{{Short description|English punk rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Fatal Microbes | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = England | genre = Punk rock, post-punk | years_active = 1978–1979 | label = Small Wonder, XNTRIX | associated_acts = Flux of Pink Indians, Omega Tribe, Rubella Ballet | website = | past_members = *Honey Bane *Gem Stone *Pete Fender *Scotty Barker *It }}
'''Fatal Microbes''' were an English punk rock band formed in 1978. The main line-up of the band consisted of Honey Bane on vocals, Gem Stone on drums, Pete Fender on guitar and Scotty Barker on bass.<ref>{{cite book | title=The Day the Country Died | publisher=Cherry Red Books | author=Glasper, Ian | year=2006 | pages=59–60 | isbn=1901447707}}</ref>
The band's name is regarded as a reference to the theme of disgust and toxicity, explored and embraced by many punk rock acts in the late 1970s and early 1980.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Donaghey |first1=Jim |title=Bakunin Brand Vodka: An Exploration into Anarchist-Punk and Punk-Anarchism |page=145 |journal=Anarchist Developments in Cultural Studies |date=2013 |issue=1 |url=https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/adcs/article/view/17142 |language=en |issn=1923-5615 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zcLUAAAAQBAJ&dq=Fatal+Microbes+band&pg=PA74 | title=Analyze Anything: A Guide to Critical Reading and Writing | publisher=A&C Black | author=Fraser, Gregory and Chad Davidson | year=2013 | pages=74 | isbn=978-1441191151}}</ref>
==History== In 1979 Small Wonder and XNTRIX Records co-released a split 12-inch EP entitled "Violence Grows", which also featured the Epping-based Poison Girls (whose singer, Vi Subversa, was also mother to Gem Stone and Pete Fender). In the same year Fatal Microbes released a 7-inch single featuring "Violence Grows" on the punk rock record label Small Wonder Records.<ref name="fact1">{{cite web| url=http://www.factmag.com/2010/10/31/20-best-post-punk/2/ | title=20 best: Post-Punk 7"s ever made | publisher=Fact | date=31 October 2010 | accessdate=3 January 2015}}</ref> The single was championed by British DJ and radio presenter John Peel.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://networkawesome.com/mag/article/another-idea-of-punk-rubella-ballet/ | title=Another Idea of Punk: Rubella Ballet | publisher=Network Awesome | date=13 September 2013 | accessdate=3 January 2015 | author=Michalski, Thomas}}</ref>
Honey Bane later had a career as a solo artist, a film and stage actress and a model. Pete Fender subsequently went on to form Rubella Ballet with Gem Stone (bass) and Sid Ation (drums).<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QFxbAAAAMAAJ&q=%22fatal+microbes%22+band | title=Rubella Ballet | journal=Maximum Rocknroll | year=2006 | issue=275}}</ref> Fender later released a 7-inch EP, "Four Formulas", under his own name on XNTRIX records. Fender and ‘It’ had formed the band Punktuation in 1977. With an average age of 13 years, they were amongst the youngest punk bands in the country at the time.<ref>[http://www.box.com/shared/ar6ot58kdh#/s/ar6ot58kdh/1/34918264/360429592/1 Spitting Blood: Brighton Real Music News fanzine]</ref> Scott Barker went on to become a founding member of the legendary 'Old Reenies' (sometimes spelt 'Ol Rene's') with former Sods front man Kevin Jones and former No Warning guitarist Martin Brown. Scott Barker now lives in Spain and continues to perform.
The band's songs were included in the compilation album for ''Rip It Up and Start Again'' compilation released in 2006 through V2 Records.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.popmatters.com/column/151683-simon-reynolds-redux-a-conversation-from-the-past-about-post-punk/ | title=Simon Reynolds Redux: A Conversation from the Past About Post-Punk | publisher=PopMatters | date=27 November 2011 | accessdate=3 January 2015 | author=Ensminger, David}}</ref>
==Former members== ;Main line-up * Honey Bane – vocals * Gem Stone (Gemma Sansom) – drums * Pete Fender (Dan Sansom) – guitar * Scotty Boy Barker (Scott Barker) – bass
;Other former members * It (Quentin North) – bass
==Discography== ;Singles * "Violence Grows" (1979; split single with Poison Girls) * "Violence Grows b/w Beautiful Pictures + Cry Baby" (Small Wonder Records 1979)
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{discogs artist|Fatal Microbes|Fatal Microbes}}
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Category:English punk rock groups Category:English post-punk music groups Category:English musical quartets Category:Musical groups established in 1978 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1979
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