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Own Your Own Record Shop

Simsy

By Simsy
in All About the SOUL

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Ady Croasdell
Ady Croasdell

That's not the old Blues And Soul later Rocks OfF shop that Val and Shane used to work at, its the next one down Tim Darbyshire's. Most of that stock has been there since I hung out there in the early

Steve S 60
Steve S 60

  I think that's what he means by Bohemian.

Mick Holdsworth
Mick Holdsworth

I think it's the same place in Hanway Street, if so this was "Rocks Off". Remember going in there a few times about 30 years ago and dropping records off for the guy to sell. (Think the chaps name was

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Mr Smithy Long Time

Mr Smithy

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Posted

Hhmm...................Queens New York :thumbsup:  Has a lower than average US murder rate, good news.......... :ohmy:

Barely Queens, not exactly on the beaten track.

Went there a few years ago. Ebay factory.

He's less than keen to let you look at the EBay piles, but the store stock ( rejects?) seem to have been worked on with a belt sander to remove anything extraneous

- grooves, labels etc.

Miserable sod too.

post-19806-0-72500800-1383763480_thumb.p

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Steve G Veteran

Steve G

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Yeah there's no money in record shops anymore……way overpriced…….West End rates…...and the stock looks like it's largely "un-moveable" too…..the stuff no one wants etc…..Yet there are 20 offers? :ohmy:

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Guest Polyvelts

Guest Polyvelts

Posted
Posted

I think it's the same place in Hanway Street, if so this was "Rocks Off". Remember going in there a few times about 30 years ago and dropping records off for the guy to sell. (Think the chaps name was Stan).

 

Cheers

Mick

In the eighties I Used to spend hours there hanging out chatting with Kate Sharkey who worked there who also used to do the cloakroom at the 100 club, drinking tea and playing records from Clarkies sales box. Happy carefree days !

I think Shane mcG used to work there too

Haydn Long Time

Haydn

Posted
Posted (edited)

Had me a few records out there in the 80's, was great for a dig to see what you could find.

I returned last year and couldn't find a single thing to buy. Such a shame but all the goodies have gone!

And Welsh Petes old place, still there, but gone are the racks of Schweppes/Beer crates that used to house piles of U.S. and British sevens :(

Edited by Haydn
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Ady Croasdell Veteran

Ady Croasdell

Posted
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Posted

That's not the old Blues And Soul later Rocks OfF shop that Val and Shane used to work at, its the next one down Tim Darbyshire's. Most of that stock has been there since I hung out there in the early 80s.

Now if you popped next door in the 9os you could have picked up Ben E King Gettin To Me, two Gerri Granger acetates, two Lou Johnson The Panic Is On, Country Girl acetate, Jean Carter Like One alternate take acetate and a few more!

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Steve G Veteran

Steve G

Posted
Posted (edited)

That's not the old Blues And Soul later Rocks OfF shop that Val and Shane used to work at, its the next one down Tim Darbyshire's. Most of that stock has been there since I hung out there in the early 80s.

Now if you popped next door in the 9os you could have picked up Ben E King Gettin To Me, two Gerri Granger acetates, two Lou Johnson The Panic Is On, Country Girl acetate, Jean Carter Like One alternate take acetate and a few more!

 

Must have been a seeding place for local record and film types to dispose of their unwanted wares then I guess being in the West end. What a place to have your local record shop!

 

I seem to remember you working in there at one point Ady, or shouldn't I have mentioned that? :wicked:

Edited by Steve G
Barry Veteran

Barry

Posted
Posted

how many pins per eye do you recomend?

 

After 10 years of fun and frivolity and 10 of eye-watering pain and suffering, I'd recommend one per year, per eye - 10 either side, jammed in dead hard. :wink:

Barry Veteran

Barry

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Posted

Do you get the flat above?

 

here’s your chance to take over the oldest record shop

 

 

Sounds to me like you're paying for the pleasure of taking over the lease.

