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Thread: Record shops in the UK are pants

  1. #51
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 237
    I'm David.

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    This is getting proper specific now.
    How about Staff We Have Loved ?
    Back in the 80s I would call in on the smaller of the two Our Price stores (the tiny one) in Reading in my lunch break.
    There was a New Romantic kinda kid on the counter who was always up for a chat so I shopped there as a preference.
    Same town but the 00s, manager of Fopp, Scottish lad, would always put records aside if he thought I'd like them (I can't bear selling them to" Neds" ) and who recommended I go see a band called The Earlies one night. Feckin' brilliant !!
    There's a lad in HMV Leicester today (James / Jase ? summat like that) who's always recommending cracking off the radar music too.
    It ain't how it was but there's still enthusiasts working the counters up n down the country. It's worth risking a conversation every now and then to find out who's on your wavelength that you'd like to spend your hard earned with.
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  2. #52
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 237
    I'm David.

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    Oh, and Bev who had the indoor market in Reading where we'd get pre-release and promo albums cheap.
    God I loved that place.....
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  3. #53
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Brighton, UK.

    Posts: 3,462
    I'm Mike.

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    I went into this 'dance' record shop once in Soho, the music was too loud so you had to point to whatever record you wanted, and the staff/DJ would hand it to you, so you could listen to it. I unfondly remember some place in Wardour st, where the fuckwit staff member totally ripped me off when I sold some 12"s, in among them was a £100+ record as I later found out, and they gave me a pittance, fucking scum!! And this silly bitch in there had some attitude, like you cannot smile, you absolutely cannot smile, it was funny! There were better shops, Fatcat in Covent garden, where I was warmly accepted into the fold, because I bought some fatcat releases, I found it odd the staff were friendly, only after did I realise it was also the Fatcat base of operations (a late 90s label specialising in quirky post techno).
    My first regular record shop was a stall in Newport market, some old punk called Simon, I used to buy 'Mod revival' records there, probably the naffest genre known to humankind, which I look back upon now and shudder. Remember going back there 20 years later, and he remembered me, 'your tastes have changed'! And again another decade on and his old punk mate holding the fort, 'timewaster' he muttered to another stall holder, as I browsed but did not buy.
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  4. #54
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Southampton, United Kingdom

    Posts: 643
    I'm Paul.

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    Fopp were a Scottish company so a lot of their staff moved south as they opened new branches.

    As for the Soho ripoff, was it Wreckless Erics ??
    I had a similar experience but not quite as bad as yours .. and you're spot on about the attitude. Too cool for school, some people ..

    As for Fat Cat, I have very fond memories of them as a wholesaler. They'd buy up and distribute pallets of stock from the majors (Warner, Sony, etc) and they never knew what they'd be getting, just an amount of CDs.
    Then they'd work their way through it and every Monday fax/email that week's "list".
    I'd get in early to check the email and call them on the dot at 8am to place my order - it was the only way to get the good stuff.
    It was usually ex-chart returns from the big supermarket chains and would include anything in the Top 20 album chart but also loads and loads of great compilation, usually for a pound a pop or £2 if they were doubles.
    We'd then mark these up at a fiver or £7 and everyone was happy.

    I even got to a gig in London courtesy of Fat Cat. Jamie Lidell at some uber-trendy little venue. On the guest list, free booze and food, all that because of Fat Cat.
    I guess he'd been on their label before his break ..
    The guy who owned the company was Asian, I think, and really laid-back but totally on it in terms of running the business. Nice guy.

    Happy days, eh ?
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  5. #55
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Brighton, UK.

    Posts: 3,462
    I'm Mike.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rigger67 View Post
    Fopp were a Scottish company so a lot of their staff moved south as they opened new branches.

    As for the Soho ripoff, was it Wreckless Erics ??
    I had a similar experience but not quite as bad as yours .. and you're spot on about the attitude. Too cool for school, some people ..

