Gene-r

Dennis D'Ell, lead singer with the Honeycombs, and the man behind the best (and rarest) British cover version of "Better Use Your Head", has died. OBITUARY BY SPENCER LEIGH (From news.independent.co.uk) Dennis James Dalziel (Dennis D'Ell), singer: born London 10 October 1943; twice married (two children); died 6 July 2005. The Sixties group the Honeycombs, with their lead singer Dennis D'Ell, is best known for "Have I the Right?", which went to No 1 in 1964. It was recorded by the maverick producer Joe Meek and was the first hit song to be written by the team of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley. D'Ell was born Dennis Dalziel, the son of a lorry driver, in Stepney, east London, in 1943 and trained as a signalman for British Railways. After winning a talent contest, he joined a local band, the Sheritons, which featured Martin Murray and Alan Ward on guitars, John Lantree on bass, and his sister Anne Lantree on drums. As Anne's nickname was "Honey" and she and Murray were hairdressers (that is, combers), they became the Honeycombs. The BBC employees Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley recorded some demonstration records of their songs, including "Have I the Right?", with the Honeycombs. Joe Meek offered to record them but went into a tantrum when they arrived late to meet him due to London traffic. Howard and Blaikley won him round and "Have I the Right?" was recorded in three parts - the backing musicians, the vocals and then the stomping on the stairs. While they were jumping up and down, the cleaning lady called and told them to hurry up. Leased to Pye Records, "Have I the Right?" was promoted by the pirate station Radio Caroline and the publicity surrounding a group with a girl drummer was enormous. The Honeycombs had further success with "Is It Because?" and made the album It's the Honeycombs (1964), but D'Ell was uncomfortable with Meek's speeded-up trickery and criticised him in an interview with New Musical Express. Meek then recorded the Ray Davies song "Something Better Beginning" at standard speed, admittedly with some distortion, but the record only nudged into the Top Forty. When Meek resorted to his regular activities, the Honeycombs had another Top Twenty hit, with "That's the Way", and made the album All Systems Go! The group floundered after Meek's suicide in 1967. They split up and did not reform until 1994. D'Ell became a solo singer, usually of soul songs, and his "Better Use Your Head" (1967) became a 1970s favourite on the Northern Soul circuit. Spencer Leigh

Mikey - have you thought about logging an "Item Not Received Dispute" through Ebay? It can be done if you go to their help screen. That mounts a bit more pressure on them to deliver the goods......

Kolla - my advice is to give it 10 days after your auctions close. As you've sent them 3 emails already, I would then instigate the Unpaid Item Dispute through Ebay. This way, you'll be able to claim your Final Value Fees if your buyer fails to pay up. Then, block them from bidding on any future auctions! Gene

Hi Phil, Chuck Flamingo sells for about £30 - £40. Gene

Oy - that's my line!

I bet "Mother Of Mine" sounds just as horrendous off-centre as it does properly centred up!

Also, three by the Miracles: Money (flip to "I Cry" - US End) If Your Mother Only Kew (flip to "Way Over There" - US Tamla) Whatever Makes You Happy (flip to "Mickey's Monkey - US Tamla or UK Oriole)

If it's a reggae/ska 45, leave it alone - they sound more authentic off-centred, and much better!

Bet if it was a £5 choon, you'd get everyone saying "cor, bloody brilliant, and only a £5"....."best record on the scene" etc etc........ BUT TO ME, IT'S STILL VINYL VIAGRA! (if only I had one!)

OK, maybe my gender has been questioned over the years, but I still love it!!!!!

Hey! Since when have I been an "imaginary" friend, ya cheeky get!! I'll take back that promise of the extra pint now...........

Oops - sorry Martin................that's one extra pint I owe you later tonite!!

Love it to bits - it's definitely a "goose-bump" record for me! So lucky just to have it on a CD comp to play at home, but I always look forward to hearing Martin Thomson's spot for this - always spins it without fail....

