The musical heritage of Watford has infected the lives of a disproportionate amount of people for its size and is something that we are proud of. I grew up in the late 1990s, a time when local DIY punk rock scene was the hub of social activity: gigs were put on by kids in old working men's clubs; bands formed and broke up weekly in the local college, schools and rehearsal rooms; people met in Past and Present Records, Virgin, CD Warehouse, Sam Goody, Our Price.
It was at Southern Records that I would dream of one day running a label out of a record shop and here that I met Benjamin Shaw, an introspective, blackly humorous and criminally underrated singer/songwriter. Whilst packing fresh vinyl copies of Discord titles to ship across Europe he introduced me to my first coffee. And the second, the third… nth… before I knew it I had got myself a cafetière, then filter machine, aeropress and now a beautiful La Marzocco FB 80.
Looking at Watford now the venues, bands and the shops have all changed, but the spirit is still here. The sheer numbers of signed and respected artists who have hailed from this suburban enclave are testimony to this creative spirit.
In November 2013 we opened the doors to The LP Café. LP is on a mission to escape from the rest of the world and enjoy the tastiest coffees while discovering the best sounds. It is our duty to share them with our town.
