Denis D'Ell, lead singer of the Honeycombs ("Have I the Right?")
deb...@comcast.net
Author:
Dead at 61
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Date Posted: Mon, July 18, 2005 10:48:56
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Denis D'Ell
Alan Clayson
Monday July 18, 2005
The Guardian
In the spring of 1964, the record, Have I The Right?, by the
Honeycombs, was completed in three takes at the north London studio of
the eccentric independent producer, Joe Meek. The only overdubbing was
some four-in-the-bar stamping on the stairs of the building.
The Honeycombs were big on smiles, their gimmick being Honey Lantree, a
smiling female drummer. Their lead singer was Denis D'Ell, who has died
of cancer aged 61.
The record was soon dropped from the BBC Light Programme but was played
relentlessly through the summer on the pirate Radio Caroline, with the
result that it became a million-seller, topping the charts in Britain,
Japan, Australia and South Africa, and reaching No 4 in the United
States.
D'Ell, who was born Denis Dalziel, was the son of a lorry driver and
was educated at Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat school, Stepney.
In his teens, he lived in Chigwell, Essex, and worked as a railway
signalman. "A couple of the lads thought I could sing," he recalled,
"and entered me into a local talent contest." He won, and joined what
became the Honeycombs.
By new year 1964, the group was regularly playing at the Mildmay
tavern, in Stoke Newington, north London, where they were spotted by
the songwriting team of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who were seeking
a vehicle for Have I The Right? The response to D'Ell's performance
convinced them.
Three more singles - Is It Because?, Eyes and Something Better
Beginning - had little domestic success, but That's The Way (1965), a
duet by D'Ell and Lantree, made No 12 in the hit parade. Success
overseas, notably in Sweden, delayed the group's demise.
On leaving the Honeycombs, D'Ell joined a Tottenham and Stevenage house
band, and released a few solo singles. Better Use Your Head (1967) was
much-requested on northern soul nights at the Wigan Casino. In the
mid-1980s, he formed the Southside Blues Band before reforming the
Honeycombs for a 30th anniversary concert in 1994 and some later
events. During his final years, he was half of a duo, the Shuffle
Brothers.
He is survived by his wife Belinda, and by two children from a previous
marriage.
· Denis D'Ell (Denis James Dalziel), pop singer, born October 14 1943;
died July 6 2005
deb...@comcast.net
clip of 'em performing "Have I the Right" on "Shindig")
James Neibaur
> The Honeycombs were unusual for having a female drummer. (I've got a
> clip of 'em performing "Have I the Right" on "Shindig")
The song had that stripped down pre-punk sound, far ahead of its time
RIP
JN
robertpny
showcasing a number of different bands, and it has two lip-synch
performances by the Honeycombs. They're shown doing "Have I the Right"
and "Eyes". The film is worth a look if you can find it.
Rob
In article <BF016710.5BD2D%jnei...@wi.rr.com>, James Neibaur
King Daevid MacKenzie
>>The Honeycombs were unusual for having a female drummer.
>
>
> I didn't know that little factoid. Thanks.
...hunh? It was in the lead graph of the piece quoted in the original
post on this thread!! How short _is_ your memory, anyway?...
--
--
King Daevid MacKenzie, WLSU-FM 88.9 La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
heard weekdays at http://whiterosesociety.org
"There is Christian and there is Elvis-from-the-waist-up Christian."
JAMES NEIBAUR
Matthew Kruk
>
> The Honeycombs were unusual for having a female drummer. (I've got a
> clip of 'em performing "Have I the Right" on "Shindig")
Bob Feigel
proffered:
>The Honeycombs were unusual for having a female drummer. (I've got a
>clip of 'em performing "Have I the Right" on "Shindig")
An interesting change of surname because his assumed name, (D'Ell) is
exactly the way his birthname (Dalziel) is pronounced (Dee-ell). Maybe
changing my surname to Fy'Gell would help people pronounced Feigel
correctly. b
---
"Like I told my wife, I said, 'Honey, I never drive faster than I can see.
Besides, it's all in the reflexes.'" - Jack Burton, Big Trouble in Little China
Wax-up and drop-in on surfing's Golden Years: http://www.surfwriter.net
MGW
<b...@surfwriter.net.not> scrawled:
>On 18 Jul 2005 10:58:30 -0700, deb...@comcast.net magnanimously
>proffered:
>
>>The Honeycombs were unusual for having a female drummer. (I've got a
>>clip of 'em performing "Have I the Right" on "Shindig")
>
>An interesting change of surname because his assumed name, (D'Ell) is
>exactly the way his birthname (Dalziel) is pronounced (Dee-ell). Maybe
>changing my surname to Fy'Gell would help people pronounced Feigel
>correctly. b
Nah - they'd pronounce it Fy-Jel unless you had a double-G.
--
MGW
Bob Feigel
magnanimously proffered:
Even then they'd probably mispronouce it. Maybe I should change it to
D'Ell. b