    As for Fat Cat, I have very fond memories of them as a wholesaler. They'd buy up and distribute pallets of stock from the majors (Warner, Sony, etc) and they never knew what they'd be getting, just an amount of CDs.
    Then they'd work their way through it and every Monday fax/email that week's "list".
    I'd get in early to check the email and call them on the dot at 8am to place my order - it was the only way to get the good stuff.
    It was usually ex-chart returns from the big supermarket chains and would include anything in the Top 20 album chart but also loads and loads of great compilation, usually for a pound a pop or £2 if they were doubles.
    We'd then mark these up at a fiver or £7 and everyone was happy.

    I even got to a gig in London courtesy of Fat Cat. Jamie Lidell at some uber-trendy little venue. On the guest list, free booze and food, all that because of Fat Cat.
    I guess he'd been on their label before his break ..
    The guy who owned the company was Asian, I think, and really laid-back but totally on it in terms of running the business. Nice guy.

    Happy days, eh ?
    I don't think Lidell was on fat cat, he released stuff with Cristian Vogel, as part of Super collider on Loaded records before his solo stuff, which I didn't follow tbh. The shop in soho ? Shit can't remember, quite a long standing one though, might still be there.
    Current system 1210 GR. CDP - Meridian G08. Amp -Sugden A21I - Sig. Wharfedale Lintons.

  6. #56
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: West of Scotland

    Posts: 5,304
    I'm Robin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rigger67 View Post
    Fopp were a Scottish company so a lot of their staff moved south as they opened new branches.

    As for the Soho ripoff, was it Wreckless Erics ??
    I had a similar experience but not quite as bad as yours .. and you're spot on about the attitude. Too cool for school, some people ..

    As for Fat Cat, I have very fond memories of them as a wholesaler. They'd buy up and distribute pallets of stock from the majors (Warner, Sony, etc) and they never knew what they'd be getting, just an amount of CDs.
    Then they'd work their way through it and every Monday fax/email that week's "list".
    I'd get in early to check the email and call them on the dot at 8am to place my order - it was the only way to get the good stuff.
    It was usually ex-chart returns from the big supermarket chains and would include anything in the Top 20 album chart but also loads and loads of great compilation, usually for a pound a pop or £2 if they were doubles.
    We'd then mark these up at a fiver or £7 and everyone was happy.

    I even got to a gig in London courtesy of Fat Cat. Jamie Lidell at some uber-trendy little venue. On the guest list, free booze and food, all that because of Fat Cat.
    I guess he'd been on their label before his break ..
    The guy who owned the company was Asian, I think, and really laid-back but totally on it in terms of running the business. Nice guy.

    Happy days, eh ?
    The Fopp shop in the west end of Glasgow was a great shop in the early days.
    Regards
    Robin

    .....................



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  7. #57
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: N London

    Posts: 593
    I'm Steven.

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    Favourites are World of Echo in Columbia Road and BBE in Helmsley place. Also Sound of the Universe in Broadwick Street and Alan’s Records in East Finchley.
    Wilson, Gryphon, Innuos, Holo May, Puritan, Garrard

  8. #58
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 33,865
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    The HMV store in town closed last September. They were pretty useless, however I don't think there is any other record store here now; so will have to shop online.
    Barry

  9. #59
    Join Date: Jun 2014

    Location: Chorley Lancs

    Posts: 16,334
    I'm Steve.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    The HMV store in town closed last September. They were pretty useless, however I don't think there is any other record store here now; so will have to shop online.
    For used CD purchases I recommend Music Magpie via Ebay. I've bought dozens from them and never had a problem with service or the items. When looking for a particular CD I filter the search "Lowest price" first, and MM are almost always just that.
    I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in

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  10. #60
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 33,865
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Thanks Steve. I was aware of Music Magpie, but never used them. It's good to hear of your reassurance.

    I was a bit hasty in claiming there are no record shops nearby - I did a bit of research and found Intense Records. It's a small outlet but the staff there know wnat they are talking about, and best of all they have used LPs for sale at sensible prices.
    Barry

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