Take a Bite

Take a Bite
Studio album by
Girlschool
Released3 October 1988
StudioRedwood Studios, London
GenreHeavy metal
Length36:38
LabelGWR
ProducerAndré Jacquemin
Girlschool chronology
Nightmare at Maple Cross
(1986) 		Take a Bite
(1988) 		Girlschool
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Take a Bite is the seventh studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released by GWR Records in 1988. It is the first album to feature Tracey Lamb on bass, replacing Gil Weston-Jones.[2]

Overview

Take a Bite was recorded at a very low time for Girlschool because, despite the very good reviews for the previous album Nightmare at Maple Cross, they had not succeeded in regaining the fan base support in the UK which they had in the early 80s and they could not improve the sales of their album worldwide for the lack of a US release. The band had hoped to record the new album with their long-time producer Vic Maile, who was not available because of his illness.[3] The album was instead produced by Monty Python's collaborator André Jacquemin at Redwood Studios, which are co-owned by Jacquemin and actor Michael Palin, member of the British comedy group Monty Python.[4] The same studios had been utilised by Motörhead to record their album Rock 'n' Roll the year before. The recording and mixing sessions took a very long time because, to save money, they were scheduled on 'dead time' in the middle of the night, when the studio was empty.[5] On the contrary, the artwork, photos and packaging are the result of a rushed work done in less than a week.[5] "We got to the situation where we needed photographs of the band and all we had were these snaps taken by the fans" remarked guitarist Cris Bonacci in an interview to Kerrang! magazine about the unsatisfying results of the album packaging.[5]

The very good reviews and their UK tour with Gary Glitter did not help the album to chart at home and after an American and European tour GWR did not renew their contract. By the end of 1989, Girlschool had practically disbanded.[6]

The song "Head over Heels" contains a text written by Motörhead bassist Lemmy on a napkin, during a night out in a pub with McAuliffe and other friends.[7] The album contains also the cover of Sweet's single "Fox on the Run", taken from the album Desolation Boulevard of 1974. Enigma Records, which produced the album in America, released two promo singles for the songs "Head over Heels" and "Fox on the Run" to be distributed to radio stations in the USA. Roadrunner Records marketed the album in Europe.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Action"Kim McAuliffe, Cris Bonacci, Denise Dufort, Tracey Lamb3:04
2."Fox on the Run" (The Sweet cover)Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Mick Tucker, Andy Scott3:54
3."Girls on Top"McAuliffe, Bonacci3:50
4."Tear it Up"McAuliffe, Bonacci, Dufort, Lamb3:53
5."Love at First Bite"McAuliffe, Bonacci3:49
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Head over Heels"Ian Kilmister, McAuliffe, Bonacci3:35
7."Up All Night"McAuliffe, Bonacci3:14
8."This Time"McAuliffe, Bonacci, Dufort, Lamb3:23
9."Don't Walk Away"McAuliffe, Bonacci, Dufort, Lamb4:05
10."Too Hot to Handle"McAuliffe, Bonacci3:51

Personnel

Band members
  • Kim McAuliffe – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Cris Bonacci – lead guitar
  • Tracey Lamb – bass
  • Denise Dufort – drums
Additional musicians
  • Merv Goldsworthy, Pete Jupp (FM) – backing vocals on "Girls on Top"
  • Enid Williams – backing vocals on "This Time"

Release history

Date Region Label Catalogue Format Notes
3 October 1988 UK GWR GWLP21 vinyl [8]
1988 Sweden Lyric Records LRLP 5003 vinyl
1988 Switzerland Lyric Records LRCD 5003 CD
1988 Holland GWR RR 9513 1 vinyl
1988 Canada GWR/Enigma 7 75406-2 CD
1989 Canada GWR/Enigma 7 75406-1 vinyl
1991 Japan GWR TECP-25645 CD published in a double album compilation with Nightmare at Maple Cross[9]
1992 France Dojo/Castle LOMA CD 8 CD published in a double album compilation with Nightmare at Maple Cross
2006 UK Castle/Sanctuary CMRCD1382 CD published in a double album compilation with Nightmare at Maple Cross

References

  1. ^ Hill, Gary. "Girlschool Take a Bite review". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Girlschool – Take A Bite". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  3. ^ Dome, Malcolm (28 May 1987). "Girlschool". Kerrang!. Vol. 147. London, UK: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 7.
  4. ^ "André Jacquemin CV" (PDF). 24 September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  5. ^ a b c Watts, Chris (19 November 1988). "Once Bitten... Twice Dry". Kerrang!. Vol. 214. London, UK: Spotlight Publications Ltd. pp. 28–29.
  6. ^ "Girlschool biography". Former Girschool website. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  7. ^ Kilmister, Ian and Garza, Janiss White Line Fever (2002) – Simon & Schuster pp. 209 ISBN 0-684-85868-1.
  8. ^ "Girlschool Take A Bite (1988)" (in German). Musik Sammler.de. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Girlschool Nightmare at Maple Cross / Take A Bite (1992)" (in German). Musik Sammler.de. Retrieved 9 January 2011.