Been told it was a 1971 release, which may account for the "newness" appearance of issues. Then again, the title is mis-spelt on them as "Cause I Know Your Mine"

Sorry Grant - had my cynical head on when I posted!!!! Gene

Thought it was covered up as The Beach Boys.................

Excellent analogy Mikey!! And that's why I've always hated C-Rap - untalented yobs (thieving magpies) who think they can string a few words together to make a poem about how hard (as diahorrea) they are, yet don't have the brains to compose their own backing tracks. Hope you're well Mikey - drop us a line sometime! Gene

As usual, exploitation of other artists' sounds by the completely untalented (just a longer, drawn-out term for utter shite). Love to know if you're paying the likes of First Choice, Stephanie Mills etc royalties. Just another bit of advice - don't waste your time telling us about this "stolen" effort - we've been there and done that over 20 years ago already. Open-minded we are - brainwashed we are not! Gene

From www.news.independent.co.uk Alexander Downing (Big Al Downing), musician and songwriter: born Centralia, Oklahoma 9 January 1940; married; died Worcester, Massachusetts 4 July 2005. Big Al Downing was a journeyman musician, making records for several different markets, although his cheerful, piano-based style did not change much with the years. His 1958 recording "Down On the Farm" became a rockabilly classic and he was among the few black artists to have had success on the US country charts. It is often considered surprising that black artists should be interested in country music, but Chuck Berry, Solomon Burke, Ray Charles and Big Al Downing all grew up listening to it on the radio. In Downing's case, he was born in 1940 into a large family on a farm in Lenapah, Oklahoma. From the age of 10, he was teaching himself to play a piano he found on a scrapheap, although it only had 40 working keys. He loved the early rock'n'roll records of Fats Domino and in 1957, won a radio competition in Kansas by impersonating him. As a result, Bobby Poe invited Downing to join his group, the Poekats, even though the other band members were white. Downing quickly became the main attraction. He wrote "Down on the Farm", which had a nonsense lyric, "Rooster won't crow, chicken won't cluck, Walking round the barnyard doing the hucklebuck", but a driving rhythm. In 1958 it became a regional hit for the White Rock label in Dallas, which was owned by Kenny Rogers's brother Lelan. The group made several other records, including "Yes I'm Loving You" and "Georgia Slop". The Poekats backed Wanda Jackson on the road and it is Downing who provides the madcap piano on her frenzied "Let's Have a Party" (a UK hit in 1960) and "Mean Mean Man" (1961). He also plays on her country hits "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache". They toured the southern states and on occasion, Downing had to be smuggled into motel rooms inside the bass fiddle bag. Downing opened for several country stars, including Marty Robbins. He revived Robbins's hit "The Story of My Life" in 1962. The following year he had some success with a soul record, "You'll Never Miss the Water (Till the Well Runs Dry)", a duet with Little Esther Phillips. In 1964 he wrote several songs for Fats Domino, including "Mary Oh Mary", "(I Met) The Girl I'm Gonna Marry" and "Heartbreak Hill". By the mid-Sixties Downing was opening for Johnny Mathis and Lou Rawls. In 1974 Downing made a disco record, "I'll Be Holding On" for Chess, but he preferred country music. He complained, "The first thing the labels say is, 'You're black, so you've got a handicap.' It should be, 'You're handicapped because you can't sing good.'" Warner Brothers gave him a contract and he made the US charts with "Mr Jones" (1978) and "Touch Me (I'll Be Your Fool Once More)" (1979). Much to his surprise, he won a New Artist of the Year award from Billboard magazine in 1979. In the late 1970s many European enthusiasts were discovering rock'n'roll gems and inviting the vintage performers to appear at concerts and festivals. Downing was one of the first to benefit from their interest and his "Down On the Farm" and its equally strong B-side "Oh Babe!" were lauded like hit records. His lively act included impersonations and, like Fats Domino, he was continually smiling. He made the albums Back to My Roots (1995) and One of a Kind (2003) and had just completed a new one at the time of his death. Spencer Leigh

