Daddy Kool

[Thom]

Does anyone remember the original Daddy Kool Records shop in Hanway Street (Of Oxford Street) in London. It was in the early 1970's
The shop was tiny and used to be packed with youth buying 7' pre release singles that had just shipped in from Jamdown...............
I seem to recall the owner was a white fella named Keith ?

[leggo rocker]

Yes, he's still about. He moved to a new - but still quite small -shop in Dean Street in the 70s, and now he's out east and on Ebay.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/daddykoolrecords

I bought records from Dean Street back in the days, and lately a few from his ebay store. He's OK as a seller, but there are many others who I prefer to use as first choice.

[Rootsman]

I remember the shop in Hanway Street in the alleyway off Oxford Street just along from Tottenham Court Road.

Don`t remember it being called Daddy Kools.

Ths shop I am thinking of also sold rare jazz and early funk / soul vinyl.

Daddy Kool had two shops in London, the main one in Dean Street plus a smaller shop in Berwick Street by the market.

This was back in the early eighties.

He has since long closed down.

Do miss his wonderful persona

Dave

[Lee D]

Worth a visit?

Keith "Daddy Cool" now operates a stall in a London market (I can't remember the address right now but it's quite far away from central London).

Has anyone ever been to that stall? If so, can you please let me know if it is worth a vistit? I don't come to London very often and I don't want to waste my time going to the outskirts of town for nothing.

Cheers, Lee

[Rootsman]

Hi Lee D.

I wouldn`t waste your time either.

It appears to me that the best way to acquire items these days is by surfing the net.

Most of the decent 2nd hand shops in and around London that used to sell large quantities of good vintage reggae in vinyl / CD appear to be closing down.

I was in London this morning to have a look in Reckless Records and that too is closing down.

What isn`t closing down appears to be selling nothing but crap.

If I am wrong about this and someone knows better, then could they tell me where to look.

Regards

Dave

[Rootsman]

Hi Lee D.

I wouldn`t waste your time either.

It appears to me that the best way to acquire items these days is by surfing the net.

Most of the decent 2nd hand shops in and around London that used to sell large quantities of good vintage reggae in vinyl / CD appear to be closing down.

I was in London this morning to have a look in Reckless Records and that too is closing down.

What isn`t closing down appears to be selling nothing but crap.

If I am wrong about this and someone knows better, then could they tell me where to look.

Regards

Dave

[Lee D]

Hi Rootsman Dave,

thanks for your message. I agree. Many of the good record shops (not only in London but all over Europe) have closed down or are about to do so. So I'm also forced to buy records on the internet.

But I don't enjoy buying records online. It's so much more fun digging deep thru dusty piles of 45s and 33s in a shop. For me this is an essential part of being a music lover and record collector. Online shops and eBay are maybe fun for couch potatoes - but not for me.

Cheers,
Lee

[Rootsman]

Hi Lee D

I agree, the trowing through boxes of old vinyl / CD`s is the most enjoyable part of collecting.

Unfortunately, it is also becoming the most frustrating way too.

These days with so few places (if any) in London selling items of much interest / demand, you could spend all your time searching and finding nothing.

A few years ago when their were many more specialist 2nd hand record shops about, you could guarantee the items you were looking for would eventually turn up. This isn`t the way anymore.

I personally would much rather look in the shops but I have accepted the fact that to find most of the items I want I am going to have to keep surfing and then shop online.

Its less frustrating and a lot less tiring.

Dave

[leggo rocker]

Why not try some record fairs Lee D? I haven't been to any but a friend who collects goes regularly to various around the UK.

Although I buy 99% of my records online I am not aall that comfortable with this method. Two reasons: False grading (over-graing) and postal damage.

Too many ebay sellers simply don't use adequete packing. A simple cardboard record mailer will not protect a record in the postal system. TWO card stiffeners should ALWAYS be added.

I toyed with the idea of making a re-usable hard-case for record mailing. I would then send it to the seller, who returns it to me full of records. There are many lightweight materials that are tough, like carbon fibre. Would be expensive but seeing a record that someone has cherished for 30 years get dog-eared or even broken in the post is heart breaking - so I consider it worth the cost.

[Lee D]

The times have changed. We have to accept that shopping records online will become more and more important for a record collector - whether we like it or not!

Leggo Rocker, I know how annoying it is when a record arrives damaged. That's why I really like your idea about the re-usable hard-case mailer.

By the way: Daddy Kool also ships his records in soft cardboard mailers. Most of the LPs I bought from him arrived dog-eared. Because of that I don't buy records from him anymore.

Greetings & Blessings
Lee