Record Shops During The Torch Days

[Guest]

Selectadisc--Arkwright Street..The Meadows? Notts...Hector and a real smoothie who opend a kitchen shop on the outskirts of the city later on?

Moondog Record...East Ham then off to Record Corner Balham?

I also remember trying to find Bradford Market one morning with Eddie Din, Tommy Riedy and Mick Veathman, we were so blocked we couldn't find Bradford let alone Bradford Market, happy days.

anyone else???

Edited September 22, 2006 by PaulDonely

[Guest NASHEE]

Selectadisc--Arkwright Street..The Meadows? Notts...Hector and a real smoothie who opend a kitchen shop on the outskirts of the city later on?

Moondog Record...East Ham then off to Record Corner Balham?

I also remember trying to find Bradford Market one morning with Eddie Din, Tommy Riedy and Mick Veathman, we were so blocked we couldn't find Bradford let alone Bradford Market, happy days.

anyone else???

Us Stokies had...Bews in Burslem & Sherwins ..up Hanley

[good angel]

Hi yer Paul,

There used to be one in Burton, called The House of Sounds, we got bits and bobs from them.I was so very young then

Regards,Kev

[Mak]

Selectadisc--Arkwright Street..The Meadows? Notts...Hector and a real smoothie who opend a kitchen shop on the outskirts of the city later on?

Moondog Record...East Ham then off to Record Corner Balham?

I also remember trying to find Bradford Market one morning with Eddie Din, Tommy Riedy and Mick Veathman, we were so blocked we couldn't find Bradford let alone Bradford Market, happy days.

anyone else???

Do you mean Steve Elliott

[Mak]

Selecta Disc for me every Wednesday afternoon, in them days it was Alan Day, Hector, and I believe a certain KR .Can anyone remember the big poster of that lovely young lady standing naked with a psychedelic pattern in the background

[Guest]

Do you mean Steve Elliott

IT came to me the second before i read your reply. yes it was him, is he still around..

[soulsalmon]

Selecta Disc for me every Wednesday afternoon, in them days it was Alan Day, Hector, and I believe a certain KR .Can anyone remember the big poster of that lovely young lady standing naked with a psychedelic pattern in the background

Dave Withers stall on bury market,global(if they'd let you in)tony justin the underground market,shudehill market,bbc radio manchester when they had a clear out.ahhh the good old days

Dave Withers stall on bury market,global(if they'd let you in)tony justin the underground market,shudehill market,bbc radio manchester when they had a clear out.ahhh the good old days

Sorry didnt read the post properly,this was later ,got carried away

[Mak]

IT came to me the second before i read your reply. yes it was him, is he still around..

Yes , he lives a mile or so from me, you got a PM Paul

[Sean Hampsey]

Selectadisc--Arkwright Street..The Meadows? Notts...Hector and a real smoothie who opend a kitchen shop on the outskirts of the city later on?

Moondog Record...East Ham then off to Record Corner Balham?

I also remember trying to find Bradford Market one morning with Eddie Din, Tommy Riedy and Mick Veathman, we were so blocked we couldn't find Bradford let alone Bradford Market, happy days.

anyone else???

Boylans @ Conisborough, South Yorkshire.

Sound Of Music, Rotherham

Two hotspots for Soul Record Hunters, around my way, late 60's early 70's!

Between them, they had almost everything (or it seemed like it at the time).

Sean Hampsey

[Cunnie]

Boylans @ Conisborough, South Yorkshire.

Sound Of Music, Rotherham

Two hotspots for Soul Record Hunters, around my way, late 60's early 70's!

Between them, they had almost everything (or it seemed like it at the time).

Sean Hampsey

Bet you can't remember what Crofty's shop was called on Wellgate Sean & i don't mean Strads.

BTW you're giving your age away with the last post

[Dayo]

Anywhere!

You never knew where you might pick something up. Junk shops were faves.

For mail order it was FL Moore or Record Corner. Global Records obviously. Got my Jock Mitchell there for about 2 quid.

The Diskery in Brum was the source of many a bargain. The Wax Machine in Gloucester was also a fave.

Colin

[Guest Brian J]

What about Spin In in Manchester, can't remember who used to run it though.

[macca]

it might not have been torch days.. 1974/5... but what about you in that hole in the wall in queens street peterborough. loads of records. who was behind that? memory shot to bits...

macca

[Guest Trevski]

Big stall/shop in the Merrion Centre indoor market area, Leeds. He had all the MGM, Verve stuff at the time, plus lot's of British.

