Record Store Day 2015 Record shop love letter: Demob Happy, to Newcastle’s Steel Wheels Records (RIP)

If I wanted to go into Steel Wheels Records now, the shop I relied on for filling out my fattening teenage record box with rightfully forgotten LPs whose only hope of redemption was in three shallow criteria (it was pre-’80s, the artwork was cool and it was £1 or less), I would have to try and find the records amidst some fat fuckers’ thighs, amongst a greasy short pile carpet and behind the cutlery draws. For the record shop went the way of so many and became a god dammed Wetherspoons.

I blamed jowly red faced fat cats, I blamed soulless landlords, I blamed the youths for their lack of culture and I blamed the entire world for taking away my special place, but in truth I should have blamed myself, for not looking round the fucking corner for three years where it sat happily in its new home…

…. until 18 months ago when it closed down for real, so purchase generously.

Demob Happy’s ‘Young & Numb’ EP is out tomorrow (18th April) for Record Store Day.

Tags: Demob Happy, Features