There's not so many record shops these days - fact. Thanks to the revolution that is the the MP3, and other digital formats, it is now deemed no longer necessary by many to physically own music. Now for me, there's something a little bit sad in that.
I am a firm believer in the touch and feel of music, and it is places like
Sister Ray that allow me to do that.
Located on the famous Berwick Street (Why famous? Check the Oasis cover to
(What's The Story) Morning Glory? - THAT'S Berwick Street on the cover),
Sister Ray is one of the survivors of the street which used to be full of record shops. One of the probable reasons it has managed to survive is down to the fact it sells, as it claims "
simply great music you won't find anywhere else"
What this equates to is a catalogue of 24,000-plus items across a range of genres - from rock to indie, dance to electronic, DVDs, CDs, Vinyl and merchandise. A lot of this stock is also available from their
online store. They do a fine line in t-shirts too, which are displayed throughout the walls of the shop, and cover the obscure to the quirky (I recently bought a Dr. Zeuss t-shirt there, which was, by the size, quite clearly not intended for kids!)
They also have a promo section on the counter, where some music can be bought prior to release. It's worth taking time out of you're busy schedule to have a look around the store, as the wonder is in the searching and finding of gems within the mainstream to obscure CDs and Vinyl sitting pretty in their racks.
It's always worth looking out for the in-store events too, as there can often be bands or DJs performing in store, especially as part of the international
Record Store Day, where independent record stores from around the UK and beyond join in with special events across a day dedicated to independent music.
So, next time you want something new to listen to, stop clicking and go 'old school' - the satisfaction of having a new vinyl disc or CD will help you remember why stores like this should be saved from extinction
