Visiting London next week

[magiccarpetride]

I'll be visiting London next week and am wondering if anyone has any suggestions regarding a good hi fi/record store there?

[Marco]

With the way things are going, Alex, it's likelier you'll need suggestions for where to buy a protective vest or bomb shelter, than anything else... But failing that, I'd thoroughly recommend Sister Ray Records, in Soho, which is top notch:

https://www.facebook.com/sisterrayrecords/

I'm sure that our resident Londoners will have many more good suggestions. Anyway, have a nice trip, and above all, stay safe! :)

Marco.

[tapid]

Marco s suggestion is excellent . Names escape me but there are 1 or 2 others in the same rd as S.R in Berwick st
I think ? There s another one in essex rd, just up a bit from Angel tube stn. Trouble is this time of night bit hard to remember
there names ( plus me age). Harold Moores ( well done Bri I've remembered one !) is interesting with some 78 s
Again top of Berwick st that one but not sure if there still in business. Got a few at mine in Hampstead all ways open to a cash offer.
Good night. best wishes

[Anthony K]

Opposite Sister Ray you have Reckless Records , and just round the corner is soho jazz - sounds of the Universe.

[tapid]

The shop in Essex rd is Flashback records, pretty good I would say. There was another one further up Essex rd but sadly is now closed.
The owner was brilliant, he once put up a sign saying something like THE LAST PERSON TO STEAL A RECORD FROM THIS SHOP IS NO
LONGER WITH US. R.I.P. ROBIN. Wonderful shop as well you could spend hours scrolling through the records. Happy days. Have a good time in London

[magiccarpetride]

Thank you all for the recommendations. Yes, Marco, I'll be honest -- I'm shitting bricks thinking about the terrorist threat. But at the same time, we cannot put life on hold. At least I wasn't able to find the Pause button (yet).

I'm hoping to bump into some rare LP pressings while visiting those stores. Question: will the UK records play in Canada? I'm a bit confused there...

[HackneyRF]

Hey Alex

Good suggestions so far. Soho has a few including the aforementioned Reckless and Sister
Ray. There is also Sounds of the Univerise and Phonica in Soho. Adjacent to Soho there is a HMV on Oxford Street if that takes your fancy!

In east London around Shoreditch there is another good branch of Sister Ray. There is a large Rough Trade in Brick Lane, great for new vinyl. There is also one of three branches of Flashback Records at the top of Brick Lane, the others being in Essex Road, Islington and Crouch End. Flashback stores are good. A personal favourite for new and used.

Up the road a short distance from Flashback in Crouch End is Audio Gold. They have a pretty big selection of used vinyl and an even larger selection of vintage Hi-Fi, albeit at eye watering prices. Worth a visit just to take a look at the wall to wall Hi-Fi!

There are numerous other small stores around, depends how much time you have. Give me a shout when you are over, I'd be happy to point you in the right direction. Anyway don't be put off by what's been happening here recently, London is still one of the best cities in the world to visit. Have fun.


http://flashback.co.uk/

https://www.roughtrade.com/

https://audiogold.co.uk/

http://www.phonicarecords.com/

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/

https://reckless.co.uk/

[struth]

Thank you all for the recommendations. Yes, Marco, I'll be honest -- I'm shitting bricks thinking about the terrorist threat. But at the same time, we cannot put life on hold. At least I wasn't able to find the Pause button (yet).

I'm hoping to bump into some rare LP pressings while visiting those stores. Question: will the UK records play in Canada? I'm a bit confused there...

safer up here in Scotland Mate... last terrorists got beaten up

[Macca]

Thank you all for the recommendations. Yes, Marco, I'll be honest -- I'm shitting bricks thinking about the terrorist threat. But at the same time, we cannot put life on hold. At least I wasn't able to find the Pause button (yet).

I'm hoping to bump into some rare LP pressings while visiting those stores. Question: will the UK records play in Canada? I'm a bit confused there...

You have to play them backwards but they do work.

The 'terrorists' are nothing to worry about. The odds of being involved in something like that are infinitesimal.

[CageyH]

You have to play them backwards but they do work.

:lol:

[magiccarpetride]

You have to play them backwards but they do work.

The 'terrorists' are nothing to worry about. The odds of being involved in something like that are infinitesimal.

Hey, if it's a good pressing I'd be more than happy to play them backwards while doing head stands ;)

Thanks for the encouraging words :)

[magiccarpetride]

safer up here in Scotland Mate... last terrorists got beaten up

You guys not big on PC?

[magiccarpetride]

Hey Alex

Good suggestions so far. Soho has a few including the aforementioned Reckless and Sister
Ray. There is also Sounds of the Univerise and Phonica in Soho. Adjacent to Soho there is a HMV on Oxford Street if that takes your fancy!

