Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
“I always wanted to be a stockbroker,” says DJ and broadcaster Reggie Styles. “And just being in a record store for that entire week [for work experience] changed my entire career path for my life and brought me into the music industry.”
Other key industry figures, such as Jazzie B, Trevor Nelson MBE and David Rodigan MBE, can all credit the record store for being a catalyst for their expansive careers in music.
It’s also clear how much camaraderie these record stores offered. These places were about more than buying records – they afforded the chance for people to learn about gigs, watch performances, hear about parties and get a music education. “It was a kind of social media before social media,” says Vijay Mistry.
The digital revolution saw a demise of vinyl sales and the closure of many iconic stores in the early noughties, but since 2007 the popularity of buying vinyl has steadily increased. This ‘vinyl revival’ has helped continue the legacy of these stores into the modern era, enabling younger generations to experience the unique thrill of record shopping.
Read this next: How Kevin Saunderson’s Reese bassline transformed UK dance music
“Most people thought the DJs were the tastemakers, but actually it was the people that were selling the music to the DJs…” says Ammo Talwar MBE, former owner of Punch Records (1997-2005), now a leading figure in the arts.
Memories of boom years for the independent record store are shared in 2Funky Arts’ documentary, which features Jazzie B, Trevor Nelson MBE, Marcia Carr, DJ SS, DJ Rap, DJ Spoony, and Simon Dunmore. Also exploring this heritage, their new book unlocks a wealth of interviews and images – a must read for any vinyl enthusiast or fan of Black music.
Shaping trends across genres such as soul, hip hop, garage, grime and everything in between, the humble independent record store needs to be celebrated as a major part of Black music history.
The Record Store & Black Music: England’s Tastemakers – the documentary, book, and podcast – can all be found at www.theblackmusicrecordshop.co.uk. It is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Blackout Mixmag is an editorial series dedicated to Black artists, issues and stories, first launched in 2020. Our 2025 features are co-guest edited by Kevin Saunderson and Kwame Safo (AKA Funk Butcher). Read all of the previously published pieces here
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.