This whole page needs a massive rewrite. I don't know if I have time or the heart to fill in all the miserable blanks. As it stands it no longer makes any sense. My apologies

The Honeycombs today

Current line up, and information about The latest incarnation of the band.

The Honeycombs began rehearsing again in March 2011 having completed a new line up around Martin Murray. With Jim Green on drums, Lee Howard on lead guitar, Chris Randall on bass, Olli Tooley and Sacha Flory on vocals.
Martin said in an interview that this was the finest line up of the Honeycombs that there has ever been.

Line Up Changes

Towards the end of 2011, The Honeycombs parted company with Sacha Flory who was forced to choose between a well paid series of gigs and radio appearances with Simon Clothier or indefinite rehearsals with The Honeycombs. Then in January Olli was dropped by Martin and the rest of the band. So much for the finest line up of The Honeycombs.

New vocalists.

Early in 2012 the band announced two new vocalists, Ricky Persell and Chrissy C.
Incredibly these two experienced singers have also been dropped after only about six months with the band and as of June 2012 .
In a sense it has become somewhat futile to continue updating the band with the constant stream of line up changes. I was recently told that there are yet more new members and gigs booked. It remains to be seen how long before this line up is changed yet again.

Martin Murray

As the founder of the band way back in 1963 Martin's credentials are second to none. He has had appearances on Top Of The Pops, Pop Gear, Thank Your Lucky Stars, and Ready Steady Go, and (as they used to say in the adverts) many many more.
As the only active member of the original line up his presence ensures the moral legitimacy of the current band.

After leaving the Honeycombs, Martin formed a band called The Lemmings, releasing two singles on the Pye label.
Out Of My Mind/My Little Girl, 7N 15837 April 1965
You Can't Blame Me For Trying/Bring Your Heart With You, 7N 15899 July 1965
The rest of the band were, Vick Long lead vocals, Chris Spooner bass, Barry Hebbon drums, and Rod Butler lead guitar.

Martin also released, I know What I Want/Goodbye My baby 7N 17070 in March 1966

Martin then went into the other side of music, producing and managing bands. According to this site he managed the Alexander Patton band.

Lee Howard

Has known Martin for more years than either would care to admit. He had his own recording career in the early seventies releasing 'Show Me Freedom'as Howard Lee, on the (Deram label DM390 1973) and 'One Man Band' (DM413) which he recorded under the name Robert E. Lee. It was written by Leo Sayer and given to Howard but then when Sayer heard the advance copy he decided to record it after all, getting his version out within a week of Lee's version which, because of Leo Sayer's greater fame, inevitably led to the earlier recording being ignored.

Show Me Freedom
One Man Band

Jim Green

Jim has been playing the drums for 40 years and his arms are getting tired now. He has been a professional drummer for 30 years and part of the Honeycombs for nearly ten years.

Whilst of course many would love to see Honey Lantree in the drum stool that is no longer possible. Besides she was never intended to be a gimmick but was chosen for her ability.
It has not been possible to persuade Jim to wear a pink shirt!

Chris Randall

Chris played violin at school and studied music at college before falling under the influence of the Rolling Stones. His first band featured Brian Willoughby (later of The Strawbs). In the late sixties he played bass in a band called The Fruit Machine who released a number of singles. Cuddly Toy/Follow Me on the Spark label SRL 1003 (Italy SRL NP 37002) Feb 1968, I'm Alone Today/Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream cover) Spark SRL 1027 Apr 1969 The Wall/Willow Tree American Music Makers AMM-0021 1969. These are damned fine and just go to prove that getting into the charts had as little to do with musical quality back then as much as it does today.

Ricky Persell

Had a three year stint with a revived version of The Fortunes 1977-1980 although they did not release anything of importance during this time. Other information is a bit scant. Joined The Honeycombs in spring 2012.
Dropped from the band for no obvious reason after just six months.

Chrissy C.

Information about Chrissy is even more sparse, the band's official website mentions singing with Jools Holland and various other artists, but does not go into any specifics.
Dropped from the band for no obvious reason after just six months.

Sacha Flory

Forced out of The Honeycombs at the end of 2011

She has performed on a number of recordings released on the Contraseña records "Print" label such as Hear My Voice on which she also has a writing credit.

Read more here Official homepage biography

Olli Tooley (me)

Despite having been in a Led Zeppelin tribute band Led Zep Too for seven years, performing regular three hour sets, the rest of the band decided that I might not be able to remember the lyrics to an hour's worth of Honeycombs material. As a result I was sacked from the band at the beginning of 2012 having rehearsed for nearly a year without ever getting a paid gig. I am now singing with a rock covers band in my new home of Devon. The Buzz