{"id":158594,"date":"2025-08-28T08:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T12:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=158594"},"modified":"2025-08-27T08:08:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T12:08:50","slug":"happy-birthday-drummer-honey-lantree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=158594","title":{"rendered":"“I just sat at the drums and said, ‘Can I have a go?’ I just took to it.” — Honey Lantree"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nIt’s her birthday.<\/p>\n

Even now, a “girl drummer” in an all-boy band is a rare thing. Back in the 1960s, it was unheard of. Which is why Honey Lantree, drummer for the Joe Meek-produced The Honeycombs, stands out. Still. When she joined the band, she was working as a hairdresser. People refused to even believe she was doing it. People thought she was “pretending” drumming to a track already laid down. She was treated as a “gimmick”. It’s outrageous. <\/p>\n

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The Honeycombs’ biggest hit, “Have I the Right?”, was #1 in the UK, and #5 in the United States. The Honeycombs didn’t “go the distance” as a band, although they toured the world. They toured with Gene Vincent. History may deem them a one-hit wonder, but people still remember that song. It’s an ear-grabber. <\/p>\n

Interestingly enough, right before she died at the age of 74, Honey Lantree came up in a discussion on Facebook. Someone linked to the Elvis talk I gave in Memphis, in which I referenced the absolutely BONKERS final moment of Spinout<\/i>. Someone in the comments section, a woman, posted a picture of Elvis’ “band” in Spinout<\/i>, all boys, with – a girl drummer. A spunky sassy one-of-the-boys girl drummer. <\/p>\n

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\nI said, in response, “Hey, it’s like The Honeycombs” and the woman who posted the Spinout<\/i> pic said, “The girl drummer in Spinout<\/em> and Honey Lantree inspired me as a kid to become a drummer.” Karen Carpenter also said that when she saw The Honeycombs on The Ed Sullivan Show<\/i>, it inspired her to become a drummer. <\/p>\n

One-hit wonder? Okay. But you never know “how far that little candle throws his beams.” <\/p>\n

Here are The Honeycombs performing “Have I The Right?” It’s a banger!<\/p>\n

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