Tell us a little bit about your store? What's the vibe?

M&N: We are fortunate but also slightly unusual regarding your traditional Record shop we think. We’ve had a close friendship and relationship with Overdraft Craft Ale Bar in Southampton’s Shirley neighbourhood since they opened and to add to the vibe, our good friend and owner Mikha Ria, approached us to turn a section of the bar into a record shop. Mikha’s family has a great relationship with music, his father Amrik, who is sadly no longer with us, used to manage R&B sensation Ten City, electro-funk band CHAKK, owner of the legendary FON records in Sheffield and was an NME journalist in the 80s, so it all It made perfect sense. We both play in the bar monthly and we were delighted but slightly nervous when Amrik first approached us to DJ. I mean, an NME critic asking you to DJ, best be on your game for that one fellas!!! So, what’s not to like, Vinyl, Craft ale and Mexican street food all under one roof. The shop stays open late every day of the week and we have Vinyl only DJs playing every Friday and Sat, instore events with local live bands…so I guess you make your own mind up of the vibe. It’s a sound little place, with a unique setting for a record shop. But most importantly, keeping the name of Amrik and his love of music alive, it’s an amazing vibe, each night is different.

Can you remember the first record you sold in the shop? And the last?

N: On our shop opening event we sold 4 copies of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. It’s an album people love so much that we keep stocking it. Apart from that, the very first records sold were Dr Dre – The Chronic, Otis Blue, and Metallica Ride the Lightning amongst others, nice copies as well.
M: Today we just sold a copy of Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet to a very nice guy we met recently who’s a straight-up old-school hip-hop fan. He’s got this one but it's scratched to hell, so he was pleased to purchase a near mint original UK pressing from us.

Do you remember the first record shop you went to? And you do you remember the first record you bought?

N: Yeah, Venus records Farnham, and my 1st purchase was in the shop too, Motorhead Golden Years EP on 12”. One of the very few things that is clear to me this day still got it as well.M: Red Rose Records in Poole, it's still open now and no bigger than most people’s bathroom. It fits about 3 people in at one time.  I spent my pocket money on two records…. Sugar Hill Gang – White Lines 12” extended and James Brown’s Make it Funky on a 45.

What is your favourite record shop (apart from your own!) and why?

N: I am going to go for 2, Grimey's in Nashville Is an amazing place, the new and second-hand stores, spent a great few hours in there picking up bits. And in the UK I am going with 101 Collectors’ records in Farnham. Andy has just kept that goldmine going, he knows and loves his stuff, I know there are many amazing shops around the UK, but I love 101, many great finds and memories.M: I don’t get their as often as I would like but Eldica Records in Dalston is a well known gem in East London run by the brilliant and very knowledgeable Andy Westbury. You never know who’s in there digging and last time I was in there, I was rubbing shoulders with Stones Throw Records founder Chris Manak aka Peanut Butter Wolf.

What’s your most memorable record store experience?

N: Record shop owners are going to hate this, I was, I’m going to say South Wales as I can’t remember exactly where, and I was in this little shop when a guy brought in a collection to sell, the guy behind the counter, who I am going to guess was standing in for the owner, gave the seller a small amount of cash for a collection of about 30 records and I had a little flick through…..a 1st press Nick Drake Bryter Later, the guy in the shop said yours for £4.00, I don’t think I need to go on
M: Record shopping in Tampa Bay Florida, they’ve got warehouses on industrial estates full of vinyl that is practically untouched. Shelf upon shelf stacked to the roof. It was so much vinyl that I felt a little claustrophobic, I didn’t know where to start and just to make it harder, everything was sorted A-Z making it hard to find certain genres. All my knowledge of digging for vinyl was really put to the test.

What's the best gig you've ever been to?

N: The Smiths at Glastonbury 84 sticks out, as does Our Girl at Heartbreakers in Southampton last year, but we’ll go with the Smiths
M: Rage Against the Machine at Redding festival. It was their last ever UK performance before they split in 2000. I think every die-hard fan was there that year and the atmosphere was one of kind.

What's your all-time favourite book?

N: Carry on Jeeves P G Wodehouse, or anything by Wodehouse, or everything by Wodehouse
M: Know your Onions by Drew De Soto

What's your all-time favourite film?

N: O brother where art thou
M: Pulp Fiction

What would make up your desert island discs?

N: Having vinyl records, fine craft ale and Mexican street food all under one roof give us a chance to make the day more than just a shopping transactional visit. We hope that people will come not only to get hold of some of the vinyl exclusives but also stay with us for the day, watch the bands and meet people in Southampton’s vibrant and diverse music scene.
M: This year we are planning a full day of music with some of the finest local acts, which will carry on over the weekend too. Overdraft’s DJ roster has grown considerably over the last few months with all of them lined up to play vinyl-only sets throughout the event and late into the evening, and for vinyl available on the day we will have our second-hand selection and new releases fully restocked in time…..we have loads of free goodies to give away so get their early.

Who would form your all-time Festival line-up? (past & present)

M & N: Let’s go with a Saturday line upas follows with no particular running order

Prefab Sprout
Beastie Boys
AC/DC
James Brown
Chaka Khan
Prince
Otis Redding
Aretha Franklin performing her entire Amazing Grace album
Spinal Tap (just for a comical interlude)
The Clash
Rush
NWA Vs Public Enemy (why not)
Unkle
Chemical Brothers
Idles
Steely Dan ( to headline…that’s set in stone)

What's your all-time favourite record?

N: Natalie Merchant – Ophelia
M: Public Enemy - It takes a nation of millions to hold us back

OTHER RECORD STORES