Here it is again! You should find MVES open on New Year's Day but I'm unsure about the others; Selectadisc and Reckless closes on Sunday but Sister Ray stays open...
If you haven't got much time (or if you have lots of time too) you need to head for Berwick Street (its off Oxford Street Tottenham Court Road tube station end - come out the tube, walk down Oxford Street about 3-4 minutes and its on your left). This is record store central for London: * Reckless Records (two stores: rock and dance) - secondhand store with shed loads of great techno gems to be found; check the new-in rack if your short on time as that's where the best stuff doesn't remain long. Also pay real attention to the quality of their vinyl as some of it is scuffed to f***. If you're after cds don't pay attention to the categories as they just chuck stuff in wherever they feel. Oh, and stuff just inside the door is mostly wack-assed progressive house crap - techno is in the middle on the left. * Music and Video Exchange - this and two of their other stores (Notting Hill Gate - Soul and Dance Exchange and Camden) are probably the best sources for secondhand wax in London; vinyl is always in near mint condition and if it is a rarity with a lower grade on check it as no one grades stricter! Downstairs is vinyl Poundland (same as at the other two stores) and is well worth an afternoon spent digging for stuff as you find the most incredible things down there - just remember to check condition including whether or not warped! * Selectadisc - easily the cheapest new store in London and racks are packed full everywhere (and its a big store). They stock everything heavily so you may find stuff that has been out of print years there, often at really cheap prices. * Ambient Soho/Worm Interface - Not purely ambient and the best source for anything a little leftfield. Staff are incredibly friendly too. * Sister Ray - new stuff again and packed out with lots of techno just inside the store. Some high price rarities but if you buy check condition as I bought a copy of Orbital's Chime there for £30 and the condition was so bad it was unplayable and ended up an ashtray. * Some crappy secondhand record store - as described. Has Daddy Kool's in the basement if you want to buy reggae, or just hang out and passively inhale some marijuana fumes. * A dance music store in a basement that never impressed so I never went back... * speed garagey progressive house store - hang out with pimply youths who know jack about music and pretend to be DJs all day Off on side streets you have a small hip hop store with grafitti on it and some other speed garagey type store. Two streets further down Oxford Street on the left (can't remember street name) you have Mr Bongos if you're into hip hop. Otherwise you can continue into Soho to buy dildos and leather underwear and visit the strip shows, or just window shop. If that doesn't tire you you can try Camden which has another Music and Video Exchange, Vinyl Addiction, a few decent secondhand stalls on the various markets and another secondhand place on one of the side streets. You also have a record fair in the Electric Ballroom every other Saturday (right next door to the tube). Remember you have to do the touristy stuff before you're allowed to look for records! Good luck and have fun! BABY DIDDY
