Sister Ray
34–35 Berwick Street Soho London W1F 8RP
For anyone who feels a sense of loss at the rapidly disappearing world of real record shops, Soho offers some relief. While it covers a broader spectrum than Sounds of the Universe, just around the corner, Sister Ray remains rooted in indie and alternative sounds of all kinds. It was after all named for the 17-minute Velvet Underground epic that defined a genre, while its predecessor in these same premises was pictured on the cover of Oasis’s What’s The Story?
Perhaps the biggest asset of all is the staff; employees’ individual recommendations are displayed all around the shop, and they seem to know the precise contents of every book and fanzine that’s piled along the counter.
And yes, being a proper record shop, Sister Ray stills sells proper records – there’s an extensive selection of vinyl LPs, including large quantities of reggae and soul.