The official FRIARS Aylesbury compendium
Page last updated 24th May 2008
Calling all Friars fans - we need your memories and gig reviews, however irreverent - please see contacts section.
Here's a few to get you started.
Mick Card Shane 'Camel' Carlson Simon Cheetham
Mick Card, former local boy, now in Chester writing in 2007:
I went to see Fish at Hobble on the Cobbles this summer (2007) - first time I've been to an Aylesbury gig since mid eighties. Mega excited, especially when I heard the rumour about the reunion. Can't convey just how tremendous it was to hear Market Square Heroes in the Market Square for the first and probably only time ever. A lot of sad forty year olds cried that day....
It brought back the memories of seeing Marillion at Friars for the first time. Queueing outside Earth Records to buy their latest twelve inch, going to Friars, probably one of my first gigs, never forget asking my mate who the obnoxious big tall bloke was who'd just pushed past me at the bar - that's Fish he said. Oh I thought...
Half an hour later, I was transfixed by this onslaught of music, the instruments soft and tuneful being pummelled into the background by this enormous gyrating figure blasting out resonance from every sinew. An hour later, it climaxed with Forgotten Sons - lullful music punctuated by "HALT! who goes there?" "Death... .. approach friend" as our face painted poet sunk to his knees and pulled the trigger to his mouth....
Also saw the Alarm a couple of times, the Cult, and several years later returned to see Hazel O'Connor - a small quiet gig, intimate and evocative - the hauntingly beautiful Will You sending shivers down your spine.
Looking back, we were so fortunate having Friars on our doorstep. Wish I'd discovered it earlier! I remember a friend going on about it, and seeing the Jam. I never appreciated them at the time, but I bet that was a gig.
Great to hear that Friars isn't forgotten.
Shane 'Camel' Carlson, former local boy, now in Dubai writing in 2008:
The year
1977 was pivotal year in my life. It was the year I met the lady that was
to eventually become my wife. It was the year I left school and entered
the world at large. It was the year I turned 18 and could "legally" drink
aclhohol in public!!! But, in music terms at least, it was a key year too
- for it was then that I saw my first live band...
The date was January 27th 1977. The venue - The Civic Centre, Aylesbury. I
had been persuaded by fellow friends and sixth formers at Mandeville
School (where I attended) to go the Friars and see The George Hatcher Band
plus headliners UFO.
Upon entering the Civic Centre, I was immediately captivated by the
atmosphere and the anticipation of seeing my first live rock band was
tremendously exciting. I boldly located myself at the front - centre
stage. As the support band, The George Hatcher Band came on to
perform...the first notes rang out...and I was hooked to live music for
life! I don't recall much of UFO, but I still have the GHB album of that
year and, when feeling nostalgic, will relive that night on occasions even
now...
I subsequently went to Friars a few times immediately after that to see
John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett, Procol Harem and Motorhead to name but
a few.
But it was on 25th August 1977 that I eventually got to see may favourite
band (Camel) live for the first time as part of their "Rain Dances" tour.
Despite having all the Camel albums to that point I had yet to see them
perform live and that night reaffirmed my love of the band and set me on a
path of worship which I have maintained to this day! In 1981, it was also
due to Friars Aylesbury that I met my heroes for the first time!
The first date I had with, my now, wife was at Friars on 1st October 1977
(the day before my 18th birthday). We had lied about her age so that she
could join Friars as a fully fledged club member! The band that night was
The Little River Band from Australia who were touring to promote their new
album "Diamantina Cocktail".
Two weeks later we went to see Steve Hillage...and my addiction to live
music was re-enforced. I had never heard anything like the sounds that
emanated from the stage that night...
I even took a leap of faith into the world of Punk at Friars by attending
The Jam gig on 26th November. Although this wasn't really my "thing" it
was, nonetheless, an amazing night full of raw energy and buckets of spit.
My only regret is that I didn't have an umbrella!!
By this time, I was working on the hospital radio station at the world
famous Stoke Mandeville Hospital presenting a weekly rock music show and
thought it would be great if I could combine my two great musical
loves...live music and radio! I was fortunate enough to meet the driving
force behind Friars Aylesbury - David Stopps. Over time I became slightly
more than just a bloke he met and David was extremely helpful in allowing
me access backstage to meet and interview bands for my then rock radio
show. I will remain forever in debt to David Stopps for his never ending
support and assistance in this regard.
Thanks to David Stopps, I was able to interview Motorhead, Ian Dury,
Camel, Ian Gillan, Genesis, The Blues Band, The Specials, Orchestral
Manoeuvres in the Dark, Slade, Marillion, John Martyn to name just a few.
All of these interviews gave my show a really different slant as, at the
time, band radio interviews were not that common.
Some
of my all time favourite Friars shows must be...The Police (who can forget
camping overnight in Aylesbury Cattle Market?), Joe Jackson's Jumpin'
Jive, King Crimson (simply amazing - Robert Fripp at his best!), Steve
Hackett, Genesis...plus too many more to mention!
