1964 rock in Aylesbury

1964 brought changes on Tuesday evening with Aylesbury Bluesville presenting rhythm and blues in the shape of acts such as The Animals, The Yardbirds and Manfred Mann – see here for details.

Saturday evenings at the Borough Assembly Hall continued to be promoted by Eddie Friday. Highlights included two further appearances by Gene Vincent (February – see below – and July) and three more by the Barron Knights (July, October and December).

Gene Vincent BAH 1964

Gene Vincent Feb 64

Appearing for the first time during the year were the Swinging Blue Jeans (two appearances in February and November), Unit Four Plus Two (in May and September) and The Applejacks. With the winding up of the Aylesbury Jazz Club, Eddie Friday also took the opportunity to present some jazz artists, such as the Terry Lightfoot Jazzmen and the Dutch College Swing Band.

The Swinging Blue Jeans appearance in February caused a stir. The Bucks Advertiser reported:

It was the biggest night at the B.A.H. for many seasons, of that there was little doubt. Promoter Eddie Friday shut the doors tight at 8 o’clock, just as the dancing started. Inside were as many people as he dare alow. The fans had waited for a long time – two girls started their vigil four hours earlier.

Swinging Blue Jeans review

They played again in November:

swinging-blue-jeans-buck-examiner-13-nov-1964

Other promoters brought Alexis Korner and his Blues Incorporated and the Graham Bond Organisation. The Graham Bond Organisation included Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker who, with Graham Bond, had left Blues Incorported to form this new group, and Dick Heckstall-Smith. Despite their reported hostility to each other during their time with Graham Bond, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were later to form Cream with Eric Clapton – Cream played in Aylesbury in February 1967. Before this Bruce left the Graham Bond Organisation, joining John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, which included Eric Clapton, and then Manfred Mann, playing on “Pretty Flamingo”.

alexis-korner-poster-bah

One unsolved mystery is a possible appearance by Marianne Faithfull. In her book Faithfull: An Autobiography it shows that, as part of her schedule for November 1964, Marianne Faithfull appeared at the “Barrow Assembly Hall” in Aylesbury on 23rd November 1964 – but this was a Monday night when wrestling was taking place at the hall. No other details can be found about this – can you help?

List of gigs at Borough Assembly Hall:

