[Closed] Good record shops in your youth

Jeezus that's a bad website!

OP, most of my high school lunch times were spent mooching around Bruce's record shop in Kirkcaldy. The red "I found it at Bruce's " plastic bags were almost a part of the Balwearie High School uniform.

Bruce Findlay's wife was a good friend of my mother. We used to get occasional tickets to gigs from them.

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Andys records in Cambridge - the Market stall, record shop and The Beat Goes On other shop.
Rhythm Records in Camden and Rough Trade in Notting Hill when it was a right old ****hole.

Mcmoonter im sure i met you back in the late 80's i rode with the moont boys did you have a red stumpjumper? I either had a rockhopper or maybe my Roberts White Spider.The run i remember was from Kenmore and skirt round the south side of Schiehallion then blast down to Fortingall .No suspension or discs back then so forearms were shot to bits. Coming up for 30 years ago what memory i have

Mcmoonter im sure i met you back in the late 80's i rode with the moont boys did you have a red stumpjumper? I either had a rockhopper or maybe my Roberts White Spider.The run i remember was from Kenmore and skirt round the south side of Schiehallion then blast down to Fortingall .No suspension or discs back then so forearms were shot to bits. Coming up for 30 years ago what memory i have

Nowt wrong with your memory. That would have been me and the Moonters. That may have been ride with a big OTB for one of the guys hitting a drainage channel and hurting his neck

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The centre of the universe when I was young. Spent most of my money here and met all my mates outside before everyone had mobile phones. Fabulous.
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Yes i do remember somebody o'er the bars nae helmet if i remember, it was a good run nice warm up before the climb up to the Pheiginn Bothy to re group
I remember back then all the bike shops bar the two in Edinburgh the coop and RW in Stockbridge laughed at mountain bikes saying its just a fad wont catch on. aye right

Another here for Time Records in Colchester _ I remember having a nice conversation with Grif Rhys Jones in there once!

In the mid nineties my dad worked at Romford Brewery and when he went in on a Saturday I'd go along with him so I could visit Boogie Times which I loved as teen.

Yes i do remember somebody o'er the bars nae helmet if i remember, it was a good run nice warm up before the climb up to the Pheiginn Bothy to re group
I remember back then all the bike shops bar the two in Edinburgh the coop and RW in Stockbridge laughed at mountain bikes saying its just a fad wont catch on. aye right

I think his name was Greig, he was a plumber back then, Italspark who's on here met him about fifteen years ago, he was then a firefighter. CynicAl on here was probably on that ride too.

A bunch of us that worked at Robin Williamsons are still riding together now.

It was Robin Williamsons i bought the White Spider frame pink and blue still in my garage although i rusted from the inside, we were a rare breed back then especially in Fife

was Robin Williamsons i bought the White Spider frame pink and blue still in my garage although i rusted from the inside, we were a rare breed back then especially

The connection between Williamsons and Roberts is worth telling. Probably about 1987 we hosted one of the first Scottish mountain bike races On the Minchmoor Road above Traquair. On the Saturday before the race a bike messenger from London popped into the shop asking if anyone could put him up for the night. Cookie invited him to stay. A second Londoner was going to arrive the following day intent on riding down to Traquair, then ride the race, then ride back to Edinburgh to catch the train back down to London. He was from California.

The American's plans were totally unrealistic so I picked him up from Waverly and drove him down. Cookie drove Chris down in a borrowed car.

I can't remember how the race went. I have a photo somewhere of us there, I'll try and dig it/them out.

In order to catch the train back south, we loaded three bikes into the back of my mini pick up and thrashed it back to Waverly. With the clock ticking and the train about to depart. In those days it was still possible to drive onto the platform and that's what we did, screeching to a halt at the guards wagon and throwing wheels and frames inside as the guard blew his whistle.

The bike messenger had spent time working in San Francisco. His name was Chris Shaw. His pal was Ken EIchstaedt. We bacame great friends. They had raced together at the first World Cup race at Villard de Lans. I've been told the story of how they had no idea where the race was and that they had attempted to ride from the airport carrying all their race and camping gear. Exhausted, they were picked up by Joe Murray, Jacquie Phelan and Ned Overend in a van somewhere along the way over pass.

Chris felt messengering in London was becoming too dangerous and fancied a change so started an apprenticeship with Chas Roberts in Croyden. Italspark bought one of their first White Spider frames. It was way ahead of anything seen in Scotland so Phil and Robin commissioned a couple for the shop. Your's would have bee one of them.

Chris was a keen racer. Whist out training for one of the late 80's World Cup races at Aviemore, he was killed by a motorist. I'll never forget the call I received telling me the news.

Ken is still a best friend who is still riding over in Marin. A big Scottish contingent of Moonters went over to Olema for his wedding. Joe Breeze and Jacquie Phelan were there. Through them we met Charlie Cunningham and Charlie Kelly. (Repack Rider)

Small world.

Next to Probe was Backtracks better than probe ,much rarer stuff

Select-a-disc in Nottingham for me as well along with three others that I can't for the life of me remember their names, one sold tickets on the way to the Salutation from the Bell. The other was up a ginnel next to bar that a mate worked in, and the other was up where the cinema was. My google-fu is weak and my memory is shot, I used to spend hours flitting between them all.

