The official FRIARS Aylesbury compendium
Queensway (Civic) Hall, Dunstable
Cockney Rebel
Monday 20th June 1974
see also Friars Aylesbury Saturday January 5th 1974 Saturday 25th May 1974 Thursday June 6th 1974 Saturday August 6th 1974 Wednesday 7th April 1976 Saturday December 20th 1980 Saturday December 12th 1981
see also BeBop Deluxe at Friars Aylesbury Saturday July 19th 1975
Steve Harley Jean Paul
Crocker Milton Reame - James Paul Jeffreys Stuart
Elliott
BeBop Deluxe
Unknown
As below
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)"
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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
Irony of ironies - The then unknown BeBop Deluxe were ordered by their record company (well Bill Nelson was) to change line up. Amongst those who are believed to have auditioned and played a few gigs were the remainder of the 'old' Cockney Rebel. Nelson had to split this band up because they were sounding too much like Cockney Rebel !!
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Steve Harley Official site Milton Reame James Official site John Crocker Official site Paul Jeffreys Official tribute site
Sights and sounds - Cockney Rebel - Tumbling Down (originally from 1974)
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