In July 1965, British music magazine NME reported that it had been agreed in the London High Court that "Have I The Right?" was the work of Howard and Blaikley. The group also appeared in the 1965 film Pop Gear, miming "Have I the Right?" and "Eyes". The Honeycombs made many appearances on music television shows such as Top of the Pops, Ready Steady Go! (UK), Shindig! (US), and Beat-Club (Germany). The group also made a lasting impression in Sweden, where they scored two No. Especially for the Japanese market the group produced a live album and a single, "Love in Tokyo". The tour gained them a long-lasting popularity in Japan, however. Soon after their first record had become a hit, the Honeycombs went on tour to the Far East and Australia, and were not able to promote their new records at home. This also applied to their fourth single, " Something Better Beginning", written by Ray Davies from the Kinks. įrom then on Howard and Blaikley acted as the group's managers and also wrote their next singles, "Is It Because" and "Eyes". The Honeycombs also recorded a German version of the song: "Hab ich das Recht?" Both the English and the German versions reached No 21 in the German charts: the English one in October, the German one in November 1964. Overall sales of the record reached a million.
"Have I the Right?" was also a big success outside the UK, hitting No. At the end of August the record reached No. Honey Lantree's status as a female drummer in a top band was as unusual then as it is now, and some questioned whether she was just a visual novelty, despite her genuine drumming ability. The sales started slowly, but by the end of July the record started to climb the UK Singles Chart. Louis Benjamin, Pye's later chairman, renamed the group as "The Honeycombs", a pun on the drummer's name and her job as a hairdresser's assistant. " Have I the Right?" was released on 26 June 1964 on the Pye record label. For the finishing touch someone beat a tambourine directly onto a microphone. Meek recorded the effect with five microphones he had fixed to the banisters with bicycle clips. 1 hits were produced there: " Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton, " Telstar" by The Tornados and "Have I the Right?" Ĭonspicuous in "Have I the Right?" is the prominence of the drums, whose effect was enhanced by members of the group stamping their feet on the wooden stairs to the studio. Meek used his apartment at 304 Holloway Road, Islington, as a recording studio. The audition resulted in a recording of Howard and Blaikley's " Have I the Right?" Meek himself provided the B-side, "Please Don't Pretend Again". The group had already arranged an audition with indie record producer Joe Meek. They got into conversation with the group, which appeared interested in a few songs the duo had just written. Howard and Blaikley would become a prolific British songwriting team, but in 1964 they had just started their career. Among those attending an appearance of the band in February 1964 were aspiring songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley.
The group played dates in the West End of London, and at the Mildmay Tavern, a North London pub. Originally they called themselves the Sheratons. Its members were Murray (a hairdresser), his salon assistant Honey Lantree, her brother John, and two friends. The group was founded in November 1963 as an amateur band founded by Martin Murray.
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