Despite the city suffering an apparent crisis of cultural confidence, Mark Elliott’s visit to Birmingham in search of vinyl treasure reveals a happy hunting ground

Mark Elliott

The trip

Now, if Oprah Winfrey was writing this piece, she would give this city a good talking to. It isn’t just the one occasion; it seems to happen almost everywhere: “We’ve never been good at producing credible bands”; “the shopping isn’t as good as it used to be”; “you won’t find it like that here”; even “why are you here?”. It seems Birmingham is suftering from something of a confidence crisis, and I’d like to suggest that it needs to pull itself together.

A sense of discretion prevents me from identifying who said what, but it surprises me. True, some much-loved record shops such as Reddingtons have bitten the dust (but some great ones survive); true, Duran Duran aren’t Th Doors (although they tried to be on 1995’s Thank You); true, the trafic’s a challenge (but parking’s a doddle); and, true, for a city this size, vinyl shopping is a little sparser than you’d imagine. But – and it’s a significant but – this is the only place where I’m othered a cup of tea while cratedigging; where I find mint New Musik albums in the bargain bins and where I’m othered loads of vintage music magazines – including pristine copies of Th Face – for less than the price of a latte apiece!

Th great and the good – Steve Winwood and Traffic, Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, Ali Campbell and UB40, Joan Armatrading, even Toyah, representing just a modest selection, broke out from Birmingham. It’s comfortably Britain’s second biggest city in terms of its population size (if not its cultural kudos and its own self-confidence), and in the 1960s, there was a live scene as big here as in Liverpool – although only Th Move came anywhere close to Th Beatles’ level of success. In the 1970s, ELO were chasing Wolverhampton neighbours Slade for chart positions; while in the 1980s and 1990s, Duran Duran conquered the world and Ocean Colour Scene briefly captured the Britpop zeitgeist.

There is plenty to be proud of in Birmingham and, actually, this proves to be one of the best trips I have done

More recently, Th Streets made some impact, and the ‘B-Town’ indie scene excites music journalists (but few others). So there is plenty to be proud of here and, actually, this proves to be one of the best trips I have done – some great finds, a decent range of different stores and, unusually, hasslefree navigation around a wide area. Without the car, I’d have struggled, but this is true of the majority of these trips, I find, and there’s more than enough here to fill the day – particularly if you want to try some of the stores further aThld (such as Oldies in Wolverhampton). So, park your prejudices at the door – I’m tasking Birmingham with some self-belief. Th place even has a Walk Of Stars celebrating Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood and Noddy Holder. Point proven, I’d say!