Available on 12" Vinyl: 

https://elasticstage.com/jaystansfield/releases/gobstopper-album

A considerable number of years ago now, I recorded an album with my long time friend and music companion Rob Ashworth. It was called Gobstopper and we recorded it in a studio he'd built. I'd written the majority of the songs on a piano I was given from the primary school where I'd worked because they were going to throw it in the skip, so I took it. I rescued it.

The album wasn't an easy thing to make. Rob contributed the drums, engineered it and mixed it but I ended up in hospital part way through with tonsillitis that progressed into a chest infection and then pericarditis, being told I'd had a heart attack. I hadn't, it turned out, and then having an angiogram with a 50% chance of a stroke, I feel like I was lucky.

When it came to finally finishing the album after my recovery, I had it mastered by Tim Dorney from Flowered Up / Republica fame and he did a fantastic job. The sad part though, was the label I was with at the time - White Label Music - wouldn't honour a physical release. They just couldn't afford it and so it didn't make much of an impact when it came out. I'm grateful for all they did for my musical career though, we had some good times and they put a lot of non-recoupable cash into my work. Massive props to them for that - they're great people with big hearts and they'll always have a place in mine.

The studio we recorded it in ended up being flooded and we lost the piano :( Even worse, Rob lost his studio and it was never rebuilt. Sad times.

It wasn’t all bad though. The label got me some cool sessions recording for Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins / Bella Union) during his time at Amazing Radio and also at Stereolab legend Andy Ramsay's studio for a video session which was a wonderful experience. Our publishing and recording deal came to an end and we left on uncomfortable terms in a way, mainly because I was a little blinkered by personal stuff going on. They're good people. Be a good person.

Gobstopper

A considerable number of years ago now, I recorded an album with my long time friend and music companion Rob Ashworth. It was called Gobstopper and we recorded it in a studio he'd built. I'd written the majority of the songs on a piano I was given from the primary school where I'd worked because they were going to throw it in the skip, so I took it. I rescued it.

The album wasn't an easy thing to make. Rob contributed the drums, engineered it and mixed it but I ended up in hospital part way through with tonsillitis that progressed into a chest infection and then pericarditis, being told I'd had a heart attack. I hadn't, it turned out, and then having an angiogram with a 50% chance of a stroke, I feel like I was lucky.

When it came to finally finishing the album after my recovery, I had it mastered by Tim Dorney from Flowered Up / Republica fame and he did a fantastic job. The sad part though, was the label I was with at the time - White Label Music - wouldn't honour a physical release. They just couldn't afford it and so it didn't make much of an impact when it came out. I'm grateful for all they did for my musical career though, we had some good times and they put a lot of non-recoupable cash into my work. Massive props to them for that - they're great people with big hearts and they'll always have a place in mine.

The studio we recorded it in ended up being flooded and we lost the piano :( Even worse, Rob lost his studio and it was never rebuilt. Sad times.

It wasn’t all bad though. The label got me some cool sessions recording for Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins / Bella Union) during his time at Amazing Radio and also at Stereolab legend Andy Ramsay's studio for a video session which was a wonderful experience. Our publishing and recording deal came to an end and we left on uncomfortable terms in a way, mainly because I was a little blinkered by personal stuff going on. They're good people. Be a good person.



Building A Shield

My Concubine

This Was Real

Believe Me, Wholesome

Happening

Miss Another Day

Secrets & Lives

Affecting and a tad bonkers with a 60's pop sheen and melodic sensibility from the north of England.

Gobstopper

Jay Stansfield