Name: Jeff
Comment: This was my university. The redheaded American was superhot.
(28 December 2014)
Name: yentone
Comment: Probably the most influential record shop I ever went to was one I could only go to periodically. We had family who lived in Margate, Kent, and summer holidays were always spent there. As I became more interested in music, I found a place there called Funhouse Records. They had an immense stock of new and second-hand vinyl and it was staffed by very knowledgeable, rather freaky folk who would play music that was largely alien to my ears.
On my first visit, I came out with The Modern Dance by Pere Ubu, a couple of Residents albums and Starsailor by Tim Buckley. I think they thought I needed re-educating! Still have them and love them dearly.
Comments
Gallery
… and this advert on p10 of the 'Isle of Thanet Gazette' dated 24th June 1988: “FUNHOUSE RECORDS 13 MARKET PLACE, MARGATE, KENT. Telephone: 295595 / 295027 (Opposite Queens Head public house). Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm. KENT'S LEADING RECORD COLLECTORS STORE. Thousands of rare, scarce and interesting LPs in stock, specialising in 60s Psychedelia, Punk, Garage, Beat, 70s Progressive, Folk, Blues and an enormous selection of top quality used rock albums at great prices. Hundreds of independent issues (both UK and import). UNBEATABLE PRICES PAID FOR YOUR UNWANTED RECORDS / TAPES / CDs (Excellent condition only). Simply bring them along or telephone. We will collect large quantities if it's more convenient. VISIT FUNHOUSE FOR A NEW EXPERIENCE IN RECORD COLLECTING.” ... and this piece on the same page:
“A NEW record shop in Margate stocks more adventurous modern styles than just commercials for pop. Fun House Records in the Market Place is one of Thanet’s rarities. There is nowhere else in the area where you can choose from such a huge collection of psychedelic rock and punk. There is no Wet Wet Wet, Wham, Bros or Five Star to be found among the racks. This shop is for the connoisseur of independent labels and imports from the U.S., Australia and Europe. All the records are second-hand but look and play as if new. And they are all priced between £2.50 and £3.50, a bargain compared with similar stores in London. Apart from the more unusual and obscure albums, Fun House also carries more well-known, yet still hard to get, releases from artists like Zappa, Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Lennon and many other ’60s and '70s greats. The shop is run by Steve Eversley and Malcolm Galloway, who are well known in the town for their alternative taste in music. They set up a record shop at the top of Margate High Street in 1976, where they used to sell non-chart music. Three years later they formed a record mail-order company in Cecil Square. There they sold rock, punk and garage music from the ’60s to the present day. At their new premises they deal with specialist recordings and top quality used LPs. “We feel there is a great demand for our type of music and we have thousands of as-new used titles. We don’t sell any disco music just good rock,” said Steve. “There are also many collectable albums in stock. They include things that have long since been deleted. “Some of the punk stuff from the end of the 70s is almost impossible to find. We have got a good selection, but if we haven’t got a particular album I have quite a few contacts and will try to find one for a customer.” Fun House, which was named after Steve and Malcolm’s favourite Iggy Pop album, will be split into three sections. There will be a small selection of CDs as well as “used rock records” and “rare originals and independent issues.” Steve says he guarantees to give good prices for records in top condition.”