We have a number of true cult artists on our label doing rare recordings. Cult artistEleanor Rigby's can be found elsewhere. But this page features 3 of the biggest cult atists that we feature. They have all been hit acts. All have gone on to become collectable. There are other reasons to why all are cult acts. So read on. Even cult specialist may learn something new.
Getting a number one in 1964 was probably one of the hardest years to get a
number one in if you consider the dominance of The Beatles and The Stones at the
time not to mention hundreds of other classics that came out that year 'House of
the rising sun' (Animals ) ,You really got me (the Kinks)Do wah diiddy (Manfred
Mann), Baby Love (the Supremes) Needles and Pins (The Searches) to name but a
few but the Honeycombs managed it for two weeks in late August with Have I the right (for some reason this record is also known
as 'Come right back').
Although this was thier biggest they did in fact have
mores hits but these are rarely remmembered. Songs like 'Is it because' (equally
as good as 'H.I.T.R'), plus 'Thats the way' and 'Something better beggining'
(this song was also covered by Eleanor Rigby live). In fact this song was a
cover of a Kinks album track. Ray Davies of the Kinks liked the Honeycombs so
much he even wrote a song specially for them that the kinks never recorded
'Emptyness'.
Two other reasons that made the Honeycombs such a cult act was
the fact that they were unique because they were the first group to have a girl
drummer and the fact that they were produced by The Legendary Joe Meek. The most innovative record producer of all time
and all his releases are ultra collectable. (he even has his own section in
record shops). Have I the Right had one of Joe's innovative ideas on it. He
recorded people stopping on the staircase of his flat to use as a bass drum.
(This was later copied sucesssfully by the Dave Clark 5).
The Honeycombs were
in fact more more sucessful abroad than in the Uk and had numerous nurmber ones
on Scandanavia, The rest of the Europe and 6 number ones in Japan.
Their last
number one was in fact in Japan in the mid 60's with an instrumental version of
Goldfinger a cover of the Bond theme. So it is ironic
that some 30 years later they were tempted out of retirement by us at Future
Legend Records to record the Bond theme Live and let
die for Cult themes
from the 70's Vol.2 which can be found elsewhere on this site.
As far as
the line up goes, far from it being just the bass players from the original line
up like so many sixties bands Russell Writer who produces all the cult themes
insisted that the original line up reform to do the track. So complete with
female drummer 'Honey Langtree' and her brother John on bass original vocalist
'Dennis D'ell' and Peter Pye this formed the the reformed Honeycombs for this
one off project.
According to the band themselves it was the best recording
of their careers (And that's saying something when you consider what they have
previously done). They said although Russell reminded them of Joe a bit because
of some of the weird things he asked them to do like Bass overdubs etc it was
one of their most enjoyable recording sessions. They also enjoyed playing a one
off gig for the launch of 'Cult Themes from the 70's Vol.2' at Madame Jo Jo's in
London where they played to the youngest audience they had played to since their
heyday.
Although another record company was interested in possibly putting
out a new album, this deal fell thrrough so this recording will probably be
their last legacy and become as collectable as some of their other stuff. Lead
singer Dennis still sings in pubs and clubs in a blues outfit but the other
members returned to their normal lives.
In the Uk in 1979/80 there was a big mod revial both in fashion and in music
and one of the main players at the time were 'The Lambrettas'. they had the
added attraction of being based in Brighton (Long associated with mod history)
Although 'The Jam' would become massive with their
brand of Mod music their was a handful of others who scored some big hits most
notebly Secret Affair and The Lambrettas. their debut hit was a cover version of
an old hit Poison Ivy' which reached number 7 in the
charts. Two more hits followed Da-a-ance and Another Day
another Girl not long after that many of these mod hitsters split up and
diappeared. For futher info email us at info@futurelegendrecords.comk
A second wave of Mod acts like Eleanor Rigby
and Makin time made a dent post Jam but it wasn't until Britpop arrived in
the mid 90's that mod music became flavour of the month again with acts like
Blur and Menswear.
To coincide with this new revival the classic mod film
Quadrophenia was due to be re-release and famous boot
company Dr.Martens were thinking of launching a record
label and wanted to kick it off with a mod related compilation. Impressed by
Future Legend Records idea to do cover versions to help break new acts and
because of F.L.R mod Connections they enlisted the services of F.L.R's producer
Russell Writer to put together an album release. The album was titled Generation to
Generation
. Lack of time due to a cockup at Dr.Martens meant in the end
the album became a hybrid affair. With new acts doing covers of tracks featued
in the film 'Quadrophenia'. plus previous hits or classic tracks from well known
mod acts. The lambrettas were approached for this album and did a re recording
of their hit 'Da-a-ance'.
Whilst producing this with The Lambrettas Russell
persuaded the band to do another recording Starsky and
Hutch for Cult themes
from the 70's vol.1. they duly agreed and this was the bands last ever
recording before they called it a day again.
However they went out in style
because a club in London sprang up called Startsky &
Hutch' and they used to play this in preference to the original version.
Huggy Bear (Anonio Fargas) came to the club one night and heard it and said
Thats the best version I ever heard of that theme. So if you want to get this
great version of Starsky and Hutch visit out cult
themes page. Also if you want to get hold of Generation to
Generation' We have managed to acquire ten copies only of this highly
collectable mod album and it's on our distributed page.
