Francis Dunnery // Featured Artist of The Week

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ABOUT FRANCIS DUNNERY

Francis Dunnery operates as a Multi-Media Artist. His work combines music, humor, video, literature, performance art, philosophy and blistering electric guitar. Although impossible to pigeonhole, his work always reflects his deep commitment to personal Freedom and Individuality.

Francis first hit the public stage back in the eighties as lead vocalist and guitarist for the progressive rock band ‘It Bites’. He has since gone on to have a very successful musical solo career spanning thirty years. During this time he has written, produced and performed music with some of the most successful artists of his time, artists such as Led Zeppelin’s singer Robert Plant, guitar legend Carlos Santana, Squeeze’s stalwart Chris Difford, Stone Roses’ singer Ian Brown, R&B superstar Lauren Hill, Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett as well as guesting with a host of bands and artists such as Yes, Hootie and the Blowfish and The Syn. Francis is accomplished in his own right, turning out ten engaging albums of original yet diverse composition and three DVD’s.

Alongside his music career, Francis is also a long time student of philosophy, logic, psychology and astrology. Francis was a pioneer in offering online consultations via Skype as early as January 2004, six months after Skype was launched, a practice that still continues successfully to this day.

Francis is also the president and founder of ‘The Charlie and Kathleen Dunnery Children’s Fund’, a charity he set up to honor his parents.  The CKDCF is dedicated to children’s health and wellness providing grants and donations that directly benefit the children of West Cumbria, England.  Every October, Francis and his friends from around the world, gather in Cumbria for a benefit concert and charity walk in support of the CKDCF.

A serial risk taker, in 2005 Francis broke new ground once again when he initiated his House Concerts Series, offering his fans the opportunity to host  intimate evenings of music, psychology, philosophy, astrology, all topped off with his tremendous humor. The shows became so popular that Francis has performed approximately a hundred and fifty shows a year for the past twelve years. He has taken these unique, inspiring and entertaining shows to front rooms throughout the world!  Places as far reaching as New Zealand, Australia, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Switzerland and Germany as well as every corner of the USA and Canada. The House Concert shows have become an international phenomenon. Although his style can be brash and at times irreverent, he’s also capable of singing achingly beautiful music.

In February 2016 Francis launched ‘The Francis Dunnery Radio Show’ on the Progzilla internet radio station. The show is steeped in expansive and progressive subject matter as well as expansive and progressive music and humor.

Present day, Francis is more than ever committed to the personal freedom and individuality of himself and his audience. He continues his studies towards his psychology doctorate at East Stroudsburg University and plans on dying when he’s around ninety six.
Bio by Kate Stauffer 2016

Francis Dunnery Solo Albums

Welcome to the Wild Country (Virgin Records, 1991)
Fearless (Atlantic Records, 1994)
One Night in Sauchiehall Street (Cottage Industry 1995) [live]
Tall Blonde Helicopter (Atlantic Records, 1995)
Let’s Go Do What Happens (Razor and Tie Records, 1998)
Man (Aquarian Nation, 2001)
Hometown 2001 (Aquarian Nation, 2001) [live]
The Gulley Flats Boys (Aquarian Nation, 2005)
There’s a Whole New World Out There (Aquarian Nation, 2009) [re-recordings and covers album]
Made in Space (Aquarian Nation, 2011)
Frankenstein Monster (Aquarian Nation, 2013)
Vampires (double album) (Aquarian Nation, 2016) [It Bites re-recordings album]

Francis Dunnery Singles
 
“American Life in the Summertime” (Atlantic Records, 1994)
“What’s He Gonna Say?” (Atlantic Records, 1995)
“Homegrown” (Atlantic Records, 1995) Australia
“Too Much Saturn” (Atlantic Records, 1995) USA/ UK Promo only
“The Way Things Are” (Atlantic Records, 1995) USA Promo only
“I Believe I Can Change My World” (Atlantic Records, 1996) Europe/ Australia
“Spiritual” (Atlantic Records, 1996) US Promo only 12″
“My Own Reality” (Razor & Tie, 1998) Promo only
“Riding on the Back” (Razor & Tie, 1998) US Promo only
“The Wounding & Healing of Men” (Aquarian Nation, 2003) US Promo only
“Good Life” (Aquarian Nation, 2005) US Promo only

Francis Dunnery DVDs
 
Live at the Union Chapel – credited to Francis Dunnery & Friends (Aquarian Nation, 2004)
In the Garden of Mystic Lovers (Aquarian Nation, 2008)
Louder than Usual (Aquarian Nation/Flying Spot Entertainment, 2010)

It Bites Albums
 
The Big Lad in the Windmill (Virgin Records, 1986)
Once Around the World (Virgin Records, 1988)
Eat Me in St. Louis (Virgin Records, 1989)
Thank You and Goodnight (Virgin Records, 1991)
Live in Montreux (It Bites, 2004)

It Bites Singles
 
“All in Red” (Virgin Records, 1986)
“Calling All The Heroes” (Virgin Records, 1986)
“Whole New World” (Virgin Records, 1986)
“Old Man and the Angel” (Virgin Records, 1987)
“Kiss Like Judas” (Virgin Records, 1988)
“Midnight” (Virgin Records, 1988)
“Still Too Young to Remember” (Virgin Records, 1989 – remixed and reissued 1990)
“Underneath Your Pillow” (Virgin Records, 1989 – remixed and reissued 1990)
“Sister Sarah” (Virgin Records, 1990)

It Bites DVDs
 
Live in Tokyo (It Bites, 2004)

The Sin Albums
 
Big Sky (Alliance Records, 2009)

Guest Appearances and Session Work
 
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe – Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (1989, Arista Records) – backing vocals.
Robert Plant – Fate of Nations (1993, Es Paranza) – rhythm guitar on ‘Come into My Life, lead guitar on “Promised Land.”
Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) – guitar on “Every Ghetto, Every City” & “Nothing Even Matters.”
Santana – Supernatural (1999) rhythm guitar on “Do You Like The Way?”
Ian Brown – Music of the Spheres (2001, Polydor Records)- guitars on all tracks, also co-wrote “El Mundo Pequeño.”
Big Big Train – The Underfall Yard (2009) – guest lead guitar on “The Underfall Yard.”
XII Alfonso – (as-yet-untitled triple album based on the life of Charles Darwin) (due autumn 2011) – guest guitar on one unspecified track.
Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited II (2012) – lead vocal songs Supper’s Ready, Dancing with the Moonlit Knight.

As Producer
 
Chris Difford – I Didn’t Get Where I Am (Aquarian Nation, 2002) – also co-wrote and played guitars and keyboards on all tracks.
John & Wayne – Nearly Killed Keith (Aquarian Nation, 2002 – also co-wrote and played drums and organ on all tracks)
Stephen Harris – Songs From The Mission of Hope (Aquarian Nation, 2002 – also co-wrote and played guitar, piano and Mellotron on all tracks.)
John Gilmour Smith – “The Story We’ve Been Sold” (Aquarian Nation, 2010; also co-wrote, and sang on several tracks)
Discogrophy from Wikipedia
Links
Website
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