Re: in the shops yet?

[Aaron Mandel <aaron@ee...harvard.edu>]

On Thu, 18 Oct 2001, Anthony Raffaele wrote:

> I would appreciate if you could forward me suggestions for records
> stores (specifically vinyl) and clubs to visit while in town.

I've only visited London once, so take this with a grain of salt (not to
mention that it's been a year or two and some shops may be gone!):

- Around Notting Hill Gate tube stop, there are several Music & Video
Exchanges. Go to them. Look at all their vinyl carefully, for things get
cheaper the longer they stay in the bins. I found lots of stuff I'd been
looking for there, including the Up In A Down World LPs for 2 pounds.

- In Camden Town, along Camden High Street, there were a handful of record
stores that did well when it came to C86 and other British "underground"
pop. I have to admit I was surprised at how little (read: none) of that I
found elsewhere -- less than you'd see in a day record-shopping in Boston
or New York.

- There's a big long street whose name I have forgotten but which holds an
outdoor market on Saturdays and leads to the Rough Trade record shop
(historical interest). Halfway there on the left, you'll find Minus
Zero/Freak Out, two stores sharing one small building, specializing in
American guitar-pop and psych respectively. I found some US records there
I had never seen at home, which I suppose goes with what I was saying
above about how just because everyone talks funny in London doesn't mean
they have Sugargliders records to sell you.

- Unmusical things to do: see the ICA near Pall Mall, go bookshopping on
Charing Cross Road (just like in the movie, ha ha), visit several of the
hundreds of tiny art galleries in downtown London (most of them have maps
that will lead you to the others), get reprimanded by a robot drink cart
at the chain sushi place in SoHo, wander up and down Brick Lane (Aldgate
East tube) amazed at the thought of a country where they eat Indian food
when drunk rather than going to IHOP. I recommend Muhib, halfway down
Brick Lane on the western side.

I apologize if any of this is outdated, inaccurate or stupid. Particularly
stupid.

aaron

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-- fiction on demand -- free fast figments --
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