[Sean Hampsey]

Bet you can't remember what Crofty's shop was called on Wellgate Sean & i don't mean Strads.

BTW you're giving your age away with the last post

Bet I do!

FLIPSIDE

"Aunt Doras Love Soul Shack"

Never missed a Saturday in there mate!

Bought Garnett Mimms on UK UA Demo(UP1130) for £15.00 off Derek Sheldon.

A Fortnight's wages back then!

Sean

VIOLET MAYS in Sheffield.........

Gawd, If only I had a time machine.

Sean

[Jerry Hipkiss]

The Diskery in Brum was the source of many a bargain. The Wax Machine in Gloucester was also a fave.

Colin

Talking of Brum, mustn't forget Reddingtons (in their first location) - Sharpees "Do the 45" came from there, as later did "Landslide" which I thought was a boot but turned out legit!

Hippo.

[BrianB]

Record Bar in Burnley had all the Out Of the Past blue boots as they were "issued" .

The Record Exchange in Burnley was where you picked up the real deals, Saxie Russell demo, Personally on Polydor, Tainted Love Champion demo, and loads of others.

The Electron which is still going strong, was where you got the latest Motown and all the oldies for 2 bob or so.

I used to visit Spin Inn every month or so, and I had a mate (Hopper!) who worked in London who would bring some unbelievable bargains home at weekends.

Happy Days eh?

[Guest]

The Electron which is still going strong, was where you got the latest Motown and all the oldies for 2 bob or so.

Bloody hell Brian that's amazing used to pick the Sue LPs up from the Electron in the 60s, surely not the same guy though, he seemed old to us then!

We were always in the Record Exchange, Ray was the man then,we'd go in late Sat' and check what he'd had in during the day there was always something interesting, mostly UK stuff then of course, always worth a visit though, picked up The Spinners UK Columbia demo once, now that was a nice one!

[Richard]

Paul For Music in East London, they only closed down about 6 months ago since starting trading in the late Fifties.

They get a mention in The In Crowd book and stocked imports in The Wheel days through the Seventies.

They didn't have much in there in the later days but if they did have anything in stock it was £3.50, the last bargain picked up a few years ago was 1/2 dozen copies of Clarence Carter - Messin With My Mind at the £3.50 a pop

I used to spend hours in the just after I started my 1st job and spending all my wages (which wasn't much in 1981).

Was sad to see it close down as had many happy memories.

[Keithw]

spin in--cross street manchester

johnsons--crewe

used to sell all the jay boy 45s

brown street--underground market--manchester

ralphs--near victoria station

oasis --birmingham---steve russell,s stall

bews--burslem

hmv--manchester--derek howe

global--manchester

cath jones--uk stuff---sandbach

a couple might of been a shade later

[Guest Hunnymon]

Anyone remember Sid Booths in Mansfield?

First location was pretty good, Upstairs at the 2nd location was a real collectors heaven.

The shop then moved for a third time into a new shopping centre losing all the soul influence with it. :angry:

Still great memories!

[Guest markmtfc]

Remember it well, it moved into the four seasons shopping centre, and then became revolver records. vallances in the four seasons used to be cracking shop, despite being an electrical wholesalers. Robs records, hurts yard, notts was another good place in the early eighties, and of course vinyl mania on white hart st, mansfield, run by none other than mr roberts.

Used to love going in on a saturday morning especially when Kev had just come back from the states with shed loads of new vinyl.

[BrianB]

Bloody hell Brian that's amazing used to pick the Sue LPs up from the Electron in the 60s, surely not the same guy though, he seemed old to us then!

We were always in the Record Exchange, Ray was the man then,we'd go in late Sat' and check what he'd had in during the day there was always something interesting, mostly UK stuff then of course, always worth a visit though, picked up The Spinners UK Columbia demo once, now that was a nice one!

The Electron is now run by the "old chaps" (Frank) son! He stocks all the top northern and motown CDs and deals in second hand vinyl. Too many guys get into the shop mid week for me to have any chance of picking anything up.

The Record Exchange was ace. My wife's best mate worked there during holidays and weekends. Brad used to ask her for records, and would write a list for her. She used to find the records and keep em. Later on she gave me a load of 'em!

The Electron is still in the same place and looks exactly the same, but there are no sound booths on the wall. It hasn't changed one bit.

ATB

Brian B

[Guest]

I also used to buy records off a list (handwritten) from a guy in Ormskirk wherever that is

Anyone remember him??

