Record Shops - a misspent youth

oldleedsman · Post by **oldleedsman** » Fri 03 Jun, 2011 5:38 pm

I am totally convinced that Virgin Records opened in Queen Victoria Street first, no later than 1972. I most definitely bought Close To The Edge there in Sept. 1972.

jim · Post by **jim** » Fri 03 Jun, 2011 6:07 pm

I agree that Queen Victoria Street was the site of Virgin's first Leeds Shop. Two or three floors, very basic, LPs in cardboard boxes, wide ranging stock, early bootlegs, strong smell of "herbal" cigarettes, strange people. They don't make 'em like that any more!

oldleedsman · Post by **oldleedsman** » Sat 04 Jun, 2011 1:31 am

Two floors. Counter downstairs on the right. Upstairs loads of lp covers plus large seating area by the window with comfy cushions. A number of headphones in the seated bit where you could listen to the records.

theastradyne · Post by **theastradyne** » Sat 04 Jun, 2011 3:00 am

I got into music around the early eighties. I would have been too young to have remembered the Virgin stores of the seventies. The first one I recall was the one I mentioned on Briggate. There was whe arcade which had the Four Cousins cafe at the top end. Next to the arcade was a kind of Army Surplus/outdoor/camping store and then Virgin records. I'm remembering it from circa 1982/1983. It then moved up to the top of Briggate where Borders used to be (that's another lost music store to add to the list). Then Virgin moved to the Bond Street Centre. Zavvi and Head also occupied the same sight (another two).Sorry for any confusion guys.

zip55 · Post by **zip55** » Mon 06 Jun, 2011 1:02 am

Johnny39 wrote: I seem to remember "Woolies" selling records years ago. Yes they did. The counter was down the stairs and immediately right from the Briggate entrance.

macattack · Post by **macattack** » Thu 30 Jun, 2011 12:09 am

Can't remember exactly where original Virgin Records was but from memory, it had 3 floors. The top was small, square room and always deserted. It sold imports with the small cut in the record sleeve. You had to go up a narrow set of stairs and through a door. There were racks only against the walls.Ground floor I think I remember a balding guy with hair around his ears. Looked like Mel Smith. He worked behind a kiosk like counter - with singles (punk around 1977 ) on the side walls and back - in plastic sleeves?. The racks on the ground floor sold second hand LP's. I bought Led Zep 3, you had to search through the dross to find anything not obscure prog. There were racks in ther middle and along the far side wall. I can't be sure but the whole place looked to have been fitted out in plywood painted black.It was very quiet when it first opened and really took off when punk came along. It must have moved to Briggate 1977-78 because I remember a planned visit by Generation X to the Briggate store - they never arrived but we were given Ready Steady Go sleeves and badges. Also remember buying Subway Sect. VR was very busy on a Saturday lunchtime.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 22 Mar, 2012 6:10 pm

Not sure if this one has been mentioned before.*Sir Yanks reggae record shop*http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/3204836546/Sir Yanks can be found hidden away in a converted hayloft in the back streets of Chapletown. Not only has to be the smallest record shop in Leeds, it's probably the smallest in the whole of the U.K!

book · Post by **book** » Thu 22 Mar, 2012 10:15 pm

My sister worked at Scene and Heard next to the precinct pub. I used to get loads of samples off her for nothing from bands that were trying to break through. Remember seeing Sparks and Golden Earring at Leeds Uni confectory And going to the blues clubs on a Sunday afternoon in Chapletown. I heard today on radio 4 that the lead singer in Dr Feelgood is publishing his biography. Did they ever play Leeds? I'd forgotten how good they were until they played an old track on radio today.

kango · Post by **kango** » Fri 23 Mar, 2012 12:48 am

book wrote: My sister worked at Scene and Heard next to the precinct pub. I used to get loads of samples off her for nothing from bands that were trying to break through. Remember seeing Sparks and Golden Earring at Leeds Uni confectory And going to the blues clubs on a Sunday afternoon in Chapletown. I heard today on radio 4 that the lead singer in Dr Feelgood is publishing his biography. Did they ever play Leeds? I'd forgotten how good they were until they played an old track on radio today. Dr Feelgoods lead singer Lee Brilleaux died in 1994 so it may be lead guitarist Wilko Johnson they are referring to.Kango.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Fri 23 Mar, 2012 9:53 am

Phill_dvsn wrote: Not sure if this one has been mentioned before.*Sir Yanks reggae record shop*http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/3204836546/ Well I never knew that! Is it recent?