Rod Clements Ray Laidlaw Simon Cowe Alan Hull Ray
Jackson
Ray Laidlaw, 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'
By 1972, Lindisfarne were enormous with the
legendary 'Meet Me on the Corner' huge in the UK charts and a best seller
album By 1973 constant touring took its toll and the band split with
Laidlaw, Jackson and Cowe forming Jack The Lad who would become one of the
most popular bands ever at Friars making six headline appearance 1973-
1977. Alan Hull led the short lived Radiator along with Laidlaw and lasted
one album. Lindisfarne reformed and carried on, playing Friars in 1981 and
a reworked 'Fog on the Tyne' with footballer Paul Gascoigne yielded an
unlikely hit in 1990. Alan Hull died in 1995. Lindisfarne in its last
guise called it a day in 2003.
