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Top Tapes tape shop

I was on Gwydir Street t'other day and saw a wonderful thing: TOP TAPES, a closed-up shop dedicated purely to selling tapes. I love the fact that in the recent past there was an entire shop (in a random suburban area) needed to sell blank tapes.

It was dark and I noticed lights on behind the shutters. Is someone in there having a secret tape party?

Anyone know anything about the shop?

Published by chris at 1:30am on Fri 15th December 2006. Viewed 4,366 times.

It used to sell Tapes. The guy in there used to know everything about tapes. Particularly popular with bands as they did 15 minute long blank tapes that we used to use for making demos. Killed off by the combination of CD-Rs and the internet.

Published by rishistar at 2:00am on Fri 15th December 2006.

Wasn't it called Roll On Tapes?

I used to buy Revox reels from their when I was at Uni in the 90s. He had a clock powered by a BBC Micro right up until my last visit in '98 when he converted a minidisc recording to CD for me (at about a tenner a go).

Published by HotJon at 4:02am on Fri 15th December 2006.

It was dark and I noticed lights on behind the shutters.

Oh yes, I always got the impression that the shop was also his dining room. He'd shuffle in, usually in slippers, from the clearly visible kitchen whenever the door went.

Published by HotJon at 4:41am on Fri 15th December 2006.

I miss that shop!

Published by PANIC at 5:17am on Fri 15th December 2006.

me too - he used to build amazing mecchano planes etc too! It had the same legendary status as Gee's does now!

Published by Dejavoodoo at 8:45am on Fri 15th December 2006.

The chap now works in Tesco on Newmarket Road.

It was a legendary shop, but buying a couple of CDR's (before they were as common an item as they are now) could turn into a half hour chat because he certainly liked a chat...

You don't get shops like that anymore (apart from Gees)

Published by BossaPete at 8:47am on Fri 15th December 2006.

I have heard from many people that it was impossible to make a living selling nothing but tapes, and the shop was a actually clever cover for either a brothel, a drug dealing empire, weapon smuggling ring or the Cambridge Mafia! Rumour is a wonderful thing.

Published by Silent Rob at 8:52am on Fri 15th December 2006.

It was a great little shop. Place slike that are always missed once they've gone. We will say the same as gees when it eventually closes down and probably becomes another bloody mobile phone shop or tanning salon.

Published by Kuryakin at 9:30am on Fri 15th December 2006.

It used to be a post office and there was a time when you could clearly make out the words "POST OFFICE" on the shop front. The guy once told me he had more people coming in asking for stamps than tapes.

How about a coffee shop, but with integrated nail bar - now there's a twist.

Published by cbr-rob at 9:33am on Fri 15th December 2006.
This reply has been edited, last edit at 9:34am on Fri 15th December 2006.

One day it will be an independant record shop with loads of marvelous music to discover. oh yes. and people will talk about it all over the world. oh yes.

Published by cremebrulee at 12:04pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Whoever is in there now, they have two home-made infra-red cameras pointing at the doorway. not that i'm nosey and have tried to peek through the windows.

Published by gramsci at 12:05pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Speaking of record shops - can aybody remember the name of the jazz specialist shop that used to be next to the Champion Of The Thames?

Published by Dr Rhythm at 12:18pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Garon Records.

Published by simon_b (not active) at 12:19pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

spooky stuff

Published by chris at 12:23pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

King Street used to have Parrot Records, Garron Records, Streetwise and another tape and record exchange within 50 yards. I used to buy second hand Smiths albums on tape for a pound because I didn't have a CD player.

Published by Silent Rob at 12:26pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

> Smiths albums ... for a pound

still too much.

Published by gramsci at 12:28pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Ah yes - Garon - thanks Simon, that would have annoyed me all day!

Published by Dr Rhythm at 12:35pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Ahhh Parrot Records (RIP) them were the days *snivvel, sniff*

Published by Vindaloon at 12:44pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

There used to be a brilliant Parrot Records in Walden - I bought my orange vinyl version of the Day The World Turned Day-glo for 59p in there!

Published by Dr Rhythm at 12:52pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

No, Earth Records in Aylesbury was where it was at in the 80s. They sold Friars tickets and everything....

A very hung-over, and tardy "good morning" to everyone, by the way....

Published by Jude 1 (not active) at 12:54pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

were they duplicating porno in the back room Iwonder.
they had the kit to do it.
why did the shop have those massive sofas in it?

Roll on roll On

Published by mattanghi (not active) at 2:10pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

The place to get tickets in Cambridge was Harlequin Records - wasn't very good apart from that and eventually turned into an Our Price (near the Round Church).

The original BGO and Remember Those Oldies were the best record shops that Cambridge ever had.

Published by Dr Rhythm at 2:33pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Excluding online record shops, of course. *ahem*

Published by Jude 1 (not active) at 3:04pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Ah yes - other than the very excellent Rhythm Online!!

Published by Dr Rhythm at 3:20pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

;-)

Published by Jude 1 (not active) at 3:37pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Dr Rhythm you are correct. I remember Remember Those Oldies - it's a gift shop of some sort now. They not only sold oldies but actually had a good stock of punk/new wave in the late 70s. The Beat Goes On was also invaluable.

Published by Kuryakin at 7:24pm on Fri 15th December 2006.

Remember Those Oldies was where I bought all my early punk singles and copies of Sniffing Glue - it was also the home of Raw Records (Soft Boys, Killjoys, Users, Some Chicken, Lockjaw and the fantastic Sick Things). If my memory serves me correctly, it all came an end with a slightly suspicious fire - or it might have been a flood.

A proper record shop!!

Published by Dr Rhythm at 11:50am on Sat 16th December 2006.

My father Lee Wood was the owner of 'Remember these oldies', record shop. and the record label Raw Records.
If anyone has any photos of the place I would love to see them.
My father Lee is still the legend today he has always been, and he will be delighted to hear people still consider his shop to be one of the best from it's time. Thank you for your kind words

Published by RoxaneMorris at 11:42pm on Sun 16th September 2018.

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