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Paul Riordan,
Mandrake Paddle Steamer, writing for
the Friars Aylesbury website in
2008 said:
"Mike
Cooper was one of my inspirations
when I was starting out - I have a couple of his
EP's' - and of course
can remember seeing him at Friars - I was trying to convince the
band to listen - but none of them were into all that 'blues stuff'"
Mike
Cooper, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website
in 2008 said:
"I'm
not good at recalling gigs that far back. I did so many in those days they
all blurred into one after a while..at least in my memory. I also have no
recollection of that other band at all (that'll be Mandrake Paddle Steamer then !
- Ed). I was probably in the
bar...arrogant little fuckwit that I was. Funny you mention Lol (Coxhill)
though...he was from Aylesbury. We will tour together as The Recedents in
the UK in July...but not Aylesbury alas."
Mike
Cooper, after we pointed out that he was an inspiration to the
Mandrakes:
"I
apologise to those guys and say thanks!"
Andy Fraser, Free, writing
for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"I remember we used to really like playing at
the Friars mainly because of the audience, which was always very
supportive of us. Not being too big, the Friars was very intimate, so one
felt a closer connection with the crowd. A great shame the Friarage Hall
has been knocked down."
Simon Kirke, Free, writing
for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"I don't really remember too
much that far back. Safe to say the club was a favourite of ours and I do
remember the crowds were always good to us but other than
that 40 yrs was a long time ago! "
Jonathan Kelly, interviewed
for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2009 said:
"We used to have such great
parties at Friars. I remember we could have gone on all night. I had to be
asked to leave sometimes!"
Brian
Godding, Blossom Toes, writing for the Friars
Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"
I tend
to remember Friars for what it was in the grand scheme of things rather
than specific performances. It was,without
doubt, the most revered and sort after venue/ gig to do for bands of our
ilk back then. If you like, a safe haven, most
UK venues (out of town) were always a lottery and could be quite dangerous
to work in ( for instance working men's clubs up north !) I think
it's fair to say Friars was the Mecca of the
musical movement of the period and bands felt safe in the knowledge that
they were among 'like minded people'. So it was
a place you could go and try out all your new weird and wonderful Ideas
without getting thumped or threatened ! I do
remember, for instance, it was at one of our Friars gigs I first saw
Genesis and was totally blown away by them and
Peter Gabriel.
It
was a little like a 'club' that both bands and audiences all belonged to!"
Mick Abrahams, Blodwyn Pig
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"I do remember playing Friars
on a few occasions but I really can’t remember anything specifically with
the exception that they were all good gigs. I am
happy to say some good words about Friars for the website as I am a fairly
local boy and played Aylesbury right from the age of 16!"
Edgar Broughton, writing for
the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"Gosh!
That is all a bit hazy these days. I just remember it being the best gig
for miles around and that is about it. I suppose I was always a teeny bit
stoned, come to think of it."
Geoff
Nicholson, East of Eden, writing for the Friars
Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"(Friars)....was one of our
favourite places to play."
Root
Cartwright, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre,writing for the Friars
Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"I remember
we played at Friars at least once but it was an awfully long time ago and
beyond that I can't really recall anything about it !"
Jim
McCarty, Renaissance,writing for the Friars
Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"
Friars was a good "old fashioned" gig that hadn't changed much since the
60`s. If I remember by 1976 (Illusion gigs) there weren't many of those
venues left. There were either little clubs or huge venues. Friars always
had that sort of "hippie" vibe. Quite different to the punk thing
happening at the time."
Dave
Codling (a.k.a. Maha Dev), Quintessence,writing for
the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"It
was a good venue , we were well treated and always got a good response
when we played there. The audience was usually pretty meatballed when we
got to play. Not much change there, eh!."
Phil "Shiva" Jones,
Quintessence, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website
in 2008 said:
"I'm
really liking your website, it brings back all those great memories
....Friars was truly a great venue to play. It always attracted an
audience that was open to new and exciting music, and the ambience was
unique.I wish there was somewhere else like that now."
Ian Hunter, Mott the Hoople, writing for the Friars Aylesbury
website, 2009:
"I was a
big mate of Pete Frame’s, who said to come with him to the club. Pete had
my dog when we left to come to the States. I always liked Stoppsy, in
those days of strange promoters he was one of the good ones at that time.
We always
seemed to have a great time there: One of those gigs which became
entrenched in your memory for some stupid reason. We did hundreds of gigs
like that but, for some reason, that one would stick out. It just became
this very special gig that was up the M1. There were hundreds of ‘em but
some that stuck out. Friars was one of ‘em. Great little club. "
Verden ‘Phally’ Allen, Mott the Hoople, for the Friars
Aylesbury website, 2009:
"That’s
where it all started off. Our first gig was at an air force base with King
Crimson. Ian was dressed in a suit. It didn’t sort of happen. We done the
Roundhouse then Aylesbury and something just clicked. That was it. It all
started in Aylesbury!"
