Tasty Records

25 Regent Road, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA14 1RX

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Tasty Records - Nite School, Deb Grant, Lounge Lizard, Ben N

Tasty Records

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

I'm Ben the owner of Tasty Records, I've been selling records here in Altrincham South Manchester for around 8 years.In 2012 I had a bit of an epiphany and decided that the corporate life of chasing new car sales figures wasn't for me. So with the help of my sister Emma, who was already running a sweet little comic and pop culture shop in Wrexham, I formulated a plan to open a shop of my own.I took all of my savings and opened a small shop in Altrincham town centre - we sold comics, trading cards, action figures and vinyl records. This was just before the resurgence of vinyl and it would have been tricky to start a new venture only selling records but when we joined up with Record Store Day, it was evident which way I wanted my business to go.Eventually, the shop ended up just selling records and we relocated to a new premise in Altrincham. We've now grown into a bit of an animal and my mantra is that we don't want to sell the most records, we want to sell the best records.My way of life is much better now, and the shop is my baby. It's great being able to get up in the morning and come to work where the first job of the day is taking a record out of the sleeve and putting it on the turntable... absolute bliss.

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

Our owner Ben opened Tasty Records about 11 years ago in Altrincham, South Manchester. In 2012 he had a bit of an epiphany and decided that the corporate life of chasing new car sales figures wasn't for him.

So with the help of his sister, Emma, (who was already running a sweet little comic and pop culture shop in Wrexham) he formulated a plan to open a shop of his own.

We've now grown into a bit of an animal in our local community, shipping worldwide with a lot of dedicated and loyal customers. As a small shop, our mantra is that we don't want to sell the most records, we want to sell the best records!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR STORE – WHAT’S THE VIBE

Your friendly neighbourhood record store stocking all the best stuff you have and haven’t heard of!

We’re unpretentious, quirky and our knowledge and passion of music is deep and varied; from current pop through to 60s psych, 90s house and tech, latin, afro, mid-western emo, hard-bop jazz (and all else!)

Our aim is to make sure that you come into the store feeling welcomed (but not overwhelmed!) and leave with something you might not have thought about picking up before entering.

We have a vast selection of pre-loved LPs of all price ranges, books and merchandise and a select array of the best new releases on vinyl and cassette.

We also stock local talent from across the UK; championing small artists is especially important to us - you never know when someone is going to blow up!

CAN YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST RECORD YOU SOLD IN THE SHOP? AND THE LAST?

First Record - Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (First UK Press)

Last Record - FRANK SIDEBOTTOM - 5:9:88 (Local legend from 2 Tram stops away in Timperley)

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST RECORD SHOP YOU WENT TO? AND YOU DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST RECORD YOU BOUGHT?

Sol: First Record Store - Cob Records, Porthmadog. Can’t quite remember my first record, but it would have been Beatles related or War of The Worlds!

Jess: First Record Store - Resident, Brighton with a hot mention to Pie & Vinyl, Southsea! First record? Not sure. Last record - Sababa 5 - Kokoro

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RECORD SHOP (APART FROM YOUR OWN!) AND WHY?

Collectively, we both love Reel Around The Fountain in Stretford, Dig Records in Liverpool and The Little Record Shop in Hornsea.

These stores are treasure troves that we could spend hours in - we don’t make it over to their stores as often as we'd like (and for good reason because we’d spend even more of our money!)

WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE RECORD STORE EXPERIENCE?

Sol: I had a guy come in the shop once who tentatively asked if we had a first pressing of Led Zeppelin IV. He had a budget of three figures in mind and didnt care much about condition. I showed him to our bargain section where we had a copy for £10. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and he was so overjoyed to find a holy grail he’d been after for a while and his joy was so contagious!

Jess: Probably seeing a proof pressing and pretty much unpriceable copy of Nick Drake’s Pink Moon with Typeface that wasn’t used. One of a kind proper rarity.

WHAT'S THE BEST GIG YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO?

Sol: Shame (2018, District - Liverpool)

Jess: Augustines (2015, The Globe - Cardiff)

WHAT'S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE BOOK?

Sol: Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

Jess: Bram Stoker - Dracula

WHAT'S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE FILM?

Sol: George Romero’s ‘Night of The Living Dead’ (1968)

Jess: Federico Fellini’s ‘8 ½’ (1963)

WHAT WOULD MAKE UP YOUR DESERT ISLAND DISCS?

Sol:
Chet baker - I’ve Never Been In Love Before
Bob Dylan - Queen Jane Approximately
Bob Marley - Jammin’ (12” Mix)
Pharoah Sanders - Love Is Everywhere
Marvin Gaye - Lets get It On
The Modern Lovers - Summer Morning
Black Sabbath - N.I.B
Kanye West - Ultralight Beam

Jess:
Moby - Porcelain
Leikeli47 - Girl Blunt
Eels - Flyswatter
Caribou - Can’t Do Without You
Isley Brothers - Summer Breeze
The White Stripes - I Think I Smell A Rat
Jimmy Buffet - Volcano
Everything But The Girl - Tracey In My Room (Lazy Dog Bootleg)
Deftones - 976/ Evil

WHO WOULD FORM YOUR ALL-TIME FESTIVAL LINE-UP? (PAST & PRESENT)

Sol: John Coltrane, Robert Johnson, The Beach Boys, Kate Bush, The Strokes, Arthur Russell, LCD Soundsystem

Jess: Outkast, Lady Gaga, Bee Gees, CupcakKe, Black Sabbath, Eels, The White Stripes, Deftones, QOTSA, PIL