FEATURE:
Residents of Kensington Gardens, Brighton
I have been thinking a lot about the different, fantastic record shops around the country. Although Record Store Day has been rescheduled, we all took place online and supported shops that way. I have great respect for all record shops in the country, but I have a special attachment to Resident Music in Brighton. You can check out Resident on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Today should have been, in their own words, one of the most fun days; there would have been a load of people passing through – despite the bad weather -, and it would have been a terrific occasion today. Sadly, like all other record shops, the doors are closed and there is little cause for celebration. I can understand why morale was low for the team at Resident. The shop should have been bustling and buzzing; so many people would have been interacting, and the tills would be ringing all day long! Whilst there is hope Record Store Day can pick back up in June, at the moment, Resident are relying on online orders. Support them if you can, because the team are dedicated and are here to serve our record-buying needs! There are a number of different reasons why I love Resident more than any other record shop. I think people go to shops to buy records is because of the atmosphere and the desire to actually hold and own records.
We're mostly managing to stay upbeat &
— resident (@residentmusic) April 18, 2020
positive during this lockdown but today we’re
feeling a tad glum.
This would have been our biggest & funnest day of the year.
We channel so much time, energy & planning into#RSD that by the time it comes round, we
run on pure adrenaline. pic.twitter.com/fqRIcYZmAI
When so many of us are streaming music, it is pleasing to know that record shops still attract so many people. I think they are a vital pillar of the community, and essential for the music industry. Whilst places like Resident can survive on online orders and will be back in business soon enough, it is a tragedy that we cannot visit and all share in the joys of Record Store Day. I have some time off in June, and I hope to get down to North Laine Bazaar and visit Resident in Kensington Gardens, Brighton. There is more to the wonder of Resident than the music alone. I know I have written about them before, but the store attracts people from all over the country. Not only is there a fantastic range of brand-new and older records alike; one can purchase music books and all manner of treats. The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable, and there is such a great vibe. Whilst one always walks away having spent way too much money, there is never any sense of regret. Record shopping is one of the best experiences ever, and I feel so at home flicking through the vinyl at Resident! Based where it is, the shop is in such a lovely setting. With unique shops, colours and smiling people around, shopping at Resident and walking around Brighton is a perfect day out!
As the weather improves and summer is not too far away, we all hope Resident and Brighton can reopen soon. Before I continue, I want to bring in an interview from Pleece & Co, who spoke with Resident Music’s co-founder Natasha Youngs back in 2018:
“Resident Music is a Record Store with a big reputation. Based on Kensington Gardens in the North Laine, Resident has become a Brighton institution, catering to crowds of record enthusiasts and growing with the revitalisation of vinyl in the past 5-10 years. We spoke to Natasha Youngs, co-founder of Resident to ask about her journey and how a modern day record store works.
HOW WAS RESIDENT MUSIC STARTED?
Myself & my now husband Derry Watkins met whilst working for Virgin / Our Price & realised we had similar dreams to set up our own business doing what we love best: running a record shop.
HOW HAS THE POPULARITY OF FORMATS CHANGED THE BUSINESS OVER RECENT YEARS?
We opened as a CD only shop, as vinyl was already heavily catered for in Brighton at the time (we opened in 2004). There were more than 20 places selling music in Brighton & Hove at that time so competition was strong & we wanted to be sure we were doing what we did really well rather than dabbling in a bit of everything. At the time, the demand for CD far outstripped the demand for vinyl but clearly, over the last 14 years, this has changed dramatically. We introduced a box of vinyl on the counter. This quickly became a lot of boxes under the CD racks. This this then became CD racks being swapped out for new vinyl racks. Then we just ran out of space! So we took on the shop next door, knocked the 2 together & now we have a happy CD / vinyl balance with space to shop more comfortably & a book corner too.
IN THIS PHOTO: Resident Music co-founder, Natasha Youngs
HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE STOCKING OF BIG AND SMALL BANDS AND LABELS?
We don’t really consider our curation of releases so much in this way. We try to consider lots of different elements surrounding our buying – customer demand (across a hugely diverse customer base, all ages ranges, locals & tourists, hardcore devotees & occasional buyers), how previous releases have sold, how much we are into it ourselves, press / radio coverage, how much we trust that label’s own tastes & previous releases.
ARE THERE SOME HIGH FIDELITY STYLE QUIRKS THAT COME WITH WORKING IN A RECORD STORE?
Of course – we all have geek like tendencies & obsessive behaviours. It’s what holds us together!
Hopefully we come with a lot less snobbery though. I personally hate any snobbiness related to music. Who’s to say whether one noise is more superior to another? Whatever engages someone’s brain, makes them dance, takes them to a different place, helps them feel a sense of belonging, has a nostalgic warmth, challenges them, makes them feel fuzzy, causes cathartic release – that’s the joy of music. One person’s intolerable racket is another person’s melody. One person’s cheesy pop is another person’s euphoria.
