1962 saw rock shows at three different venues. Eddie Friday continued with his Saturday evenings at the Grosvenor, Wallis & Wyatt (Alan Wallis and Stan Wyatt) at Aylesbury Town Hall until it burnt down in March, and at the Walton Hall.

At the Grosvenor, there was a wider range of artists presented.

In March Tony Orlando appeared as part of a tour with Jimmy Crawford and the Ravens.

Tony Orlando had hits in 1961 with Bless You and Halfway to Paradise. Orlando was later involved with Tony Orlando & Dawn, as well as being a producer.

Others appearing included Craig Douglas, Emile Ford (with both the New Checkmates and the Original Checkmates), Mike Sarne, Wee Willie Harris, Screaming Lord Sutch, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates and the Barron Knights.

Emile Ford died on 11 April 2016 – see his obituary from The Guardian.

Russ Sainty and the Nu-Notes were more-or-less the resident group at the recently opened California Ballroom in Dunstable. The Nu-Notes at one stage become the Rhet Stoller Group (Rhett, or Barry, Stoller being the guitarist) and had a minor hit in 1961 with “Chariot”. On one occasion they were billed at the Grosvenor as Russ Sainty and the Rhet Stoller Group.

The band were back in May as Russ Sainty and the Nu-Notes, supported by regulars Eddie Prince and the Creoles. Jack Clark kindly sent a photo of the poster.

Also in May, Eddie Friday also tried a new midweek venture with DJ Eddie Moreno called “The Teen & Twenty Nite-Club” – a similar club was already successfully operating in Wembley with over 4,000 members, but in Aylesbury this was short-lived, closing after just a few weeks.

Later in the year, Eddie Prince and the Creoles supported Garry Mills and the Deccades (June 2)

and Mel Turner and the Mohicans (November 3).

Meanwhile at the Town Hall, acts appearing included Eden Kane, Joe Brown and his Bruvvers, Shane Fenton, as well as Screaming Lord Sutch and the Barron Knights.

The Johnny Dankworth Orchestra was greatly enjoyed by Tony White, the jazz columnist in the Bucks Advertiser. Johnny Dankworth had enjoyed chart success with “African Waltz” in 1961 and had won the big band section of the Melody Maker jazz poll with almost 80% of the votes. Click image to enlarge.

Town Hall Fire

A disastrous fire at the Town Hall occured in March 1962. The Bucks Advertiser reported that it was the second fire within four days and thought to be the work of an arsonist. Painted solgans were found reading “If not this time there’ll be another” and “More to come”. Click image to enlarge.

A small ad appeared the following week:

Following the fire, some shows were put on at Walton Hall – which had hosted the odd gig up until then, and would again provide a useful alternative whilst the Grosvenor was re-furbished to become the Borough Assembly Hall in 1963.

Appearing were Rolly Daniels, Ricky Valance, Paul Hanford and Joe Brown and his Bruvvers.

The ad below includes Gene Vincent among future bookings on 28th April. However, John Braley, a local authority on Gene Vincent, has been unable to find any evidence that this happened. The gig continues to be listed on various websites as part of Gene’s appearances in April and May 1962, part of his seventh UK tour on which he was backed by Sounds Incorporated, with the Aylesbury date sandwiched between Broadstairs on 27th and East Ham Granada on the 29th. If anyone has more details about this, please let us know!

Below are lists of gigs at the Grosvenor Ballroom, the Town Hall and Walton Hall. Scroll down to view.

