Honeybus
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Honeybus were a 1960s pop group, who, since their heyday, have often been pigeonholed as one-hit wonders, a tag which many say belies the rich legacy of material left behind by the band.[citation needed]
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[edit] Line-up
The best known line-up consisted of:
- Pete Dello (born Peter Blumson, 1943, in Highbury, North London) — (vocals, keyboards, guitar)
- Ray Cane (born Raymond Byart, 1945, in Hackney, East London) — (vocals, bass, keyboards)
- Colin Hare (born Colin Nicholas Nicol, 4 June 1946, in Combe, Somerset) — (rhythm guitar, vocals)
- Pete Kircher (born Peter Kircher, 21 January 1945, in Folkestone, Kent) — (drums, vocals).
- Jim Kelly (born James Kelly, 1945 - died 1995) — (guitar / vocals).
[edit] Career
Material was written by the band's main resident composers, Dello and Cane. Critics, amongst them Kenny Everett, compared the band to the Rubber Soul era of Beatles. Yet Honeybus never had the commercial success of many other artists of time, and only once in their history did they connect with the public for a major hit with 1968's "I Can't Let Maggie Go". However, this song was so popular that it earned the band a cover photo on the popular music magazine, "Disc and Music Echo", where they posed somewhat appropriately on a red London bus.
"I Can't Let Maggie Go" reached Number 8 in the UK Singles Chart, staying in the Top 40 for over two months, but any chance of future success was shattered when Dello resigned during the single's chart run. He had been willing to play live on radio and television appearances or a special concert showcase, but abhorred the live scene and the idea of touring America. Jim Kelly came in on guitar and vocals, whilst Cane, whose talents and instincts were a close match for Dello's, took over most of the songwriting.
They scored a minor success with "She Sold Blackpool Rock", but the group never really recovered and they disbanded late in 1969.
The band's work is arguably best evaluated by listening to their 1970 issued album "Story", which, without an active band to promote it, sank without a trace. Dello and Hare went on to record critically acclaimed solo albums, but without any commercial success. A further surprise for fans came when the Dello line-up got back together in 1971 to record a new body of songs for the Bell Records label and a complete LP for British Warner Brothers, which was never issued commerically, although some promotional copies were issued to music business insiders and are now highly collectable.
[edit] Post Honeybus
Eventually, everybody except Kircher and Hare gave up music as a profession. Dello now owns several car showrooms in Britain. Jim Kelly died in 1995.
[edit] Trivia
- The Pete Dello penned song "(Do I Figure) In Your Life", has been covered by the likes of Dave Berry, Joe Cocker, Dave Stewart, Paul Carrack and Dana.
- Pete Kircher subsequently played the drums for Shanghai, Liverpool Express, The Original Mirrors, and most notably Status Quo.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1970 Story
- 1973 Recital
- 1989 Honeybus At Their Best
- 1993 Old Masters, Hidden Treasures
- 1997 At Their Best
- 1999 The Honeybus Story
- 2002 She Flies Like A Bird : The Anthology (features unreleased songs such as "Big Ship")
[edit] Singles
- 1967 "Delighted To See You" (Dello) b/w "The Breaking Up Scene" (Dello) - Deram Records
- 1967 "(Do I Figure) In Your Life" (Dello) b/w "Throw My Love Away" (Cane) - Deram
- 1968 "I Can't Let Maggie Go" (Dello) b/w "Tender Are The Ashes" (Dello) - Deram
- 1968 "Girl Of Independent Means" (Cane) b/w "How Long" (Kircher-Cane-Hare) - Deram
- 1969 "She Sold Blackpool Rock" (Cane) b/w "Would You Believe" (Hare) - Deram
- 1969 "La Cigona" (Italian version of "She Sold Blackpool Rock") b/w "Chi Sei Tu" (Italian version of "Ceilings No 2") - Decca
- 1972 "Story" (Cane) b/w "The Right To Choose" (Cane) - Deram (recorded in January 1970)
- 1972 "She Is The Female To My Soul" (Dello) b/w "For Where Have You Been" (Hare) - Bell Records
- 1973 "For You Baby" (Dello) b/w "Little Lovely One" (Dello) - WEA
- 1976 "I Can't Let Maggie Go" (Dello) b/w "Julie In My Heart" (Dello) - Decca Records reissue
- 1982 "I Can't Let Maggie Go" (Dello) / "Tender Are The Ashes" (Dello) - Further Decca reissue
[edit] Reference
- Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
–—14:14, 13 March 2007 (UTC)84.66.100.5 …—[ MOJO Collection 3rd. Edition] "STORY" Honeybus - Best albums of the 70s.
