Tangerine Dream

Ok, how about a definitive (as if!) list of record shops worldwide?....or at least the pick of the bunch anyway. Several of us travel quite a lot, and who knows'? we might be following TD across the globe and have a few extra pounds, dollars or Euros left for one last trip to a record shop/Store.

My top tips are:

Sisterray in Berwick Street, Soho, London. It's the ex-selectadisc shop, with basically the same layout and stock, but the prices are always cheaper than the big boys (Virgin and HMV are just up the road), plus you get some real oddities and some 'whisper' bootlegs from time to time.

I'd also recommend:

Reckless records, also in Berwick Street, as they sell secondhand CDs...and very tastey classic Krautrock on those black round things my great grandfather tells about from time to time have a look downstairs for the more collectible/pricely vinyl. (Note, there are two Reckless records in Berwick street, so if you go in the wrong one you'll just get Hip Hop, Techno and House).

I'll also add Fopp as a good allround shop, the Tottenham court road branch is very good, as is their branch in Glasgow (just round the corner from Central station....and they usually have a number of TD discs in stock).

Whilst on the subject of Glasgow Lost in Music is quite good...if you can find it

Sadly, there isn't a decent record shop within miles of me.

Hobo wrote:Sadly, there isn't a decent record shop within miles of me.

sounds like you need a trip into central London before heading off the Albert pub then mate

I got a Rockarola decent shop in my town, plus a library that goes way cool on good music. sadly the latter, though better than the first, has a huge deficit in prices. from acceptable to no wai.

Appart from one all the independent shops are now closed down. I remember the old sleeves store in Falkirk used to have a devoted EM section and sometimes had around 20 - 30 TD albums in stock. It seemed to be that when CD took off sleeves started to flag . The funny thing is they were the first shop to sell CD's. I spoke to the manger not long before they closed and he said somedays the ony made about 80 pounds on sales. Which didn't even pay his wages and the rent for the shop unit. I was a good customer in that shop since the late seventies but they just couln't compete with the big gunds like HMV and virgin. I was guilty myself of buying from them instead of giving the wee shop business.

24db wrote:Whilst on the subject of Glasgow Lost in Music is quite good...if you can find it

X marks the spot:

Days are gone when I picked up Sorcerer in Woollies and Stratosfear in WHSmith

redziller wrote:Days are gone when I picked up Sorcerer in Woollies and Stratosfear in WHSmith

Yes I remember buying Tangram from John Menzies.

When I lived in the Midlands I used to shop in ST Records in Dudley. Most of the music was Heavy Metal but they also used to stock the occasional TDI release. Not been there in over four years so I couldn't say whether or not they still do, but they still advertise in Classic Rock so they must still be a going concern.

redziller wrote:Days are gone when I picked up Sorcerer in Woollies and Stratosfear in WHSmith

I saw Livemiles in Woolworths in 1987.

24db wrote:

Hobo wrote:Sadly, there isn't a decent record shop within miles of me.

sounds like you need a trip into central London before heading off the Albert pub then mate

Never enough time I'm afraid and even if there was, I'd have no funds for ale.

tangmaster wrote:Record shops overhere in the Netherlands that give more than only top40 music, nearly all gone.

Almost the same in Belgium, sad but true

Berwick Street in London is a goldmine, although I always find I extend the visit to Oxford Street's HMV and Virgin just in case.
The old Tower Records in Picaddilly Circus, now also a Virgin, usually has a lot of goodies too, especially as they have a dedicated electronica section (on the mezzanine level).

The Islington branch of Reckless Records seems to have closed now, which is a shame as I picked up some rarities there over the years. I guess that's what the basement of the main Berwick Street branch has become.

billythefish wrote:Berwick Street in London is a goldmine, although I always find I extend the visit to Oxford Street's HMV and Virgin just in case.
The old Tower Records in Picaddilly Circus, now also a Virgin, usually has a lot of goodies too, especially as they have a dedicated electronica section (on the mezzanine level).

The Islington branch of Reckless Records seems to have closed now, which is a shame as I picked up some rarities there over the years. I guess that's what the basement of the main Berwick Street branch has become.

Stephen, the shops in Oxford Street HMV and Virgin really was very good. I found many many cds for me and my daughter. I could not go in Berwick Street, but the next time when visit in London, I will go.