New record shop in Teddington

The man with the joint best name for a record shop owner (along with James Brown of Vinyl Cafe in Carlisle) Robert Palmer has opened a brand new record shop. Give him your support.

Here in Robert's own words is his story.

Roan Records

12 Church Street

Teddington

TW11 8PB

 

 Roan Records began life in 1980 by a young man who wanted to open a record store, and after forty years of un-careful planning and not even thinking about it, in chunks of several years over this time, it has now appeared out of the mist and has settled in a corner of Teddington.

 


 

 

Throughout these forty years, the young man in question grew a year older every year and his love for music grew exponentially and weaved its course through a multitude of genres. A plethora of vinyl was crossing the threshold of his abode, each one, a unique piece of art; every word of every sleeve consumed in great wonder. The ritual of placing the disc on the turntable and gently placing a needle down in order to extract the riches hidden within the grooves. Four songs and twenty minutes later, repeating the ritual while turning the record over.

 

Then in 1982 … Disaster! The young man walked into a record store with a new section labelled CD’s … There were only six titles, including Dire Straits ‘Brothers in Arms’ (everyone’s first CD purchase). From this moment Vinyl begun a downward trend in popularity eventually clinging to life with a few specialist releases. Turntables were being relinquished and the music industry cashed in on the popular sport of replacing all of your vinyl titles on to the CD format. We are all familiar with the anecdotal tales of those people who contemplate the rueful decision to ‘chuck out’ their old vinyl collections. 


 

 

In 2008 the launch of Spotify went some way in endorsing the decision made by some, to reject the idea of owning a physical product that required a fair amount of storage space and replace it with a small piece of thin air. As we are all well a way, ‘thin air’ is very easy to store on a planet with an atmosphere. You only require oxygen, argon, water vapor and carbon dioxide, to provide an infinite storage solution for all of your downloads. Efficient it maybe but where’s the authenticity of ownership?

 

Ten Years ago, Vinyl, from its retirement home in deepest Eastbourne, suggested a comeback. Over this time, it has slowly crept back into our lives and is once again a legitimate and relevant format. A format that is also being embraced by those too young to have met vinyl during its previously unrivalled glory years.  

 

Over the last ten years the sale of the vinyl format has increased year on year and now most releases are available on the viny format. That young man who has during his lifetime witnessed the demise and the return of vinyl, finally open his dream ambition in the guise of Roan Records.

 

Come in and say hi! Enjoy the coffee and imbibe the allure and charm of all thing’s vinyl.

 

Ask! … and If he ‘hasn’t got it, he’ll get it (Non turntable owners also welcomed)


 

The three books of Graham Jones are available in record shops or online. The latest book The Vinyl Revival and the Shops that Made it Happen has been turned in to a film. It has just been released on DVD and is available in record shops or online. Distributed by Proper Music.

Each week I record The Vinyl Revival Record Shop Podcast. It contains lots of funny tales from the crazy world of record retailing. It is also available on Spotify.

Twitter: @Revival_Vinyl

My blog has over 100 features on record shops and vinyl.

grahamjonesvinylrevival.blogspot.com

For film screenings and talks contact Graham. 


 


As the person who has visited more record shops than any other human, I often get asked my advice on buying turntables. I always say do not purchase a budget model. What is the point of buying one that costs the price of a few albums? The sound will not do the recordings justice. For a long time, I have recommended Rega Turntables as they are superb quality at great prices. They got more brownie points for sponsoring 'Record Store Day' and manufacturing limited editions just for record shops. 

 

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