Working Week -

Working Week was an English sophisti-pop trio that released three albums on Virgin between 1985 and 1987, followed by two 1989–91 titles on label-subsidiary Ten. The band revolved around the instrumental core of veteran jazz-saxophonist Larry Stabbins (Centipede/Keith Tippett’s Ark) and ex-Weekend guitarist Simon Booth, who chose the name “Working Week” as a spoof on his earlier combo.

They featured a series of female vocalists, starting with Tracey Thorn, pre-Everything But the Girl. On select recordings, the trio were assisted by Robert Wyatt and Julie Tippett. Musically, the band purveyed a mix of jazz-pop and soul akin to contemporaries Sade, Swans Way, Animal Nightlife, and Swing Out Sister.

Members: Tracey Thorn (vocals, 1983-85), Juliet Roberts (vocals, 1985-87), Simon Booth (guitar), Larry Stabbins (keyboards), Yvonne Waite (vocals, 1991-92)

Background

Working Week formed in early 1984 when guitarist Simon Booth and saxophonist Larry Stabbins regrouped after the breakup of Weekend, a short-lived jazz-pop project they had formed with vocalist Alison Statton. Following Statton’s exit, Booth and Stabbins launched Working Week as a fluid collective centered on London’s jazz-dance circuit. Their initial lineup included trombonist Annie Whitehead, pianist Keith Tippett, percussionist Bosco D’Oliveira, and vocalist Julie Tippetts.

Stabbins brought an extensive background in British jazz and improvised music. He had worked closely with Keith Tippett from his teens, performing in ensembles including Centipede, Ark, Tapestry, and the Keith Tippett Septet, and had played with figures from the Brotherhood of Breath, the Spontaneous Music Orchestra, and Mike Westbrook’s groups while also maintaining steady work in soul bands and commercial studio settings.

In May 1984, Working Week released their debut single “Venceremos (We Will Win),” a tribute to Chilean singer Víctor Jara. The track featured guest vocals by Robert Wyatt and Tracey Thorn and appeared in both bossa nova and jazz dance mixes. Booth wrote the piece as a statement of solidarity with Latin American resistance movements. Virgin issued the single on both 7″ and 12″ formats (VS 684).

They followed that summer with the single “Storm of Light” (VS 703, July 1984), backed with an instrumental version. Both singles circulated on the Latin jazz club scene, supported by the International Jazz Dance (IDJ) dancers and DJ Paul Murphy’s gigs at London venues. Working Week played shows as a nine-piece and gained a reputation for blending live ensemble spontaneity with political messaging.

In early 1985, with less than two weeks before scheduled album sessions, Booth and Stabbins invited London vocalist Juliet Roberts to join as permanent frontwoman. With Roberts in place, Working Week began recording Working Nights, their debut album, for Virgin Records.

Working Nights

Working Week released their debut album, Working Nights, in May 1985 on Virgin.

The album introduces the group’s core lineup: guitarist Simon Booth, saxophonist Larry Stabbins, and vocalist Juliet Roberts. They frame the material around tight horn arrangements, Latin-jazz rhythm sections, and guest features drawn from London’s jazz, soul, and studio circles. Bass duties split between Chucho Merchan and Ernest Mothle, while percussion alternates between Joao Bosco De Oliveira and Martin Ditcham. Pianist Kim Burton and drummer Roy Dodds appear on multiple tracks, joined by a horn section that includes Guy Barker, Harry Beckett, Paul Nieman, and Annie Whitehead.

Booth and Stabbins composed seven tracks. The album opens with a brassy rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues,” arranged by Nick Ingman. “Venceremos” features additional vocals by Claudia Figueroa and clarinet by Dave Bitelli. “Thought I’d Never See You Again,” “Autumn Boy,” and “Solo” form a lyrical mid-section, with “No Cure No Pay” closing on extended solos by Beckett, Whitehead, and Burton.

