BEATFOR57 - Friends

Friends formed in early 1986 in Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England. The band was intended as a vehicle for the songs of William Jones, who was working at the Dovecot Arts Centre in Stockton as Music Officer. The early band was closely associated with the Dovecot, rehearsing and often performing there as part of a regular flow of independent bands both from the region and elsewhere who formed the burgeoning independent music scene of the time.
The first line-up (William Jones, Greg Bone on guitar, Bruce Pearson on keyboards, Tony Stewart on bass, and Paul Lynagh on drums), never made it to the first gig in August 1986, as Stewart and Lynagh both left to pursue an interest in another band. Around this time, everyone was in at least one other band, and Bruce Pearson's brother Edwin was recruited on bass, with Chris Wood on drums. The band teamed up with Steve Daggett, who had engineered the very early demo, and went to Strawberry Studios in Stockport to record a first 7" single, It's Getting Louder.
Far And Away was Friends' second single, was released in 12" format only in 1987.

Friends, 'house supremo William Jones' own outfit, deliver bouncy Brit-sounds that smack of summer and explore new horizons. Musically they're travelling towards the Housemartins and Jim Jimminee territory, but Jones' voice is reminiscent of the English minstrel tones of Julian Cope; songs like the title track and, particularly, 'Far And Away' have an uplifting singalong quality and show steady progress from their '86 single 'It's Getting Louder'.
Len Brown [New Musical Express, 13 August 1988]

Friends - Far And Away ep [12" Summerhouse Records 1987].
http://www.summerhouserecords.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=80

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