[David Meikle]

If you are still around, that would probably have been the late Pete Lawson.

[Gilly]

On ‎22‎/‎09‎/‎2006 at 16:24, good angel said:

Hi yer Paul,

 

There used to be one in Burton, called The House of Sounds, we got bits and bobs from them.I was so very young then

 

Regards,Kev

Yes indeed Kev, it was in New Street, ran by the great Alan Day and his friend from Birmingham, used to go in at a very young age on a Saturday morning, could never understand Alans behaviour, that is until a year or so later. Thought you would of been way to young to remember that Kev

[David Meikle]

Barry's Record Rendezvous, Manchester

Blues and Soul, Hanway Street, London (aka Contempo)

Soul City, Monmouth Street, London (may have closed around the Torch era)

Edited July 4, 2016 by David Meikle

[Roburt]

23 hours ago, David Meikle said:

Barry's Record Rendezvous, Manchester

Blues and Soul, Hanway Street, London (aka Contempo)

Soul City, Monmouth Street, London (may have closed around the Torch era)

B&S was always great for soul 45's (especially it's pick-yer-own soul packs) .... didn't Soul City Record Shop go out of biz in late 69 ??

I used to get their record catalogue sent as I bought from there on a regular basis. Still have 3 old letters from them (Rob Blackmore) with some SC record label flyers all framed up & hung on my record room wall.

Best place for me (in TwWh days) was F L Moores in Leighton Buzzard (the old house was best before they moved to the place above the shopping arcade) .......

A couple of mid 70's pictures next .......... of a little shop in Conisboro .........  bumped into Snowy a few times in here back in 1971 to 74 when we were all out buying their latest imports (or Soul Sounds boots). I recall him asking me (in 74) what I was currently chasing & I told him the latest 45 on Mayfield by Marvin Smith (A Side -- "You're Really Something Sadie"  ... B side cut escapes me at present). It was too new for them to have in back then. 

Edited July 5, 2016 by Roburt

[BrianB]

On Monday, September 25, 2006 at 07:24, BrianB said:

 

 

 

 

The Electron is now run by the "old chaps" (Frank) son! He stocks all the top northern and motown CDs and deals in second hand vinyl. Too many guys get into the shop mid week for me to have any chance of picking anything up.

 

 

 

The Record Exchange was ace. My wife's best mate worked there during holidays and weekends. Brad used to ask her for records, and would write a list for her. She used to find the records and keep em. Later on she gave me a load of 'em!

 

 

 

The Electron is still in the same place and looks exactly the same, but there are no sound booths on the wall. It hasn't changed one bit.

 

 

 

ATB

 

 

 

Brian B

The Electron is still going strong and was the record shop in the Northern soul movie. They put the listening booths back on the wall for the film.

[Dave Moore]

I was in Electron on my last visit to Burnley, bought a copy of OJays - Love Train - UK CBS. £2.00). More out of sentimental loyalty than anything else. LOL!   

I completed just about the entire UK Motown LP catalogue from The Record Exchange on Standish Street in the late 70s.  All in the 50p-£1.00 range, although I think he had Earl Van Dyke down at £1.25. (I still have lots of them). Happy Days. 

Regards,

Dave 

 

 

 

[Geeselad]

On ‎05‎/‎07‎/‎2016 at 16:31, Roburt said:

B&S was always great for soul 45's (especially it's pick-yer-own soul packs) .... didn't Soul City Record Shop go out of biz in late 69 ??

I used to get their record catalogue sent as I bought from there on a regular basis. Still have 3 old letters from them (Rob Blackmore) with some SC record label flyers all framed up & hung on my record room wall.

Best place for me (in TwWh days) was F L Moores in Leighton Buzzard (the old house was best before they moved to the place above the shopping arcade) .......

A couple of mid 70's pictures next .......... of a little shop in Conisboro .........  bumped into Snowy a few times in here back in 1971 to 74 when we were all out buying their latest imports (or Soul Sounds boots). I recall him asking me (in 74) what I was currently chasing & I told him the latest 45 on Mayfield by Marvin Smith (A Side -- "You're Really Something Sadie"  ... B side cut escapes me at present). It was too new for them to have in back then. 

really something Sadie was the b side ifi rememberriht, you used to get lads of demo's with it on both sides at Berwick st market 

[Roburt]

2 hours ago, geeselad said:

really something Sadie was the b side ifi rememberriht, you used to get lads of demo's with it on both sides at Berwick st market 

Sadie was the A side (a new cut -- a cover of a big Curtis Mayfield LP track).