In east London around Shoreditch there is another good branch of Sister Ray. There is a large Rough Trade in Brick Lane, great for new vinyl. There is also one of three branches of Flashback Records at the top of Brick Lane, the others being in Essex Road, Islington and Crouch End. Flashback stores are good. A personal favourite for new and used.

Up the road a short distance from Flashback in Crouch End is Audio Gold. They have a pretty big selection of used vinyl and an even larger selection of vintage Hi-Fi, albeit at eye watering prices. Worth a visit just to take a look at the wall to wall Hi-Fi!

There are numerous other small stores around, depends how much time you have. Give me a shout when you are over, I'd be happy to point you in the right direction. Anyway don't be put off by what's been happening here recently, London is still one of the best cities in world to visit. Have fun.


http://flashback.co.uk/

https://www.roughtrade.com/

https://audiogold.co.uk/

http://www.phonicarecords.com/

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/

https://reckless.co.uk/

Thank you for all the info -- the embarrassment of riches!

Yes, I'm super excited to visit London, but man there's just so much going on there at the same time! How do you guys make up your mind what to do next?

[Macca]

Hey, if it's a good pressing I'd be more than happy to play them backwards while doing head stands ;)

Thanks for the encouraging words :)

No worries. London is still the safest city in Europe. And a fascinating place especially if you have any interest in history. Take you a year to see everything worth seeing.

There is a really good used vinyl shop in a back street just off Oxford Street. Can't recall what it is called, some old boy runs it, been there since the 1960s. Someone probably linked to it already. Last time I went record shopping in London I was practically falling over record shops just wandering around randomly. So you won't have any problems finding some.

[magiccarpetride]

No worries. London is still the safest city in Europe. And a fascinating place especially if you have any interest in history. Take you a year to see everything worth seeing.

There is a really good used vinyl shop in a back street just off Oxford Street. Can't recall what it is called, some old boy runs it, been there since the 1960s. Someone probably linked to it already. Last time I went record shopping in London I was practically falling over record shops just wandering around randomly. So you won't have any problems finding some.

Thanks Martin, now I'm even more excited.

Hey, a quick question since we're on the subject -- what kind of an electrical adapter do I need to bring to the UK? I have the one that lets me plug my laptop when traveling on the continent, but not sure if England is using different outlets from the rest of Europe (you guys are always different from anyone else ;)

[Macca]

Yes you will need a UK adaptor, your continental one won't work.

[Macca]

Oh and if you plug a Canadian electric razor, or similar into our mains it will die instantly. Found that out the hard way.

[HackneyRF]

There is a really good used vinyl shop in a back street just off Oxford Street. Can't recall what it is called, some old boy runs it, been there since the 1960s.


That might be JB's you're thinking of there Martin. Was a great little shop, sadly gone now. Spent a few quid in there over there years. Spent a few quid in Bradley's Spanish Bar next door too, quite a few late ones had in the 80's/90's there. The good old bad old days eh! ;)

[Anthony K]

That old boy behind oxford street closed a couple years back , that was a vinyl haven. Used to be in the alley behind Virgin megastore.

London is a remarkable city , I spend most of my time not working in the west end and have done so for the past 35 years. I never tire of it even though it is changing and not for the better......still great.

[Macca]

That's a shame. Great shop. Bought a load of Issac Hayes albums there. I guess about three years ago.

[magiccarpetride]

That old boy behind oxford street closed a couple years back , that was a vinyl haven. Used to be in the alley behind Virgin megastore.

London is a remarkable city , I spend most of my time not working in the west end and have done so for the past 35 years. I never tire of it even though it is changing and not for the better......still great.

I'm very excited to hear that, as I adore big cities. Quick question: I remember reading Lennon's biography, when he left London and moved with Yoko to New York in the early 1970s. The reporter asked him why the move, and John replied how he thinks London is like a lame sleepy village compared to the grandness of New York (or some words to that effect).

Now, I find that puzzling, because to me New York is a pretty drab, unexciting (even a bit boring) place. So why would Lennon claim that it's much grander than London? Seems odd...

[struth]

London...Bah... Glasgow and Edinburgh are better :ner:

[Macca]

Liverpool really.

That aside it was 40 odd years ago he said that. London is very different now.

[magiccarpetride]

Breaking news: just received the message from the landlord that the apartment I booked in London has been temporarily restricted by the police. The surrounding streets & areas has been closed since last Saturday night 3rd June, as the police carry out their investigations on the crime scene. All guests in the property had to be evacuated & were relocated.

Shit!

[walpurgis]

Doesn't sound promising.