DO YOUR STAFF INFLUENCE THE SELECTION OF RECORDS IN-STORE?
Yes, all of them, whether they realise it or not. We always try to recruit people with a fresh approach or who bring a set of knowledge with them that we are lacking as a team. The wider the tastes in the shop, the more people we can confidently cater for. Derry & I can’t possibly hear, understand, know or like everything out there so we need a set of people around us that can help filter & curate”.
Resident (or Resident Music) will take part in Record Store Day in June, and I hope I can get down there at the same time as there are quite a few records that I want to snap up! Whilst I am tempted to buy on their online site, I also want to be there in person and be around fellow record buyers; to get that special experience and be in one of my favourite places. Whilst we are experiencing an online Record Store Day today, I want to bring in another interview with Natasha Youngs; this one is with The Line of Best Fit from 2011. I wanted to source from this interview, as Youngs talks about Resident’s ethos and the type of customer that shops there – and how they manage during the digital age:
“How effective do you think initiatives like Record Store Day are for reminding people to buy music as opposed to downloading it illegally?
It’s a great event and it does an important job of raising the profile of independent record shops but I’m not sure it does much to prevent illegal downloading. To be honest, I’m not really sure that is part of the agenda. It’s more about rewarding those who do support physical product.
Have you noticed a shift in clientele in the years since Resident opened? Is there a typical Resident shopper?
Thinking about it, fewer students / young people buy physical releases these days so our customer base will undoubtedly have got older. We have gradually made a name for ourselves among the more discerning music types so we attract more and more music geeks and that’s a compliment in our books by the way. We also attract a lot more women than your average indie, which may be because the store has a very relaxed atmosphere with three girls working behind the counter, balancing out the testosterone!
Does any aspect of running the shop make you wish you’d never opened the doors?
We live and breathe the shop so we never get a proper day off, especially since we bought iPhones! To run a record shop properly these days takes immense commitment, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year although we do give ourselves Christmas Day off. We also took a breather to get married and have a honeymoon! Sometime it gets a bit much, but then we wouldn’t want to do anything else either.
It means the world to us to be voted England’s favourite independent store in the Record Store Day Poll. It is a really special accolade bestowed upon us by our customers and it’s brilliant for us to know that the ridiculous amount of work we all put into making Resident this good, is genuinely appreciated.
Have you ever considered selling downloads or does what defeat the object?
It’s not an area we’re interested in exploring right now.
Why do you feel vinyl sales have been rising again in this digital age?
In an age of disposability when music is not given the value it deserves, vinyl feels and sounds more authentic…and more permanent, which is something we all seem to be craving at the moment. We want to own things again, beautiful things”.
Happy release day, Happy Friday! Lets celebrate the goodness together :)
— resident (@residentmusic) April 10, 2020
Here's just a few of the brilliant records which you can buy right now: https://t.co/K6y0WgLXxM pic.twitter.com/oOGVmYWNWz
Things have come a long way since that interview was published nine years ago, and Resident is one of the most sought-after record stores in the U.K. I know it is frustrating that the party of Record Store Day has been put on hold, but we only have to wait until June and, hopefully, things will be back to normal. In its idyllic setting in Brighton – surrounded by wonderful shops -, if you have not been to Resident before, making sure you do when it reopens. On 20th June, Record Store Day will, we all hope, go ahead for real, and Resident have some great releases you can investigate. It is a strange time, but support them as much as possible; I already have a wish-list of Record Store Day releases that I want to get from them – I better get down there in June and get near the front of the queue! It is a slightly grim day for Resident but, with so much love from those online, their dedicated and passionate staff are being lifted by the support. Like all great record shops, there is so much on offer for the true music fan. Resident host fantastic in-store gigs that, thorough the years, have opened their arms to some of the music world’s finest artists. I can imagine why artists want to play in-stores at Resident: such a warm and inviting space is very hard to resist!
The coronavirus pandemic will continue for a while here, but it will ease, and we can all start shopping and buying records soon. When the lockdown is over, one of the first places I will get to is Brighton; Resident is right at the top of the list when I get there! I am pretty sad they are unable to open today and benefit from the beauty and popularity of Record Store Day. In the meantime, I am keeping abreast of the tweets from their Twitter page where various releases are being promoted. It seems like there is a huge demand for Resident, even though they are operating online at the moment - which must be very humbling for those that work there; knowing there is this very loyal base that will help them through this very tough time. On 20th June, Record Store Day happens (I keep saying because it absolutely MUST go on), and Resident will ready themselves for a barrage of customers. I will see them then, with my cash ready. I look forward to walking out of the store with…
A bundle of vinyl!
PHOTOS/IMAGES: Resident Music