Then I came to Manchester and found Eastern Bloc in the mid 90s. Have been in tonight and bought a CD and ordered some vinyl, at least one remains...

Chris Shaw is wearing the red jersey with one of the prototype White Spiders built when he worked for Chas Roberts. Josie Dew was with us on that ride.

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Ken Eichstaedt, Chris Shaw, me then Leffeboy on the Minchmoor post race
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Massive Records in Oxford. Down a dingy alley but appears to have gone out of business now. I picked up a few records that now appear to be worth a few quid, as well as weekly flyers.

Primarily was Adrian's in Wickford, huge place compared to record shops nowadays but more importantly a mate worked there 🙂 scan scan forget to scan 🙂

From about 13 trips to London with mates took in Rough Trade Covent Garden, then the Berwick Street places Selectadisc, Sister Ray and the other one I can't remember. There was HMV on Oxford St but that always made me feel dirty.

Nowadays its Raves From the Grave in Frome or Warminster.

Good story mcmoonter, i just had a wee look at my frame and original forks stripped of paint with a bit of surface rust. The fillets look great still and it was down to London twice for paint jobs it may just need a bb shell maybe not, just a gentle shot blast, 18"
Roberts built the frames for Peugeot Tim Gould won a race or two.
You did some cracking runs back then Beinn à Bhuird up 4000ft, devils staircase, Clova/loch Mick
I've possibly passed you in Kdy as most of my work is in that area and the girl that worked in Bruces that everyone fancied maybe it was just the t shirt she lives in Kinghorn i met her a few years ago , she still looks good

Penny Lane Records, Foregate Street, Chester. Sadly missed. Bought some good records from there.

Rumbelows and the shop I can't remember the name of on Underbank in Stockport and the record stall in the Manchester underground market. I only ever bought Northern Soul records.

Reddington's was an odd place in the late 60s early 70s. I went in once when I was about 12, the place felt like the back door to hell, he didn't have what I wanted, an early Slade single, I left and didn't go back in for years - still nothing I wanted.

Slim pickings in Perth, Concorde in St Johns Square, until Goldrush opened up on the Old High St. Move to Edinburgh in 78 was a revelation. Cockburn St, Phoenix Records on the High Street just round the corner, then on to the small narrow shop on South Bridge, before going across to Greyfriars Market. Once in a while down to a shop on Henderson Row, to feed my passion for Springsteen boots.
Edit:
Edinburghists should check this out:
http://www.edinburghgigarchive.com/page28.htm
Nowadays spend too much in Musicbox, Wallingford & Rapture, Witney......

Musicore in Durham, next to the Fighting Cocks pub. They had records downstairs & music systems upstairs, bought our Technics SUZ11 system there for £399 in 1982.
I remember Volume Records too but thought they were on the North Road side of the river in part of the Millburngate centre?

Most of mine already mentioned but I'll add Andy's in Wigan (seen a few Andy's on this thread, was it a chain?), Vinyl Solution on Portabello Road, a stall in Lancaster indoor market for crappy punk bootlegs, Action in Preston..

Early 90s, Mainly punk, new wave, US hardcore

Earthquake Records in Barrow in Furness. As young rockers the owner, Local councillor Derek Brooks, used to all us 'coalmen'. Bit rich coming from an old hippy type like him.

I used to work with Derek in the late 90s / early 2000s 😀 Always forget about his record-shop-owning tales. Haven't seen him for years, hope he's doing well.

Record shops I've enjoyed over the years:

Eastern Bloc: trips to Manc as a 13 year old weren't complete without being ignored / intimidated trying to buy rave tunes there.

Speed Limit, Barrow: Run by Andy Turner, local hardcore DJ who later became Grand Central artist Aim. Almost the entire shop was white labels, which meant you had to interrupt Andy and his mates from their chainsmoking in order to ascertain what you wanted to buy.

Offbeat Records, Hull: incredible moment in there, where they played a track by Skycutter over the shop system and every single person in the store walked over to the desk to ask what it was. When they sold out of the stock they had, everyone who'd missed out on a copy literally ran over to Sydney Scarborough's to see if they had any copies left.

Alans, Wigan: When he had the shop on Mesnes Road, up above the BMX shop. A treasure trove of electronic stuff, this was my second port of call when visiting my Wigan ex in the 90s.

Market Records in Southport. Supplier of Metal albums and grot mags to Spotty teens for years 😀

Alans, Wigan

Ah yeah, that's the one. I remembered it as Andy's for some reason.

Martins Newsagents in the local shopping centre had a record section we used to visit from School, but Jumbo records in Leeds was vinyl Shangri La for us in the early 1980's
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Reddington's Rare Records as mentioned, but a trip to Brum every Saturday would start at Second City Sounds, on to Swordfish, Downstairs at Tempest, Plastic Factory (best for NMA), into Oasis to the concession there...

