“You are never going to discover Captain Beefheart or the 13th Floor Elevators or the Velvet Underground in your local supermarket, ever.” – Richard Hawley, Musician
‘Last Shop Standing’ is a documentary film to be released on September 10th this year and was inspired by the book of the same name by Graham Jones.
The film takes you behind the counter to discover why nearly 2000 record shops have already disappeared across the UK.
The film charts the rapid rise of record shops in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s, the influence of the chart, the underhand deals, the demise of vinyl and rise of the CD as well as new technologies.
Where did it all go wrong? Why were three shops a week closing? Will we be left with no record shops with the continuing rise of downloading?
The film will feature over 20 record shop owners and music industry leaders as well as musicians including Paul Weller, Johnny Marr, Norman Cook, Billy Bragg, Nerina Pallot, Richard Hawley and Clint Boon as they all tell us how the shops became and still are a part of their own musical education, a place to cherish and discover new bands and new music.
The final clips are an unedited interviews with Richard Hawley and with Johnny Marr. The latter filmed at KingBee Records, in Manchester, a proper record store where I have spend many a happy hour buying (and occasionally selling) 45s, LPs, CDs and cassettes!
The film will be in cinemas and arts venues throughout the UK from September through to December 2012.