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The Shop Assistants
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| The Shop Assistants | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Genre(s) | Indie pop, C86 |
| Years active | 1984-1990 |
| Label(s) | Chrysalis Records's Blue Guitar |
| Associated acts |
Stephen Pastel |
| Former members | |
| Aggi, David Keegan, Sarah Kneale, Laura MacPhail, Alex Taylor, Margarita Vasquez-Ponte | |
The Shop Assistants were an indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1984, initially as Buba & The Shop Assistants. The original line-up was Aggi (Annabel Wright, later of The Pastels), on vocals, David Keegan (guitar), Sarah Kneale (bass), Laura MacPhail (drums) and Ann Donald (drums). This line-up released one single, the now highly-collectible 'Something To Do' which was produced by Stephen Pastel. Stephen Pastel also contributed backing vocals.
Aggi left to be replaced by Alex Taylor. Soon after, the name shortened to simply 'The Shop Assistants' and the first release under their new name was 'All Day Long' in 1985, which Morrissey described as his favourite single of that year. This was followed in early 1986 with 'Safety Net', the first release on Keegan's 53rd & 3rd Records, which topped the indie chart, and the band recorded national radio sessions with John Peel and Janice Long of BBC's Radio One. The exposure they gained from the sessions enabled the group to have two songs to be voted into John Peel's Festive Fifty in both 1985 and 1986.
In 1986, they were featured on the NME's compilation C86 with one of their slower songs, "It's Up To You." Also in that year, they signed to Chrysalis Records's sublabel Blue Guitar for another single, 'I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You' as well as their first and only LP album, The Shop Assistants. This spent one week at number 100 in the UK album charts, which gives the band the distinction of being the (joint) least successful act ever to hit the national charts. The LP album was re-released on CD in 2001, although it is now very hard to find.
The band split early in 1987, when Taylor left the group to join The Motorcycle Boy. After a two-year hiatus, the band reformed without Taylor in 1989 with Kneale on vocals and MacPhail on bass and the addition of Margarita Vasquez-Ponte of Jesse Garon And The Desperadoes on drums. With the new lineup they released Here It Comes Again and Big 'E' Power in 1990 before splitting again, Keegan joining The Pastels.
Contents |
- The Shop Assistants aka Will Anything Happen (Nov 1986, Blue Guitar, AZLP2 [LP]/ZAZLP2 [C]), #100 LP chart - reissued on CD, 2001.
- Something To Do (Nov 1984, Villa 21, 002 [7"]) - as Buba & The Shop Assistants
- All Day Long (Aug 1985, Subway, SUBWAY1 [7"])
- Safety Net (Feb 1986, 53rd & 3rd, AGAAR1 [7"]/AGAAR112 [12"])
- I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You (Sep 1986, Blue Guitar, AZUR2 [7"]/AZURX2 [12"])
- Here It Comes (Jan 1990, Avalanche, AGAP001C [7" flexi]/AGAP001B [7" flexi-box])
- Big 'E' Power (May 1990, Avalanche, AGAP003 [7"]/AGAP003MC [c-s]/AGAP003T [12"]/AGAP003CD [CDS])