The Vinyl Nomad | Chapter 07-08: London

Day 21

Took the early Eurostar train from Amsterdam to London. I’ve grown to love long train rides—they give me time to think, update my journal, and focus on essential computer work for the Vinyl Nomad tour. 

I arrived in London and met with hip-hop producer, writer and record collector Chris Read. I’ve known Chris for years, having first met during my previous Dust & Grooves photo adventures. This time, however, would be different, as I would be seeing his collection for the first time. 

Chris’s collection consisted of a full-wall vinyl library categorized by genre—mainly hip-hop classics and some very sample-worthy records—and, on top of the shelves, five flight cases plastered with stickers from his extensive travels; a lively, decorated space that successfully says a lot about the owner and their style of music (which could perhaps be a topic for my next book?). 

After about two hours of an insightful session, we wrapped up our shoot and went for a late lunch around the neighborhood. 

Day 22

I met with Adam Prescott of Greensleeves Records in Brixton station, ready to interview today’s subjects, heavy-weight reggae collectors Oxman and Keith Lawrence. 

Currently a DJ at Soho Radio, Oxman has had a long-standing in the London reggae scene through his work with the record label Soul Jazz, the much-beloved record store Dub Vendor, and his many years in radio. I was invited to his home, a tidy space with a main record room consisting of two wall-sized custom-made shelves for his LP and 7-inch records. With a charming personality and deep knowledge of music across the board, Ox took us through a soulful journey through his collection, starting off some of his earliest records, given to him by his mom, then Barry White albums and reggae compilations, and finally, rare dubplates and white label one-offs. He put on some of his favorite tracks, making dancing inevitable. Overall, this was a visit full of great vibes. We eventually wrapped up the photo shoot and stopped at a Brixton patty shop for a quick snack before heading to our next destination.

Upon arriving at Keith Lawrence’s place, we were immediately met with warmth and laughter. With over three decades of experience as a DJ and radio presenter, Keith has amassed a vast collection of vinyl that includes Jamaican classics, funk, hip-hop and early boogie records. His record room was racked with records from front to back, with some sections dusty and falling apart as if unable to contain its multitudes of unique gems. After two hours at Keith’s, I ended the day feeling satisfied. Oddly enough, Jamaican music was not covered in Dust & Grooves Volume 1 (not sure why, as I do like reggae and dub), so I was glad to be able to visit the genre and speak with some of its most excellent experts this time around.

Day 23

Today, I made a special trip to Peel Acres, the country house belonging to the late British DJ John Peel, who helped popularize artists such as David Bowie, The Smiths, Led Zeppelin, and more as BBC Radio 1’s longest-standing radio host. It was at Peel Acres that he broadcasted his radio show, hosted some of the world’s most excellent musicians, and kept his most treasured records, making this one of the UK’s most important music archives. I brought along my good friend Kevin Foakes (AKA DJ Food), Dust & Grooves contributor and music enthusiast, for the journey. 

We were welcomed by Tom Ravenscroft, son of the late DJ, and his wife Sheila, who gave us an all-access tour of the property and let us dig into the extensive archive for hours. After six hours worth of digging, we had barely scratched the surface. The amount of rare finds was astounding, an archive beyond our wildest dreams. 

One of the most remarkable aspects of this visit was the personal letters attached to some of the records, written to John Peel by the artists themselves. From handwritten white label T-Rex records inscribed by Marc Bolan to Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin press releases describing them as “the next big thing” was mind-blowing; I grew an awareness of how privileged we were to be in such a historical space and accessing such artifacts. 

Day 24

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I spent time with illustrator and designer Tony McDermott. Having done album art for artists like Mad Professor and Shaggy, Tony has made his mark as the go-to illustrator for some of the most iconic acts in reggae, dub and dancehall.

I met with Tony at his house just outside of London, and we went straight to his small studio space where he paints, works on illustrations and stores his vinyl. We went through some soul and jazz records, then dove into his illustration portfolio, which showcased intricate paintings and illustrations for dub and dancehall giants such as Mad Professor and Scientist.

At the end of a great photo shoot, I asked Tony if he had any stickers to feature on my luggage. He didn’t have any—instead, he pulled out a sharpie and notebook and scribbled away, staring at me as he drew. It took me a few seconds to realize that he was drawing me, and I felt instant joy. Now I can proudly say that I am an owner of a limited edition Tony McDermott print, and that I have also gained a new friend 🙂

I ended the day on a high note at a Channel One Soundsystem party, where I met up again with Adam and Oxman of Greensleeves Records, who DJ’d and opened the set on their incredible sound system.

