What store can we find you at and when did the store open?
You can find me eating Subway most days at Shop 104g Balcony Level Gays/Adelaide Arcade, Rundle Mall. Gordy Boy Records opened on December the 11th 2023.
Tell us a little bit about what inspired you to open a record store?
As a tragic 80’s child, Vinyl and Music in general has been in the forefront all of my life (thanks Mum!).
Some of my biggest and happiest memories have revolved around Records and Live Music. There are always times in our lives where delving into passions is imperative to what’s next. This is what’s next and life’s making a lot more sense as a result of this jump.
Did you grow up in Adelaide? What stores did you shop at while you were growing up?
During my formative teenage years, I split my time between two stores in the Southern Suburbs of Adelaide. The First being Big Star Records, Sturt Road Marion and the Second being Krypton Discs on Jetty Road Glenelg.
Can you remember the first record you ever purchased?
I can remember the first piece of musical media I bought… and I’m leaving it here as a confession if anything, it was The Proclaimers Sunshine on Leith on Cassette.
What are the essentials to creating a record collection? What advice would you give someone who is just beginning
Having collected since the ill fated Sunshine on Leith days till now, through Cassettes, CDs, and Records, one thing I say to any collector starting out, collect the albums you want to listen to. Don’t worry about the ones others advise ‘you must have’, don’t bother trying to get everything one or multiple artists produce just cause you have to complete a set, collect the records you enjoy listening to, your collection will grow from there and you will never have to skip a track!
If you could travel back in time to any musical era, where would you go?
Leith 1988!! Jokes! Ok, um it really changes, I mean I was really lucky to grow up alongside the Big Day Out here in Australia so I can’t imagine anything topping that era, but if I was to have a time machine, I’d pop back to a night at CBGB’s with Talking Heads, Blondie, Television, The Ramones, that would be very hard to pass up. I’m guessing that would be pretty packed if Time Machines become a thing though so there would definitely be a line up?
What’s the record you would bring back with you?
Talking Heads 77 or More Songs about Buildings and Food, probably the later actually.
What’s your go to vinyl while closing up the store?
Hmm.. lately its been Grinspoon’s Guide To Better Living, I can not tell you why, I don’t even know, but what a pearler those guitar riffs are.. thanks’ young Pat.
Do you have a favourite part about running a store?
Oh, easiest question of the lot of them! Our Gordy Boy Records Fam! There are great record stores here in the Adelaide CBD and in the burbs, the fact we get to see the same faces, sometimes weekly, fills us all with a bit of pride and warms our cockles.
We don’t do what we do without our customers, even when they are in for a flick through and a chat, our GBR fam means everything to us.
If you could give someone one piece of advice about opening a record store, what would it be?
Oh look, we have only been open for such a short time? Firstly I’d say seek advice from those at Red Eye Records, Greville Records, Mr V here in Semaphore SA, the O’G’s have seen it all.
Secondly, id share a quote I heard just before opening our little place.. “When it feels scary jump, that is exactly when you jump…”
What’s your favourite part of RSD and how will you be celebrating this year?
For us, we will refer back to the customers on this one, our favourite part of this time of year is the buzz they all have about the day and the buzz they add on the day. Last year I was taken aback by having a small line up waiting for me and the boss (Gordy the schnauzer).
Gordy’s back this year albeit a little slower after a rough health trot, we also have a special shop space allocated in the Historical Tea Rooms at the Adelaide Arcade this year. So there will be our normal operations at 104g and then our RSD stock and goodies available in the Tea Rooms with live DJ’s and a final live gig from a special three piece…details and announcements to follow later in March this year.
