Tony's Records

I was in Tony's at least twice a week for a lot of the 1980s. What a cornucopia of delights it was - I spent ages in there listeneing to whatever was being played over the shop system, chatting to Tony and the staff, asking about LPs I'd heard of but not heard, hoovering up suggestions for what to look out for, and going home with one or more purchase in my shoulder bag. There was a box of new arrivlas next to the till - always the first place to check. Some albums I took months to find, but got there in the end. A copy of Ronnie Laws' 'Pressure Sensitive' on Blue Note took ages to show up. One year, driving back from a holiday in Scotland, I caught a track on the radio while waiting for the ferry from Skye (before the bridge!) and scribbled down the name of the artist literally on the back of a fag packet. Back in Bristol, I made my way to Tony's and asked him if he had the record in the shop - he said he thought he did, but that it wasn't on the shop shelves, it was somewhere in the basement stock room. Did I want to go dwon and look for it - it might take some time? Sure I did, and descended the rickety steps into second hand vinyl heaven; half an hour later I emerged triumphantly clutching his copy of 'Play It By Ear' by Roogalator, which he promptly sold to me for a modest sum; it's a cracking little album that is still on my shelf today. I have great memories of Tony's - it was exactly what a record shop should be; stacked with music, staffed by musicians, and full of musical punters.