WOMAD

Francis Dunnery

From United Kingdom

Biography by Andy Morgan, June 2002:Francis Dunnery is man who’s been to the very heart of showbiz Babylon and returned with a sackload of gruesome tales and a determination to plough his own furrow from here on in. After an apprenticeship first as a drummer and then guitarist / keyboardist in the gritty rural backwaters of his native Cumbria, Dunnery formed the band It Bites and set off to London to scoop up the gold from the pavement. The band quickly scored a hit with ‘Calling All the Heroes’ on Virgin Records, but even after this early success and the subsequent release of three acclaimed albums, the sidewalks of the capital still only offered up dog shit and butt ends. Next stop was the USA where Dunnery’s sparkling guitar skills landed him a slot in the Robert Plant Band and grabbed the attention of Plant’s manager Bill Curbishley who wrangled a deal with Atlantic Records. Four superb solo albums, ‘Fearless’ (1994) and ‘Tall Blonde Helicopter’ (1995), the live acoustic set ‘One Night in Sauchiehall Street’ and ‘Let’s Go Do What Happens’ cemented a healthy transatlantic following and a growing reverence for Dunnery’s guitar-playing skills. After that Dunnery seemed to go to earth, even though is axe-wielding prowess was there for all to hear on albums by Lauryn Hill and Carlos Santana, only to remerge with a new backing band, The Grass Virgins, a new label, Aquarian Nation Records, and a new album ‘Man’, purchasable exclusively from the man’s website. From now on it’s going to be a question of a supremely talented guitarist doing exactly what he wants, when he wants and how he wants. Sounds good, dunnit!Short biography 2002:Guitarist and songwriter Francis Dunnery is probably best known for his part in the group It Bites and their mid-80’s hit ‘Calling All The Heroes’. Since then he’s played guitar for Robert Plant, released several solo albums and played on Lauren Hill and Santana’s albums, before dropping out, disillusioned, from the music industry. Now he’s back and better than ever, having written, recorded and released a new album on his independent record label.Biography provided by artist management, February 2002:Francis Dunnery (UK)Man“I’ve just had enough of all this record company bullshit” says Francis Dunnery after 15 years of record business politics. Francis Dunnery has just released his new solo album “Man” on his own Aquarian Nation label.Born and brought up in the rural but working class areas of Cumbria, England home to the incongruous twins of coal mining and Wordsworth, Francis Dunnery took up the drums at age 11. Swiftly embracing the more melodic guitar, bass and keyboards he developed his own inimitable style. The group It Bites were his passport to London and a record company deal. Signed by Virgin Records in 1985 the bands’ weird time signatures and lack of visual artifice were the antithesis of the preceeding years of make-up and confused sexuality.The band had a hit with almost their first single “Calling All The Heroes” and spent the next 4 years trying to rid themselves of the millstone it had become. The debut album “Big Lad In The Windmill” was followed by “Once Around The World”(1988) and the epic “Eat Me In St.Louis”(1989). The band were beginning to be recognised as a potent live act with a commensurate following when they imploded. To this day no-one seems sure why. A posthumous live album, “Thank You and Goodnight” was all that was left.Francis retreated to the USA where he toiled producing a debut solo album “Welcome To The Wild Country” which sadly only saw the light of day in Japan. (Fans will be delighted to know that they no longer have to fork out $100 at record fairs for a rare copy as it is shortly to be reissued on the Aquarian Nation imprint.)Dropped by Virgin, Francis took stock of his life and utilised his superb guitar skills playing back-up for many well known artists. It was while playing guitar for Robert Plant that he was spotted by Plant’s manager Bill Curbishley who quickly recognised his songwriting talents.With new management he secured a deal at Atlantic Records and two superb solo albums “Fearless” (1994) and “Tall Blonde Helicopter” (1995) put him back on track including an international hit with “American Life In The Summertime”. After the critically acclaimed acoustic live album “One Night In Sauchiehall Street” was released in the UK (1997), another studio set “Lets Go Do What Happens” was let loose on the American market. Since then silence.Well not quite, for Francis managed to use his unique guitar talents to good effect on such diverse releases as Lauren Hill’s “Miseducation of Lauren Hill” and the multi-platinum rebirth of Santana with “Supernatural”. In 1998, unable to sustain his enthusiasm for the music industry, Francis retired to the mountains of Vermont with his girlfriend, raised a child and developed his interest in Jungian Psychology and horse training. Lured back to the UK in the year 2000 he was surprised to find that gigs sold out and he returned with a bigger tour that autumn. The songs that had been swirling round his head for the last four years finally found substance when he completed the recording of his new album at the Forge studio in Oswestry in January 2001.“Man”, the fruits of that labour, will appear on the Aquarian Nation label only available at gigs and from his own website (www.francisdunnery.com) in July. A British tour will mark the release.“The album is a collection of songs that I wrote during a turbulent period of my life. They describe the lonely transition that we all must make from the final chapters of youth into full psychological adulthood. After fulfilling the accomplishments of my youth I am now able to present to the world Francis Dunnery, MAN”