The B side was "Who Will Do Your running Now" (MA 942). Promo copies had Sadie on both sides.

I believe "Running Now" was an old track, pulled out of the vaults to form the 'throw-away' B side of this 45.   

[purist]

It's hard to put things exactly to date, especially that long ago, but here's some I used to go in while still at school ( i kinda think I left school around the same time as the torch ended?) I had a regular route which I walked around, going from shop to shop, often selling what I'd bought in one shop to another shop I visited later !

Max Millward's (Blue Max's shop in Wednesfield) it drew soul hunting folk from all parts of the UK

Don't remember what it was called, but two Catacombs DJ's (Alan S & Bob Crocker) had a shop in Stafford Street in Wolves Town Centre. They also sold white goods, washing machines and the odd boiler. I used to go there on my lunch time from school as it wasn't too far, just up Molineux alley at the side of the Wolves ground 

Graduate Records at the top of Broad St, just around the corner from Alan & Bob's. Opened with just the front part and with boxes of Motown Imports, but soon afterwards they opened the back room that was all import Soul stuff (years later it moved across the road and became Sundown Records, although I think they changed the name first, then moved?) to date this I remember Bill Baker who worked in there and taught me a lot about rare soul, had a new import that he told me had got everybody dancing at the Torch. I'm not exactly sure which record it was but I think it was "Mother of Shame" on a wdj, an early '73 release I believe, so maybe the wdj's could have appeared late 72 possibly?

The Shack, Cannock Rd in Wolves. (I found a Sue Lynn amongst the unsold stock when it closed down years later ) Proper grumpy bugger who worked in there.

There was another record shop in the next row of shops just down from The Shack. Mostly 2nd hand although some new stock, and mostly black music Soul & Reggae. Job Lots, ex jukebox. I bought my first ever brand new Motown 45 from there ("Ben" which dates that to 1972 I think ?)

One that later had a sign naming it Rookery Trading in Wednesfield, was a great source of Soul & Motown, but it was a 2nd hand shop selling all sorts. You had to ask to see the records which he'd fetch out a handful at a time. I came to discover that numerous mobile DJ's would go in here to offload for cash the things they'd bought months previously from Max's. Then they'd take the cash up the road to Max's to buy this weeks "must have's". I left this shop til last because by closing time on a saturday he hadn't had time to look through what he'd bought and would let me have most of them at ten pence each as long as you bought at least ten.

There were umpteen other 2nd hands shops that sold records dotted around the town, and both Bilston & wolverhampton markets had stalls which were worth visiting.

Not sure date wise when Ruby Red records opened in Wolves Town centre, or when Pep opened his first shop in Walsall, but both could be a little later 74/75 maybe. Neil Rushton had a shop in Walsall which I remember going to, perhaps Neil can tell us the year?
hth

[billbaker]

Graduate was owned by Dave Virr & Mike Williams. Started in Dudley at back of Dave's Dads hardware shop then opened in Walsall. Me & Neil got Saturday jobs there. Then they opened in wolves & I went there as manager must have been late 71 or early 72. Front of shop was albums & top 20. Back room dedicated to soul. Later they opened shop on Hanley & Barry Morgan joined as general manager. We sold a mixture of 2nd hand, originals & latest presses. After a fall out they split the shops between them & I think sold the wolves shop to Sundown. I had left by then to work for Barmy Barry in Dudley. Neil actually later bought the Walsall shop. 

[Guest]

Although a very old topic there was e record shop on Dudley rd Wolverhampton mostly ska and reggae near the old coliseum cinema that had the odd soul record. then there was also on Penn rd by Goldthorn hill a shop that sold ex jukebox records along with electronic stuff, had some good sounds from there even if a little scuffed. And there was an hmv that had back catalogue tunes, where you searched through a card index, again tunes to be had cheap, a school friend and I used to walk to town from parkfields to look through them. Pretty sure pep was in Walsall in c74 and then to wolves in 75 remember buying tunes at both locations. Most stuff early on from Max on Sat morning with Rob Haigh and others. Then on train to Birmingham and soul galore. Another early top location told to me by Kenny Lee was Stantons Dudley for British label items.

[Derek Pearson]

On 05/07/2016 at 16:31, Roburt said:

Didn't Soul City Record Shop go out of biz in late 69 ??

I used to get their record catalogue sent as I bought from there on a regular basis. Still have 3 old letters from them (Rob Blackmore) with some SC record label flyers all framed up & hung on my record room wall. 

Like this one Robert?

Dx