Lotus Records
There are so many memories of growing up in Stoke @ at the end of the 70s, but the one that springs most to mind is the exotica of Lotus Records burried in an arcade in Hanley(running between buses for the city's 6th form college) . I remenber the carrier bags, they had a strange lotus print on them & always seemed to have a certain cachet of cool about them. Beyond the ordinary expected albums,the store carried loads of exotica on Japanese import too, I remember loads of live albums from Japan, hanging on the wall, well out my 6th form price range. The sound system used to boom too. I think my best recollection is from 1980. The store were selling T shirts for Jimi Hendrix's 10th anniversary & one of the guys who always seemed a bit, shall I say whacked, said, 'Didn't know he was dead! He's had an album out every year!' Says it all really. A wonderful rock den, I probably miss the time & people as much as the actual store, I don't think it's there any more, but I don't go back... Comment: AnotherValiantexile
loved working at MLM/Lotus.. remember unboxing the 1st Metellica EPs on vinyl.. the 1st CD singles.. Genesis and Dire Straits etc.. Comment: Jonathan Buckley
(Sept 25, 2014) Stig said: I worked their for my brother Gez who was the manager. Loved the place and its wide variety of customers. Selling imports new releases classics and my favourite the second hand section where I got most of my albums. I was there at the dawn of CD's and the transition from vinyl. Not sure who the guy who didn't know that hendix had died was perhaps a Saturday boy or more likely someone being scarcastic as we all prided ourselves in our knowledge. Hawk Gez Jason Damian Mark where all people I can remeber working with and it was a home for rockers on a Saturday a social place. Sadly missed and I think those days are gone. There has opened a record shop recently by the once owner, I think, Mike Lloyd. Hope it stir memories for the next generation.
Back around 1978 or 1979 I bought a Christmas LP titled 'Oh Happy Day'produced by Lotus Records, 620 Western Avenue, London W3. Among it's wide range of seasonal and other religious hits of that time was a track of a very well done version by Vince Hill of - 'How Great Thou Art'. It does not come up in my U Tube searches of Vince Hill. The LP was produced in association with CBS, Buddah, Imperial, Round Records, Arista, and World Records. It was distributed by K-Tel International.The sleeve was of a very seasonal artwork of carol singers out in the snow in soft tone colours of blue, red, yellow, etc. Can the track be found and posted on U-Tube? Comment: Michael SUTTON
(June 29, 2015) Lotus in Hanley was the place to hang out in the late 70s early 80s although you had to go to Mike Lloyds to get your concert tickets for the Vicky Hall. Hard to believe that with Terry Bloods and Mike Stones shop there was at least four record shops in Hanley in those days plus Woolies, Smiths and Boots. An indication of just how many records were being sold in those days. Comment: Phillip Smith.
(October 17, 2015) The picture of the record bag brought back some great memories of the place in the late 70s. I seem to recall that the shop moved within the arcade a couple of doors down in around 1979? Can anyone remember the name of the record shop that preceded lotus in the arcade? It's been on the tip of my tongue for the past 30 years! Comment: Julian Smith.
loved working at MLM/Lotus.. remember unboxing the 1st Metellica EPs on vinyl.. the 1st CD singles.. Genesis and Dire Straits etc.. Comment: Jonathan Buckley
(Sept 25, 2014) Stig said: I worked their for my brother Gez who was the manager. Loved the place and its wide variety of customers. Selling imports new releases classics and my favourite the second hand section where I got most of my albums. I was there at the dawn of CD's and the transition from vinyl. Not sure who the guy who didn't know that hendix had died was perhaps a Saturday boy or more likely someone being scarcastic as we all prided ourselves in our knowledge. Hawk Gez Jason Damian Mark where all people I can remeber working with and it was a home for rockers on a Saturday a social place. Sadly missed and I think those days are gone. There has opened a record shop recently by the once owner, I think, Mike Lloyd. Hope it stir memories for the next generation.
Back around 1978 or 1979 I bought a Christmas LP titled 'Oh Happy Day'produced by Lotus Records, 620 Western Avenue, London W3. Among it's wide range of seasonal and other religious hits of that time was a track of a very well done version by Vince Hill of - 'How Great Thou Art'. It does not come up in my U Tube searches of Vince Hill. The LP was produced in association with CBS, Buddah, Imperial, Round Records, Arista, and World Records. It was distributed by K-Tel International.The sleeve was of a very seasonal artwork of carol singers out in the snow in soft tone colours of blue, red, yellow, etc. Can the track be found and posted on U-Tube? Comment: Michael SUTTON
(June 29, 2015) Lotus in Hanley was the place to hang out in the late 70s early 80s although you had to go to Mike Lloyds to get your concert tickets for the Vicky Hall. Hard to believe that with Terry Bloods and Mike Stones shop there was at least four record shops in Hanley in those days plus Woolies, Smiths and Boots. An indication of just how many records were being sold in those days. Comment: Phillip Smith.
(October 17, 2015) The picture of the record bag brought back some great memories of the place in the late 70s. I seem to recall that the shop moved within the arcade a couple of doors down in around 1979? Can anyone remember the name of the record shop that preceded lotus in the arcade? It's been on the tip of my tongue for the past 30 years! Comment: Julian Smith.