As a kid growing up in the seventies, we had missed The Beatles and were listening to the solo efforts of the early – mid seventies. In an effort to complete my George Harrison collection I needed a copy of ‘My Sweet Lord’, which had been released before I was old enough to start buying records of my own. A local shop in my home town of Halesowen called ‘Pied Piper’, which not only sold records, but sheet music and musical instruments too at another shop around the corner, offered a back ordering service for old records. I asked them to order a copy of ‘My Sweet Lord’, which they were happy to do without even taking a deposit. A week or so later, I called in to collect my order, which was already waiting in their branded yellow paper bag, with some hand writing in the top right hand corner ‘Farmer 45p T/P’. (Meaning 45p to pay). I duly paid my 45p and left the shop. Soon after this, the shop adopted a ‘deposit with order’ policy, as a few kids had ordered records then not turned up to collect them, imagine? I ordered several more back cat records over the next few months, before discovering used record shops in the near by ‘big city’ Birmingham, where old record is good condition were fairly easy to find
Now a lot of water flowed under the bridge from the day in 1974, when I collected my George Harrison record to the year 2010, 36 years worth of water to be precise. A life time, some might say. It certainly felt like it, but I never gave up collecting records, so when I spotted a large box of used 45s in the charity shop literally 20 yards from where I now live (still in Halesowen), I had to have a rummage through. Right in the middle of the box there was an old ‘Pied Piper’ bag. Nostalgia flooded over me and a stood looking at it for a few minutes. It had a record in it, which I really can’t remember now (some old ‘Brotherhood of man’ single or such like) and had been used as a sleeve for the record. I decided that I would replace it with a more worthy record and buy the bag for old times sake. Imagine my amazement as I unfolded the edges of the bag to reveal some hand writing in the top left hand corner in red pen ‘Farmer 45p T/P’. It was the bag which my copy of ‘My sweet lord’ had been served to me in 36 years earlier. I took it home, found the copy of ‘My sweet lord’, which I still have, of course and placed it back in the bag, where it now sits in my collection. Nick Farmer.
I also felt nostalgic seeing you copy of the yellow plastic bag! Comment:-Betty Comley.
I remember you corrine I worked for your mom and dad at the halesowen and bearwood shops.Happy days!! names I remember Pete tricket, bob cross,yvonne,karen, Andrea, Lou, charlie piano player on a saturday and pete the keyboard manager.its all coming back to me now. Give my regards to your mom and dad. Comment: Ron Jones.
A strange thing happened the other week. At a Christmas party in a local pub, we had a delivery from a pizza parlour. This particular pizza business occupies the former premises of Pied Piper, beloved record shop and fond memory of most 40-somethings in Halesowen.
So far not so strange - until, upon clearing up, someone noticed a bag on a table. A bag I hadn't seen for 20 years. A bag which transported me back to a time where consuming music was an event you shared with your friends. It was a brand new, pristine 12" Pied Piper bag. Could it be that the pizza shop have uncovered a supply of new (20 year old) plastic bags at the back of a cupboard and are now using them to deliver garlic bread? Possibly. I must pop in and ask, and see if I can get a couple more.
In the meantime, I shall cherish this unexpected time capsule - although I did toy with the idea of putting an old 12" in it and walking around the precinct just to confuse people.
I have attached a photo, which you are welcome to use. Comment: Simon.
(Apr 22, 2014) Simon said:Hello Corinne. I remember you, Mike, Jackie - and others from the previous shop in the Precinct. I was thinking about the coloured/picture discs that used to be displayed above the doors in the old shop. Glad your memories are as fond as ours - it was a special time.
(Apr 17, 2014) Corinne said:What a wonderful story Simon. I have great memories of working in the shop during school and university hols and for a while after university when I opened the clothes shop in the back.
Jackie worked there for years and they were great times.
Best of all was Christmas especially Christmas Eve when we would arrive at 8 ish to a queue of people and would be run off our feet until the town went dead at about 3 o'clock.
Happy days indeed !
(Dec 11, 2013) sandra halesowen said:can anyone tell me where I can sell some old lps
(Dec 11, 2013) sandra said:can anyone remember priest record shop in Halesowen
(Aug 26, 2013) Richard Howard said:The image of the yellow bag brought memories flooding back for me! I used to visit Pied Piper in Halesowen on a weekly basis, usually on a Saturday when I had been given my pocket money, and then on a Friday lunchtime when I had been paid (I used to work at the Cordon Bleu Freezer centre!) The main person I remember serving me was a lady called Jackie. I used to love looking through the racks of 12" singles and when I began my own mobile disco in my late teens and early twenties, there was only one place to go to buy the vinyl I needed. Happy days!
(Aug 16, 2013) Alan Bailey said:Hello Pete,nice to know you are still around as are we.Good wishes to anyone who rembers us from those years. Unfortunately,the bottom dropped out of the record trade around the mid-eighties and we had to close the recordshop.We also closed the music shop in 1996,people didn't buy organs any more and you had to sell a lot of keybords at £200 to make up for one organ at £2000.Too much competition and you coudn't make a living on strings and sheet music.
(Aug 16, 2013) Anonymous said:Hi Pete and Ron nice to hera from you I have copied the link to Dad so hopefully he will add his comment.
(June 26, 2013) Pete trickett. said:Hi Ron! I remember you too! Nice to see you're still around! As you say happy times eh!
I often think of the people I used to know and work with. Andrea.Karen,Bob, etc.. and of course
Joyce and Alan Bailey. Lovely people all! Wonderful memories... For sure.. Kind regards and
Best wishes to all. Pete.
(May 18, 2013) Ron Jones said:I remember you corrine I worked for your mom and dad at the halesowen and bearwood shops.Happy days!! names I remember Pete tricket, bob cross,yvonne,karen, Andrea, Lou, charlie piano player on a saturday and pete the keyboard manager.its all coming back to me now. Give my regards to your mom and dad.
Name Matt Harris Comment: Glad I found this, I also have fond memories of pied piper. Visited the Halesowen shop many times in the early 90's, bought lots of guitar tab books from there. Also remember Mike being a great guitar player, he taught a few of my mates. The carrier bag brings back memories, wow. (February 1, 2017)
Comment
Thanks Nick, lovely story. I also remember the yellow bags having had many filled with purchases. The demise of the British record shop. I remember so many over the years including the shop I used when at college in Mansfield, Notts
Name
Philip Shaw
(2018)
Comment
I worked in the Peckingham Street shop on Saturdays. My brother Nigel was the shop manager at the time. So many fond memories. I particularly remember pranking the staff upstairs by hiding behind the sheet music rack and blowing two notes of a guitar tuner pipe which sounded exactly the same as the water boiler coming to the boil. Watching the girls confused look as they went to switch it off. Good times!
Name
Nic Burrows
(2019)
Comment
I also worked at the record shop in the late 70’s, Keith Evans was the manager of the precinct shop then along with Jackie and myself, I remember on Xmas eve, we used to go round to the peckingham street shop for mince pies before going home. The Xmas party was always a good one. They were indeed good old days, fondly remembered. By the way the red writing on that yellow bag is mine, how about that. Brilliant!
Name
Kath Baker (nee shilvock)
(2020)