Grosvenor Ballroom

Date	Club	Artist 1	Artist 2
6/1/1962		Terry Young and the Bluenotes
7/1/1962	Sunday Club	Rocky Lane and the Victors
27/1/1962		Russ Sainty and the Rhet Stroller Group	Royston Jones and the Raiders
3/2/1962		Dru Harvey and the Jokers	Mike Dee and the Jaywalkers
10/2/1962		Dave Sampson	Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs, Rikki Forde and the Cyclones
17/2/1962		Craig Douglas	Jimmy Virgo and the Bluejacks
24/2/1962		Peter Elliott	Johnny La Starr and the Marzipan Twisters
3/3/1962		Tony Orlando	Jimmy Crawford and The Ravens, Verne Rogers and the Hi-Fis
10/3/1962		The Checkmates	Eddie and The Chequers
17/3/1962		Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers	Johnny Vallons & The Deejays
24/3/1962		The Allisons	Leon Chad Quartet, Verne Rogers and the Hi-Fis
31/3/1962		Emile Ford and the New Checkmates	Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs
7/4/1962		Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers	The Le-Roys
8/4/1962	Sunday Club	Johnny Vallons and the Deejays
14/4/1962		Johnny Gentle and the Jaybirds	Johnny Dark and the Silhouettes, Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs
15/4/1962	Sunday Club	Eddie Prince and the Creoles
21/4/1962		Jimmy Crawford and the Ravens	Lee Atkins and the M.I.5
22/4/1962	Sunday Club	Dru Harvey and the Jokers
23/4/1962		Tony Allen and the Kansas City Four	Paul Dean and the Dreamers
28/4/1962		Emile Ford and the New Checkmates versus The Original Checkmates
29/4/1962	Sunday Club	The Dominators
5/5/1962		Russ Sainty and the Nu-Notes	Eddie Prince and the Creoles
6/5/1962	Sunday Club	Clyde Burns and the Beachcombers
12/5/1962		Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers	The Magnificent Six
13/5/1962	Sunday Club	Grant Tracey and the Sunsets
19/5/1962		Colin Hicks	Cliff Adams and the Twilights, Teddy and the Cannons
20/5/1962	Sunday Club	Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs
22/5/1962	Teen and Twenty Nite-Club	Eddie Moreno (DJ)	Terry Anton and the Rhythm Rockers, Nick Raynor and the Falcons
26/5/1962	Big Rock 'n' Twist Show	Shirley Ann Field, Andrew Ray (judges)	Robb Storme and the Whispers, The Magnificent Six
27/5/1962	Sunday Club	The Federals
2/6/1962		Garry Mills and the Deccades	Eddie Prince and the Creoles
3/6/1962	Sunday Club	The Spiderman
9/6/1962		Grant Tracey and the Sunsets	Dru Harvey and the Jokers
11/6/1962		Paul Dean and the Dreamers	Ricky Wade and his Crossfires
16/6/1962		Garry Edwards Combo	Shane Spencer and the Casuals
17/6/1962	Sunday Club	Mike Sagar and the Crestas
23/6/1962		The Original Checkmates	The Le-Roys
24/6/1962	Sunday Club	Pete Chester Combo
30/6/1962		Mike Sagar and the Crestas	Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs
7/7/1962		Chico Arnez and his Orchestra	The Stormbreakers with Ricky Marino and Clive Turner
8/7/1962	Sunday Club	Tony Bolton and the Federals
14/7/1962		The Flintstones	Ricky Allen Combo
21/7/1962		Paul Raven	Cliff Adams and the Twilights, Shane Spencer and the Casuals
28/7/1962		Michael London	Johny Carr and the Cadillacs, The Stormbreakers with Ricky Marino and Clive Turner
4/8/1962		Dru Harvey and the Jokers	The Swinging Skyways
11/8/1962		Gerry Temple	Peter Nelson and the Travellers, Carl Vincent and the Maniacs
18/8/1962		Danny Davis and the Marauders	Eddie Prince and the Creoles
25/8/1962		Lance Fortune	Rocking Henry and the Phantoms, Roy Wayne and the Wanderers
1/9/1962		Johnny Milton and the Condors	Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs
8/9/1962		Jackie Lynton	Bob Xavier and the Jury, The Cervezas
15/9/1962		Peppi and the New York Twisters	Johnny and the Jaytones featuring the Lynton Twins
22/9/1962		Mike Sarne	Billie Davis, Keith Turner and the Swallows
29/9/1962		The Original Checkmates	Clyde Burns and the Beachcombers
6/10/1962		Mike Sagar and the Crestas	Shane Spencer and the Casuals
13/10/1962		Wee Willie Harris	Tony Crombie and the Rockets
20/10/1962		The Original Checkmates	Peter Nelson and the Travellers
27/10/1962		Emile Ford and the Checkmates	Garry Edwards Combo
3/11/1962		Mel Turner and the Mohicans	Eddie Prince and the Creoles
10/11/1962		Johnny Kidd and the Pirates	Dave Martin and the Martells
17/11/1962		Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs	Paul Dean and the Dreamers
24/11/1962		Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages	Johnny Starlite and the Gamblers
1/12/1962		Ray Pilgrim	Rikky Temple and the Lonely Ones, Peter Nelson and the Travellers
8/12/1962		Mike Sagar and the Crestas	Verne Rogers and the Hi-Fis
15/12/1962		Craig Douglas	Rikki Allen Trio, Bern Elliott and the Fenmen
22/12/1962		The Barron Knights and Duke D'Mond	Johnny Anger and the Wild Ones
24/12/1962		Russ Sainty and the Nu-Notes	Bern Elliott and the Fenmen
29/12/1962		Johnny Carr and the Cadillacs	The Chris Farlowe Combo
31/12/1962		Johnny Vallons and the Deejays	Billy Reid and the Bluecoats, The Sonics

Town Hall

Date	Artist 1	Artist 2
5/1/1962	Danny Davis	Gary and Lee, The Paramounts
6/1/1962	Eden Kane	Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers, The Barron Knights
10/1/1962	Shane Fenton
13/1/1962	Tommy Bruce and his Bruisers	Barry James, The Strangers
17/1/1962	Vince Eager	Barry Edward and the Semi-Tones
20/1/1962	Rolly Daniels	Chris Wayne, Gerry Temple, The Barons
24/1/1962	Seven Fabulous Flintstones
27/1/1962	Fleerekkers	Johnny Dave Five
3/2/1962	Joe Brown and his Bruvvers	Duke D'Mond and the Barron Knights
7/2/1962	Screaming Lord Sutch
10/2/1962	Danny Rivers	Nelson Keene, Ricky Wayne and the Offbeats, The Jesters with Maureen Cochran
17/2/1962	Johnny Dankworth and his Orchestra with Bobby Breen	Frankie Short's Apex Rock Group
21/2/1962	The Barron Knights
24/2/1962	The Viscounts	Dan Haggerty Trio, Mick Barber's Travellers
28/2/1962	Senators
3/3/1962	Mudlarks	The Barron Knights with Duke D'Mond
7/3/1962	The Apex Group
10/3/1962	Michael Cox	Keith Kelly, Peter Wynne, Bob Xavier and the Jury, Jimmie Richie Group

Walton Hall

Date	Artist 1	Artist 2
24/3/1962	Rolly Daniels	Chris Wayne, The Condors, Gerry Temple
7/4/1962	Ricky Valance and the Cruisers	The Jesters
14/4/1962	Paul Hanford	The Federals, Gary Lane and the Garrisons
23/4/1962	Joe Brown and his Bruvvers	Apex Group