Day 25

Double whammy today. We started off with French-Taiwanese DJ Louise Chen, who sprung into the Parisian music scene in 2012 with her all-women music collective Girls Girls Girls. Known for her eclectic taste, her collection involved an incredible mixture of soul classics, gospel records, and a strong connection to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Afterward, we met with writer, editor and audio producer Anton Spice, known for his work as former editor-in-chief of The Vinyl Factory. He is also a long-time friend of mine, a Dust & Grooves contributor, and an all-around great intellectual with a deep eclectic vinyl collection.

Day 26 

Today was spent with music producer and graphic artist Trevor Jackson, known for his expressive digital art style. Accompanied by our mutual friend Kevin Foakes, we met up at Trevor’s house by the canal and started off in Trevor’s small home studio, where most of his albums and 12-inch singles are stored. Trevor prides himself on being a “non-collector,” and the not-so-minty condition of his records speaks to this belief. According to Trevor, records deserve to be played, not to be sealed and conserved in plastic sleeves. 

Eventually, we moved into his much spacier work and design studio, taking some of the records there to use the studio’s natural light and decor, giving us endless backdrops for taking photos. We dove into some of his 7-inch records, kept in six cardboard containers lying on the ground. Each record had an eye-catching picture sleeve, reflecting how Trevor subconsciously chooses records based on their design and cover.

Day 27

This day was dedicated to meeting with the legendary historian, film director and radio personality Don Letts. I had been keen on interviewing him for a long time but found no luck until a fateful Thanksgiving dinner in Brooklyn, where I met with writer, musician and lecturer Vivien Goldman, also known for her 2019 book “Revenge of the She-Punks.” She and I connected over music, and at a certain point, she casually mentioned she used to work with Bob Marley and Fela Kuti. (What!!?!)  We became friends and have stayed in touch ever since. A few months later, I asked her if she happened to know Don and would be interested in interviewing him for Dust & Grooves. Vivien replied with a smirk and said, “Yeah, not a problem. I’ll talk to Don about it. Consider it done.” And here we are 🙂

Don welcomed me into his beautiful home, enthusiastic to show me his favorite records. Being the experienced radio and documentary professional that he is, the shoot went smoothly, with Don occasionally suggesting photo angles and backgrounds for our shots. He showed me the entire spectrum of his music, from Beatles bootlegs to punk classics, reggae and dub to contemporary artists. We bounced to and from the living room and his shed, which is his office and studio. Nestled between these two locations was a lush, tropical garden, which made me feel like we were somewhere in Jamaica. It was a great pleasure getting to work with him and Vivien. 

Day 28

Another long day today, with two back-to-back shoots.

Started early meeting Mafalda, a young Portuguese-born DJ, living in far out in east London. Had to rush through this one, as my next shoot was way out in the southern outskirt of the city.

I then headed out to meet with DJ and writer Christ Menist. Chris has spent significant portions of his life living in Pakistan and Thailand, where he would dig for records from all over Asia. During his time in Thailand, he joined forces with Thai DJ and musician Maft Sai and founded Paradise Bangkok, which also served as a weekly party where the two would play records they found while digging in the wild. Chris has since continued with traveling and journalism while expanding his knowledge of Asian cultures. His selection of records is concentrated on his past travels through Asia, playing gems from countries like Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. It was fascinating listening to him connect the dots between these different styles of music and explaining/theorizing the roots and migration of cultures (for instance, how music from Malaysia might sound similar to music from Ethiopia.) This is a man who, among being a unique collector, really knows his stuff. 

Day 29

Took a day off to recuperate from the busyness of the past few days and have some quality time to myself. Also went for a run and met up with friends, which was much needed. 

Day 30

On my last day of shoots in the UK, I met with Alice Whittington (AKA Norsicaa) and Frank Merritt in their lovely converted warehouse/studio in East London. Alice is the label manager of Soundway Records, and Frank is a respected mastering engineer who operates his mastering studio, The Carvery Studio, from their loft.  

Made from reclaimed scaffolding wood and decorated with a plethora of music ephemera, their work/living space is every music enthusiast’s dream. We spent close to six hours going through their extensive collection. Each brought their own records to the table, and slowly, we closed in on the one record (of many) that really brought them together—the Twin Peaks soundtrack. We then spent the final hour getting a personalized tour of The Carvery, where Frank demonstrated step-by-step the meticulous art of mastering and pressing songs into vinyl test pressing.

Follow our adventures as told to our editorial intern Vanessa Tirok.