In those days, I was proud to say that Aylesbury was my home town - as the
centre of the rock music universe. Sadly, Friars Aylesbury is no more.
Gone is one of (if not the) best music venues in the UK that in
turn gave an outstanding platform for many of the bands considered as
"legends" today.
I still have my Friars Aylesbury membership card - covered in autographs -
and will keep it (I'm sure) until my dying day. Friars Aylesbury was such
a huge part of my life back then and indeed nurtured and cultivated a
love of diverse live music which has remained with me all these years.
Oh for a time machine to take me back to those heady days when a fantastic
night was guaranteed and new friends could be made through music. I never
once witnessed any trouble or aggravation at any Friars event. Generally
the people who attended went for the music (well...OK...and maybe a couple
of beers too!) - but the atmosphere remained warm, friendly and welcoming.
In my travels around the world I am constantly amazed by the number of
people I've met who have either heard of or attended Friars Aylesbury at
some point. This is indeed a lasting testimony to David Stopps and the
music legacy he left behind. Its uniqueness will, I am sure, never be
repeated...
Simon Cheetham, Disco Student from Aylesbury, writing in 2007:
My very first memories of Friars Club were the flyers and posters that adorned some message boards at Aylesbury Grammar School. At the age of thirteen and fourteen I was a rabid pop fan - Marc Bolan and David Bowie being my choice of poison. However, my only experience of 'live music' was the weekly helping of 'Top Of The Pops'.
The Friars posters intrigued me. Clearly the acts featured were music artists - but they were well beyond my radar.
Fruupp, Stackridge, Camel, Gong - who were these people?
I decided to get to the bottom of this. My first visit to Friars was to see Ronnie Lane at The Borough Assembly Hall in November 1974. He had played with Rod Stewart on 'Top Of The Pops' - as a 14 year old, I wasn't going to get to see Rod, so Ronnie would have to do. I have to be honest and admit my first reaction to the place was severe disappointment. I had been expecting some kind of brutal, tawdry den of sex and drugs. A mix of Woodstock and Sodom & Gomorrah. Instead, Friars reminded me of a Sixth Form common room. The place was rammed with Grammar School prefects, daringly - instead of school blazers they wore loon pants and cravats. Crikey, even my chemistry teacher was on hand to dish out detentions to those who would not dig the Lane.
It was not for me. I did return a couple of times - but Budgie, Blodwyn Pig, Wally and the rest left me cold.
Instead, I discovered The California Ballroom in Dunstable, where instead of tired old hippies in cheese cloth, exciting black American soul acts gave me what I was looking for.
But suddenly, things changed.
The first Friars gig that signalled a new era was The Flamin' Groovies in November 1976. The Groovies were heralded as the first punk band to play at Friars but to me it was the support act, The Vibrators, who really opened my eyes. For the first time, I could imagine actually being in a group. No longer did you have to have a double neck guitar, a beard or a wizzard's cape - although disappointingly, later The Vibrators were outed as bandwagon jumpers who only weeks previously were covered in denim and churning out 9 minute songs with titles like 'My journey to a Free-Festival' .To be fair, it took another 12 months for Friars to finally rinse away the hippy hangover - but by then I had become a regular, and each punk band that appeared confirmed the fact that anyone could, or even should, be in a band.
My group, The Disco Students were actually formed at Friars Club. Drummer Graham Hocking - once of Friars regulars Orthi and The Robins - and I had the name, the look and some songs - yet no musicians. At the Magazine gig in December 1978 , as we plotted and planned we were approached by a guitarist and a bass player - by the end of the evening, we had a band.The Disco Students were/are a contrary project. At that time there was an Aylesbury 'scene' of some substance - yet we saw ourselves as 'outsiders' . We would play all over the country, often with established artists such as The Psychedelic Furs, Generation X and The Poison Girls. Even after having three records released and being regularly played on the John Peel show, we had not played in our home town, let alone Friars.And being the tortured artists we were, that suited us fine.
Despite us not wooing the local audiences, David Stopps was very supportive - mentioning us in the legendary Friars flyers, and always ready to hear our tales of adventure from far away fields. I recall David phoning me on a couple of occasions offering the DS dates at Friars - yet the timing just didn't feel right. Eventually we were offered a slot on the bill with Pauline Murray and John Cooper-Clarke - and in October 1980 we played at Friars. By then we had released three records which included 8 tracks. Perverse to the end we played all new material - two songs having been written only the previous week. I couldn't have said it then - for I was far too precious - but playing that gig at Friars was for me, a very proud moment. I imagined the 14 year old me scrutinising those early Friars posters, and I do believe he would have approved.
As a postscript , I met John Cooper-Clarke last year. I asked him if he remembered playing Friars." I've only been to Aylesbury once" he said "To play Friars". He then listed the line -up, " Pauline Murray, Me and The Disco Students"." Great little club" he added.
He was right, too.
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