Shop Assistants were a Scottish indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1984, initially as 'Buba & The Shop Assistants'.[1] After achieving success with independent releases they signed to Chrysalis Records sublabel Blue Guitar, releasing their only album in 1986. After splitting in 1987, with singer Alex Taylor moving on to The Motorcycle Boy, they reformed for two further singles in 1990.
Joan Bride Moray Crawford Ann Donald David Keegan Sarah Kneale Laura MacPhail Karen Parker John Peutherer Alex Taylor Margarita Vasquez-Ponte Annabel Wright
The group began as Buba & the Shop Assistants, consisting of lead vocalist Aggi (Annabel Wright, later of The Pastels), guitarist David Keegan, bassist John Peutherer, and drummer Moray Crawford. This line-up released one single, the now highly collectible "Something to Do" on Villa21 Records,[2] which was produced by Stephen Pastel. Pastel also contributed backing vocals. Peutherer and Crawford were credited on the sleeve as "Murray-John."
Aggi left to be replaced by Karen Parker, who was later joined by second vocalist Alex Taylor. After some live performances, Parker, Peutherer, and Crawford departed and were replaced by Sarah Kneale (bass), Laura MacPhail (drums) and Ann Donald (drums). The band's name was shortened to Shop Assistants, and the first release under their new name was the Shopping ParadeEP in 1985 on The Subway Organization. The lead track, "All Day Long" was described by Morrissey as his favourite single of that year.[3]
Donald left in late 1985, and was briefly replaced on drums by Joan Bride. Shopping Parade was followed in early 1986 with "Safety Net", the first release on Keegan's 53rd & 3rd Records,[3] which peaked at number two in the UK Independent Chart,[4] and the band recorded a national radio session with Janice Long and a second John Peel session, both of BBC's Radio One.[5] 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.[6]
In 1986, Shop Assistants were featured on NME's compilation C86 with one of their slower songs, "It's Up to You", taken from Shopping Parade EP.[1] Also in that year, they signed to Chrysalis Records's sub-label Blue Guitar for another single, "I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You", as well as their only album, Shop Assistants.[1] That single reached number 77[7] in the UK Singles Chart, while the LP spent one week at number 100 in the UK Albums Chart.[8] The album was re-released on CD in 2001, and is now out of print.
Shop Assistants split early in 1987, when Taylor left the group to join The Motorcycle Boy.[1] After a two-year hiatus, the group reformed without Taylor, and with Kneale on vocals, MacPhail on bass, and the addition of Margarita Vasquez-Ponte of Jesse Garon And The Desperadoes on drums.[1] With the new line-up, they recorded new material in late October 1989 at Chamber Studios in Edinburgh; releasing the singles "Here It Comes" in 1989 and "Big 'E' Power" in 1990 on Avalanche Records.[3] They also recorded a cover of The Rolling Stones' 1978 song "Respectable" for the tribute album Stoned Again - A Tribute to The Rolling Stones on Imaginary Records. They split up again shortly afterwards, with Keegan joining The Pastels.[1]
It was revealed in 2020 that Alex Taylor had died in 2005.[9]
shop, assistants, were, scottish, indie, band, from, edinburgh, scotland, formed, 1984, initially, buba, after, achieving, success, with, independent, releases, they, signed, chrysalis, records, sublabel, blue, guitar, releasing, their, only, album, 1986, afte. Shop Assistants were a Scottish indie pop band from Edinburgh Scotland formed in 1984 initially as Buba amp The Shop Assistants 1 After achieving success with independent releases they signed to Chrysalis Records sublabel Blue Guitar releasing their only album in 1986 After splitting in 1987 with singer Alex Taylor moving on to The Motorcycle Boy they reformed for two further singles in 1990 Shop AssistantsOriginEdinburgh ScotlandGenresIndie popYears active1984 1987 1989 1990LabelsVilla21 RecordsThe Subway Organization53rd amp 3rd RecordsChrysalisBlue GuitarAvalanche RecordsPast membersJoan BrideMoray CrawfordAnn DonaldDavid KeeganSarah KnealeLaura MacPhailKaren ParkerJohn PeuthererAlex TaylorMargarita Vasquez