A1. “Inner City Blues” (5:43)
A2. “Sweet Nothing” (3:38)
A3. “Who’s Fooling Who” (5:02)
A4. “Thought I’d Never See You Again” (6:23)

B5. “Autumn Boy” (6:32)
B6. “Solo” (4:40)
B7. “Venceremos” (4:42)
B8. “No Cure No Pay” (8:25)

Working Nights was recorded at Power Plant Studios and Dining Suite with engineers Ben Rogan, John Acock, and Pete Brown, assisted by Simon Driscoll. Mike Pela and Steve Churchyard handled production engineering. Robin Millar produced the album and played additional guitar.

John Stoddart photographed the cover; C-More-Tone Studios handled sleeve design

Three singles appeared from Working Nights. “Inner City Blues” backed with “No Cure, No Pay” appeared in February 1985 (Virgin VS 745), followed in May by “Sweet Nothing” backed with a dance version of “Who’s Fooling Who” (VS 759). In August, Virgin released “I Thought I’d Never See You Again” backed with non-album B-side “Where’s the Bridge” (VS 807).

“Rodrigo Bay”

Working Week released the mini-album Rodrigo Bay in 1986 on Virgin Japan (18VB-1089).

Issued exclusively in Japan, Rodrigo Bay compiles alternate and extended versions alongside non-album material. The 12″ Dance Mix of “Rodrigo Bay” leads side one, followed by an extended mix of the prior B-side “Where’s the Bridge?” and the brief instrumental “Happy Inspiration.” Side two features “Sweet Nothing” from Working Nights and the eleven-minute suite “Stella Marina.”

A1. “Rodrigo Bay (12″ Dance Mix)” (5:02)
A2. “Where’s the Bridge? (Longer Mix)” (5:09)
A3. “Happy Inspiration” (3:00)

B1. “Sweet Nothing” (3:35)
B2. “Stella Marina” (11:01)

A shorter edit of “Rodrigo Bay” (3:31) appears on the Absolute Beginners soundtrack, released in spring 1986 to accompany Julien Temple’s period musical. Virgin issued the single earlier that summer in the UK as “Rodrigo Bay” backed with “Rodrigo Bay Boogaloo (Dub Mix)” (VS 862, June 1986).

Compañeros

Working Week released their second album, Compañeros, in 1986 on Virgin.

The album blends politically engaged lyrics with crisp Latin soul-pop, arranged for large ensemble and voiced by Juliet Roberts. Guitarist Simon Booth, saxophonist Larry Stabbins, and keyboardist Ian Prince shape the chordal and rhythmic core, joined by pianist Kim Burton, bassist Paul “Tubbs” Williams, and percussionist Bosco De Oliveira. Producer Ben Rogan layers programmed beats (by Tom Morley) with full horn charts and backing vocal textures on multiple tracks.

Booth and Stabbins co-wrote six songs with contributions from Roberts on three. Roberts sings throughout and receives sole vocal billing on all nine tracks. They open with a cover of Don Van Vliet’s “Too Much Time” and include the activist-themed “Friend (Touche Pas A Mon Pote)” and “South Africa,” both featuring string arrangements by David Bedford.

A1. “Too Much Time” (4:01)
A2. “Dancing in Motion” (4:09)
A3. “Friend (Touche Pas A Mon Pote)” (4:43)
A4. “South Africa” (4:50)
A5. “Shot in the Dark” (5:17)

B1. “Soul Train” (4:44)
B2. “King of the Night” (5:19)
B3. “Touching Heaven” (4:08)
B4. “Southern Cross” (7:54)

Working Week recorded and mixed Compañeros at The Town House and Good Earth Studios with engineer Ben Kape.

John Stoddart shot the cover photography. C-More-Tone Studios handled the artwork. Mark Cooper supplied the sleeve notes.

