Glasgow has had no shortage of quality record stores down the particular decades — and it’s really little surprise.
Where there is strong demand, there is strong supply, and Glasgow has long had an unquenchable thirst for new music. It’s in our DNA.
We’re the city that gave the world legendary acts such as The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Teenage Fanclub, Primal Scream, Mogwai, Franz Ferdinand and Chvrches, and forged fabled indie labels like Alan Horne’s Postcard Records and Creation, co-founded by Glasgow’s own Alan McGee . And let’s not forget all the amazing venues we have had (and still have) to offer.
READ MORE: Remembering Glasgow’s dropped iconic record store 23rd Precinct
Glasgow’s a city rife with musicians, wannabe music artists, gig promoters, zinesters and music bloggers, and for generations they’ve been served by some of the best report stores going.
And while the internet plus music streaming era may have sounded the death knell for many of our best-loved record stores down the years, they’re never closed in our hearts.
Glasgow had the stonking selection of brilliant record stores in the particular heyday of vinyl records before the internet era came along. Here’s just a few from back within the day that we’ll forever remember.
Tower Records
A biggie, so big that Bon Jovi shut the whole street down simply by playing out of the windows. A crowd of five, 000 cheered on as the band played an acoustic set. Situated on Argyle Street next to the Heilenman’s Umbrella, the record store boasted a fantastic selection associated with records, magazines and books spread over many floors.
Hades Records
If you’re heading to name your shop after the particular Greek god of the underworld, you’d better make sure the store lives up to the name. Plus oh, how it did. The orange and purple decor was legendary, as was the huge and slightly terrifying Rory Gallagher poster watching more than you as you went downstairs, but it was the songs that people came for.
Sign up to our own Glasgow Reside nostalgia newsletters with regard to more local history and heritage content straight to your inbox
Rat Information
The name stands for ‘Records plus Things’, the name of the music memorabilia shop that will preceded it. Most famous for hosting a signing session with Sonic Youth prior in order to their show at Strathclyde Union in 1989 : which is a pretty good thing to be famous for.
Echo Records
This Byres Road shop has been allegedly staffed by ‘a man bearing a close resemblance to naturalist and TV personality Terry Nutkins’ and a woman who often threw Twin Peaks parties at her flat within Dowanhill. What more do you need?
23rd Precinct
House plus techno in the front, metal in the particular back – this Bath Street shop didn’t waste its time with the top ten. After trading regarding 50 many years, the legendary store sadly closed its doors in 2009, after the rise of iTunes and YouTube saw sales plummet.
Listen Records
Billing themselves since the home of ‘Cheap ‘n’ Nasty Records & Tapes’, Listen was because well known for their ridiculously steep stairs and red lights as they were for their eclectic music choice. So cool that they even had an advert within the underground magazine The particular Word — featuring an elderly Glasgow woman using the caption “It’s a’ thae weird records”.
Glorias Record Bar
Based on Battlefield Street close to Langside Bus garage in the south side from the city before moving in order to Mount Florida in the particular early 70s, it was owned by radio presenter Tom Russell aka ‘The Godfather of Rock’ alongside another store within Bishopbriggs.
READ NEXT:
Throwback Glasgow footage takes us round city centre shops in 1993
Things we could do in ‘00s Glasgow that all of us can’t do anymore
Eminem at Hampden and 12 other amazing Glasgow photos that’ll take you back to 2003
Looking back again at Glasgow’s first electric tram that the town welcomed 124 years ago today
Road songs you’ll know word for term if you grew up in Glasgow