About Low Port Music
I grew up near the Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall border, suburbs of Stockport near Manchester. Both had a choice of record shops in the 70s/80s. I can't sing or play an instrument so growing up I wanted to have a record shop. As I got older life took me in another direction after realising that having 5 kids and a mortgage might be a struggle for a poor record shop owner. I moved up to the beautiful Royal Burgh of Linlithgow in West Lothian, between Edinburgh and Glasgow, 3 years ago. Encouraged and supported by my wife we decided that an empty shop on the high street would be a great place to open. Pair of fools! who opens a shop at the end of a pandemic with a cost-of-living crisis around the corner? 18 months later and I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing but it's great learning. I'm amazed at the support, encouragement, advice and help I’ve received from ERA, Reps, Labels, friends, family and especially the local community. Customers even moved to the town because it had a record shop. The shop attracts people from all over to the town and local people who moved away visit on return and tell me it's unbelievable the town has a record shop again. I enjoy meeting people, getting to know them, being a place where they can come and chat nonsense.
Low Port Music is the Man Creche, Safe Refuge, Time Warp, and Social place to meet and shop all rolled into one. We stock a great selection of new & classic vinyl and CDs. From Arctic Monkeys to ZZ Top, all genres, blues, country, indie, folk, rock and pop. High school hits, memories evoked, to current and future musical hopes. Many customers have commented that the shop's size and layout reminds them of Bruce's Records on Rose Street in Edinburgh. We try and cater for most tastes giving customers the best chance of walking out with something in the record bag. It's very rewarding to build relationships with customers, knowing their tastes, what they are looking for. There's Stewart who has a memory bank of music facts and tells a great story especially about up-and-coming new singer-songwriters as well as his youth when he first discovered Elvis and Rock N Roll, John who loves Fairport Convention, has met Dave Swarbrick and reminisces about times with his late wife. Matthew who whilst loving his 90s indie is also on the ball with current music and has a wealth of knowledge, Dave who loves his Blues CDs and is now back rebuying the vinyl he gave away or lost years ago. Nolah a teenage Taylor and Harry fan/ collector, Maddie loves her 70s singer-songwriters and Paul C who buys anything if it's coloured vinyl. Recently another Paul was in the shop and after he left an excited customer couldn't believe he'd just been in a record shop with Jimmy Page. He was too awestruck to introduce himself. I didn't pop his balloon.
Always keen to promote local bands and artists. Scotland and West Lothian in particular, is a hotbed of talent especially at the moment, building on the momentum of Lewis Capaldi and The Snuts. Check out: Christie Oliver, Silvi, Echo Machine, Dylan John Thomas, Megan Black, Dictator, Mark Sharp & The Bicycle Thieves, Kathryn Joseph, Luke La Volpe, to name just a few, there are plenty more!
Can't remember the first, opening day is all a blur! Writing this I have just sold the RSDBF Doors vinyl album to a customer from Newcastle (he's back home to see his Mum in a local town and they're visiting Linlithgow for the day)
The one I remember buying my first record myself at was B G Records on Underbank in Stockport. Dreaming by Blondie 7” single, picture sleeve.
Every Saturday as a young teen I’d go to Stockport on the bus with a couple of pals and spend my paper money on singles spending time in the various shops searching out the picture sleeves, picture discs, double packs etc.
Once allowed (haha) I progressed to going to town (Manchester), again with pals and we had even more choice of record shops to visit e.g. Piccadilly (at the plaza), Bostocks, Bradley’s, Robinsons, Record Peddler, Virgin etc. Not forgetting Pandemonium on Oxford Road (bonkers, search online for stories).
Unfair question! Too many to mention especially as I have friends who own/work in a few. Going back to my teenage years my favourite would have been Yanks which was great for a kid like me with a limited budget. You could get an armful of cheap import LPs from there and still have change from a tenner!
I also really enjoy spending time in toy shops, model shops and bookshops although don’t have much time for any these days.
I’d be in my late teens, looking in the racks in Rare Records in Wilmslow and being accidentally shoved by a fellow digger. I accepted and acknowledged his apology without looking up only to be told at the counter that it had been Noddy Holder.
Very successful. Not just on the day when as well as the exclusive releases we also sell plenty of regular stock new & used. The lead-up promotion especially from TV, Radio & social media really helps to put the focus on people's local independent record shops. It's great to see happy faces knowing they've secured their wish list. It's just a feel-good great day for all.
Difficult as I’ve been to so many and probably equally forgotten as many. My first was The Smiths with James as support. Meat is Murder tour, Palace Theatre, Manchester March 1985, not a bad start! However, I would say it's got to be Plenty at The Hacienda, Manchester 22nd October 1990. Why? Something else seeing your childhood friend's band playing a headline gig at the iconic venue. Lads I’d grown up with going from school band to the only unsigned band to headline The Hac. I've also got a recording of the gig on a cassette given to me by my childhood best mate.
The Bible
Some Like It Hot
The Beatles White album, Elvis American trilogy, Phil Spector's Christmas album, John Lennon's Plastic ono band, Fleetwood Mac's Tango in the night, Blondie Eat to the beat, OST Bettie Page, George Michael Older, The Smiths' Strangeways here we come.
Might have to be a two-day festival!
The Beatles, Elvis, Fleetwood Mac, The Smiths, Kylie, Blondie, First Aid Kit, Self Esteem, The Jam, Slade, David Bowie, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott/Beautiful South/HouseMartins (any or all!), Darlene Love, The Carpenters, World of Twist, Scarlet Party, Plenty, Harriet
The Ronettes - Be My Baby
