I’m Theo and I am doing a work experience placement as a Record Shop Assistant at Ventnor Exchange, as one of Brave Island’s Starter Work Placements in the lead up to Record Store Day.

Since 2007, Record Store Day has been celebrated every year in Record Shops all over the world, and it is a day for those who make up the world of the record store – the staff, customers, artists and labels – to come together and celebrate the role they play. Nearly 300 stores in the UK participate, and thousands all over the globe do also. Ventnor Exchange is one of those stores and I am currently doing work experience here for Record Store Day to get experience in what it is like to work in a record store.

Since RSD is one of the busiest days of the year for record stores all over the world, this is the perfect time for me to gain some experience in working in a record store, which is something I have always wanted to do and I applied for this opportunity on the Brave Island website. Music has always been a cornerstone of my life so it is great to be able to have this opportunity to work surrounded by the thing I enjoy the most.

This Saturday 12th April at Ventnor Exchange, Record Store Day is being celebrated and as well as there being records for sale, there will also be live performances from local musicians and DJs, with the Exchange being open from 8am. You can see the list of releases and more info on the day here.

Records I am most excited about that will be available for Record Store Day at Ventnor Exchange –

The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest – Arguably one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, Low End Theory is just one of the few perfect albums that A Tribe Called Quest has released over the years. All four members of the group are on top form on this album and it is shown through the incredible production from Q-Tip, which has gone on to influence the genre of hip-hop.

Number 1 Angel by Charli XCX – The most underrated of Charli XCX’s releases, Number 1 Angel is the first of the two mixtapes she released in 2017, and without it, Charli would not be making the music she is today and performing in sold out stadiums all over the world. Although it has been overshadowed by its successor Pop 2, Number 1 Angel is a modern pop classic that set the groundwork for the future of the genre, and shows Charli’s ability to push the boundaries of pop music which she continues to do to this day. 

Fleetwood Mac by Fleetwood Mac – Overshadowed by the groups follow up album Rumours, Fleetwood Mac’s self titled album is a criminally underrated album from the 1970s which never gets the love that it deserves. The band had really mastered their sound by this album in 1975, and although they went on to perfect it in 1977 with Rumours, this album is definitely a classic that should be held in a similar regard to the rest of the band’s amazing discography.

The Head on the Door by The Cure – One of the Cure’s best albums in my opinion, The Head on the Door is the bands 1985 release that is, although one of their more accessible albums, an amazing album that shows the bands artistic progression throughout the 80s perfectly and it comes together to make an extremely enjoyable album, with some of the catchiest songs in the Cure’s discography.