Many years ago Newcastle Upon Tyne had a great live venue called The Riverside. Anyone in their late thirties or early forties who used to go to gigs there will I am sure have many happy memories of some amazing gigs. One of my happiest memories of this venue goes back to 1988 and a wonderful show from It Bites. They were touring behind the “Once Around The World” album. The gig was a stormer in every sense but the highlight for me was when the band played the title track of their new album. As the song progresses there is a wonderful change in tempo, which is perfect for jumping up and down to. (It Bites fans will know the bit I mean). I remember linking my mates and bouncing up and down for all we were worth. Francis Dunnery (guitarist) jumped up and down on stage with us and we all laughed and smiled. We didn’t have a care in the world. It was just pure fun, joy, elation call it what you will. It was band and fans enjoying and experiencing a feeling of togetherness at exactly the same time. It was magical.

I went on to see It Bites again at Newcastle Mayfair and also at the City Hall on the bill with Robert Plant and remember the feeling of sadness when the band announced in 1991 they were calling it a day. The band released the live album “Thank You And Goodnight” and that was that.

All the members of It Bites are superlative musicians and it was no surprise to see all the members going on to have success as session players, solo artists and song writers. As the years have gone by since their split there has always been the feeling of “unfinished business” from the fans. We had been robbed of a band in their prime. If I’m sounding like sour grapes it’s because here was band that I have missed so much. They formed a soundtrack for a time of my life when I was having to make many difficult choices. It was maybe this thought that made me realise that the band were also going through their own difficult times and their way to deal with it was to stop what they were doing.

Imagine my surprise and joy when the media machine started to drip feed to the public that It Bites were on the verge of getting back together. I didn’t hold my breath, as there had been many such false dawns. The band members had busy schedules and commitments and if it was going to happen the timing would be crucial as well as the frame of mind of all the members. Finally it was announced as” officially” the band were back together and would be recording again. Hallelujah!!

Well it nearly came to be but sadly Francis Dunnery decided not to participate after all. For myself personally this was a major blow. Francis was the front man of the band and was a real character. He was always believable and sincere and very much the peoples guitarist. The thought of It bites without him was something I had great difficulty in getting my head around. Could it be done?

Well one now has to say yes as anyone who has even a passing interest in It bites will know that the band are back out there. They toured in December and are busy putting down tracks for a new album hopefully due this year. On guitar we now have John Mitchell (The Urbane, Asia, Kino). When John had been out playing with Kino the band had slipped a couple of It Bites numbers into the set and I was lucky enough to witness this in Rotherham. One has to say that the reaction was of pure joy from the audience.

John hasn’t joined to fill in or be a hired gun. He is now the “official” guitarist for It Bites and a full time member and as a musician we can safely say he is more than capable of the job. John has always let it be known that he is a fan of the band and he will know better than anyone what a wonderful back catalogue of songs he has inherited to play and he will want to do the songs justice.

So onto the purpose of this review. ”When the Lights Go Down” is an Internet only release from the bands web site. It features ten tracks recorded during the bands December tour.

The set list on this CD is a corker and the recording sound and mix are superb. Just what you would expect from musicians with very high standards. Opening tracks “Kiss Like Judas”,” I got You Eating Out Of my Hand” and “Plastic Dreamer” leave you in no doubt that It Bites are back and alive and kicking. Their rendition of “Leaving Without You” is fabulous and seems to sound fuller here than the original. There is more meat to the sound and it sounds just a little bit heavier. The track that I was waiting to hear was “Playground” a brand new original and for many of us the first indication of what the “new” line-up sound like when they write together. I have listened to this song many times since the CD arrived and have to say it sounds more like a Kino song than an It Bites song. It is inevitable that fans will listen to this track and wonder what Francis Dunnery would sound like if he were singing it. There lies a dilemma. It’s pointless even following this route, as It Bites are now a very different band as this track shows. In 2007 we now have It Bites mark 2.It Bites mark 1 are gone. Yes we have the music from the original line-up and for that we should be eternally grateful but now we have a new animal, which needs to be allowed to find it’s own identity. For me personally “Playground” doesn’t move me in the way the “classics” that come before and after it on the album do but I am happy in the thought I would rather have music like this than none at all. One can’t truly decide what the new It Bites sound like till they release their studio album.

“Old Man And The Angel”,” The Ice Melts Into Water”,” Still Too Young To Remember” and “You’ll Never Go To Heaven” are all played with consummate skill and still give me goose bumps. The final track on the album is “Calling All The Heroes” and on this performance the band slips the finale to “Once Around The World” into the song structure to great effect.

As a dyed in the wool It Bites fan this album is welcomed with open arms. What we have on this release is a band being reborn in a very public way. John Mitchell has to be commended for standing up and having the balls to give himself to the cause. The pressure he must be under is considerable but at the same time he must be feeling proud to have landed what must be a dream gig for him personally. The great news is that the music of It Bites is back out there for us all to enjoy. Yes we all have great memories of It Bites mark 1 and I have a feeling that more great memories are waiting to be made with the arrival of It Bites mark 2.

Let us know your views on 'When The Lights Go Down'

Track Listing

Kiss Like Judas
I Got You
Plastic Dreamer
Leaving Without You
Playground
Old Man
Ice Melts
Calling All The Heroes
Never Go To Heaven
Still Too Young

Line Up

John Beck - Keyboards
Dick Nolan - Bass
John Mitchell - Vocals/Guitar
Bob Dalton - Drums