Record Corner

Pound Lane, Godalming, GU7 1BX

01483 422006

UPCOMING RECORD STORE DAY EVENT

GIVE US THE BACKGROUND - WHEN AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN A RECORD SHOP?

I am from Dublin and took over Record Corner in Godalming a few years ago having been a customer before that. I think I’ve always wanted to have a record store if only to be able to store and see the records I have accumulated over the years. The best thing about owning a record store is opening parcels every day containing records – I will never tire of that, and I still love searching for rare records and I even enjoy researching them. Pretty much every day you spend talking to somebody interesting. Music has a great way of bringing out positivity and in the crazy times we inhabit is it so encouraging that so much brilliant music is still been created.

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

Record Corner has been an independent record store since 1958 and has traded from the same building since then. It has an amazing history, having changed its focus over the years from pop in the 60s complete with listening booths, to rock in the 70s then classical mainly in the 80s and 90s.
There have been so many famous people in the store that the list is too long to mention but I like to think that when Jimi Hendrix played in Godalming in the late 60s, he popped in for a browse! Nowadays our focus is on new and second-hand records in more niche genres. With the help of Amina (the manager) and stalwarts Lindsay, Danny, Charlie, and Rachel, we provide a friendly knowledgeable service, and we also have lots of in-store events and serve amazing coffee too.
Most of the staff are in bands with Danny (the Landings) and Charlie (Coloured Blind Monks) leading the way and we champion local talent whenever we can. We sponsor the Urban Beats show on Kane FM and often have DJs from the station playing live sets in the store.
Given our very long history there are lots of tales to tell but I particular like the stories of Russian defectors who used to visit the store in the 80s to buy classical music, who were being followed by Russian and British agents who were waiting outside reading newspapers and looking shifty.
We are also excited about our second store in the Boileroom in Guildford which is due to open officially in Feb 2022.

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

The first record I sold in the shop was Soul Mining by The The which is one of my favourite albums and the last one was Sons of Kemet - Your Queen is a Reptile which is a great album too!

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

When I was growing up in Dublin the two main record stores were Comet Records and Freebird Records (both sadly closed now). I spent a lot of time and all my money as a youth in those stores. The amazing thing about music is that while your taste expands as you get older, the music you listened to when you were 17 or 18, most of it still sounds great. I still love Nick Cave now and I bought Tender Prey when I was 17 from Comets famous post Xmas Sale.

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

Ben's Collectors Records in Guildford has a great range of second-hand vinyl at great prices, and it has a huge churn of stock to keep it interesting.

What’s your most memorable record store experience?

I always get a buzz when I see the queue for RSD looping round the corner and way up the high street at 6am!

How successful has Record Store Day been for you?

It has always been great for us – it is the lifeblood for independents and multiple drops came at the right time for us. Hopefully, RSD will be a great occasion with live music, we love it.