I love visiting a record shop for the first time; flicking
through virgin stock, not knowing what might leap into my hands. It's
particularly thrilling to dig in an area far from home. On these occasions, records
that the locals have become blind to, that they've grown tired of seeing
cluttering up the racks, can benefit from a fresh pair of
eyes. LPs that might be considered common or overpriced in one area can look cheap
and desirable to an out-of-towner. And so it was when Wurzel, my West Country
connection, introduced me to Blackcat Records in Taunton
on a recent visit to Somerset.
The first thing I noticed about Blackcat is that it doesn't
look like a complete shit-hole. I've spent enough time in record stores that have
the appearance and smell of the final resting place of a soap-dodging hoarder
to be quite taken aback at the sight of a well-lit shop that looks to have been
hoovered occasionally. That's not to say that I'm averse to crate digging in
squalor, but it's always a bonus to leave a record store without flea bitten
ankles and the stench of mildew in my clothes.
So, where are the piles of vinyl littering the floor? Not at
Blackcat: every record has a place in the racks. Even the lowly £1 bargains are
neatly contained in crates tucked under the main stock. Records are organised alphabetically
within genre, but your idea of what genre certain artists fall under may well
differ from Blackcat's, so best to look through everything if you have the
time. Brand spanking new records share rack space with pre-loved vinyl,
particularly in the 60s Psych section which, unsurprisingly (given the
rarity of many of the original titles), leans heavily on reissues to justify
its existence. Records seem, on the whole, to be in great condition and priced to sell: not give-away prices, but temptingly reasonable. I picked up Kraan's Let It Out and Klaatu's Sir Army Suit LPs for £8 and £7 respectively.
I can't believe how many of the record shops I visit don't
have a 'New Arrivals' section. Much as I love one of my local stores (Collectors'
Records in Kingston-Upon-Thames), the lack of a 'New Arrivals' section means
that I have to trawl through thousands of records that have been clogging the
racks for months, years in some cases, to find any fresh stock. Fortunately,
Blackcat doesn't commit this crime, having a prominent 'New Arrivals' rack next
to the counter for regular customers with limited digging time.
The head honcho at Blackcat is a friendly, outgoing bloke
despite feigning coyness when I suggested I might blog about his shop. Pay him
a visit if you're in the West Country. Nice little shop!
