Raves from the Grave

Featured Store: Raves from the Grave

Raves from the Grave, in Frome, is situated in the old town on a medieval street full of interesting retail outlets and I am confident it is the only record shop in the world that has an open leat running in front of the store. A leat is an artificial watercourse a bit like a stream. It is the kind of shop you remember from your childhood, records, CDs and DVDs are piled everywhere. What never ceases to amaze me is the staff seems to know where everything is. Quite staggering when between the two shops they stock 80,000 CDs, 75,000 LPs and 10,000 DVDs. There are boxes under the counter and a back room full of videos.

Richard was a shop manager at WHSmith in Notting Hill Gate when he decided that corporate life was not for him. He looked for a town with no record shop and settled on Frome. After his first day’s trading where he only took £13 he began to think the was a reason why Frome did not have a record shop. Luckily it was not long before he started receiving support from the local community.

Richard has never regretted the decision and despite being skint he has never been happier. By 2010 Richard had so much stock that he was keeping in storage as the was no room to display it in the shop that he opened a second shop in Weymouth Street in Warminster.

Any Abba fan should pay the shop a visit, as his collection of Abba stock is unrivalled. It probably helps that Richard played in an Abba tribute band. Like most record shops Raves from the Grave has had customers who can be a challenge but none more so than the one who came in and asked to purchase Amazon Gift Vouchers.

The shop is the only one I know that does outside in-stores. The shop is so full of stock that the is no space for bands to play. No problem for the shop though as artists such as World Party and Billy Bragg have performed outside (both performances can be viewed on YouTube). Billy Bragg sums up Raves from the Grave better than anyone describing it as ‘A record shop that has too many records in it for the space it occupies’.

In 2017, they celebrated 20 years in business and threw a big party in the town. Tom Robinson was amongst the musicians who played on that memorable evening Raves from the Grave has a second branch at 5 Weymouth Street, Warminster, BA12 9NP and in recent years has had a vinyl stall at the Glastonbury festival.

Upcoming and new releases from Proper and Essential that Richard is looking forward to include:
EMILY BARKER – SWEET KIND OF BLUE
Recorded at Sam Phillips studio in Memphis, its her first full studio album for 4 years. Emily returns to her bluesy sound and there are plenty of gospel influences included. A truly great album!

MARTHA TILSTON – NOMAD
This is Martha’s seventh album and the first since 2014,s The Sea. This album truly covers all styles and sounds with both Acoustic and electric guitar as well as string arrangements. On some tracks Martha moves away slightly from her more traditional folky sounds on earlier albums with great success

HAWKWIND – INTO THE WOODS
Following in the wake of last years brilliant concept album “The Machine Stops”. The band are really on a roll currently and this is equally as good.

LUKE SITAL-SINGH – TIME IS A RIDDLE
This is Luke’s second album and he bravely has recorded it on his own terms in a remote studio in Donegal.
All the songs are intimate and deeply moving and it is equally as good as his debut.

If you would like to be Proper’s Featured Store, contact Graham Jones

Raves From The Grave

Tel: 0137 346 4666
www.ravesfromthegrave.com

Raves From The Grave also have a second shop in Warminster.

Stock:
Vinyl, CD, Secondhand, DVD, Video, Merchandise, 8 Tracks, 7” singles, Outside in-stores

Opening Times:
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 – 17:00
Sunday: Closed

Established:
1997

Raves From The Grave
20 Cheap Street
Frome
BA11 1BN