GIVE US THE BACKGROUND - WHEN AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN A RECORD SHOP?

One day, you wake up and realise you’re too old to be the go-go dancer you always dreamed of being. So what job can you do that combines the love of music with talking nonsense to people all day…And here we are!

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORE? WHAT'S THE VIBE?

I’m sure all record shops say the same, but we do have a bit of something for everyone! There are a few of us that work in the shop on different days, and we all have our own taste and ideas of what good music is. So, come in on a Wednesday and you’re gonna get a different experience to the one you get on a Friday!

It’s usually a bit louder and dirtier on my day. I’m comfortable with customers needing to shout “thank you” as you pass them their change.

CAN YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST RECORD YOU SOLD IN THE SHOP? AND THE LAST?

The first record sold in the shop was Beastie Boys - Pauls Boutique and the first song we played when we opened was Beastie Boys. Proof that what you play is influential to what you sell!

As it stands right this second, the last record we sold was Tony Allen - There Is No End. Hopefully that will have changed by the time you read this. If it hasn’t, we might be out of business.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST RECORD SHOP YOU WENT TO? AND DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST RECORD YOU BOUGHT?

I’m pretty sure one of the first record shops I went to would have been Jumbo Records in Leeds which still stands today. I actually sent them a message before we opened the shop asking if they thought opening a record shop was a good idea. I think they gave me some useful advice but I ignored it and opened the shop anyway.

The first record I bought was Madness - The Rise and Fall. So considering “The Kids From Fame” was number 1 on the same week Madness was released, it could have been worse.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RECORD SHOP (APART FROM YOUR OWN!) AND WHY?

To be honest, I don’t get to visit that many record shops these days ‘cos Im out in the arse end of  the universe here in Pembrokeshire. But, every time I do visit a record shop, I come out thinking “wow, they do that, we should do that!” So big-up to all record shops, they are all doing a champion job!

WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE RECORD STORE EXPERIENCE?

There used to be a record shop on Westgate in Bradford (sorry, I can’t remember the name!) I used to go there quite a lot in my teens, and I would regularly see the band Terrorvision in there just hanging out and smoking, (you could smoke in shops then).

It was one of those classic record shops with a notice board with bands looking for members. Remember the little cuts in the paper so you could tear off the phone number and call from a phone box? Good times.

HOW SUCCESSFUL HAS RECORD STORE DAY BEEN FOR YOUR STORE?

Record Store Day has been a real surprise for us. You hear of the shops in the city with the queues down the street, and we knew that wasn’t going to happen for us but were pleasantly surprised to find a few people stood waiting outside before opening time!

The most hardcore in the queue was undoubtedly a 12 year old and her grandma, who were not going to miss out on the Taylor Swift release. They had been waiting for 3 hours (not big city times by any means but a lot more than we expected).

We always have something going on in the shop on RSD such as live music and have always had a good turnout. Definitely one of our busiest days of the year!

WHAT'S THE BEST GIG YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO?

The best gig I have ever been to was Linkin Park in Manchester. Chester Bennington live was something you had to see to believe. I don’t consider myself an auth breather but I stood for the whole thing with my mouth open.

WHAT'S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE FILM?

It’s a bit mean asking me for one favourite film, so here’s 3:
Fight Club (1999), The Goonies (1985) and Mike Leigh’s Meantime (1983).
(And if you ask me tomorrow, they will all be different)

What's your all-time favourite book?

Granted, favourites ‘books’,  not ‘book’. I have to include the complete set of The Umbrella Academy series. Great artwork, great story. The Netflix version was really good too but as the meme says “the book was better!”

WHAT WOULD MAKE UP YOUR DESERT ISLAND DISCS?

I’m stuck on a desert island and all I have is these records, right? What I should do is make sure they are double albums and get value for money. But let’s go quality over quantity.

Obviously, Illinois -  Sufjan Stevens (has to be on the list)

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

The Delines -  Colfax

Deftones - White Pony

(Wait, how many am I allowed? Let’s pretend I snook  another one in in my hand luggage),

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Who would form your all-time Festival line-up? (past & present)

On the main stage, there is the Sex Pistols with a guest appearance from Freddie Mercury who joins them in a cover of the original Zutons version of ‘Valerie’.

Over in the acoustic tent is Jeff Buckley who has Mike Skinner on hand to drop a few of his self-penned verses into ‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Over’.

And, at the after party, Snoop Doggy Dogg (not Snoop Dogg) is asking what his name is while Mani backs him up with a bass groove.

What a festival.

Im pretty sure I saw Jim Morrison over at the Burrito van? If you remember it, you weren’t there!

OTHER RECORD STORES