"Remember when.....

Posted by: Quad 33 on 20 January 2013

Pete Paphides on Radio 4 this morning celebrated the vinyl format and talked about his youthful experience of record buying from independents - this is mine, the wonderful and legendary vinyl goddess, Violet May; the shop has long since gone now but right upto the late 70's she was practically single handedly educating a whole city to the delights of Blues and Northern Soul! Including the writer of the book's foreword, Richard Hawley.

What's your memories of your local Vinyl Emporium?

Posted on: 20 January 2013 by GraemeH

Mine - A heady shop named 'Rockpile' which always had a fantastic selection of S/H vinyl. I'd come out high as a kite with various recommendations that remain memorable buys. Ry Cooder 'Bop till You Drop' was a suggestion from the owner Ian who always underplayed my requests to know 'is it any good?' with a shrugged "we'll, I like it".

That was good enough for me and has formed much of my taste for the last 30 years. Amazon just isn't the same.....G

Posted on: 20 January 2013 by graham halliwell

PROBE in Liverpool, regular haunt 1975 - 1984.

Pete Burns with the whites of his eyes blacked out selling me my first Sun Ra Saturn label circa 1980. It won't happen again ...........

Posted on: 20 January 2013 by Pev

Revolver Records in Bristol was like that. I always got a hard time for buying Grateful Dead stuff (even though he kept a huge stock of it) but when I bought a Mississippi Fred McDowell album I finally won his acceptance if not respect. Not that I really cared but it was such a noticeable switch in attitude.

I do miss the occasional sarky bastard in today's corporatised shopping experience. Similiar in pubs - when anyone tried to pay by card in my local, Rab the landlord would say "does it look like a f**king wine bar?" - priceless! The decor was 30+ years of nicotine but the beer (Smiles) was sublime.

Posted on: 21 January 2013 by GeeJay

Much of my money went to "Cheapo, Cheapo" records in Soho (London) In the early to mid 1980s. I even remember walking to University, so that I could use the money saved on bus and tube fares on records.

A second hand record shop (with the occasional new disc), I had much fun scanning for newish releases that were designated 'VG' (very good condition), as many of the rest had scratches, etc.

Used to rush home to play them on my Sansui SR-222 Mk2 turntable and JVC JAS-11 amplifier (can't remember the speakers). Most of my Pink Floyd came from this shop, as well as The Stranglers, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (and many more), and the cheap prices got me into listening to other artists as well.

The owner was very surly/rude, but the shop was always packed out with people looking for a bargain. It also had that musty and damp smell that I associate with second hand record shops.

Kind of regret selling all my records to a second hand record shop in Islington in the late 80's, but we still have all my wife's records. Now that we're 100% streaming, I'm not sure that we'll ever get back into vinyl, but the film "last shop standing" has made me very nostalgic for those days.

Happy times.

George.