Alan Thomas was just about to put that, fantastic shop you had there Al, one of the best, spent many a good day there. I remember painting the shop sign out front. You got any pics of it geezer? Hope you well mate!
Spencer Cullum
Growing up in Romford Essex, the music scene consisted of mostly dance nightclubs and techno music, but I managed to find a local record store called BeatRoot records (RIP) which opened my mind and gave me an insatiable thirst for vinyl at the age of 13. They also showed me that my birthplace did consist of great music legends such as Procol Harum, Graham Bond, and Billy Bragg (technically from Barking, Essex, but close enough).
This was the ‘other music’ record store of Essex, with more of a car boot sale vibe, that consisted of older fellas reminiscing about Steve Marriott’s pub years and a collage under the glass counter—consisting mostly of ’60s mod pop stars. My best mate David Woolf (who still has BeatRoot records taking up most of his house to this day) worked there for a time and the day they put a local newspaper clipping of me on the collage was a big moment.
That is why vinyl is truly special to me. It showed me my hometown had a richer history under the surface. However cheesy that sounds, there’s memories on that wax!
Living in Nashville, I’m so very lucky to have Grimey’s Record Store around the corner to me, although I have yet to be promoted to their glass counter. One day!”
—Spencer Cullum