Ian Hunter,
on
his website, responding to this website's webmaster in 2008:
"Well,
it was Pete Frame, Dave Stopps and Kris Needs territory wasn't it? I met
Dave Stopps on the Ringo tour (he manages Howard Jones) and Kris and Pete
came to a recent gig in Milton Keynes (Spring 2008 - we were there
too!). (Friars)
itself was great but like I say I remember the people - 'Zig Zag' and all
that"
Ian Hunter, quoted in the
Aylesbury Roxette (talking to Radio 1), summer 1976 said:
"Aylesbury is like a little
San Francisco. It's one of those places where everything seems to
start...I don't know what it is, but the people there seem to sense what's
going to happen. I know Mott the Hoople happened in Aylesbury long before
anywhere else, and it was the same for David Bowie. Everybody seems to be
friendly, and they make you feel good - and whenever I played there, I
felt like an old friend being welcomed home. In fact the atmosphere of
Aylesbury got to me to such an extent that I was seriously considering
moving there at one time...but then I moved to America instead."
Mark Ashton, Rare Bird,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"
I remember playing Friars, it was a great gig".
John Otway,
interviewed for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2009:
"Dave Stopps was so
brilliant and put Aylesbury on the map and part of the reason I have had a
career I've loved is down to him and down to Friars."
Martin Pugh, Steamhammer,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2009:
"Thank you for the
invite to your 40th, I am sure it was a blast. Due to my living in
California, I was not able to attend. I have
many fond memories of playing and watching bands at the club 40 years ago.
Currently I am putting Steamhammer back together and hopefully will be
able to play at the club again."
Steve Hackett, Genesis,
interviewed for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2009:
"friends, almost a family
atmosphere. Of course David Stopps was important in spearheading it.
Those shows were early victories for us all, affectionately remembered
early seventies memories.
David was such a character and
really was part of the shows with his top hat and white clothes. I
remember Pete Gabriel breaking his leg there. He always gave his all but
perhaps that was a bridge too far. There was warmth and enthusiasm from
the crowd that acted as a morale booster for the band when other hearts
were harder to conquer".
Geezer Butler, Black
Sabbath, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"Unfortunately,
I don't remember too much about that gig , but I'm sure we were delighted
to be asked to play there, as gigs back then before the first album's
success were few, and we were always grateful of being asked to play. I'll
ask Tony Iommi if he remembers, he seems to have a better memory than the
rest of us. Good luck with your project"
Willy Finlayson, Writing on
the Wall, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"I
remember good vibes about the gig!"
Tony Banks, Genesis, writing
in the Chapter and Verse autobiography, 2007 said:
"We played a lot at Friars
Aylesbury which was a great venue for us throughout this period, and we
were friendly with Dave Stopps who ran it"
Roger Ruskin Spear,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2009 said:
"Nice site.
Louise Longson has dug you out of the internet for us. Yes indeed I
remember Friars with affection. Monday 1st June with Wishbone Ash was
near as dammit my first "real" gig through an agent (Terry King @ £30!).
So thanks to the "visionary" at Friars for the booking! I also remember a
later gig where the compere made a remark about my "long term residency"
so that must have been Friars too. "
Ray Laidlaw, Lindisfarne/Jack
The Lad, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
'Bit
of a tall order this one. I can't remember much detail but I have very
fond memories of Friars, both venues, the first one being the most whacky.
I've got a feeling that the first time Lindisfarne played there we were a
last minute replacement for another band, it may have been David Bowie
(it was The Faces -
Ed). I remember a lot of
disgruntled punters in the pub grumbling about having to watch 'some
bloody folk group'. As it happened a lot of them stayed and we went down
really well. I think David Stopps must have had close links with Charisma
records because all of the bands on the label, Genesis, Van Der Graaf,
Audience etc seemed to get booked at Friars on a regular basis. As I said,
I can't recall much detail, just lots of bonhomie, great audience
reaction, good crack in the pub before and after, interesting herbal
aromas and lots of bearded blokes and rustic hippie chicks. Happy daze
indeed'
Woody Woodmansey, The
Spiders From Mars, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
'The
Aylesbury Friars Club gig sticks in my mind as one of Bowie and the
Spiders favourite gigs. I remember the first time we played we'd spent
weeks working out the show and it was the first airing of a Bowie and
Spiders concert that we then took around the world! The audience reception
was the best.'
Teddy Osei, Osibisa, writing
for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
'One
of the favourite venues for Osibisa in the early 70's was Friars
Aylesbury.
The vibes was so great and lots of fun to perform to wonderful live music
lovers.