Ady Croasdell Veteran

Ady Croasdell

Posted
Posted

Must have been a seeding place for local record and film types to dispose of their unwanted wares then I guess being in the West end. What a place to have your local record shop!

 

I seem to remember you working in there at one point Ady, or shouldn't I have mentioned that? :wicked:

I did help out in Rocks off if any of the alcoholics who I drank with needed a piss but not On The Beat. I used to sell through there on commission on occasion.

 

It was Carlin Publishing's record and acetate library that I got thos gems from which ended up in Vinyl Experience next door.

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Soulman58 Long Time

Soulman58

Posted
Posted

That's not the old Blues And Soul later Rocks OfF shop that Val and Shane used to work at, its the next one down Tim Darbyshire's. Most of that stock has been there since I hung out there in the early 80s.

Now if you popped next door in the 9os you could have picked up Ben E King Gettin To Me, two Gerri Granger acetates, two Lou Johnson The Panic Is On, Country Girl acetate, Jean Carter Like One alternate take acetate and a few more!

I only remember Blues and Soul having a shop up the stairs, I do remember Shane spaced out in Rocks Off though. 

Reforee Regular

Reforee

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Posted

I have a cunning plan.............

Sell me record collection to the owner for 300k, then buy said shop and stock (including said record collection) !!!!

What could possibly go wrong?

Gene-r Veteran

Gene-r

Posted
Posted (edited)

That's not the old Blues And Soul later Rocks OfF shop that Val and Shane used to work at, its the next one down Tim Darbyshire's. Most of that stock has been there since I hung out there in the early 80s.

Now if you popped next door in the 9os you could have picked up Ben E King Gettin To Me, two Gerri Granger acetates, two Lou Johnson The Panic Is On, Country Girl acetate, Jean Carter Like One alternate take acetate and a few more!

 

That's right.  And when I first went there well over 30 years ago it was called "Luigi & The Boys", changing its name to "On The Beat" around 1984.

 

The people at On The Beat (Tim, Alenia and Mark etc) pre-1984 were much friendlier than Phil and Stan in Vinyl Solution (later Rocks Off) who, in my opinion, were a tad obnoxious and impatient (I made sure to go in when Shane was working there, as he was brilliant and I always got on with him).  Missed Shane with his cans of Kestrel when he left, but it was good to see people like Val Palmer etc take over behind the counter!

Edited by Gene-R
Davenpete Long Time

Davenpete

Posted
Posted (edited)

Remember going in there with my little brother when he bought the rare sleeve release of No More Heroes by the Stranglers (withdrawn because it looked too much like a Sex Pistols sleeve) - or it might have been Girl From the Snow Country by JJ Burnell - the basist (either way it was one or the other very expensive piece of punkiness/frogery) - not my cup of tea.

Dx

Edited by DaveNPete
Gene-r Veteran

Gene-r

Posted
Posted

Remember going in there with my little brother when he bought the rare sleeve release of No More Heroes by the Stranglers (withdrawn because it looked too much like a Sex Pistols sleeve) - or it might have been Girl From the Snow Country by JJ Burnell - the basist (either way it was one or the other very expensive piece of punkiness/frogery) - not my cup of tea.

Dx

 

Probably Girl From The Snow Country, Dave.  I know that's still going for quite a lot of money.

Davenpete Long Time

Davenpete

Posted
Posted (edited)

JJ gave him one as a wedding present last year - he has both the Dutch and rarer UK (there are only 6) copies - as well as all the stupid rare things like Bolivian test pressings of No More Heroes  - the UK green sleeve of NMH is well over a tonne anyway (he had the worlds largest collection of Stranglers records at one point - 28 different copies of No More Heroes etc)... Owen is quite literally the world's biggest Stranglers fan, has seen them 350 times, runs their website, stays with them regularly etc etc

Dx

Edited by DaveNPete
Mike Lofthouse Veteran

Mike Lofthouse

Posted
Posted

I only remember Blues and Soul having a shop up the stairs, I do remember Shane spaced out in Rocks Off though. 