PonteAnnabel Wright Contents 1 History 2 Discography 2 1 Albums 2 2 Singles 3 ReferencesHistory editThe group began as Buba amp the Shop Assistants consisting of lead vocalist Aggi Annabel Wright later of The Pastels guitarist David Keegan bassist John Peutherer and drummer Moray Crawford This line up released one single the now highly collectible Something to Do on Villa21 Records 2 which was produced by Stephen Pastel Pastel also contributed backing vocals Peutherer and Crawford were credited on the sleeve as Murray John Aggi left to be replaced by Karen Parker who was later joined by second vocalist Alex Taylor After some live performances Parker Peutherer and Crawford departed and were replaced by Sarah Kneale bass Laura MacPhail drums and Ann Donald drums The band s name was shortened to Shop Assistants and the first release under their new name was the Shopping Parade EP in 1985 on The Subway Organization The lead track All Day Long was described by Morrissey as his favourite single of that year 3 Donald left in late 1985 and was briefly replaced on drums by Joan Bride Shopping Parade was followed in early 1986 with Safety Net the first release on Keegan s 53rd amp 3rd Records 3 which peaked at number two in the UK Independent Chart 4 and the band recorded a national radio session with Janice Long and a second John Peel session both of BBC s Radio One 5 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 6 In 1986 Shop Assistants were featured on NME s compilation C86 with one of their slower songs It s Up to You taken from Shopping Parade EP 1 Also in that year they signed to Chrysalis Records s sub label Blue Guitar for another single I Don t Wanna Be Friends With You as well as their only album Shop Assistants 1 That single reached number 77 7 in the UK Singles Chart while the LP spent one week at number 100 in the UK Albums Chart 8 The album was re released on CD in 2001 and is now out of print Shop Assistants split early in 1987 when Taylor left the group to join The Motorcycle Boy 1 After a two year hiatus the group reformed without Taylor and with Kneale on vocals MacPhail on bass and the addition of Margarita Vasquez Ponte of Jesse Garon And The Desperadoes on drums 1 With the new line up they recorded new material in late October 1989 at Chamber Studios in Edinburgh releasing the singles Here It Comes in 1989 and Big E Power in 1990 on Avalanche Records 3 They also recorded a cover of The Rolling Stones 1978 song Respectable for the tribute album Stoned Again A Tribute to The Rolling Stones on Imaginary Records They split up again shortly afterwards with Keegan joining The Pastels 1 It was revealed in 2020 that Alex Taylor had died in 2005 9 Discography editAlbums edit Shop Assistants November 1986 Blue Guitar Records UK No 100 8 Singles edit Something to Do November 1984 Villa as Buba amp The Shop Assistants Shopping Parade EP All Day Long Switzerland All That Ever Mattered It s Up to You August 1985 Subway Safety Net February 1986 53rd amp 3rd UK No 155 10 I Don t Wanna Be Friends With You September 1986 Blue Guitar UK No 77 8 Here It Comes January 1990 Avalanche Recordst Big E Power May 1990 Avalanche Records References edit a b c d e f Strong Martin C 2003 The Great Indie Discography Canongate ISBN 1 84195 335 0 p 502 Villa21 Records Discogs com Retrieved 6 June 2020 a b c Colin Larkin ed 1992 The Guinness Who s Who of Indie and New Wave Music First ed Guinness Publishing pp 251 2 ISBN 0 85112 579 4 Lazell Barry 1998 Indie Hits 1980 1989 Cherry Red Books ISBN 0 9517206 9 4 p 204 Garner Ken 1993 In Session Tonight BBC Books ISBN 0 563 36452 1 p 292 The Shop Assistants Keeping It Peel BBC retrieved 2011 07 23 SHOP ASSISTANTS full Official Chart History Official Charts Company Officialcharts com Retrieved 20 October 2020 a b c SHOP ASSISTANTS full Official Chart History Official Charts Company Officialcharts com Retrieved 6 June 2020 Alex Taylor An Appreciation We Are Cult Wearecult rocks 19 June 2020 Retrieved 21 June 2021 https www ukmix org forum chart discussion chart analysis 11007390 uk singles charts 1986 including chart panel sales Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shop Assistants amp oldid 1190421733, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