I remember at one gig at Friars the place was jamming hot and the band
was in one of their cosmic heights that resulted in some of the fans took
their clothes
off and danced naked.
That was the magic of Osibisa and
Friars.
Will always remember this'
Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel,
writing
for the Friars Aylesbury
website in 2008 said:
"In
the 70s, Friars was the gig of gigs. We could play 40-date tours of the
UK, to all towns and cities, and still carry that air of anticipation
throughout the bus, waiting especially for Aylesbury.Dave Stopps was a
sensational 'spotter and Promoter; finger on the pulse, hip to his
fingertips to all that was happening out of everywhere that boasted new
bands. In 1974, Cockney Rebel played Friars four times - in January, in
May, in June and again in August. All sold out and all buzzing.
Unforgettable. Good luck with your site. The old place was unique and
deserves such an accolade."
Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel,
writing
on his official website in
2004 said:
"Have
heard they're tearing down Aylesbury Civic Hall, the legendary Friars'
replacement.
What a shame. What a drag. can it be true? No rock venue of that type and
size in amiable Aylesbury for the first time in ages?
Unbelievable.
The immortal Dave Stopps was the 70's promoter who brought many good names
to Bucks. He tapped a source there. The London-based music mag critics
would get out to Aylesbury, because it was only a short hop from The
Smoke.
Out of Friars, thanks mostly to the eagle-eye and sound judgment of Dave
Stopps, broke the careers of David Bowie, Genesis, Mott The Hoople, Roxy
Music, many many more and even yours truly.
The first front cover the first Cockney Rebel received from either the NME
or Melody Maker was after a show, early on, at Friars, Aylesbury.
There is an important rock audience in that general vicinity, and so a new
hall must be found/built pretty damn soon.
But why? The place can't be more than 20 years old. What on earth could
have happened to it, that it needs demolishing? The mind boggles and the
hackles rise"
Milton Reame - James,
Cockney Rebel, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"
My memories of Friars: Wonderful, it was after our first gig (January 5th
1974) we knew then Cockney Rebel would break in the UK. Our first taste
of success. I forget exactly how many times we played and all good gigs.
By the time we did the final tour as you said it was a wonderful
reception. After Bowie had had his initial success there, Steve and our
agents/ management knew how vital it was for us to succeed there. Fans
also travelled to local gigs ( Luton and Dunstable as I recall ) and
brought the Friars effect with them. Wonderful times and before the
difficulties which led to the band breaking up mid tour."
Jean Paul Crocker, Cockney
Rebel, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"I
do recall the excellent receptions at Friars, but that is about all I'm
afraid (a lot of water etc)"
Phil Pickett, Sailor,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007
said:
"The infamous Friars Club sticks out in my memory as a really special
venue which we'd all heard about before we played there, but never could
have imagined how great the audiences were or what an amazing reception we
always got whenever we came to Aylesbury.It was wild and during Sailor's
1970's heyday, there was nowhere we played to more enthusiastic audiences
anywhere in the UK than Friars. The ecstatic reactions at Glasgow Munich
and Hamburg came close but nothing topped Aylesbury and Friars - I've
still got the cup we won as "Sensation of the Year" award in pride of
place in my studio."
Barry
Devlin, Horslips, writing for the Friars Aylesbury
website in 2008 said:
"Enjoyed the gig, really nice lively venue back then. . I remember
Sailor's gear stopped the roadies complaining for a few days!"
Ralph Evans, Sassafras,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
'I
remember playing there and I remember the Phil Collins gig (Brand X) but
much else has slithered into the past. We are talking 32 years ago!'
Chris Sharley, Sassafras,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2009:
I have fond
memories of playing The Friars in 1974 & ''75 with Welsh band Sassafras.
one gig in particular stands out when we were on with Bebop Deluxe. What a
great band they were? I found a poster on an old Friars site which was a
nice bit of memorabilia for my scrap book. Thanks... The drummer from
Bebop was originally from Hackensack, with Nicky Moore on vocals.
Strangely enough I later became a great friend and did many gigs with
Nicky in the 80's and fairly recently the 'Back For A Bit Tour'.
Good luck with the 'New' Friars and I'll follow with interest.
Mutter Slater and Crun
Walter,
Stackridge, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"The
only one I remember is the last one (30/12/75). It was with Keith
Gemmel,Ray Russell, P.V-Hooke and The Greenslade chap.I remember wearing a
busdrivers hat, and strangeley enough had just spent Christmas in a
cottage in Studland with 3 teetotalers, including James.So I think I must
have made up for it at Friars.I remember after the gig we went to a party
in London.I think we must have played God Speed the Plough and hey Good
Looking amongst others , and surprisingly the venue was well full".