DatePromoter NameArtist 1Artist 2
4/1/1964Eddie FridayJohnny Milton And The CondorsThe Apollos
11/1/1964Eddie FridayShane Spencer and The CasualsThe Trackers
18/1/1964Eddie FridayRoy Starr and the CherokeesThe Crusaders
25/1/1964Eddie FridayThe GhoulsNeil Landon and the Burnetts
1/2/1964Eddie FridayJohnny, Mike And The ShadesThe Rhythm 3, The Journeymen
7/2/1964The Chris Du Maurier AgencyShane Fenton and the FentonesThe Kossaks featuring Johnny Kaye
8/2/1964Eddie FridayGene Vincent & The ShoutsThe Apollos
15/2/1964Eddie FridayDave LaKaz and the G MenThe Bullets
22/2/1964Eddie FridayThe KubasJohnny Anger and the Wild Ones
28/2/1964Alexis Korner and his Blues IncorporatedThe Impulsions
29/2/1964Eddie FridayThe Swinging Blue JeansKen Gordon and the Dynamic Down-Siders
7/3/1964Eddie FridayRuss and the SabresThe Cavaliers, The Rave Ons
14/3/1964Eddie FridayThe Cherokees featuring Roy StarrThe Apollos
21/3/1964Eddie FridayMike Berry and the InnocentsJohnny Carr and the Cadillacs
28/3/1964Eddie FridayShane Spencer and The CasualsThe Phantoms
4/4/1964Eddie FridayThe FlintstonesThe Strangers
11/4/1964Eddie FridayJohnny, Mike And The ShadesThe Craymen
17/4/1964Graham Bond Organisation
18/4/1964Eddie FridayWee Willie Harris backed by The RocketsThe Redcaps, The Rave Ons
25/4/1964Eddie FridayPeter Andersen and The MidnightersJohnny Anger and the Wild Ones, The Preachers
2/5/1964Eddie FridayUnit Four Plus TwoThe Classmates, The Sound Trekkers
9/5/1964Eddie FridayJohnny Carr and the CadillacsCliff Adams and the Twilights
16/5/1964Eddie FridayGrant Tracey and the SunsetsThe Corvettes
18/5/1964Eddie FridayShane Spencer and The CasualsThe Whispering Four
23/5/1964Eddie FridayThe RedcapsThe Telstars, The Chessmen featuring Jeff Reed
30/5/1964Eddie FridaySteve Francis and the HigradesThe Rebels
6/6/1964Eddie FridayPat Wayne and the BeachcombersThe Storms
13/6/1964Eddie FridayKing Size Taylor and the DominosTony and the Stranglers
20/6/1964Eddie FridayThe Plus Four featuring Erky GrantRoy Powell and the Offbeaters
27/6/1964Eddie FridayShane Spencer and The CasualsKen Gordon and the Downsiders
4/7/1964Eddie FridayThe Barron Knights and Duke D'MondThe Silhouettes
11/7/1964Eddie FridayThe Wackers featuring Terry AntonJohnny Anger and the Wild Ones
18/7/1964Eddie FridayJohnny Carr and the CadillacsThe Chessmen featuring Jeff Reed, The Rave Ons
25/7/1964Eddie FridayGene Vincent & The ShoutsThe Apollos
1/8/1964Eddie FridayThe HustlersThe Cavaliers
3/8/1964Eddie FridayThe NiteshadesThe Whispering Four
8/8/1964Eddie FridayWashington D.C.The Leon Boys
15/8/1964Eddie FridayShane Spencer and The CasualsTony and the Stranglers
19/8/1964Eddie FridayTerry Lightfoot Jazzmen
22/8/1964Eddie FridayThe DeaconsJohnny Anger and the Wild Ones, The Journeymen
29/8/1964Eddie FridayThe ApplejacksGeorgie, The Rave Ons
5/9/1964Eddie FridayUnit Four Plus TwoJohnny Carr and the Cadillacs
11/9/1964Music Management PromotionsSnowballsThe Soundtrekkers, Scrooge and the Misers
12/9/1964Eddie FridayJimmy Nicol and the ShubdubsThe Reasons
18/9/1964Music Management PromotionsThe Other TwoThe Herd, Evergreens
19/9/1964Eddie FridayThe Mike Cotton SoundThe Storms
26/9/1964Eddie FridayKing Size Taylor and the DominosTerry Judge, The Barristers
3/10/1964Eddie FridayThe Migil FiveThe Cavaliers
10/10/1964Eddie FridayMal Ryder and the SpiritsShane and the Shane Gang
17/10/1964Eddie FridayThe Barron Knights and Duke D'MondThe Apollos
21/10/1964Eddie FridayThe Papa Bue Viking Jazz Band
24/10/1964Eddie FridayThe WranglersThe Dolphins
30/10/1964The Grange Youth ClubThe Mistral TuacsThe Berries
31/10/1964Eddie FridayJohnny, Mike And The ShadesThe Whispering Four with Pam Cordell
7/11/1964Eddie FridayDave Curtis and the TremorsTony and the Stranglers
14/11/1964Eddie FridayBuddy Britten and the RegentsThe Trolls
21/11/1964Eddie FridayThe Swinging Blue JeansGeorgie, The Rave Ons
28/11/1964Eddie FridayThe CloudsThe Koalas
2/12/1964Eddie FridayDutch College Swing Band
5/12/1964Aylesbury Young ConservativesThe Mistral TuacsThe Penny Blacks
12/12/1964Eddie FridayThe FenmenThe Storms
19/12/1964Eddie FridayThe DownsidersWashington DCs
24/12/1964Eddie FridayThe Barron Knights and Duke D'MondThe Reasons
26/12/1964Eddie FridayJohnny Anger and the Wild OnesThe Sneakers

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