Honeybus - Recital (1973)

Honeybus are probably best remembered for their classic 1968 single 'I Can't Let Maggie Go', and their debut album 'Story', released in 1970, firmly established them as one of the UK's best pop groups. The band included two exceptional songwriters in Pete Dello and Colin Hare, but Dello then left the band in 1968, and Ray Cane took over some of the songwriting duties, as well as contributing lead vocals. Shortly before the release of 'Story' the band broke up, and so the album was released without a band to promote it, and it failed to chart. In 1971 Dello recruited some of the former members for a Honeybus revival, and they recorded some songs which would eventually become the 'Recital' album. Test pressings were made, but a change in the management of their record label Warners meant that the release was cancelled. Colin Hare issued some CD-R copies of the album in 2005, but they are now long gone, and although there's been talk for years of a re-issue of 'Recital', I've yet to see it. So at the moment the only way to hear the album is to piece it together from the various compilations that are around. Others have tried this in the past, but it's been impossible for anyone to find two of the songs - 'Writing's On The Wall' and 'Lovely Vanessa' - so I've substituted another song from the same era to flesh out the record to a standard length vinyl release of the period. The cover is from Colin Hare's CD-R re-issue.

Track listing

01 For You
02 Be Thou By My Side
03 Julie In My Heart
04 Big Ship
05 Cross Chanel Ferry
06 Lady's Not For Burning
07 She's A Lady
08 Little Lovely One
09 Lute Girl
10 Throw My Love Away
11 Baroque'n Roll Star

Strangely enough, just after I finished this post, I found that Hanky Panky/Mapache records are looking to re-issue 'Recital' shortly, so if that does happen, and you like what you hear here, then rush out and get a copy so that you can hear the full album, including those missing songs.