Barrie Masters, Eddie and
the Hot Rods, writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"In
my humble opinion Friars was the best all round gig in the country. The
size is great as you're never too far from stage or bar, acoustics are
excellent and from the bands point of view a perfect stage size and great
dressing rooms.David Stopps ( promoter in my day ) an excellent host,
always looked after us well and also ran a tight ship. I must add that the
Iggy Pop gig with David Bowie on keys, rates in my top ten gigs of all
time. So as you can tell, you won't get a bad word about Friars from me,
and I have done more gigs than most bands in the country, most of them I
have forgotten by now, but I always remember the Friars gigs I have done.
if only all gigs were as good as....."
Paul Raymond, UFO, writing
for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007:
"It
would be easy for me to say, like Rod Stewart on Parkinson recently that I
remember nothing about the seventies, however I do, even though I'm sure I
was just as drunk as he was!!! I do remember Aylesbury Friars, only
because this was the gig that Ron Nevison (producer of our most successful
records) came to see us play live in 1976. Unfortunately I don't have any
photos to support this, but we were going through our chiffon and spandex
era - very glam, I think I was wearing a silver studded suit, a la Keith
Richard, and Pete was in his stripes (what else - some things never
change!) "
Peter Gabriel, quoted in the
Bucks Herald in 1979 after the show (below) said:
"(Friars) is the best gig in
the country"
David Rhodes, Random Hold,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2007 said:
"I remember supporting
Peter Gabriel. It was a very friendly crowd, and a good place. David
Stopps was very kind and supportive. Now, just thinking about it, we (RH),
played a good version of Montgomery Clift there, very solid and heavy.
When we supported Peter, I
remember watching his show, and wishing I was up there. "
Andy McCluskey, OMD,
writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
Fond memories of both the
Numan tour and our own in 1980. Loved the venue... all the best with the
site
Jake Burns in conversation
with Alan Parker in 2001 on recording Hanx at Friars Aylesbury:
"Friars
was a wonderful wonderful venue. I still have incredibly fond memories of
the place. It was one of those magical small gigs in a small town yet it
was run as if it was Madison Square Gardens. Nothing ever went wrong and
everything ran incredibly smoothly. They were such nice people"
and on the Wingnuts episode
(July 1980).....
"They were such trusting
people...[we had bought some plastic masks].....we managed to convince
them we were a band from Ohio called the Wingnuts and we went on and
supported ourselves ! It was only when we started playing nonsense like
Tiger Feet that the audience realised who we were and stopped throwing
stuff at us!"
Tony Gad, writing for the
Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"It
was wicked that night. Good Vibes. What a long time seen?! Great night,
great memories".
ONE LOVE "
Morgan Fisher, Mott, in interview for
this website, 2009
"But
Friars is a hotbed of manic rock lust and voracious moshing happiness and
we always loved playing there."
Pauline Murray, Penetration, in
interview for this website, 2009
"I
always remember that Aylesbury Friars was a good gig. It was welcoming and
we liked to play there.."
Dave Greenslade, in interview for this
website, 2010
"I do remember certain
gigs at various Friars venues. One of these was (I think) the first night
in the new building (Civic)… I had arranged to meet up with a friend
beforehand, who couldn’t make the gig, and have a beer. Afterwards I went
back to change but I couldn’t get back in to Friars. The guy on the door
said the place was full! I tried to point out who I was and that I was
playing. He didn’t believe me, thinking I was another long haired guy
trying to get into a gig. He wouldn’t let me in, and this was half an hour
before we were due to go on! There was a poster up near the box office and
I asked him politely if he would mind having a look at it. He turned
around and looked at the poster and then looked at me and then the
poster........."
Andy Gill, Gang of Four, in interview
for this website, 2010
"Friars was a good gig in that it
wasn't your standard little club and it wasn't a sit down theatre, it was
somewhere between the two. It was a nice space and kind of wide which is
always good rather than being long and deep like a cinema. We felt that
was good from our point of view as you could reach the audience. Whereas,
playing a place that's long and deep, it's hard to reach those at the back
in a way. It's easier with the Friars set up as you can reach everyone. It
had a great ambience and we loved playing there"
Steve Diggle, Buzzcocks in interview
for this website, 2010
"I remember those early tours and
Aylesbury Friars was always a place on the map [to look forward to]. It is
a legendary place."
Andy Fairweather Low in interview
for this website, 2011
"Friars was such an important gig and seeing those pictures brings back
such good memories"
Warren Cann, Ultravox in interview for
this website, 2011
"Playing Friars was always an occasion to be reckoned with."
Chris Frantz, Talking Heads in
interview for this website, 2011
"Friars Aylesbury was such a clean newish place. All the staff were very
sympathetic, very courteous and treated us really well". |
