When rock ‘n’ roll first appeared at the Grosvenor Ballroom in 1960, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates became effectively the “resident band”. This was at a time when the band was enjoying considerable success, with the classic single “Shakin’ All Over” topping the singles chart in the summer of that year.

The group was led by Frederick “Fred” Heath. He began playing in a skiffle group – known as The Frantic Four and later The Nutters – in about 1956. In 1959 Heath and his band were given a recording test and a contract with HMV followed (although Heath was the only one directly contracted; the rest were treated as session players). The story goes that during the recording session they were given a slip of paper referring to Johnny Kidd and the Pirates and told that this was their new recording name. The first single “Please Don’t Touch” reached the lower reaches of the singles chart.

The line-up changed. Mike West and Tony Doherty left (and were to become Mike West and the Silhouettes) and Clem Cattini (drums) and Brian Gregg (bass) joined Heath and Alan Caddy. This was the line-up that played in Aylesbury during 1960.

The band were a formidable live band, taking advantage of the change of name to develop a show based on the pirate theme.

Kidd died in 1966, aged 30, in a motor car accident.

A list of all known Aylesbury appearances is shown below. If you can add to these, please contact us.

Johnny Kidd website