It Bites

[gazza]

Couldn't have put it better myself John. I think he's done a great job with this ( it's taken a long while ) and all the feedback seems really positive, so maybe onwards and upwards onto other projects now
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Oh my god - the genius of it all

[kulich]

Didi - track listing went up with the new site announcement:

[Bonecrusher]

[Bonecrusher]

[Didi]

Thanks Kulich for the update.
I guess I can not resist.

[firehorse]

Listening now. Some good licks! Quite reverential to the original versions considering he called people who like prog dwarf porn addicts a while ago.

Songs sound like they're being played live: no bad thing. I doubt Frank will ever go back to multi layered harmonies and massive John Beck keyboards.

Enjoying it. Nice job you old bald codger Will be listening to this for a while yet.

[stan the man]

[Bonecrusher]

You can listen to some of the tracks here.
https://francisdunnery.bandcamp.com/album/vampires-regular-cd

I'm listening now and although I haven't got through much yet my initial reaction is that I'm not sure what the point of this is. They're just re-recordings of the It Bites tracks, often following the live versions. I could sort of see the point of 'There's a whole new world out there' as they were a bit reworked, but this?

It sounds great, well recorded etc, but I already knew the songs were good and sounded great, they did the first time round though, and to me I can't see what the improvement is.

So my genuine question to you all is - what exactly is the point of this album?
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What's wrong with being sexy?

[gazza]

The point is..he's now recorded them using better recording facilities and techniques that he's happy with e.g. very little or no compression, so now you can actually turn the music up and it's not going to distort like most modern day records do, John Mitchell is also doing this on Lonely Robot and other projects. So the point is, whether you want to buy it or not, you're getting a better quality sound production. There are also some subtle changes to the music itself, and it is a double CD. I'm always interested in this kind of thing, but that's just me, i've paid a lot more and felt a lot more short changed, so no complaints here. The reviews i'm reading on Facebook are all very positive too
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Oh my god - the genius of it all

[Bonecrusher]

Gazza - I'm not saying it doesn't sound decent because it does. You know me enough to know that I have been a genuine Francis fan for many years and I don't criticise lightly. There are some subtle changes to the music definitely but for me it feels as if he might as well just released a live album. There's no improvement on the originals for me.

If you think about FD output, since The Gully Flats Boys, the only genuine original music was 'Made in Space' (God help us - whatever he says about prog dwarf porn or whatever that was utter crap IMO). Frankenstein Monster was a collection of substandard (let's be honest about that -it is) 70's rock tunes' although I respect his personal reasons for making it and There's a Whole New World Out was (in some cases) interesting reworkings of some old tunes.

Where is the originality? I genuinely think he has run out of ideas.

As for rerecording with better facilities? It isn't needed on quality music - and that includes the original It Bites stuff. Does Dark Side of the Moon need to be re-recorded?
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What's wrong with being sexy?

[John Gillham]

In the wake of Gully Flats Boys FD took a lot of criticism and most IB fans wanted him to go back to rock. He did that but not very successfully (commercially that is). You just have to look at how his forum dived in popularity compared to this one a few years back. I may well be wrong but I think 'Man' and 'Gully Flats Boys' were where his heart lay and he did an about turn to suit the fans. Some closer to him may well say I'm wrong...


I like the new record - there are some more soulful vocal nuances than the original, although I don't think the guitar solos are quite as driving. I would rather like to see some more records like Man and Gully Flats boys with both accoustic and electric influences.

[gazza]

Sorry Dave..sounded like i was having a go, and i wasn't. I know you're a long term FD fan. If it's any consolation, i think Frank has said that he wanted to complete this project once and for all, and move on. I think his voice has progressed over the years as well, and IMO he sounds better than he ever has vocally. He's doing other projects, and has some new songs written, but you know Frank, it could be years until they manifest. His radio shows are interesting, and topical, and funny too, if anyone hasn't heard one yet, get on it..essential listening
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Oh my god - the genius of it all

[Didi]

So it's been 34 days since I ordered and paid the CD, but it's not here. Can anyone who did the same, confirm receiving it?

[John Gillham]

Frank posted on his Facebook site that the delayed CDs had just arrived and are being sent out now.

Here's his message from 2nd April:

I can officially announce that the CDs have arrived in both the USA and in the uk. ( it's amazing what a chainsaw will do) They are being shipped today and tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.

The vinyl will take much longer. I will find out what the schedule is. Vinyl has a waiting time of around 2 months at the plant. Vinyl is extremely popular so there's not much we can do. BUT we did give you all a free download so you don't have to wait to hear the music.

Thank you again for your patience.

[John Gillham]

Mine's arrived today.