It did move downstairs if I'm not mistaken - went in last in 78 ish, bought ZZ Hill's Columbia album and a Dee Dee Bridgewater album.

Ady Croasdell Veteran

Ady Croasdell

Posted
Posted

Remember going in there with my little brother when he bought the rare sleeve release of No More Heroes by the Stranglers (withdrawn because it looked too much like a Sex Pistols sleeve) - or it might have been Girl From the Snow Country by JJ Burnell - the basist (either way it was one or the other very expensive piece of punkiness/frogery) - not my cup of tea.

Dx

Hi Dave, tell him I Saw them in 75 at the Hope And Anchor pre-punk doing Velvet underground type stuff
Ady Croasdell Veteran

Ady Croasdell

Posted
Posted

That's right. And when I first went there well over 30 years ago it was called "Luigi & The Boys", changing its name to "On The Beat" around 1984.

The people at On The Beat (Tim, Alenia and Mark etc) pre-1984 were much friendlier than Phil and Stan in Vinyl Solution (later Rocks Off) who, in my opinion, were a tad obnoxious and impatient (I made sure to go in when Shane was working there, as he was brilliant and I always got on with him). Missed Shane with his cans of Kestrel when he left, but it was good to see people like Val Palmer etc take over behind the counter!

Vinyl Solution was Bayswater way I think, pre- Rocks Off

Steve G Veteran

Steve G

Posted
Posted

I did help out in Rocks off if any of the alcoholics who I drank with needed a piss but not On The Beat. I used to sell through there on commission on occasion.

 

It was Carlin Publishing's record and acetate library that I got thos gems from which ended up in Vinyl Experience next door.

 

Yes I remember that, and getting some bar-gins off ya too!

 

I went in the actual shop for sale a few times never found any soul in there. Always turgid rock types and hippies in....Rocks Off much better!

Pete S Veteran

Pete S

Posted
Posted (edited)

Remember going in there with my little brother when he bought the rare sleeve release of No More Heroes by the Stranglers (withdrawn because it looked too much like a Sex Pistols sleeve) - or it might have been Girl From the Snow Country by JJ Burnell - the basist (either way it was one or the other very expensive piece of punkiness/frogery) - not my cup of tea.

Dx

 

Dave it's Peaches, it came with a 'blackmail' lettering sleeve.

 

330345457145.jpg

Edited by Pete S
Mal C Veteran

Mal C

Posted
Posted (edited)

Blimey, I always go in there when I'm in town, think the other shop in Hanaway Street moved recently as well, they must have put the rents up.. that said there is a ton of building work going on in the street.. wonder if thats issue?

 

he's had a Lawrence & The Arabians on Hem, and Bobby Hutton - Wanting You, Needing You Issue on the wall, plus assorted others for years, i keep on offering for them, but they are still there, see if you dont actually sell any records, you cant make a profit... and look what happens

 

M

Edited by Mal.C.
Northern Soul Uk Veteran

Northern Soul Uk

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have owned and ran 4 record shops in my time, The first one I learned my my mistakes after borrowning 30K from the bank, no need to have done at all, Rent, rates and service charge prices saw the end of that one after 6 years.

Second one I literally opened for £1500, that included decorating and fitting it out. The stock I advertised for before opening and when I had enough stock to open it I did. That lasted for another 5 and a half years.

Not wanting to renew the lease of that one I opened another one, again very much on the cheap lasting another 6 years.
The 4th one I just managed someone elses shop for 2 and a half years.
My point is, if you have the balls to open a record shop these days, it doesn't need a a fortune to do it.

It would take a brave person to do it in these times, but saying that, vinyl is making a huge comeback, but not enough at the moment to take a risk. Best doing it onlne to avoid overheads etc. Saying that, I would rather dig crates anyday than browse through a load of online lists.

Edited by Northern Soul UK

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