Going For A Song: A Chronicle Of The UK Record Shop

by Garth Cartwright

Author Garth Cartwright has travelled the length and breadth of the UK, conducting more than 100 interviews with some of the icons of the record shop trade and the wider music industry, including Martin Mills (Beggars Banquet), Geoff Travis (Rough Trade), Andy Gray (Andy's Records), Ralph McTell, Chris Barber, The Specials and many more. Featuring a foreword by the great comedian and writer, Stewart Lee. From the UK's first record shop, indeed recognised as the first in the world, H.Spiller in Cardiff opened in 1894, Garth traces the history through more than a century of unprecedented social, cultural and political change. From the Jazz and swing scene of Soho, the birth of Calypso and Ska following post WW2 migration; The North End Music Store (NEMS) and the birth of The Beatles; the baby-boomers of the swinging 60's and pscyhedelia; The Rock era of the 70's with Richard Branson's Virgin, Andy's Records and Beggars Banquet; The punk and alternative scene of the late 70's and 80's with Rough Trade, through to the huge challenges faced by music retailers in recent years and how the independent shops have adjusted and reinvented themselves today.

Genres: Music

292 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2018

Reviews

[Mike Sumner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going For a Song. Phew! I started reading this in April - taken me almost eight months to complete! Large pages and small print are daunting to say the least. So, I've read it a few pages at a time. It is truly an in-depth history of the rise, fall and rebirth of the UK's independent record shops. From early 50s and Dobell's Jazz, Blues & Folk shop, Levy's of Whitechapel and Transat Imports for soul 45s. Virgin and Beggars Banquets build empires out of rock shops. Our Price, Rough Trade, Small Wonder and Good Vibrations are all here. And then they are gone...

Across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland there remain several hundred record shops and stalls. Among them is my favourite: Resident Music in the North Laine, Brighton. The loss of record shops may appear inconsequential when compared to events currently overwhelming the UK. A good local record shop tends to be proudly provincial. Deprived areas come in all shapes and sizes and when your neighbourhood no longer supports independent retailers, it enters into a decline that may, initially, appear invisible. Independent record shops can attract people to a locale, encourage communication and investigation.

Sadly, there remain far too few....

[Andy Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful Christmas present, based on my love of books and records.
A good, engaging history, infused with a love of music and the communities that grow up around it - of which the record shops were and to an extent still are important hubs.
History - economic, social and cultural - as well as the anecdotes and character sketches I might have expected, Very well structured, too. Cartwright manages to weave the stories of overlapping time periods, subcultures and regions without confusion or repetition.
I felt a frisson at mention of shops I had frequented, and a little sadness at those I had known which don't appear. That's no criticism of this book, just a reflection of how many distinctive local record shops and their place in people's lives have passed away and are largely forgotten.

[Mat Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part extended wikipedia entry, part social history, all love letter to Britain's illustrious record shop history this is a knowledgeable and approachable overview that wears its heart on its sleeve as readily as it applies a knowing wit and intelligence. Lots of good insight on some famous brands (Virgin, Rough Trade et al) but also on some lesser known but equally influential shops (shout out to Spillers in Cardiff and Cob in Porthmadog). This is good fun with excellent anecdotes and a reminder that all those hours crate digging were (and remain) completely worth it.

[Frank Allinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. My partner asked me if it is a train spotting book for music nerds, which pretty much sums it up. However the amount of detail in it is amazing. It also contains a very good list of independent record stores that are still open around the country. Well worth reading in my opinion.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous history of the UK record store from their beginnings. Written with passion, love and clearly a deep understanding of the subject. Great illustrations (love the front cover) and interviews with so many of the key players.

A story never told before, told superbly by Cartwright.

[Ray Smillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched book into the history of record shops dating back to cylinder records. A bit lightweight on Scotland and very London centric. Probably a good dip into toilet read rather than solid read as I started to skim over later chapters.

[David Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful book to the U.K. record shop scene and the rise and fall of shops. I did find the flow of the book tricky and some chapters dragged on a little. This could be due to not being a genre i am interested in.

Well worth a read overall.

[Tronikyouth · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book....a boon to every vinyl fan

[Chris Meloche · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my review of this book, please visit my blog at:

http://www.chrismeloche.com/?p=522

[Ipswichblade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five star history of the record shop and the characters involved in well known shops such as Rough trade

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history of record shops in the uk from sheet music to the big chains ! Looks at independents and how they crashed and covers resurgence of vinyl ! Really interesting reading !