Westminster Record Fair 2

Attended yesterday's fair with great expectations of a good days crate digging.  This VIP fair isn't as big as the Music Mania event (next one in November) but probably good for those collectors willing to pay the big ticket desirable items.  I'm more of a pile it high and flog it cheap merchant as i like to sort through stuff.  One man's tat is another man's treasure.  So shorter day than expected, but met with the boys in doing so and swung by Fopp! on the way back.  Small haul in the form of Simply Red and Sinatra CDs for my son, together with the "Wondrous Stories" prog compilation and a couple of 70's Biddu albums on vinyl (to follow up meet my current disco craving).

I Love Fopp!

Here's a great idea.  Let's keep record shops.  Have them stocked with good cross section of catalogues.  Include the obscure at appropriate higher prices but overall be cheap.  Plenty of bargain basement stuff.  Offers for £3, £5, £8.  New (but not mainstream) releases for £10.  Special offers for local events - London Jazz Week - sell some old but classic Columbia jazz sets for £3 in cool vinyl cover copies.  Include books about music, film and anything ... well anything really.  Most of all have staff who want to help, know their stuff and like customers.  Fopp went bust a couple of years ago and was bought out (they say saved) by HMV.  Interesting as Fopp is what i'd like to have seen HMV become.  Ask most HMV staff a not too difficult music question and not only will they not know but will show you they don't really care (my experience granted but there you go).  Compare it to my Covent Garden Favourite and there is no contest.  I will support this store for as long as they support my record buying habit in this way.  Power to the Fopp!