I found this in the 'Pontypridd Observer' dated 21st December 1957: “FRED H. FEY, FOUNTAIN RECORD MUSIC STORE, 11 TAFF STREET, PONTYPRIDD.” ...and this in the 8th October 1965 edition: “Quality LPs by famous artistes. From Classics to Populars. FRED H. FEY, RECORD SPECIALIST, Fountain Record & Music Shop, 11 TAFF STREET PONTYPRIDD.”
Rachael Frank
07 Jun 2025 at 11:59
What an amazing find!
I am currently reading Tom Jones autobiography ‘Over the Top and Back’, and with a quick google search of Freddie Fey’s Record Shop in Pontypridd - which is the name Tom has given him - I have ended up here.
For context: Before Tom started singing in his late teens, singing in local bars and clubs with a band called ‘The Senators’ in the late 1950s and early 60s, he had numerous labour jobs including working in a glove factory when he was 16.
It is at this age when he started listening to up and coming rock n roll. It says in his book, if you wanted to hear proper rock n roll music you would go to Freddy Fey’s record shop. He would have a speaker above the door which played music outside to the street. It’s here that a young Tom would listen to records like ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ by Elvis Presley and ‘Treasure of Love’ by Clyde McPhatter.
I highly, highly recommend this book! And for your information if interested, the chapter and page number of where Tom talks about this is: Chapter - ‘Take My Love’ Page no. - 64 to 66
“FRED H. FEY, FOUNTAIN RECORD MUSIC STORE, 11 TAFF STREET, PONTYPRIDD.”
...and this in the 8th October 1965 edition:
“Quality LPs by famous artistes. From Classics to Populars. FRED H. FEY, RECORD SPECIALIST, Fountain Record & Music Shop, 11 TAFF STREET PONTYPRIDD.”
I am currently reading Tom Jones autobiography ‘Over the Top and Back’, and with a quick google search of Freddie Fey’s Record Shop in Pontypridd - which is the name Tom has given him - I have ended up here.
For context: Before Tom started singing in his late teens, singing in local bars and clubs with a band called ‘The Senators’ in the late 1950s and early 60s, he had numerous labour jobs including working in a glove factory when he was 16.
It is at this age when he started listening to up and coming rock n roll. It says in his book, if you wanted to hear proper rock n roll music you would go to Freddy Fey’s record shop. He would have a speaker above the door which played music outside to the street. It’s here that a young Tom would listen to records like ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ by Elvis Presley and ‘Treasure of Love’ by Clyde McPhatter.
I highly, highly recommend this book! And for your information if interested, the chapter and page number of where Tom talks about this is:
Chapter - ‘Take My Love’
Page no. - 64 to 66