The official FRIARS Aylesbury compendium
Page last updated 24th May 2008
Borough Assembly Hall, Market Square,
Aylesbury
Cockney Rebel
Thursday June 6th 1974
see also Saturday January 5th 1974 Saturday 25th May 1974 Saturday August 6th 1974 Wednesday 7th April 1976 Saturday December 20th 1980 Saturday December 12th 1981
see also Friars Dunstable Monday 4th March 1974 Monday 20th June 1974
Steve Harley Jean Paul
Crocker Milton Reame - James Paul Jeffreys Stuart
Elliott
Aj Webber
Unknown
As below
Steve Harley, 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, 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, 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, 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)"
As beow
Richard Burt, Friars fan (now in USA) writing for the Friars Aylesbury website in 2008 said:
"This was my first Friars Concert at the tender age of 14. I remember first hearing about Cockney Rebel at a friend’s party in January 1974. It was getting close to midnight and the parties host’s older sister turns up with my best friend’s sister after they had been to Friars. First of all I was in awe that two pretty older girls would even talk to a spotty faced 14 year old so I paid great attention to the tales of the Cockney Rebel and Moonstone gig. I had never heard of them but she showed me the cover of Human Menagerie and I was impressed by the satin and glam of the cover. I did not hear any of their music until they were on Top of The Pops and decided that I must go and see them as I had seen the posters for the concert plastered over the derelict Risborough Cinema. As I went to school in Aylesbury we were able to buy tickets from Earth Records, the girl who worked in the shop was from Risborough and knew my family so there were no difficult questions about age. Come the night we signed our membership cards as being 16 and strode into the old Borough Assembly Hall. The first thing I noticed was the strong smell of Joss sticks which I will forever associate with Friars. Can’t remember much about the support band but I remember Cockney Rebel coming on and how disappointed I was that they were not wearing their outfits from the cover of Human Menagerie. I remember Steve Harley was wearing a black T-shirt and their first song was Hideaway but can’t remember much else. It was a great gig and I can remember the whole ground swaying and singing along to Tumbling Down. I was hooked and continued to go to Friars for the next 10 years"
None sourced yet
This original incarnation of Cockney Rebel had imploded by the summer on 1974 after much internal strife. Only Steve Harley and Stuart Elliott from the classic line up were left by the time they made their fourth appearance at Friars in August 1974. Steve Harley continues to record and tour, sometimes using the Cockney Rebel moniker. Stuart Elliott apart from continuing in Cockney Rebel became an in demand drummer, playing on many Kate Bush records and with the Alan Parsons Project (as well as other artistes such as Deacon Blue). Milton remained in the music business working with Modern Romance (who had hits in the 1980s) and worked in his own studio providing with voice overs and commercials. He did make a new album under the name Banana Rebel.
Milton Reame James is involved in a new multi media project The Rainbow Ride which is an interactive journey through the colours of the rainbow and will be at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival
John (Jean Paul) Crocker runs a company producing specialised award winning mousemats and also plays in The Crocker Brothers. Paul Jeffreys died in the Lockerbie disaster in December 1988
Clippings from The Bucks Herald/Bucks Advertiser
Steve Harley Official site Milton Reame James Official site John Crocker Official site Paul Jeffreys Official tribute site
Sights and sounds - Cockney Rebel - Mr Soft (performance with 'new' Cockney Rebel from 1974)
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