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July 2008
I
probably can’t fill in much that you don’t already know about the early
days of Friars. I got involved because Adrian and I had started a Friars
fore-runner at the Derby Arms. We only put on one evening of entertainment
(in the upstairs room behind the pub), but it was a really momentous
night. Top of the bill was Ron Geesin (well known enigmatic nutcase and
muse to Syd Barrett). Spirogyra played (because the bass player, Steve
Borrill was my girlfriend’s brother. They were all Kent university
students including Barbara Gaskin, who later had a number one with dave
Stewart (It’s my party). Spyrogyra’s vinyl albums change hands for loads
of dosh these days, apparently. Willy Barrett also played, of course, and
so did one of our school fiends; Colin Rose. I think we lost about five
pounds overall and Ron Geesin kindly informed us hat this was because we
were supposed to tell people about our gigs, not keep them secret. We were
only 16 ...
Also of interest (maybe!) is our return to the Derby Arms after the demise
of Friars One at the Friarage Hall. I helped Will Barrett to run the Bog
Hog Folk club and booked in various acts including Bridget St John (who I
fell in love with), Keith Christmas and Medicine Head (who also had big
hit ‘One and One is One’ a few years’ later). Medicine Head played for 15
quid (see attached contract). It was a great place to enjoy music, (though
nothing on Friars) though it was probably a terrible fire hazard as I
think back on it now, a single flight of rickety step up to a narrow door
in an all wooden building. I remember a huge pair of horns hanging on the
wall; it was the meeting place for Aylesbury’s Royal Antediluvian Order of
Buffaloes (whatever they were ...). Always in the background was genial
misogynist and pub landlord Ted. Can’t remember his second name, but I do
recall him telling us that he had traded his wife in for a Jensen
Interceptor when she left him.
Willy and I also tried to persuade the ex services club to let us use the
Friarage hall for the odd folk night in 1971, but they weren’t having any
of it (see letter).
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