The Full Story
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My name is Tim, I'm the owner and founder of Stylus Records. I moved to the Lichfield area in 2003 and was saddened to see the disappearance of the only small record shop soon after. I sincerely believe Lichfield deserves its very own, specialist record shop. New, second-hand - records and compact discs, even cassettes - I shall try my very best to cater for all tastes. Indeed, these days I listen to just about everything and anything: rock, blues, soul, reggae, folk, pop, soundtrack, electronic, ambient, country, world.
I sincerely hope you will enjoy the varied music that will always be heard inside Stylus Records. It would be my absolute pleasure to help feed your very own music listening passion!
My music passion and addiction started at an early age. I am forever grateful to my parents for buying me an LP every Christmas as a young child and later, a transistor radio which allowed me to listen in to Radio Luxembourg with my earpiece most nights.
When I started to earn my first pocket or odd-job money I would cycle a 36-mile round trip in order to buy one album. Having seen ‘Livin’ Thing’ on the TV, to begin with this was always an ELO album; I loved the artwork almost as much as the music. My first ever purchase was ‘A New World Record’, second-hand on cassette, and I am delighted to be able to say the shop I purchased it from is still trading today (Cob Records, Porthmadog). From ELO I ventured into the worlds of Supertramp and Fleetwood Mac before heading off to University where my music taste rapidly widened significantly.
OPENING TIMES
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
10AM-4:30PM
10AM-4:30PM
10AM-4:30PM
10AM-4:30PM
10AM-4:30PM
10AM-5PM
11AM-4PM
Cassette and tape still holds a special place in my heart. I still own a few cassette decks and have always enjoyed making compilation tapes from the music I owned. I never subscribed to the view that 'home taping is killing music' as the more music I was exposed to the more music I wanted to buy.
I also agree with the sentiment expressed by Jack White more recently, that you never truly own the album until you own it on vinyl!
It took quite a while for me to embrace the compact disc format but as more and more titles were not even being made available on vinyl I eventually had to succumb.
My first ever CD purchase was ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’ by New Order, another album and band I still listen to today. In the fullness of time I have amassed a music collection that encroaches on nearly every room in my home and so it seemed a natural development to finally realise my dream of owning my own record shop.
The main attraction is that I get to both listen to and talk about music with customers all day, every day. I hope to be able to play and recommend some amazing music for my customers.
Although a few rare and valuable records have found their way into my collection I have never really purchased records on grounds of their scarcity; for me it has always been about the music. That said, I have a full respect for those who covet the first pressing of their favourite ever album.
The artwork proffered by vinyl is also important to me and I shall always recollect my love of that amazing ELO spaceship! I also have a weakness for coloured vinyl and box-sets.
Me and My Music
First new single purchased: ‘Geno” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
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First album purchased: ‘A New World Record’ by The Electric Light Orchestra (cassette)
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First vinyl album purchases: ‘Out of the Blue’ (ELO) & ‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac with Christmas record tokens
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First CD purchase: ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’ by New Order
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First live concert attended: Madness
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Favourite Live album: ’These Songs For You; Live’ by Donny Hathaway
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Favourite ever compilation: Nuggets 1965-1968
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Most recent concerts attended: Mogwai, Bob Mould, Godspeed You Black Emperor
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Best ever gig attended: 'Rock in Rio' with Beck, the Foo Fighters and REM will take some beating.
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Desert Island disc: ‘What’s Going On’ by Marvin Gaye (if forced to choose just one)
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Best ever single: ‘Green Onions’ by Booker T & the MG’s just ahead of ‘Once in a Lifetime’ by Talking Heads
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Guilty Pleasure: ‘Boston’ by Boston
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Favourite little-known artists: The Sound - The Goundhogs - Sam Dees
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Favourite Music Magazine: Mojo
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Favourite Composer: Mozart, just ahead of J.S. Bach.