Armadillo Records
photograph Lawrence Impey
Mick Tarrant, who ran the Armadillo Records shop on Queens Road, Westbourne, in the late-1970s, met McLaren early in his career.
“I used to look after Ted Carroll’s Rock On stall on the Goldborne Road when Ted was on the road with Thin Lizzy and McLaren used to come and buy old rock ’n’ roll records for Let It Rock. “He was really boned up on music and knew his stuff – always seemed a thoroughly decent chap to me. Read more
(Nov 8, 2012) John Z said:Absolutely brilliant shop. Lived in Bury on a visit to Bournemouth this shop was on the same street as our hotel and made a 2 week holiday in the late 70’s great. Wish I’d bought even more from them!
Possibly my favourite ever record shop!
(Mar 22, 2012) Anonymous said:Great shop, loved it !!
(Dec 10th 2014) I grew up in Bournemouth in the 70s, and Armadillo was my favourite second-hand record shop. Through it I discovered a lot of West Coast stuff, and more. Sad to see it has closed, but good to see it has not been forgotten. Comment:
Philip Thomas.
Name Ray Symbolic Comment Far and away the greatest (non-reggae) record shop in the world – and that's not just nostalgia talking. Mick was often challenging in person; I lost count of the number of times he 'barred' me for the heinous crime of looking through a box of singles twice, or sniggering at his West Coast affectations and walrus moustache.
What I didn't realise until much later was that Mick would drive down to Rough Trade every Friday, to select stock which simply wouldn't have been otherwise available in Dorset. Much like Peel, I think, he was happy to promote underacknowledged music, whether or not it met with his tastes, and worked tirelessly to keep apace with rapidly accelerating developments in post-Punk etc.
He also brought the Mighty Observer to Bournemouth's Town Hall on more than one occasion, DJ'd between bands at the Midnight Express, and worked on many local co-promotions with the Comix bookshop and rehearsal studios next door.
Whilst Armadillo was very much Mick's idiosyncratic personal fiefdom, it acted as a social hub for misfits and fanatics of varying stripe, many of whom will owe their musical eduction to his ceaseless efforts. ( Oct 14th, 2016).
“I used to look after Ted Carroll’s Rock On stall on the Goldborne Road when Ted was on the road with Thin Lizzy and McLaren used to come and buy old rock ’n’ roll records for Let It Rock. “He was really boned up on music and knew his stuff – always seemed a thoroughly decent chap to me. Read more
(Nov 8, 2012) John Z said:Absolutely brilliant shop. Lived in Bury on a visit to Bournemouth this shop was on the same street as our hotel and made a 2 week holiday in the late 70’s great. Wish I’d bought even more from them!
Possibly my favourite ever record shop!
(Mar 22, 2012) Anonymous said:Great shop, loved it !!
(Dec 10th 2014) I grew up in Bournemouth in the 70s, and Armadillo was my favourite second-hand record shop. Through it I discovered a lot of West Coast stuff, and more. Sad to see it has closed, but good to see it has not been forgotten. Comment:
Philip Thomas.
Name Ray Symbolic Comment Far and away the greatest (non-reggae) record shop in the world – and that's not just nostalgia talking. Mick was often challenging in person; I lost count of the number of times he 'barred' me for the heinous crime of looking through a box of singles twice, or sniggering at his West Coast affectations and walrus moustache.
What I didn't realise until much later was that Mick would drive down to Rough Trade every Friday, to select stock which simply wouldn't have been otherwise available in Dorset. Much like Peel, I think, he was happy to promote underacknowledged music, whether or not it met with his tastes, and worked tirelessly to keep apace with rapidly accelerating developments in post-Punk etc.
He also brought the Mighty Observer to Bournemouth's Town Hall on more than one occasion, DJ'd between bands at the Midnight Express, and worked on many local co-promotions with the Comix bookshop and rehearsal studios next door.
Whilst Armadillo was very much Mick's idiosyncratic personal fiefdom, it acted as a social hub for misfits and fanatics of varying stripe, many of whom will owe their musical eduction to his ceaseless efforts. ( Oct 14th, 2016).
|
Click to set custom HTML
|