Eddie Friday, who held the lease on the Grosvenor Ballroom, continued to promote rock gigs there on Saturday evenings throughout 1961, usually featuring a headline group plus support. The Sunday club also carried on, with one group playing each week.
Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, who had been regulars in 1960, continued to appear – playing six times on Saturdays, plus two more appearances at the Sunday Club. However, the group with the most Saturday night appearances during 1961 was Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers, with 18 appearances, plus 2 more at the Sunday Club.
Making their debut in 1961 were the Barron Knights – with five appearances through the year. Their first appearance, on May 13th, was billed as Barron Anthony and the Barron Knights.
Bill Wyman has written in his book “Stone Alone” about how he was inspired to take up bass guitar after seeing the Barron Knights play in Aylesbury in 1961. He wrote:
“One of the biggest turning points in my life came at the beginning of August 1961 when Diane and I went to Aylesbury to visit my sister Anne and her husband David. We went to a dance in an old converted cinema. On stage were the Barron Knights, who later became popular by brilliantly mimicking other people’s hits. The sound of their bass guitar hit me straight in the balls … From that moment, I wanted to play the bass”.
This has clearly stuck in Bill’s memory. Peter Langford from the Barron Knights says that he was with Bill at his offices in London a couple of years ago, and Bill’s first words to him were “Pete, you changed my life!”.
The Sunday Club gave opportunities to Eddie Prince and the Creoles, Rocky Lane and the Victors, Johnny Carr and The Combo and Peter Nelson and the Travellers.
Many remember that Saturday night at the Grosvenor around this time could be a bit rough. In September, under a headline “Mr. Friday Gets Tough – Toe The Line Or – Out!”, the Bucks Advertsier reported:
Aylesbury is fast becoming a mecca for the good-time boys – trouble-making teenagers out for “kicks” on Saturday nights. They are rolling in by car from such places as Dunstable, Wycombe, Chesham and even London.
Because of this at least one local dance promoter – Mr. Eddie Friday, of the Grosvenor Ballroom in the Market Square – has adapted extremely tough measures. Patrons who do not toe the line – who do not obey the strict rules – are OUT. No explanations are permitted …
Twice since July a Grosvenor dance had had to be ended early. Since then, everyone entering the Ballroom on a Saturday night has been carefully vetted … Mr. Friday is sorry that events have caused him to get tough. But he feels it is the only way to cope with the situation – the only way to keep gang warfare out of Aylesbury.”
Later that year, Eddie Friday introduced a “no jeans or leather jackets” rule. The Bucks Herald carried the story on it’s front page on 10 November 1961 – alongside images of Billy Fury and fans at the Granada (click image to enlarge).
The following is a list of rock shows at the Grosvenor Ballroom:
| Date | Club | Artist 1 | Artist 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 7/1/1961 | Dean Shannon Group | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 8/1/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 14/1/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 15/1/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | |
| 21/1/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Dean Shannon and the Dean Aces | |
| 22/1/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | |
| 28/1/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Dean Shannon and the Dean Aces | |
| 29/1/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 4/2/1961 | Rocky Lane and the Victors | Dean Shannon and the Dean Aces | |
| 5/2/1961 | Sunday Club | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | |
| 11/2/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 12/2/1961 | Sunday Club | Dean Shannon and the Dean Aces | |
| 18/2/1961 | Terry Young and the Young Stars | Brian Wood Five | |
| 19/2/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 25/2/1961 | Mike West and the Silhouettes | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 26/2/1961 | Sunday Club | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | |
| 4/3/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 5/3/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 11/3/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Paul Raven and the Trebletones | |
| 12/3/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 18/3/1961 | Mike West and the Silhouettes | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 19/3/1961 | Sunday Club | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 25/3/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 26/3/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 1/4/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 2/4/1961 | Sunday Club | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 3/4/1961 | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | Eddie Prince and the Creoles plus "one other local group" | |
| 8/4/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 9/4/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | Ricky Temple and the Whispering Four |
| 15/4/1961 | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | Jeff Sturgeon and the Statesmen | |
| 16/4/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 22/4/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Mike West and the Silhouettes | |
| 23/4/1961 | Sunday Club | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 29/4/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 30/4/1961 | Sunday Club | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 6/5/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 7/5/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 13/5/1961 | Barron Anthony and the Barron Knights | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 14/5/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 20/5/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Ricky Temple and the Lonely Ones | |
