Watch the Complete Fifth Series of Behind The Counter

The complete fifth series of Behind The Counter, our collaborative video series with Record Store Day and Classic Album Sundays, is now available to watch in its entirety.

During this latest series, we visited a wealth of record stores from across the UK, meeting the owners who run them to discuss their passion for collecting and selling records, the joys of aiding their local community of music lovers and what they find most rewarding about running a record store. From St Leonards to Edinburgh, each episode explores a different, much-loved store in the area and shines a light on what makes each one so special. 

JM Records, Exeter

James, the owner of JM Records in Exeter, had his love for music reignited during the 2020 UK COVID lockdown. He started collecting records, getting his hands on some pricey limited-edition ones, which resulted in him selling some of his collection on eBay to foot the bill. As a hairdresser by trade, he noticed the next-door shop was vacant and decided he wanted to transform it into a record store of his own. Stocking predominantly Pop, James’ record store now serves as a space for like-minded genre lovers within the community to pick up the latest Ariana Grande or Britney Spears vinyl – and more.  

Raves From The Grave, Frome

Raves From The Grave is adored by the vinyl-loving community of Frome for its welcoming atmosphere and excellent records. Opened in 1997, the store is currently managed by Tom, who first found a love for music following in the footsteps of his older brother. His early introduction to Indie-Rock classics as a teen kickstarted his journey of musical discovery, and he now owns roughly 2000 records. For Tom, running a record store has resulted in many new friendships and many new favourite records – the only problem is he can’t stop himself from buying new records. 

Thorne Records, Edinburgh 

With a history of working in record shops, from Virgin to HMV, Fopp to HMV Australia and an independent store in Edinburgh, Mark Thorne eventually found himself at a crossroads – “get a proper job”, he says, or open up a record store of his own. He chose the latter and now runs the bright yellow Thorne Records in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh. He loves helping people spend their disposable income on the things they actually want rather than need, and in doing so, his shop has become a cornerstone to Bruntsfield’s burgeoning community of avid vinyl collectors and beyond. 

Blitzkrieg Shop, Glasgow

Tony from Blitzkrieg Shop in Glasgow loves coming into the record store each day, not knowing who he’ll meet. Every day is different, but one thing always stays the same – the wealth of great music on offer. The Blitzkrieg Shop is a hub for music lovers who want to discover new sounds, buy vinyl, and even just drop by for a chat. Additionally, upcoming artists from the area are encouraged to showcase their new records there, building on that musical family feel. Tony describes the store as an extension of his love for The Ramones – and to give context to how much he adores the American Punk Rock band, he’s even the frontman of a Ramones revivalist band, The Ramoaners.

Vinyl Van, Dorchester

Vinyl Van started its journey as a record shop when Marcia, the store’s owner, began selling records out of a van at festivals. Now that the name has some context, Vinyl Van is based in Dorchester, where it’s celebrated for its excellent selection of vinyl, open deck nights, live shows and authentic community of music lovers. One of Marcia’s favourite things about running the record shop is that it helps bring together a diverse range of people from different walks of life who all have one thing in common – a passion for music. 

Hey Joe, Brentwood

Born into the record store game, Marc from Hey Joe spent his childhood hanging out at his parents’ record shops, Sgt Peppers, in the 80s and 90s. Fast forward to just after Marc received his A-Level results, and he secured his first job working in HMV. Now, he runs Hey Joe Music and Coffee in Brentwood – a record store of his own where his partner and recently retired dad help out with the day-to-day activities. Although he’s got his own set of musical tastes, Marc gets a lot of inspiration for his listening from the customers who visit his shop. 

Tough Love, St Leonards

Anja, the owner of Tough Love, has always been passionate about music, having worked at a recording studio in Willesden as well as Cyber Dog in Camden in her twenties. She set up her record store in St Leonard’s to escape the London life, but also to create a space for women who love music to feel safe in. Rock and Metal are at the core of Tough Love’s extensive vinyl offerings; however, it’s championed for its wealth of left-field music from many different genres.

Dreamhouse, Leyton

Having always loved visiting record shops as a teenager, John, who heads up Dreamhouse in Leyton, has transformed his passion for music into a career. Initially, when opening the shop, he wanted the records to reflect his tastes in music. But, over the years, Dreamhouse’s selection of vinyl and music media has evolved to cater to its loyal customer base as well. A place where people can come and discuss music, hang out and feel free to explore new sounds is what John loves about record stores, and at Dreamhouse, that’s certainly what you get. 

Dark Earth, Wallasey

Dark Earth Records in Wallasey is run by the Heavy Metal-obsessed Deb and Jim. They both come from artistic backgrounds, which is reflected in the shop’s atmosphere and aesthetic. Decorated with black walls, literature about witchcraft and the occult, dark art – and, of course, lots of excellent records – Dark Earth isn’t just a record shop; it’s a cultural experience. While running the shop, the pair have helped build a tribe of Heavy Metal music lovers and been introduced to some new favourite music themselves. 

Defend Vinyl, Liverpool

Graham set up Defend Vinyl after inspiration struck on a trip to New Orleans. While visiting a shop there called Defend New Orleans, which centres around maintaining the spirit of the city, he decided he wanted to open something at home in Liverpool with a similar goal: keeping the spirit of records alive. With the day-to-day activity of the store handled by Graham and shop assistant Eva, a young, passionate music fan with a thirst for new sounds, Defend Vinyl is Liverpool’s go-to place for American Indie-Rock and Emo-centric records. Since opening, it’s been visited by Elvis Costello who even gave it a shout-out on the Stephen Colbert show. 

Level Crossing, Mortlake

Playing in a band and collecting records was always a big part of Mark’s life, so, as his wife suggested, it was a logical next step to combine his passion for music and entertainment and open his own record store. Level Crossing in Mortlake is Mark’s record shop, and it serves as a place where the local vinyl community can come, play and discover new records, talk about records and grab a coffee while they’re at it. Although Mark has an extensive knowledge when it comes to music, he’s constantly discovering new favourites thanks to the music fans who frequent his store. 

Tangled Parrot, Carmarthen

Matt always dreamed of opening a record store, and in 2011, after spending many years working on farms in the summer months picking apples, he decided to give it a go. What started as selling records out of his car from two apple crates – the crates he used at his previous farming job – evolved into owning a physical shop: Tangled Parrot. First opened in Carmarthen, he has since launched two more sites in Swansea and Hay-on-Wye. From his teenage years listening to Punk, Matt loved the community his favourite music scenes and record shops offered – and now, Matt is a key player in the music-loving communities of Wales.