Where It All Began: Don Powell and Andy Scott Celebrate the Soul of Independent Record Stores
In 2017, as Record Store Day marked its tenth anniversary, two familiar voices from British rock history reached across continents to speak directly to Australia. Don Powell of Slade and Andy Scott of Sweet did more than offer congratulations. They shared something far more valuable. They shared memories. What emerged was not a promotional message, but a heartfelt reflection on how independent record stores helped shape not only their musical tastes, but their entire lives.
For Don Powell, the record store was destiny. He recalled how a simple Saturday visit to a local shop in Wolverhampton became the moment where everything began. It was there, surrounded by vinyl sleeves and listening booths, that he first connected with Noddy Holder. Their shared love of American soul music drew them together, listening closely, learning songs, absorbing sounds that would later fuel one of the most successful British bands of the glam era. Without that record store, Powell openly acknowledged, Slade might never have existed.
Andy Scott’s memories were equally vivid, rooted in his hometown in North Wales. He spoke of a music shop that was half instruments and half records, a place where young musicians pressed their faces against the glass, dreaming of guitars and drums. Vinyl was becoming accessible, moving beyond the era of shellac discs, and with it came a sense of discovery. Buying a record was an experience. You held it. You listened before committing. You made a choice that felt personal and important.
Scott recalled the excitement of purchasing a Shadows album and the thrill of carrying it home. He also laughed at early attempts to record music with friends inside the shop, crowding around a microphone and trying to capture the magic of their heroes. These moments were imperfect, but they were formative. They were moments of connection between young musicians and the physical world of music.
As the conversation turned to musical influences, both artists revealed tastes that went beyond their public images. Scott spoke about his deep interest in jazz and fusion during the late nineteen sixties, long before Sweet became synonymous with chart topping pop rock. He made a point that resonated strongly. There is no bad music, only music. Independent record stores, he explained, are places where that philosophy lives. They invite curiosity, not algorithms.
Both men acknowledged that touring schedules now leave little time for browsing record shops. Yet their affection for these spaces has never faded. Scott expressed genuine concern about a future without walk in record stores, warning that music should never become purely digital and disposable. The return of vinyl, particularly its chart success in Europe, gave him hope. Tangible music still matters.
Australia, they noted with appreciation, continues to support hundreds of independent stores. These are places full of stories, knowledge, and passion. As Record Store Day approached on April twenty second, their message was clear. Step inside. Browse slowly. Read the back covers. Talk to the people behind the counter.
Because somewhere between the shelves and the listening booths, music still changes lives.