Bad Neighbour Records
“A hidden gem for vinyl lovers”
Steve and I are walking down Linthorpe Road on a typically drab Thursday evening in Middlesbrough. We are heading to Bad Neighbour Records on the first floor of Sticky Fingers Café and Rock Bar.
To access the shop you walk through the bar, go through a door on the right and enter a lift to the first floor. A rather circuitous route but as the lift door opens and you enter the shop very well worth it.
The shop’s square footage is surprisingly large with comfortable seating areas, beautiful full length windows where you can sit and watch the world go by and even a Bechstein grand piano taking pride of place.
We meet co-owner Ross Kemp (not the hard case from Eastenders) who tells us he moved here about 6 months ago from his previous shop about a mile away. He has teamed up with Toni Cook the owner of the bar below who loves her music and makes the best burgers in town.
Ross tells us he traded for 2 years at his previous shop and for 2 years before that on line. He’s a self confessed Hip Hop fan closely followed by Reggae and Soul. All genres are catered for here from Classical to Jazz, from Pop to Metal and of course the ubiquitous 60’s/70’s Rock.
There really is something for everyone. The in-store gigs are getting more popular and as word spreads about the new venture business is going well. Ross picks up most of his stock from wholesalers but once or twice a week private collections come his way.
He has never participated in Record Store Day but doesn’t rule it out in the future as the business grows.
Obviously if you want to know anything about Hip Hop or Soul Ross is your man but in a Zelig like way he can hold his own in any genre even keeping up with Steve and his loquacious stories of everything else.
Ross was very excited about the Press On Vinyl project having a close relationship with the owners and he can’t wait to stock some of the independent releases expected to come out of the pressing plant in the coming months.
Five vinyl records you can’t live without
Ross Kemp – Bad Neighbour Records
1. Public Enemy – Takes A Nation
2. Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
3. Hollie Cook – Hollie Cook
4. HiJack – The Horns Of Jericho
5. Curtis Mayfield – Superfly
Ross’s selection for Press On Vinyl’s collection WITCH – Introduction and in the past.
Steve’s selection – Black Pumas – Black Pumas
Neil’s selection – The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow
To sum up this place is well worth a visit, Steve and I will be back soon maybe to take in an in store gig or maybe just a pint and one of those burgers. I know we will never leave empty handed.
Good luck Ross and Toni this town needs this place!
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