Inferno

Name: Tom
Comment: Easily the best punk record shop of its era in Brum. Whatever new releases were played by John Peel in the week could be found at Inferno by Saturday morning. Only big enough for one man and his dog, but still managed to pack them in when The Rezillos came in to sign their album. Showed its true loyalty when John Gidman, the ex-Villa right-back walked in one day (permed hair and flairs) asking if they had the latest Billy Joel album. Not a word from the assistant – just a slow shake of the head said it all…

Name: Malcolm Allen
Comment: The record shop on Dale End was called Inferno Records, when the Pistols released Never Mind The Bollocks, they plastered all the windows with the cover... which at the time was a little provocative...

Name: Leonardo Sullivan
Comment: I remember buying Jah Woosh's LP Lick Him With The Dustbin from Inferno in the late 1970s. Still have it too. Also in the 1970s Don Christie's was originally located on Ladypool Road in Sparkbrook. It was a fantastic record shop. I remember in 1976 one Saturday, whilst on a shopping trip in the area with my mum and twin brother we popped into the shop. It was a hive of activity. I selected about three 7" singles from the sale box on the counter, one of them was a track by Bob Marley - Sugar Sugar, long since misplaced. Over the ensuing years and lots of visits to the same shop, l became familiar to Dave, he knew what l would be interested in listening to and subsequently purchasing. He was a lovely guy, very knowledgeable about reggae music. Such a pity that such a site is not commemorated by a plaque in acknowledgement of Dave and the shop, and his contribution to the musical history of Birmingham.