Real name Donna Boylan. She had a difficult childhood and was taken care of by the social services at 11. In and out of childrens homes she found time to play with a band called Fatal Microbes. The other members were:
Pete Fender - guitar
Whatever - bass
Another - drums
Pete Fender was the son of Vi Subversia in The Poison Girls. This led to their first record: A 12" split with the Poison Girls.
1. Fatal Microbes meets the Poison Girls. - Xntrix/Small Wonder records, 1978. - WEENY 3
Fatal Microbes: Violence grows ; Beatiful pictures
Poison Girls: Closed shop ; Piano lessons
With another song added this became:
2. 'Fatal' Microbes. - A Small Wonder Records/Xntrix Records Co-Release, p1979. - Small twenty
This side: Violence grows
That side: Beatiful Pictures ; Cry Baby
She moved in with the Crass people and backed by some of them as "The Kebabs" issued:
3. You can be you / Honey Bane. - Crass records, 1979. - 521984/1
This side: Girl on the run
That side: Porno grows ; Boring conversation
This is one of the better things to come out of the Crass record factory. It's got good tunes and some scathing lyrics from Donna.
The Southern Studios pages has some nice pictures of this:
The lyrics were also included. Punk always had a close relationship with reagae. Jonny Rotten was a huge fan, The
Clash included a version of on their first album, etc etc. In 1980 Honey Bane backed by
Local Operator toured with UB40 and others. The result: 4. Guilty ; Dub. - Honey Bane, 1980. - bh 946 After this she had the "luck" to be discovered by Jimmi Pursey (Sham
69 vocalist) in his capacity as talentscout for EMI-subsidiary Zonophone. He also became
her manager, and got her a 5 year contract with Zonophone. 3 singles came in quick
succession in spring 1981. 5. Turn me on turn me off. - EMI/Zonophone, 1981. - Z 15 6. Baby love ; Mass production. - EMI/Zonophone, 1981. - Z 19 And yes, its that Baby love! 7. Jimmy, listen to me. - EMI/Zonophone, 1981. - Z 23 It seems like the relationship to her manager started to get sour. After this blitz of singles, it was quiet for about a year. In the meantime she made
her debut as actor in the play "Demonstration of affection" at Londons Cockpit
Theatre in april 1982. One of her co-players being ex-Skids Richard Jobson. The last we
have yet heard from Honey Bane is: 8. I wish I could be me ; Chilahood prince. - EMI/Zonophone, 1982. - Z
32 Quite a leap from the selfassured punk on 3 !