How Black music record stores changed UK music forever

There is a vibrant UK history, previously untold, of record stores that specialised in Black music. These were bustling community hubs, bringing together like-minded people to share their interests and discover what the revered tastemakers behind the counter rated as the latest sounds.

2Funky Arts has recently taken a deep dive into this history, uncovering a veritable treasure trove of photos, footage and nostalgia. Director Vijay Mistry is the driving force behind this heritage project, which has seen the creation of a book, documentary and podcast exploring England’s Tastemakers. Research also includes interviews with over 100 customers, DJs, artists and record store owners, in a story that spans 70+ years.

Specialist record stores started breaking new artists in the '50s and '60s, way before Black music was getting airplay on mainstream media or being stocked in big chains. In London, Theo’s in Brixton and Calypso Record Shop in Ladbroke Grove led the charge — catering for the Windrush generation who sampled familiar Caribbean genres like reggae, calypso and soca. Specialist record stores ultimately became safe spaces where people could make connections, engage with their culture and seek solace from the politics of division that dominated an often-hostile world.

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By the '80s, as more genres emerged, they remained somewhat "underground" by UK standards, and these independent record stores were really the only places to access new Black music. Experimental sounds of jungle, R&B and drum 'n' bass would soon start sifting through the speakers, as pirate radio was fed by these stores and capitalised on the emergence of raw talent. The independent record store was the birthplace of bold new genres and pivotal in breaking artists that were simply not part of the mainstream. Rhythm Division in Bow, East London, was so closely tied to the growth of grime music in the mid-noughties that it’s impossible to talk about one without mentioning the other.

A stroll through Soho in Central London in the '80s or '90s would reveal a host of seminal shops – Black Market Records, Uptown Records, Mr Bongo, Daddy Kool and Wyld Pytch to name a few. And across the country, Spin Inn and Eastern Bloc up in Manchester, Don Christie’s and Punch Records in Birmingham, and 2Funky Records in Leicester, all earned their place in history. Far from being a typical retail experience, visits to these independents were like weekly pilgrimages. “You’d spend hours in there literally flipping through crate after crate...” says Mitch Pirie, a customer from Leicester.

2Funky Arts has its roots firmly embedded in this history, with Mistry running 2Funky Records on Leicester’s Belgrave Gate from 1997 to 2012. The store had an international customer base, with high profile ones including DJ Jazzy Jeff and the late Fatman Scoop, as well as DJs from BBC 1Xtra, Kiss FM and Galaxy. It hosted small performances, featuring artists such as Killa Kela, and album signings from David Banner and Fun-Da-Mental. It was a thriving business empire, with record labels, a magazine, and associated events like Leicester’s Best Dance Crew.

In 2007, Mistry set up 2Funky Arts, now an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation that develops and champions Black music, arts and heritage. Our other projects include the annual Festival2Funky, plus artist development programmes such as Project LIVE and Take Off. 2Funky Arts now hosts performances at Vijay’s own venue 2Funky Complex in Leicester’s multicultural West End. He is very aware that much of 2Funky’s large regional following has grown from its origins as a record store.

Independent record stores also influenced a generation of music industry executives and tastemakers. “Record shops played a pivotal role for me and my career - it gave me the drive and passion for wanting to work in music. I'm now 23 years in the music industry and am forever grateful for the record shop,” says Bina ‘Bob’ Mistry, now a leading music lawyer.

“I always wanted to be a stockbroker,” says DJ and broadcaster Reggie Styles. “And just being in a record store for that entire week [for work experience] changed my entire career path for my life and brought me into the music industry.”

Other key industry figures, such as Jazzie B, Trevor Nelson MBE and David Rodigan MBE, can all credit the record store for being a catalyst for their expansive careers in music.

It’s also clear how much camaraderie these record stores offered. These places were about more than buying records – they afforded the chance for people to learn about gigs, watch performances, hear about parties and get a music education. “It was a kind of social media before social media,” says Vijay Mistry.

The digital revolution saw a demise of vinyl sales and the closure of many iconic stores in the early noughties, but since 2007 the popularity of buying vinyl has steadily increased. This ‘vinyl revival’ has helped continue the legacy of these stores into the modern era, enabling younger generations to experience the unique thrill of record shopping.

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“Most people thought the DJs were the tastemakers, but actually it was the people that were selling the music to the DJs…” says Ammo Talwar MBE, former owner of Punch Records (1997-2005), now a leading figure in the arts.

Memories of boom years for the independent record store are shared in 2Funky Arts’ documentary, which features Jazzie B, Trevor Nelson MBE, Marcia Carr, DJ SS, DJ Rap, DJ Spoony, and Simon Dunmore. Also exploring this heritage, their new book unlocks a wealth of interviews and images - a must read for any vinyl enthusiast or fan of Black music.

Shaping trends across genres such as soul, hip hop, garage, grime and everything in between, the humble independent record store needs to be celebrated as a major part of Black music history.

The Record Store & Black Music: England’s Tastemakers – the documentary, book, and podcast – can all be found at www.theblackmusicrecordshop.co.uk. It is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Blackout Mixmag is an editorial series dedicated to Black artists, issues and stories, first launched in 2020. Our 2025 features are co-guest edited by Kevin Saunderson and Kwame Safo (AKA Funk Butcher). Read all of the previously published pieces here