The penultimate single release from the label was Window Shopping from The Friday Club a seven piece outfit from Scarborough. The band played a blend of soul & jazz funk with a social conscience, and a listen to the track shows their sound being similar to that of Paul Weller’s Style Council.

  • Andrew Brooks – Composer, Vocals, Guitar
  • Michael Hodges – Lyricist, Vocals, Congas
  • Adele Winter – Vocals and Vibes
  • Terry Bateman – Vocals and Sax
  • Eddie Eve – Keyboards
  • Graham Whitby – Bass Guitar
  • Anton Hilton – Drums

Info on the band is thin on the ground, with George Marshall’s book being about the only place to find anything on the band, but I was able to find a couple of mentions from the Madness fan club postings…

The Friday Club supported Madness on their 1985 Mad Not Mad tour…

“As a band member of The Friday Club this was the moment of a lifetime, to be on the Madness tour and be on Two Tone!! Ecstatic but always aware that we had to work hard, I will always remember being stood out front watching them perform It Must be Love and we all looked at each other and knew this was a moment from heaven!

Suggs wore a green suit and red gloves for much of the tour and had a thing about asking the audience to look under their seats only to find nothing there – he loved it! As people, Madness were always really friendly and supportive – Suggs, Carl and Lee were always making sure things were alright for us and reminding us that they started their first tour staying in tents. They gave away tickets to kids for their concerts, especially in Ireland.

I have many memories but one that stays in my mind. After performing in Cork, I was out front watching them when Suggs announced he had been helped back to his hotel after some lads found him collapsed drunk outside a local radio station! Immediately this lad of about 10 said to me That was us miss. It really tickled me and the same thing happened in Dublin!!!

They are such a lovely bunch and real family people. This was 15 years ago and I can still remember so much and know it was a really special time.”

Adele Winter.