Music / News
Black City Records celebrates its first year in business with a very loud birthday bash
On April 17, 2021, the South West’s very first dedicated heavy metal shop threw open its doors at the corner of Lodge Street and Trenchard Street to find . . . . a long queue snaking all the way down the road. From then on, Black City Records has been a huge success, with in-store appearances, record signings and releases on its own label. Punters have travelled from all over the UK and Europe – and even as far as South America – for their metal fixes.
To celebrate, the shop is hosting an afternoon of acoustic – yes, you read that correctly: acoustic – metal from 2-5pm on Saturday 30 April, with music from Bristol-based folk-rockers Flintlock, Moord (a member of Bristol black metal group Blasfeme) and goths Dead Space Chamber Music. That’s followed by an evening of top UK black metal down the road at Bristol metal pub the Gryphon, featuring Burial, Nefarious Dusk, Blasfeme, Devastator and Andracca. The evening event is already sold out, but the afternoon sessions are free to attend.
We took the opportunity to grill owner David Savage about Black City’s eventful first year, starting with that all-important question:
is needed now More than ever
You opened the region’s first heavy metal shop in the middle of a pandemic. What the fuck were you thinking?
It wasn’t our most sensible move, but fortunately it all worked out well. I’d been working 9-5 in finance for years and on my first day of return from furlough thought, ‘I simply can’t do this anymore’. Myself and my partner went on a pub crawl a few days later and over a semi alcohol-fuelled conversation reignited the dream that I’d had since being a teenager of opening a record shop – not just a record shop, but one that only sells everything under the beautiful banner of Heavy Metal. The thinking was that if we opened in the pandemic and could make it work, it can only get better. Fortunately, it turned out that way. This is by no means an endorsement of making important financial, business and life decisions when under the influence, of course.
Owner David Savage: “No, I’m afraid we do not stock any Ed Sheeran.”
What was your reaction on seeing that huge queue on the opening day?
We were totally stunned to be honest. We arrived at the shop an hour prior to opening and there were around five or six people there already. They’d been queuing since 5:30am that morning. That was nerve-wracking enough. By the time we lifted the blinds and opened the doors, the queue was down Trenchard Street and approaching the Gryphon. In all, we had over 150 people come through the doors that day and the queue remained until around 6pm that evening. A day we’ll never forget.
The queue outside the shop on opening day
Many of us fondly remember Shades in London. Was that a model for what you set out to achieve?
100%. Shades was the metal record shop that all others will, and should, be measured by. Its legacy will probably never be matched. I was fortunate enough to live fairly close to it when growing up, so it was a regular stop whenever I was in Soho. It was the perfect shop. We’ve taken inspiration from a few of our global peers as well, notably Neseblod and Katakomben in Oslo and Vinyl Altar in the US.
https://youtu.be/bMaSxf0d9kc
It’s previously been said that Bristolians are too cool to rock and this isn’t much of a metal city. But gigs are packed and plentiful and you seem to be thriving. What’s going on?
Bristol has always had a solid history in all things heavy. One of the best New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands, Jaguar, are from here, as well as arguably the biggest thrash band the UK has produced in Onslaught. Then there’s the heavier side of punk music in Bristol that has played a big part in the development of extreme metal, notably Disorder and the Amebix. The metal scene here is pretty strong at present – particularly Death Metal – and there’s some great bands making great music out there. Check out Embodiment, Dies Holocaustum, Body Harvest, Chewing Glass Collective for some really heavy Bristolian sounds. It ain’t just trip hop this city has to be proud of. What we’re seeing, however, is a newer breed of person discovering metal for maybe the first time, in particular the more extreme side of things. Things are good and the scene is healthy.
Dies Holocaustum manage to squeeze into Black City Records for their session
Had any celebs pop in for a metal fix?
We’ve had many bands come by who sign the pillar in the middle of the shop for us. The biggest so far has probably been Biffy Clyro, when they came to play the O2. They came in to buy some of the most extreme Black Metal and Grindcore we had on the shelves. It was quite embarrassing, though, as we had to ask them who they were. We told them it’s because we didn’t recognise them with their shirts on. We’ve also had Radio 1 DJ Daniel P Carter come by, who was the loveliest person in the world.
How about nutters and weirdoes?
Well, there was…. no, I can’t say.
Another day at the office
What’s the most expensive item you’ve sold so far?
We had some signed Celtic Frost albums from the 1980s that somebody came in and snapped up in one go for an undisclosed fee. That was a good day. We also sold a CD for three figures from an old Swedish Death Metal band called Carbonized.
What type of metal motivates you in the morning?
My journeys into work are generally metal free, when I listen to a lot of ’70s electronic prog music. By the time I’ve made it to the shop though, I like to get things going with some old school NWOBHM or classic Thrash and Speed Metal from the 80s. Dark Angel, Hydra Vein, early Metallica, Agent Steel and Exciter are always good calls.
The gateway to Hell (just up the road from the O2 Academy)
Are you ever tempted to frighten the customers by blasting out something totally leftfield?
We do delve head-first into the hair metal sometimes – and why not? Sometimes everyone needs a bit of Bon Jovi and Europe in their lives, right?
You seem to have had a lot of support from other local businesses. Want to give a shout out to anyone in particular?
We’ve had amazing support from a number of local businesses who have helped us out or just ‘been there’ when we needed them. The biggest thanks obviously go to our Bristol Metal Quarter partners in crime, The Gryphon. Landlord John was the first person we mentioned the whole idea about opening the shop to and has been a great source of support since then. On the record shop side of things, there’s Iain from the great Longwell Records in Keynsham. He’s been a great help on so many levels and a source of advice and counsel. A legend amongst men and someone I’m truly blessed to have met.
Grab a souvenir T-shirt while you’re there
Local bands have embraced the shop too. Got any favourites?
As aforementioned, Dies Holocaustum have always been one of our favourites. They actually came to play a set in the shop not long after we opened which was just 110% sheer brutality and volume. I’m still apologising to the neighbours. Local Black Metal band Blasfeme have been great customers from the day we opened and a band I’m now pleased to call great friends. If you like things dark, angry and fast, this is your band.
If you could have any act – past or present, living or dead – show up for a signing session, who would it be and why?
My favourite band has always been Slayer. They’re the one band that have been consistently with me since being a teenager. It would be amazing to have them come by. Either them or Black Sabbath. Who wouldn’t want Ozzy wandering their shop?
Everyone’s gone home. No more metal until tomorrow.
Can you reveal any more about your big plans for the future?
We’re going to be opening a pop-up shop in Birmingham for a week at a time for a few times a year at the legendary metal bar Scruffy Murphy’s with a view to making the Black City’s presence in the Midlands a permanent fixture in the next year or two. We’ve been taking a stall to gigs up there over the last few months and the reception to what we’re doing has been fantastic, so we’d like to repay that by making our presence in the city more of a permanent thing.
All images supplied by Black City Records
Read more: Metal & Prog Picks: April 2022
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
