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Calling all the Heroes

Filed Under : Music , Hello

Posted By : Run For Cover | Comments : 13

Ahhh go on, go on, go on, go on, go on......


Hi Guys,

Been having a look at some of the Band profiles on here and guess there are some of you nearly as old as me…. So you might remember "Calling all the Heroes" by It Bites (reached No.5 in the charts in the mid 80’s I think)… maybe some of you also remember them from their days on the cabaret circuit …. Talk of the Border, Cumbria club etc….?.. god how old am I ???

For those who have no idea what I’m talking about …the band came from Egremont and Whitehaven and like many of us on this site are still going.... personally I think of them as one of us....

OK they aren’t world famous but they manage to earn a living by playing to a loyal fan base and dipping in and out of other projects…Bass player Lee Pomeroy’s current “day job” is with the “Take That” touring band.

Anyway getting to my point, in the wake of the recent floods in Cumbria they have re-recorded “Calling All The Heroes” as a charity single with contributions form numerous “friends” (from Marillion, Asia, Yes to name a few) and are holding a Charity concert at Workington Town Hall later this month…..

Here’s where it goes pear shaped, the single was intended to be out before Christmas but I-tunes red tape prevented this (in the event the rage against the machine episode probably meant this actually worked in their favour),

Then Haiti happened and Simon Cowell’s bunch of wannabe’s managed to circumvent any I-tunes problems (hmmmm) so the band decided not to release in competition with a much more high profile charity single.

What we now have is a small window of opportunity before sports relief kicks in big style and at long last the 2010 release of 'Calling All the Heroes' was made available on Sunday just gone.
However a trip to my local HMV raised blank looks…..

It is available from I-tunes (although it’s not listed on their “current singles” page !!! – am I becoming a conspiracy theorist ??) and via Amazon........... there’s a video as well

Tried to post the links without success but a search on it bites on either site will get you there.

This isn’t a “Charity single” with half an eye on raising the profile of some has been or wannabe …. I’m sure if they wanted to do that a couple of 80’s hits is more than enough “celebrity” collateral to get one of them into the jungle with Ant and Dec or the big house with Davina !!!!

It just a genuine attempt to raise some funds to help people in the area they were born and raised… It’s just 99p for the single!!! if you download it this week we just might get it a chart position. The higher the chart position the more exposure - the more exposure the more sales - the more sales..... etc !

Go on…probably won’t do a “Rage against the Machine” but I’d love to see the look on the face of that spotty kid from HMV when he unpacks a delivery of the non-existent single that stupid old bloke was asking about !!

Comments

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# Posted by Willow (of somebig™Fish) (Reti... - 03/03/2010, 12:25 (GMT)

count me in ... i'll do it when I get home .. cos
a) it's a great song
b) i like Dunnery's guitaring!, and
c) me sister lives in Carlisle

to all you other NWBers
gwan, gwan, gerwan, geeerwan, gwan, gwan!!
Willow


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# Posted by VANKWISH - 03/03/2010, 12:53 (GMT)

done, bought 2, 1 for me 1 to stick it to the man!!!!!!
who the hell are IT BITES.... am i just too young to remember them!!!!!! hahahahaha, fekk of Ian before ya start.


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# Posted by Rumble Fat Band - 03/03/2010, 12:59 (GMT)

Brilliant, I'm in and so are the rest of the band.


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# Posted by Massive Electric Storm - 03/03/2010, 13:00 (GMT)

I hated Calling All the Heroes when it came out but I'm not gonna quibble at 99p so count me in.
Francis Dunnery played on the magnificent Calling to You by Robert Plant, in 1993. Have a look at when they recently got together to bash through it:




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# Posted by Drum Bloke™ - that bloke that... - 03/03/2010, 13:01 (GMT)

SHOOTING UP THE TOWN BOY'S
(still not sure what that lyric suggests)

www.amazon.co.uk/.../ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_20

There you go ..

I used to go watch the It Bites chaps at the old International 1 in levenshulme. Great venue, you walked behind the P.A. / side 'stage' to get to the bogs. Class. It's a supermarket now.

They were on the Brink, playing bigger venues, got international recognition then Francis had a spat with the rest of the guy's did he not ?

Still got the 12" inch single somewhere...


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# Posted by CATDOG - 03/03/2010, 13:04 (GMT)

Great band. Is Frank Dunnery back with them ? They have been touring without him in recent years, while he toured on his own doing acoustic stuff.


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# Posted by Whatever! - 03/03/2010, 13:05 (GMT)

It Bites without Francis are on at the manchester Academy#this weekend.
Saw them last year in Manchester as Mark the bass player inour band dragged me along.
I only knew calling all the heroes and they didn't play it!!!
Was still a good gig though.


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# Posted by Drum Bloke™ - that bloke that... - 03/03/2010, 13:16 (GMT)

# Posted by CATDOG - 03/03/2010, 13:04 (GMT)

"Great band. Is Frank Dunnery back with them ? They have been touring without him in recent years, while he toured on his own doing acoustic stuff. "


He is doing solo gear and quite a few cakes by the looks of it.
The original line is still there and the Francis replacement does well if a bit 'cabaret'....

I saw them in Brum couple of years ago, they still cut it.


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# Posted by Run For Cover - 03/03/2010, 14:03 (GMT)

Franky is not with them full time due to comitments in America But he does sing on the single
a bit like feed the world ...The opening line is Francis Dunnery the next is Steve Hogarth from Marillion after that I'm not sure......
They are still a great band live

willow

and d) the person making the post is a former band member of yours ??? :-)


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# Posted by Willow (of somebig™Fish) (Reti... - 03/03/2010, 16:29 (GMT)

Shootin down the Plough boys ..... !!

Done it .. great song!

now then .. mr RunForCover .. ??? hmmm ... come on, spill ...

:0)

Willowintriguedbutthinksheknowswhoitis!!


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# Posted by Unfinished Business - 03/03/2010, 17:08 (GMT)

Still a big big fan of It Bites, went to see them last year at the Academy, with John Mitchell on vocals/guitar, their recent album the tall ships is superb.
Went to see Dunnery at the Met in Bury 2 weeks ago. Again, as a now solo performer I've seen him countless times since 1995, when he started touring again.
Still got lots and lots of albums, 7 & 12 inch singles, cd's, memorabilia etc.


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# Posted by Run For Cover - 04/03/2010, 10:22 (GMT)

Hi there mr fish .... long time no see......your website looks great by the way....relly reflects yours and John(you remind me of a whippet I once owned !!) H's senses of humour....took me back it did !!!!

you prob guessed (think Marc mite have given you a big clue !!!!)

former member of Eat the Peach, The Movies, and the Scarecrows here... think that narrows it down to one !!!

although I do have two other former Scarecrows running for cover with me !!

nice to see your still doing it.....

I think we almost crossed paths at the Crooke Hall last year.... but at that time I didn't realise that you and the Big Fish were one and the same !!! only found this site more recently !!!


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# Posted by Willow (of somebig™Fish) (Reti... - 04/03/2010, 11:59 (GMT)

Eat The Peach ... The Movies ... AND The Scarecrows ... does indeed narrow it down to one!

Howdy Ian ... how's things?

Send me a PM on here or drop us an e-mail at willowdotcom@o2.co.uk

Must catch up!

Willow


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