Virgin lifted three singles from Compañeros. “Too Much Time” backed with “Soul Train” appeared in August 1986 (Virgin VS 887). In support of “Friend (Touche Pas A Mon Pote),” Virgin issued a non-album B-side, “Walking the Tightrope” (VS 902, 1986).

Surrender

Working Week released their third album, Surrender, in 1987 on Virgin.

The album pivots further into slick, R&B-infused soul-pop with programmed rhythms and guest arrangers. Producer Carl Beatty frames Juliet Roberts’ vocals with synth layers by Eric Rehl, percussion by Bashiri Johnson, and charts from Barry Eastmond and Onaje Allan Gumbs. Lenny White plays percussion across side one, while Buddy Williams, Terry Silverlight, and Nicky Marrero contribute drums. Saxophonist Larry Stabbins appears throughout, while guest lead vocals on “Knockin’ On Your Door” are handled by Lew Kirton.

Roberts receives lead or co-writing credit on three tracks (“Come to Me,” “The Doctor,” “Justine”) and co-leads the Marvin Gaye cover “Ain’t That Peculiar.” The title track and “Strut” feature external songwriters, while Beatty’s horn-heavy production centers on the Uptown Horns and layered backing vocals.

A1. “Surrender” (4:12)
A2. “Strut” (3:54)
A3. “Largo” (5:26)
A4. “Justine” (5:20)

B1. “Come to Me” (3:42)
B2. “The Doctor” (4:18)
B3. “Ain’t That Peculiar” (4:48)
B4. “Knockin’ On Your Door” (4:43)
B5. “Are You On Your Own Tonight” (4:20)

Working Week recorded Surrender at Mediasound and mixed the album at Sigma Sound Studios, New York. Carl Beatty handled recording, mixing, and production.

Virgin issued three singles from Surrender. “Surrender” backed with “Apocalypse” appeared in September 1987 (VS 998), followed by “Largo” backed with “Gravy” in October (VS 1024). In March 1988, Virgin released “Knocking On Your Door,” credited to Working Week with Lew Kirton, backed with “It’s Only Love” (VS 1060).

Fire in the Mountain

Working Week released their fourth album, Fire in the Mountain, in 1989 on Virgin.

The album expands Working Week’s palette with spoken word, European pop, free jazz, and ambient Latin textures. Producer Martin Russell co-mixes the album with guitarist Simon Booth, who frames the material around shifting vocalists and jazz-rooted pianists Alastair Gavin, Kim Burton, and Keith Tippett. Drum programming by Paul Heard interlocks with live drums from Nick France and percussion by Bosco D’Oliveira. Larry Stabbins returns on tenor saxophone, joined by regulars Paul Spong and Richard Edwards on brass.

Julie Tippetts sings lead on the title track and contributes to the group vocal on “Fire from the Mountain” alongside Cleveland Watkiss. Lemn Sissay recites his own poem over the Rhodes-centered “This Time.” Etienne Daho sings “Waters of the Moon,” a Franco-English ballad with twin accordion lines. Booth wrote, arranged, and produced the material in tandem with the core group.

A1. “El Dorado” (4:57)
A2. “This Time” (6:22)
A3. “Waters of the Moon” (4:38)
A4. “Fire from the Mountain” (5:34)

B1. “Waiting in Vain” (5:23)
B2. “Flamingo” (4:45)
B3. “Blade” (5:15)
B4. “Lost Weekend” (6:15)

Working Week recorded Fire in the Mountain at Swanyard Studios and Marcus Recording Studios, with pre-production by Rob Bozas and the Swanyard and Tickle collective. Russell and Booth mixed the album at Swanyard, with engineering by Martin Russell and assistants James Allen-Jones and Simon Exelby.

Two singles appeared from Fire in the Mountain. “El Dorado” backed with “This Time (Dub)” appeared in 1989 on 10 Records (TEN 279). In 1990, the label followed with “Testify” backed with “Hold Up” (TEN 325).

Discography: