Where Have the Honey Bees Gone

 The Fems of Feb.

Rose Porter, known to the music world as Rose McDowall, was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Her first venture into music was The Poems, an art-punk trio formed in 1978 with her then-husband Drew McDowall & another bloke named Ian, who had a guitar. Rose played drums, standing up like her heroine Moe Tucker.

She formed Strawberry Switchblade in 1981 with Jill Bryson. After signing with Warner Bros. Records, they enjoyed chart success with their single "Since Yesterday" in 1984. Later singles & an album did not sell well. This fact, along with band problems led to an acrimonious split in 1986.

Shortly after the break-up of Strawberry Switchblade, between 1986-1988 McDowall recorded The Sunflowers Demos which finally saw limited release (500 copies) in 2004 as Cut with the Cake Knife. The tracklist in the foldout booklet consists of 10 songs, with a song called "Honey Bee" at position 4. It was not included because of a manufacturer's error.

For the next six years, McDowall was primarily a guest vocalist or "floating member" of several different alternative bands, particularly in the neofolk genre. She contributed backing or lead vocals for Coil, Current 93, Death in June, Felt, Nurse with Wound, Psychic TV, & Boyd Rice on recordings as well as singing or playing guitar for live appearances. In 1993, she collaborated with Boyd Rice under the band name Spell, producing two singles & an album of 1960s-style pop, country, psychedelia covers for Mute Records. 

 

 

Rose McDowall - Cut With the Cake Knife, Bad Fairy Productions BFCD01, 2004.
decryption code in comments

Tibet    
Sunboy    
Wings of Heaven    
Sixty Cowboys    
On the Sun    
Cut With the Cake Knife    
Crystal Nights    
Soldier    
So Vicious

Enjoy,
NØ