Bayes Recordium

Name: Bob & Janet Booth
Comment: Bayes Recordium started above Bayes TV in St James Street in 1957. We moved to Tower Street in 1963 to our own shop. Above this shop we had a recording studio where almost all local (and not so local) groups recorded. We had records made which were sold in the shop and by the groups. In 1973 we moved to Broad Street (when the iconic orange/black bags first appeared).

We sold the business in 1997 having been going for 40 years.
Some of the bands that recorded at 6 Tower Street include:

• The Sabres (went on to Top Ten Club in Hamburg)
• The Tea Time Four (included Boz Burrell, later of Bad Company, and Fats Dean of Brian Auger)
• Danny Ford and The Offbeats
• Red Squares (from Boston) – had one or two releases on Columbia
• The Devil’s Coachmen

To name but a few.

Name: Stuart C
Comment: Well. Saturday job in key markets. £4.63 cash and straight to Bayes to spend £3.00 on an album. Hawkwind, Thin Lizzy, happy days.

Name: Adrian Brown
Comment: I spent most if not all of my teenage pocket money in here, starting with Adam and the Ants through Frankie Goes To Hollywood and all their mixes to my more refined adult choices.

Bayes always had the best jazz selection in the town and always the best service and price. Sadly missed.
(20 January 2013)

Name: Edward
Comment: Both pleased and suprised to find Bayes on here. I think I can just about remember it before it moved to Broad Street and I certainly remember my regular Saturday visits, especially to look at the Electric Ladyland cover.
(20 September 2012)

Comment: I believe I brought Patti Smith's Gloria on a 12" from there in 1977. For some reason it had a brown paper bag as a sleeve. As it happens I saw Ms Smith play it at End Of The Road two weeks ago.

Name: Sam Carter
Comment: I also still have a copy of the single/EP they recorded. It's a bit rough and my dad (Nick Carter) had to sing on most of the tracks, as Les Garner (Danny Ford ) was ill on the day of the recording.
(29 December 2014)

Name: Metal Mickey
Comment: I bought my first ever 7" in the Tower Street shop - Wig Wam Bam by The Sweet - and even listened to it first in one of the booths... happy days! I'm trying to think how much it would have cost... 25p perhaps, or maybe 49p?
(13 April 2017)

Name: Ross Spencer
Comment: I remember buying my music from all your shops when I was at school. I think my father knew you, Roy Spencer. I am on a bus now just thinking about the old days, soon about to get a flight out. I would spend all my pocket money in your shop. I found it interesting seeing this website.
(2019)

Name: Jonny Croose
Comment: I worked at Bayes briefly in the 1980s with Bob, Janet, Sarah, Jayne, and Lisa. It felt like the coolest job in town. I remember the listening booth and selling some of the first hip hop albums, Streetdance, Grandmaster Flash, as well as early Madonna, Frankie and NOW 5. Saw the arrival of the first CDs. I’m not sure I was a great shop assistant, but Bayes gave me a lifelong love of music and records. Thanks folks.
​(2022)