Quote/Story
Whenever B.B. King was in London in the 70s he would go to Dobell's and buy
blues LPs by the truck load. There's documentary proof of this in a Melody
Maker interview of June 1971 thus:
"I (Max Jones) was surprised to find him almost literally knee deep in books
and records. It was the result of a shopping expedition. "Well I took some
time off and went to see Ray in Dobells shop. I remember him from before and
it's always nice to talk to him. Whilst I was there I bought some books and
records" (Max Jones The Blues Boy In London, Melody Maker 19th June 1971
page 15)"
Ray Bolden at Dobell's would phone round and tell his mates "B's in the
shop". I last saw him there in 1987 in Tower Street.
Comment
I stood in line as the que snaked around half leafed sheelves taking in the last moments of a dying record shop but there was a sense of deja vu.
Leon Parker
(2022)
