Francis Dunnery, the guitarist and singer best known for co-founding and fronting the 1980s band It Bites, reflects on a career that has included high-profile collaborations with rock's biggest names. Speaking to Prog in 2024 while touring with It Bites FD, he recalled his 1993 stint as guitarist for former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, a role he describes as "the biggest guitar job in the world" despite never having sought it out. His central life lesson is one of acceptance: to embrace opportunities when they arrive and to let them go when they pass.

Dunnery, originally from Egremont in Cumbria, says he never chased the Plant job, noting that some 5,000 other guitarists wanted it, yet he was the one called. He knew the position would not last forever, but three decades on he still takes pride in having played the solo to Whole Lotta Love in stadiums around the world. His wider career has also taken in work with Carlos Santana and members of Yes, as well as an audition for Genesis, following It Bites' 1980s run of three albums that were adored by fans but derided by the press.