Black Friday is said to be the biggest shopping day of the year. It’s become as present in the UK as it is in the US, with British shoppers predicted to spend an eye-watering £9.2bn today.
The noise for Black Friday tends to be centred around huge online retailers, who need no further assistance. Instead, we want to highlight some of the brilliant independent record stores around the UK. The kind of outlets that you could really use your support…
Fantayzia Records
A Coventry-based vinyl store that stocks new and used albums, Fantazyzia particularly specialises in videogame and movie soundtracks. You can order online, or book an appointment to visit its store.
https://www.fantayziadesigns.co.uk/fantayzia-records
People’s Sound Records
A maven of Ladbroke Grove’s Caribbean culture, People’s Sound Records holds crate upon crate of rare singles and well known LPs. Established in 1988, People’s Sound has a Sound System that plays every Carnival. The shop is courtesy of Daddy Vego, one of the original club DJs of London (who practically invented the genre in the 50s)
https://www.discogs.com/user/PeoplesSoundRecords
Casbah Records
Just down the street from the Cutty Sark, Casbah Records dropped anchor on Creek Road in 2009, after nearly two decades spent trading at Greenwich Market. With a fascinating blend of expertise in 60s & 70s rock, as well as more contemporary music, Casbah Records is a small record shop packed with authentic musical character.
https://www.casbahrecords.co.uk/
Reckless Records
Soho’s oldest record shop, dating back to 1984, Reckless Records continues to plough onward through a pandemic. Managed since its inception by musician Duncan Kerr, Reckless Records has tried to maintain its individual charm in the face of big business. “Sometimes I wonder how, when or if record shops will disappear completely,” Kerr told The Guardian earlier this year. “But they keep opening up in the most unexpected places. Many of us wouldn’t know what else to do anyway!”
Peckings
This Shepherd’s Bush institution is more than just responsible for the birth of reggae music in the UK, it has shaped the cultural landscape of London. George ‘Peckings’ Price was present at the very beginning of Jamaican sound system culture, collaborating with originators such as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Prince Buster on the streets of Kingston. Moving to London in the 1960’s George began trade with fellow Caribbean ex-pats who were similarly miles away from their home, Jamaica, the birthplace of Reggae and Blue Beat.
https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/peckings-records
Monorail Music
Glasgow’s Monorail Music opened in 2002, following a three year saga while they tried to find a suitable location. The space Monorail decided on in the end is a former Mexican restaurant, unique in shape and lighting, and a brilliant place to host their impressive collection.
https://www.monorailmusic.com/
Honest Jon’s Records
A former butcher’s shop until it was converted in the 70s, Honest Jon’s records was originally situated in Golborne Road until making the switch to Portobello in the 80s. In collaboration with Notting Hill resident, Damon Albarn, the Honest Jon label has released an eclectic mix over the years whilst remaining true to its local roots.
https://honestjons.com/shop/latest_100_arrivals
Yo-Yo Records
A slightly more expensive record shop, Yo-Yo Records will have you look up and down, then up and down, then up and down… you get the gist… at their divine collection. Focusing on jazz, funk, soul, and Afro-beat, this store’s vintage vinyl is well-worth buying when the bargains are available.
https://www.yoyorecordslondon.com/
Sounds Original
Originally opened in Northfields in 1978, Sounds Original moved one stop up the Piccadilly line to South Ealing in 2000. Having established a reputation for only selling records in pristine condition, Sounds Original are open from Wednesday to Saturday and began trading online in 2017.