From www.news.independent.co.uk Alexander Downing (Big Al Downing), musician and songwriter: born Centralia, Oklahoma 9 January 1940; married; died Worcester, Massachusetts 4 July 2005. Big Al Downing was a journeyman musician, making records for several different markets, although his cheerful, piano-based style did not change much with the years. His 1958 recording "Down On the Farm" became a rockabilly classic and he was among the few black artists to have had success on the US country charts. It is often considered surprising that black artists should be interested in country music, but Chuck Berry, Solomon Burke, Ray Charles and Big Al Downing all grew up listening to it on the radio. In Downing's case, he was born in 1940 into a large family on a farm in Lenapah, Oklahoma. From the age of 10, he was teaching himself to play a piano he found on a scrapheap, although it only had 40 working keys. He loved the early rock'n'roll records of Fats Domino and in 1957, won a radio competition in Kansas by impersonating him. As a result, Bobby Poe invited Downing to join his group, the Poekats, even though the other band members were white. Downing quickly became the main attraction. He wrote "Down on the Farm", which had a nonsense lyric, "Rooster won't crow, chicken won't cluck, Walking round the barnyard doing the hucklebuck", but a driving rhythm. In 1958 it became a regional hit for the White Rock label in Dallas, which was owned by Kenny Rogers's brother Lelan. The group made several other records, including "Yes I'm Loving You" and "Georgia Slop". The Poekats backed Wanda Jackson on the road and it is Downing who provides the madcap piano on her frenzied "Let's Have a Party" (a UK hit in 1960) and "Mean Mean Man" (1961). He also plays on her country hits "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache". They toured the southern states and on occasion, Downing had to be smuggled into motel rooms inside the bass fiddle bag. Downing opened for several country stars, including Marty Robbins. He revived Robbins's hit "The Story of My Life" in 1962. The following year he had some success with a soul record, "You'll Never Miss the Water (Till the Well Runs Dry)", a duet with Little Esther Phillips. In 1964 he wrote several songs for Fats Domino, including "Mary Oh Mary", "(I Met) The Girl I'm Gonna Marry" and "Heartbreak Hill". By the mid-Sixties Downing was opening for Johnny Mathis and Lou Rawls. In 1974 Downing made a disco record, "I'll Be Holding On" for Chess, but he preferred country music. He complained, "The first thing the labels say is, 'You're black, so you've got a handicap.' It should be, 'You're handicapped because you can't sing good.'" Warner Brothers gave him a contract and he made the US charts with "Mr Jones" (1978) and "Touch Me (I'll Be Your Fool Once More)" (1979). Much to his surprise, he won a New Artist of the Year award from Billboard magazine in 1979. In the late 1970s many European enthusiasts were discovering rock'n'roll gems and inviting the vintage performers to appear at concerts and festivals. Downing was one of the first to benefit from their interest and his "Down On the Farm" and its equally strong B-side "Oh Babe!" were lauded like hit records. His lively act included impersonations and, like Fats Domino, he was continually smiling. He made the albums Back to My Roots (1995) and One of a Kind (2003) and had just completed a new one at the time of his death. Spencer Leigh

Gareth - thanks for the info. I must admit, I was thrown by the typeface used on the titling when I got my copy. Other than that, I think it does look late '60s - well, I was taken in by it anyway! Gene

WTF?????????????? Is this right? How did it get to be issued so late? I always thought it was a legit '60s release! I certainly don't remember any publicity or controversy about this being unissued at any time, so what have I missed out on? Additionally, I remember this being played around 1990, covered up as "How I Get Lonely" by (I think) Eula Cooper. If anyone can shine more light on this, I'd be grateful - thanks. Gene

As far as I am aware, the bootlegs (solid or large centre) did NOT have serrated edges on the label - all copies I've seen have moulded labels. Are you sure both your copies aren't just "dinked" originals? Also, the originals have a STAMPED matrix - the boots simply have them scratched on. Gene

And then it began its trip "On The Road To Ruins (sic)"!!!