Women of Wax (2022)
Alice, also known as Jungalice started working in RK Bass at the tender age of 19. The Brighton based record shop was initially set up by Leanne Pritchard in 2009 right in the heart of town. RK Bass is a Brighton institution, a cultural hub specialising in drum & bass, dubstep, oldskool hardcore, jungle, house & techno as well as selling DJ accessories and merch.
Alice took over RK Bass in September 2021 under the Rarekind Enterprise and is responsible for buying, pricing, taking care of the general maintenance and using her expertise to recommend amazing music that customers might not know about.
What’s the best thing about working in a record shop? “Getting first pick of all the tunes and pushing music I care deeply about. To sell music and be a part of the cycle means a lot.’’
What’s the first record you bought: ‘’Junglist by Congo Natty’’
Current recommendation: ‘’E-Beamz records - Continuum-Z LP’’
Lis’ curiosity for music began at an early age and by 12 she was hanging out at her local record shop, Astleys near Reading. At 15 she was regularly attending free parties on the outskirts of London. Inspired by Helena Hauff. Kemistry & Storm DJ Kicks mix and the women she’d see DJing at free parties, Lis decided to pursue DJing herself.
Lis aka DJ EFF began working at Disc World, now called Planet Wax in Sept 2020 when she was 20 years old. Planet Wax, due to owners Chris Dexta and Lewis Sicknote’s passion and drive, has become one of London’s most cherished record shops. Although Lis has recently left, her main responsibilities were running the online shop, dealing with international orders, helping manage their infamous in-stores (booking artists and recording sets), supporting the record label (Disc World), distribution and day to day runnings.
What’s the best thing about working in a record shop?
‘’Beyond the community being the best bunch of people, I love being immersed in the music. Sharing banging music to people makes me so happy’’
What’s the first record you ever bought?
‘’MIST - Jam Hot / Outer Space’’
Current recommendation:
DJ Sports - Whatcha Doing to Me? off the Smoking and Drinking EP - Fresh 86
Tom established Redeye Records in 1992 in Ipswich, shortly after his 21st birthday and soon enlisted Becks as his business partner. She grew up listening to Chaka Khan and early rap music but her love of dance music grew because she ‘’married a guy who ran a record shop and talked me into working with him!’’ Becks continues to manage the shop and is responsible for all aspects except buying and updating the website.
In the early days of Redeye, Tom and Duncan Busto (Spirit RIP) would be behind the counter as customers would queue up to try and get their hands on the latest hardcore and jungle records. Ipwich had a burgeoning music scene in the 90’s and was a hotspot for creativity due to local artists Digital, Spirit, Klute and Photek, and the groundbreaking record label Certificate 18 run by Paul Arnold.
In 1997 Becks and Tom started to offer mail orders – one of the first record shops to do so. Online orders took off and before long they switched to exclusively trading online.
The couple have faced huge financial turmoil and uncertainty due to the financial crisis of 2008 and the rise of digital DJ options that emerged around the same time. Their outstanding commitment and contribution to the Jungle Drum & Bass industry over the last 30 years is categorically colossal!
First record bought...it's a banger and you will have to Google it...
Lena Zavaroni Ma He's Making Eyes At Me. I must have been six years old. I could have told a porky and made something up!
What’s the best thing about working in a record shop?
‘’Selling good music to good people in the best manner we can. We're able to give people escapism…We have a real love for so much of what we have sold over the years and we know we're lucky to be associated with such brilliant artists and record labels.’’
Current recommendation
That’s too big an ask! Anything Digital does is tops for me. He is such a talented man and a brilliant person. Also love Omar S and Coco Bryce. The list is endless.....
Big shouts to the Redeye team, Tom, Ben, Louis and Vicks.
Ilda was immersed in music from a very young age - her mother worked in a music shop and her step dad made electronic music - an environment she’s very much grateful for. She DJs under the name Kumquat Tang, playing bass music across the spectrum, mostly between 120-160 BPM.
Ilda set up Yuku alongside her husband Jef in 2020 - no easy feat right in the midst of a pandemic. The record shop serves as an extension of their creative vision, where carefully selected artworks, prints and collaboratively designed Yuku merch are on display. They’ve created a beautiful listening environment for customers to listen to a wide range of electronic music on audiophile quality equipment.
The couple also run a brilliant record label of the same name with releases from Current Value, A Fruit, Es.Tereo and Forest Drive West amongst others.
What’s the best thing about working in a record shop?
Introducing people to new artists and music styles as well as building a community around what we're doing. YUKU's fluidity allows us to make changes and always think about what new to bring to it which is really exciting.
What’s the first record you ever bought?
Onoe Caponoe - Surf Or Die [High Focus Records]
Current recommendation:
Rhyw - The Devil's In The Dlzlzlz [Fever AM]
Miss Pink grew up in a small highland village on the outskirts of Inverness. She moved to Coventry in 1989 to study art and soon began working at the legendary live music venue The Tic Toc Club. As electronic live acts such as The Prodigy and The Shamen began to emerge in the early 90s Miss Pink became immersed in the free party scene, attending Castle Morton, Spiral Tribe & Bedlam raves.
She moved to London in the early 90s and began squatting in Hackney. In 1993 at 21 she began working in Ambient Soho Berwick St. She initially sold merch but soon progressed to the main Drum & Bass buyer. At the time Soho was swarming with record shops. Miss Pink would regularly go into Blackmarket Records to buy the latest Congo Natty records and became acquainted with Nicky Blackmarket. After a short stint working at the distributers ‘Under One Sun’ in Brick Lane, Miss Pink secured a job at Blackmarket in 2000. She started off answering the phones, selling tickets, tape packs and merch but soon began covering shifts in the basement behind the counter.
Miss Pink had the perfect qualities to manage London’s most established Drum & Bass Record Shop at the time; a deep knowledge of the music, a welcoming personality and brilliant organisational skills (she still remembers CAT numbers!). She had a non-judgmental attitude and a huge desire to help people connect with new music, regardless of how ‘good’ or ‘cool’ it was. She understood the huge reputation Blackmarket had and how intimidated customers could feel walking down ‘those’ steep stairs to the basement, particularly women as there were so few.
Miss Pink’s career as a vinyl specialist spanned exactly 20 years. Her contribution to Jungle Drum & Bass is enormous…Infinite props!! Her career has gone full circle and she’s back making art, creating beautiful custom stained glass @artnglassram
What’s the first record you ever bought?
Hey Mickey by Toni Basil
Best thing about working in a record shop?
1. Listening to huge amounts of new music every day and having access to the latest promos.
2. I loved recommending new music to customers and the social aspect.
3. Blasting out music all day wasn’t so bad!
We highlighted just a small number of women who work in and own record shops, specialising in JDB and experimental electronic music.
Working in a record shop is a labour of love. Profit margins are tight, hours are long and there are issues that are particularly prevelant to women. While researching for the feature there were a number of problematic issues that need to be mentioned: sexism, hostile attitudes from customers & DJs, racism, wages being withheld and stalkers were all reported.
Despite these challenges women behind the counter push onwards as their commitment to the music runs deep. Something all of us women and marginalised genders can relate to. We push onwards in the face of misogyny, misogynoir, because when the music hits, you feel no pain!!