I caught Cornershop live at the WUST Music Hall back in the ’90s before it become Washington, DC’s venerable 9:30 Club. Twas was a night of furious, global grooves which has stayed in mind for more than a few reasons, not the least of which was that a normally staid DC audience was moving. Dancing, even.
Also self evident that evening was the breadth of musical knowledge and influence on stage. One can’t traverse genres and cultures and world instrumentation without a heady record collection and time well spent rummaging through a fair share of record stores. I became envious of a record collection I perceived as a funky source code of knowledge and a need to know the record shops from where these slabs of vinyl emanated.
Thus, in tandem with Cornershop’s new LP Urban Turban on their own Ample Play label hitting store shelves tomorrow, we’ve cornered the duo’s Ben Ayres to answer the question all this week—what are Cornershop’s Favourite Record Shops?
We’ll get the lowdown on the shops the band deems the best across the globe, get the skinny on the new release, give away some gorgeous vinyl, and toss a free, rare track your way.
It’s Cornershop’s Favourite Record Shops, all this week at TVD.
Action Records, Preston | “We used to both regularly go to Action Records while at Preston Polytechnic in the late 80s. It was opposite the Rumble Club, one of the main music venues in Preston back then that had everyone play from Ted Chippington to The Fall.
It was (and still is) run by the legendary Gordon (and at that time his sidekick Alan). Both were enthusiastic, encouraging the local youth to get into exciting new music. Most of my favourite 80s independent label records were bought from this shop.
Our first drummer David Chambers even worked at Action for many years and one perhaps little known fact is that Action Records own (occasional) record label put out the first album by The Boo Radleys, as well as The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click) by The Fall and releases by seminal Preston group of that time, Dandelion Adventure. In fact Dandelion Adventure’s frontman Fat Mark did the sleeve artwork for The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click) and he was also our first tour manager/driver. Mark’s a legend.
Like all the best record shops – Action was and I’m sure still is, a social hub too, so if you’re ever in or near Preston, get on down there.”
Rough Trade Records West, London | “We’ve had a very long association with Rough Trade Shop on Talbot Road (Rough Trade West). The first label we signed with Wiiija Records, was based in the basement of the shop there, in fact the label name was the postcode turned in to a word : W11 1JA.
So, we used to go there all the time in the early days, visiting Gary Walker who ran the label, to pick up copies of records, and hang out with the other groups on the label who we were often sharing bills with too; Huggy Bear, Blood Sausage, Bikini Kill, etc.
Ever since, even though the label moved away and through the years of heavy touring we didn’t get there much, Nigel, Pete, Sean, and Jude have always been welcoming, and encouraging, which is rather special.”
—Ben Ayres
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Cornershop photo: Alison Wonderland
