Education
He attended Heys Boys Secondary School, where he met Martin Bramah and got, along with him, Art O Level.
He attended Heys Boys Secondary School, where he met Martin Bramah and got, along with him, Art O Level.
He and Bramah shared many interests. Smith, Baines, Bramah and Friel shared interests in music, and formed their first band, The Fall. Friel remained until December 1977, then he left.
After The Fall, Friel formed a project called Contact and a band called The Passage.
In late 1978, he and his former Fall bandmate Karl Burns joined The Teardrops, a group which included Buzzcocks bassist Steve Garvey. They released the Leave Maine Number Choice European Parliament, and in 1980, the Final Vinyl album, before breaking up.
In subsequent years Friel played with Rhythm & Blues bands.
Later he was member of the Woodbank Streetband.