Assistant
@assistant.bandcamp.com
Jonathan tweeting. Assistant make lovely jangle pop from Brighton: Felt/Yo La Tengo/Stereolab etc. CERTAIN MEMORIES is our masterpiece; our new single is FLOWERS. Fanzines available; radio show starts 16/11/25 on Untidy Radio.
I might have to get you to explain where it goes!!! But thanks for your confidence! Rob already has a writing credit on an Assistant song so might be your turn next!
November 12, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I might have to get you to explain where it goes!!! But thanks for your confidence! Rob already has a writing credit on an Assistant song so might be your turn next!
Pete hates me doing middle eights! I love 'em!
November 12, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Pete hates me doing middle eights! I love 'em!
Yep. No coincidence that - apart from the Fall - the Mondays and James are my fave Manchester bands of the 80s. The guitars at the end are just so lovely.
November 12, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Yep. No coincidence that - apart from the Fall - the Mondays and James are my fave Manchester bands of the 80s. The guitars at the end are just so lovely.
You have the best listeners, Jim!
Thanks so much for playing us! Really appreciated x x x
Thanks so much for playing us! Really appreciated x x x
November 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
You have the best listeners, Jim!
Thanks so much for playing us! Really appreciated x x x
Thanks so much for playing us! Really appreciated x x x
This run of Dave Burn / The Thorn / Cruise Control has been so beautiful that my two very small children have spontaneously started playing quietly and quietly drawing while they listen. Amazing!
November 12, 2025 at 4:37 PM
This run of Dave Burn / The Thorn / Cruise Control has been so beautiful that my two very small children have spontaneously started playing quietly and quietly drawing while they listen. Amazing!
Thank you so much from Brighton!! x
November 12, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Thank you so much from Brighton!! x
Oh that's good!! Hold that thought! I like it.
November 11, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Oh that's good!! Hold that thought! I like it.
Yes - and possibly that's why I find the song hard to finish now; I should perhaps have recorded more because accessing that slender, very drifty vein of unconscious writing is hard afterwards. Maybe the answer is to just press record again and see if that bus comes by again.
November 11, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Yes - and possibly that's why I find the song hard to finish now; I should perhaps have recorded more because accessing that slender, very drifty vein of unconscious writing is hard afterwards. Maybe the answer is to just press record again and see if that bus comes by again.
The shoes have gone to the charity shop! Why did I buy them in the first place. Late stage capitalism.
November 11, 2025 at 10:18 PM
The shoes have gone to the charity shop! Why did I buy them in the first place. Late stage capitalism.
That's all I need, McCormac's legal guys coming after me to swell the memorial coffers!
November 11, 2025 at 9:40 PM
That's all I need, McCormac's legal guys coming after me to swell the memorial coffers!
The next bit goes "Six months later you're back in town with a new smile. Oh, and it's a leather smile, you're wearing lizardskin shoes" which is just objectively awful in every way, and has unkind notes, but I was making it up as I went, I suppose.
Anyway, what shall I do with this song? I dunno
Anyway, what shall I do with this song? I dunno
November 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
The next bit goes "Six months later you're back in town with a new smile. Oh, and it's a leather smile, you're wearing lizardskin shoes" which is just objectively awful in every way, and has unkind notes, but I was making it up as I went, I suppose.
Anyway, what shall I do with this song? I dunno
Anyway, what shall I do with this song? I dunno
"You got that idea that you should go to Mexico, and the battered, half painted hole that you lived in could wait. And I sold some land, and a painting, so that you could go. And I told you to write".
That bit is OK, maybe, in a conceited short story sort of way. Vaguely Carver or Grace Paley.
That bit is OK, maybe, in a conceited short story sort of way. Vaguely Carver or Grace Paley.
November 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
"You got that idea that you should go to Mexico, and the battered, half painted hole that you lived in could wait. And I sold some land, and a painting, so that you could go. And I told you to write".
That bit is OK, maybe, in a conceited short story sort of way. Vaguely Carver or Grace Paley.
That bit is OK, maybe, in a conceited short story sort of way. Vaguely Carver or Grace Paley.
They're not the worst lyrics you'll ever hear, but they don't mean anything - so there's no point my singing them. But they've also become part of the song, have assumed their own logic. I can't change them v much so now, what? Do I write more verses, continue the half-story? Leave it as a vignette?
November 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
They're not the worst lyrics you'll ever hear, but they don't mean anything - so there's no point my singing them. But they've also become part of the song, have assumed their own logic. I can't change them v much so now, what? Do I write more verses, continue the half-story? Leave it as a vignette?
It develops into a really lovely detailed review of The Pastels, amongst other things! Very pleased with it (not least as I couldn't actually make it this year, so have had to enjoy it vicariously via the accounts from people who did!)
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
It develops into a really lovely detailed review of The Pastels, amongst other things! Very pleased with it (not least as I couldn't actually make it this year, so have had to enjoy it vicariously via the accounts from people who did!)
As you'll have noted, I let any old rubbish into that list!
I forgot to put Assistant though!
I forgot to put Assistant though!
November 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
As you'll have noted, I let any old rubbish into that list!
I forgot to put Assistant though!
I forgot to put Assistant though!
Haha is that what I wrote? The Blue Sea Orchids.
November 10, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Haha is that what I wrote? The Blue Sea Orchids.
I just checked back and when I was rambling happily after your track I did use the word "masterpiece" in describing it!!
November 10, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I just checked back and when I was rambling happily after your track I did use the word "masterpiece" in describing it!!
Pleasure! Will be playing some of your music obviously! But be really nice to talk to some people about radio because I am a total amateur (but excited about dipping my toe in!).
November 10, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Pleasure! Will be playing some of your music obviously! But be really nice to talk to some people about radio because I am a total amateur (but excited about dipping my toe in!).
I should point out that I am jumping in feet first without much in the way of experience! Argh!
November 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM
I should point out that I am jumping in feet first without much in the way of experience! Argh!