of the drunk who couldn’t move when they were trying to access their seats , I mean I was on the aisle they could have pushed passed, oh dear I was poorly all the way home on the bus, I have no idea how I actually got on  the right bus, some guardian angel probably took pity on me whoever it was thank you, but I wasn’t sick until I got off the bus in Gimpsville!

I finally got to see them headline in Newcastle on the “Eat Me in St Louis” tour in the Mayfair, this time I was sober and thoroughly enjoyed them, although I thought the tap board solo was a tad long, I loved them, go figure. The last time I got to see them was in April 1990, I was away on an educational course for work and they were playing Manchester Apollo I enjoyed the gig but they appeared to have issues with themselves, I do remember them playing a “new” song which was Welcome to the wild country which eventually turned up on Francis Dunnery’s debut solo album, I followed Francis as I liked his voice his style of writing and his guitar playing, even if he had disappeared from these shores.

The rest carried on under the name of Navajo Kiss (dreadful) and then I saw them one last time at the riverside under the name of Sister Sarah ( I had lost interest by now) they simply had taken too long to get back in the spotlight, they resurfaced with John Mitchell about 20 years later and although they were nice albums, they were missing something, I like all the bands John Mitchell has played in and he did a good job, they might have done better under another name! John Beck turned up in Fish’s solo band and did a couple of tours, but he seems to have faded from the spotlight and has endured a few drink related injuries whilst on the road, I hope he gets better.

Their music is still played on a regular basis even the jolly spiffing B sides that weren’t on any albums, I can’t recommend them highly enough, a band that should have been massive, one day I will get to see Francis and his version of the band, as it looks like he now has a claim to the name.

And now we head down the slippery slide to number 500, I had forgotten all about this one as I discovered it in my notes, just as well as the one I intended to write is proving difficult,  my mind is foggy and although some of it is at the front of my brain I will need to confirm some of the facts, dammit I don’t wish to get sued, so enjoy and do whatever you lot are doing as the numbers are damn consistent, watch the skies for incoming, no later than next weekend as it would appear I’m needed at my place of work, so I could be a tad busy in the coming week, so stay safe stay alive and watch the skies for incoming, until then read some of the old ones, but until then………..Toodles!