| 21/5/1961 | Sunday Club | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 22/5/1961 | Johnny West and the Apaches | Rocky Lane and the Victors, Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 27/5/1961 | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 28/5/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 3/6/1961 | Johnny West and the Apaches | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 4/6/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 10/6/1961 | Verne Rogers and The Hi-Fis | Gerry and the Giants | |
| 11/6/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 17/6/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Ricky Temple and the Lonely Ones | |
| 18/6/1961 | Sunday Club | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 24/6/1961 | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 25/6/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 1/7/1961 | The Barron Knights | Johnny West and the Apaches | |
| 2/7/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 8/7/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 9/7/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 15/7/1961 | Clyde Burns and his Beachcombers | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 16/7/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 22/7/1961 | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | Ganges Delta Seven | |
| 23/7/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 29/7/1961 | The Barron Knights | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 30/7/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 5/8/1961 | Johnny West and the Apaches | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 6/8/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 12/8/1961 | Johnny West and the Apaches | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 13/8/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 19/8/1961 | Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 20/8/1961 | Sunday Club | The Bluetones | |
| 26/8/1961 | The Barron Knights | The Crystals | |
| 27/8/1961 | Sunday Club | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 2/9/1961 | Johnny West and the Apaches | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 3/9/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 9/9/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 10/9/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 16/9/1961 | The Bluetones | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 17/9/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 23/9/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Jimmy Sherwood and the Cadillacs | |
| 24/9/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 30/9/1961 | The Barron Knights | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 1/10/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 7/10/1961 | Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 8/10/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 14/10/1961 | Mark Haven and the Paramounts | Jimmy Fleetwood and the Cadillacs | |
| 15/10/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 21/10/1961 | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 22/10/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 28/10/1961 | Mike West and the Silhouettes | The Bluetones | |
| 29/10/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 4/11/1961 | Terry Young and the Young Stars | Peter Nelson and the Travellers | |
| 5/11/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 11/11/1961 | Mike West and the Silhouettes | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 12/11/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 18/11/1961 | Terry Young and the Young Stars | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 19/11/1961 | Sunday Club | Chico Nelson and the Sabres | |
| 25/11/1961 | Jimmy Fleetwood and the Cadillacs | The Bluetones | |
| 26/11/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles | |
| 2/12/1961 | Mike West and the Silhouettes | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 3/12/1961 | Sunday Club | Johnny Carr and the Combo | |
| 9/12/1961 | The Tremalos | Clyde Burns and the Beachcombers | |
| 10/12/1961 | Sunday Club | Rocky Lane and the Victors | |
| 16/12/1961 | The Dauphines | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 17/12/1961 | Sunday Club | Jess Hunter and the Premiers | |
| 23/12/1961 | Mike West and the Silhouettes | Jimmy Fleetwood and the Cadillacs | |
| 26/12/1961 | Terry Young and the Young Stars | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | |
| 30/12/1961 | Paul Dean and the Dreamers | Tony Kaye and the Dauphines | |
| 31/12/1961 | Sunday Club | Eddie Prince and the Creoles |
By the end of the year, there was an alternative. Promoter Alan Wallis started putiing on rock ‘n’ roll at the Town Hall. At around the same time Aylesbury Jazz Club had moved from the Grosvenor to the Town Hall.
Under a headline of “A Wind Of Change At The Town Hall”, the Bucks Advertiser reported:
How the winds of fortune change! Aylesbury Town Hall is now back in favour among dance promoters – will, in the rock ‘n’ roll and traditional jazz fields anyway. The past couple of years have been pretty bleak underneath the Town Hall arches. Now look what has happened.
Just a fortnight ago Aylesbury Jazz Club took the plunge and changed its venue. Result? A useful 350 jazz fiends crowded the place. And last week rock ‘n’ roll hit the Town Hall. This time 450 youngsters trooped in.
Such was the response to the “rock” night that local dance promoter Alan Wallis … will be holding there every week. And there will be no ban against the leather jerkin and jeans brigade. Who said rock ‘n’ roll is dying out?
The following is a list of rock shows at the Town Hall:
| Date | Promoter Name | Artist 1 | Artist 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/1/1961 | Frank Promotions | Al Kline Five | Les Rogers and the Wild Ones |
| 14/1/1961 | Frank Promotions | Al Kline Five | Les Rogers and the Wild Ones |
| 20/1/1961 | Frank Promotions | Bond Waynor and the Quintones | |
| 21/1/1961 | Frank Promotions | Bond Waynor and the Quintones | |
| 20/11/1961 | Alan Wallis Promotions | Nero and The Gladiators | Frankie Short's Apex Variety Group |
| 29/11/1961 | Alan Wallis Promotions | Michael Cox | The Echoes, Frankie Short's Apex Variety Group |
| 6/12/1961 | Alan Wallis Promotions | Frankie Short's Apex Variety Group | |
| 13/12/1961 | Alan Wallis Promotions | Joe Brown and his Bruvvers | The Barron Knights |
| 18/12/1961 | Alan Wallis Promotions | The Fabulous Flintstones | |
| 27/12/1961 | Alan Wallis Promotions | Frankie Short's Apex Variety Group |