Bees Make Honey
Encyclopedia
Bees Make Honey were an influential band in the early pub rock
Pub rock (UK)
Pub rock was a rock music genre that developed in the mid 1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement, pub rock was a reaction against progressive and glam rock. Although short-lived, pub rock was notable for rejecting stadium venues and for returning live rock to the small pubs and...

 movement in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

.

The band were formed in 1971 in north London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 by Barry Richardson, who had a residency in a jazz band at the "Tally Ho" public house, when Eggs over Easy
Eggs over Easy
Eggs over Easy were an American country-rock band, of the early 1970s, who visited London to record an album, and then became a resident band in a London public house, launching what subsequently became known as pub rock.-Formation:...

 started playing pub rock there. He invited Ruan O’Lochlainn, Deke O’Brien and Mick Molloy to see Eggs over Easy and they formed a band with American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 drummer Bob “Cee” Siebenberg
Bob Siebenberg
Bob Siebenberg, also known as Bob C. Benberg, is an American musician, best known as a member of British progressive rock band Supertramp, playing drums and percussion...

, who would later rise to fame in Supertramp
Supertramp
Supertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...

. Richardson, O’Brien and Molloy were former members of Irish showband
Irish showband
The Irish Showband was a dance band format which was popular in Ireland during the early rock and roll era from mid 1950s to the late 1970s. The showband was based on the internationally popular six or seven piece dance band. The band's basic repertoire included standard dance numbers and cover...

 The Alpine Seven, and of Dublin's first Rhythm & Blues band Bluesville (with Ian Whitcomb
Ian Whitcomb
Ian Whitcomb is an entertainer, singer, songwriter, author, record producer, and actor...

). They initially performed as an un-named band at the "Tally Ho", where Richardson had previously performed, eventually naming themselves Bees Make Honey in January 1972

While touring heavily on the emerging pub rock circuit, Bees Make Honey signed with record label EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

 who issued their first single "Knee Trembler" / "Caldonia" (EMI 2078 (1972)), and their debut album Music Every Night (EMI 3013 (1972)). The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...

 and produced by their manager Dave Robinson, who also managed Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge.-Formation:...

, but by the time the album was released, O’Lochlainn and Siebenberg had left. Drummer Fran Byrne, guitarist Rod Demick (ex Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...

) and keyboardist Malcolm Morley
Malcolm Morley (musician)
Malcolm Morley is a British rock singer, guitarist and keyboard player who came to fame in the 1970s. Best known as a founder of Help Yourself and as a member of Man, he continues to perform to this day.-Early career:...

 (ex Help Yourself
Help Yourself (band)
Help Yourself, known to their fans as "The Helps", were an English rock band of the early 1970s whose style developed from “American-flavoured country-rock… …to acid-drenched psych.”.-History:...

) joined , and toured to promote the album. They supported T. Rex at the Brixton Academy, but most of the audience were teenage girls desperate to see Marc Bolan, and the band was booed heavily. In 1974 original members O'Brien and Molloy left, and Morley joined Man
Man (band)
Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...

, so guitarists Willy Finlayson and Ed Dean, and keyboardist Kevin McAlea, joined. This line up recorded the second album, but EMI dropped both the unreleased album and the band. Another album was cut for DJM Records
DJM Records
DJM Records was the record label set up in the 1970s by British music publisher, Dick James, distributed by Pye Records in the UK and various other companies around the world, including the USA...

, but when this was also not released, the band broke up in late 1974.

After the break-up Byrne moved to Ace
Ace (band)
Ace were a British rock music band, who enjoyed moderate success in the 1970s. They are notable for their part in the early career of Paul Carrack, who later became famous as a solo artist, and as a member of several other groups...

, Demick & Finlayson formed Meal Ticket and McAlea later joined Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Saddleworth, Lancashire, in September 1966 by John Lees, Les Holroyd, Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme , and Mel Pritchard .-History:...

.

A 4-track EP ("Sylvie"/"Namalee"/"Boogie Queen"/"Don't Stop Now") entitled Bees Make Honey was released by Charly (CEP 117) in 1977. In November 1996, Bees Make Honey were included along with other notable UK pub rock bands on a two-disc compilation by EMI Naughty Rhythms: The Best of Pub Rock (EMI Premiere 37968). Subsequently, in 2003, label Acadia released a two-disc anthology entitled Back on Track, combining studio sessions and representative live performances by the band.
The Bees also contribute three tracks ("What Have we Got to Loose", "Indian Bayou Saturday" and"Dance Around") and Meal Ticket one ("Day Job") to Goodbye Nashville, Hello Camden Town: A Pub Rock Anthology issued by Castle Records in March 2007 (CMEDD1451).

Sources

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