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Cob Records in Bangor was where I used to get my records from, amazing place. You'd walk past Our Price and their piles of unwanted CD singles and into Cob where they would always be playing something really obscure...and then try to ask them about it while staying cool:

"Excuse me, is this....remind me who this is again?"
"It's Johnny's Exploding Light Factory."
"Of course! I was confusing it with...yeah, now I recognise it. Cool, cheers."

Happy days!

Virgin Records in Aston, Birmingham. Around 1974.

Aircraft seats with headphones attached. You could spend hours listening to music without actually buying anything and nobody bothered you which was great, because I was on the dole at the time and couldn't afford it.

Staff were probably too stoned to bother.

Man.

Another vote for selectadisc in Nottingham here. Greatest record store in the country hands down in its prime & probably the reason I live here now!

Before that lots of love for Sonic sounds in Lincoln.

Not aware of that Langley mill record store so cheers for the heads up OP, will definitely check it out!

Cob Records in Bangor

My brother bought the Swordedge album (rare folk stuff) from Cob Records in Porthmadog for £1.50 on a whim. He still has it.

Anyone else risk going in here...?

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My brother bought the Swordedge album (rare folk stuff) from Cob Records in Porthmadog for £1.50 on a whim. He still has it.

Is that the record for holding on to a whim?

I remember Volume Records too but thought they were on the North Road side of the river in part of the Millburngate centre?

Can't usually get google earth to link, but if you google map North Rd / Silver St opposite the Fighting Cocks and go the streetview I'd have it either in the shop that is now 'Velvet Elvis' or possibly next one down that side alley?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/ @54.7762072,-1.5789646,3a,75y,358.12h,83.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smWf32E4S1plYa7BwkmJhmg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Why is my memory so poor......

pretty sure it was the next one down that alley, yes.

i used to get a lot of stuff mailorder from alan's in wigan, and also rough trade, either covent garden or latimer road stores. mostly though, just Volume in newcastle, and subsequently sunderland once that shop opened. prior to it being volume, it was a shop called Chartz and i worked weekends there when i was in 6th form (so that was 1985-6)...

@Slowoldman

Sorry the only other record shop I remember in Worksop was Our Price on Bridge St but I doubt it was that

Berwicks in Rugby; there'd be these punky/gothy girls working behind the counter (1979/1984)who'd have to wear these strange gingham store coats. All long gone now.

Just scanned and amazed nobody has mentioned Rockaway Records in Newport Market, run by Simon who also was behind Cheap Sweaty Fun gigs. An institution in Newport and promoted so many bands, saw Husker Du in Stow Hill Labour club, about 150 people max, they played Newport because Simon shifted so many units of SST records.

Shades in London was brilliant for obscure metal, Spillers and Cob records as mentioned.

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Reddingtona was rather too cool for me - probably the wrong adjective there - so often walked past and went to Woolies instead!

Spinadisc in Northampton for us.
We used to make the twice monthly pilgrimage from MK to buy vinyl and then have a beer or several in the King Billy or the racehorse.

Cob Records in Bangor was where I used to get my records from, amazing place. You'd walk past Our Price and their piles of unwanted CD singles and into Cob where they would always be playing something really obscure...and then try to ask them about it while staying cool:

Weren't they in Porthmadoc? I bought records by post from them, I will have a look as I probably left the labels on. I had a look. Cob Records Porthmdog 90p, on an album I have.

One of the first record departments I remember was in the basement of Plumbers in Guildford, in 1968[?] the Wey flooded. The basement filled with water, I stood out side later in the week as they bought the contents of the basement out and put it in dustcarts. I asked if I could have some records;-)

I used to go in the record shop next to the Astoria in Guildford. I went to school with the little brother of the bloke who seemed to run it. So we got recommendations, lent records, cheap records, free records. I spent a lot of time in there.

The local record shop when I moved was in West Street in Dorking, bloke used to say "do you dig it, it's really groovy man". He was the one who told me about Cob Records! Good little shop.

Woolworths Dorking, A girl we hung about with worked on the record counter, if she liked you you would get a bag with a record and some change. You didn't have to hand over any money. I got Phaedra off her, no idea if I got paid to take it or not. I was always amazed she didn't get the sack.

When our price opened in the late 70's most of the old record shops shut.

Yep the original Cob Records is in Porthmadog and they had a store in Bangor as well. The Bangor store closed 5 years ago.

Selectadisc, upstairs in Bridlesmithgate, Virgin on Goosegate, very occasionally Woolworths, especially for my EMI copy of God save the Queen -90p- bargain.

Just remembered Focus Sounds in my local town. They used to sell 2nd hand in one side of the shop and new in the other. Place only shut down a few years ago.
Best find was The Breeders "Pod" accidently marked up as a 12" for £1.99 - still got it 🙂

Red Carpet Records and Kempsters in Swindon

Bought 300+ discs from those places. Red Carpet is gone. Kempsters is still there but a guitar shop only.

Alan's in Wigan, when it was still a record store in Hallgate with some skateboards upstairs. In fact I think it used to be somewhere even smaller than that and he moved to Hallgate when he expanded - they moved over to Mesnes road much later and now he's down on Wallgate and mostly about the BMX

also Rocks Off in Bradford when I went to uni.

Also used Smiths in Wigan, before they closed