My late suicided childhood buddy(Tomo), who sold me his punk records for cheap when he went Northern Soul because 'Punk' had gone 'commercial';had a copy of The Fatal Microbes "Violence Grows" glued to the ceiling of his bedroom (his attempt at aesthetics I guess?) ; along with a few other singles/ceiling tiles I expressed a desire to purchase. I got 'Jocko Homo' by Devo on Stiff, 'Do the Standing Still' by The Table, "Sick Of You" by the Users, and Some Chicken's classic "New Religion/Blood on the Wall", both of them on original Raw Records. 10 new pence each secured me all these damaged goods along with the work of genius that is the 'Violence Grows EP'.
The Devo, Users and Some Chicken disc's were undamaged, except a bit of glue on the labels
But The B-side of the Fatal Microbes EP was unplayable due to the evo-stik in the grooves used to stick it to the ceiling.
'Violence Grows'however, shone like a waxy leaf in a Saharan oasis. One of the best 10p's I ever spent.
I never heard the two tracks on the reverse until twenty years later, and I wasn't disappointed.
Obviously the Session musicians used on side one were not utilized for these two tracks, exposing the wonderful naivety of the music, as played by The Poison Girls' middle-aged leader Vi Subversa's kids; Gem Stone(15) and Pete Fender(14) (both later of the incredibly tasteless 'Rubella Ballet'). If these kids were born to anyone else, they would have probably listened to Disco music and gone to do a B-Tec at Polytechnic. A proud testament to the need for a sound parental influence....even if it was an Anarcho-Hippie one.
The lead singer of 'Fatal Microbes' was none other than 14 year old super-chav punkette, Honey Bane. Who went on to record another classic single for Crass Records, the "You Can Be You EP".Largely helped by various Crass members; who i hope kept their filthy hippy hands to themselves while in the presence of this vulnerable young lady.She was the victim of many a lecherous 'Punk' Svengali after Fatal Microbes split up,and whilst on the run from the Social Services; including ex-jonathan King buddy Jimmy Pursey (he used to attend King's Disco's/Hop's for kids in the mid-70's, where the despicable convicted peadophile committed the majority of his crimes;it wouldn't surprise me if the impressionable Jimmy didn't get a severe sodomising in return for showbiz perks?). Patrik Fitzgerald is in print admitting to such line crossing indulgence's....hopefully after Honey turned 16!
(We're Still waiting for Operation Yew Tree to turn their ruthless spotlight onto Pop music...Macca,Jimmy Page,Wyman...they're just the obvious ones.The jails won't be big enough)
As wonderful as Bane's first two Singles were, once Pursey took her under his wing it became some reprehensible attempt to be a new 'Toyah', but without Wilcox's obvious intelligence.Incredibly terrible new wave disco of the worst possible kind.
To know what a terrible mistake it was to have a post Sham 69 Pursey holding the final word in creative control,watch the YouTube clip of this secretly middle class stage school 'Punk' fake, doing some contemporary dance on a BBC2 arts show in 1981....(PLEASE CLICK HERE!YOU WON'T REGRET IT)....;a real working class yob ,Billy Connolly ,was also a guest on the show, and he exhorted to young James after his little dance; "What the fucking hell were you doing?????!"
Well I apologise for the majority of the shit on the Honey bane Singles Collection, but its worth it for the first six tracks;"Turn Me On, Turn Me Off" isn't too awful, in a cheesy kind of way I suppose.
TRACK LISTING:
Fatal Microbes:
Violence GrowsBeautiful Pictures
Cry Baby
Honey Bane:
Girl On The Run
Porno Grows
Boring Conversations
Guilty
Guilty Dub
Turn Me On Turn Me Off
In Dreams
Negative Exposure
Ain't Nobody's Business
Baby Love
Mass Production
Jimmy Listen To Me
Jimmy Listen To Me (alt Mix)
Wish I Could Be Me
Childhood Prince
Girl On The Run
Porno Grows
Boring Conversations
Guilty
Guilty Dub
Turn Me On Turn Me Off
In Dreams
Negative Exposure
Ain't Nobody's Business
Baby Love
Mass Production
Jimmy Listen To Me
Jimmy Listen To Me (alt Mix)
Wish I Could Be Me
Childhood Prince