Scary monsters (and Super Creeps) by David Bowie starts Nigel Graham’s lifelong music and vinyl record obsession
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) by David Bowie was the first album bought in 1980 by the man who runs Union Vinyl on Market Brae Steps – and it sparked a lifelong interest in music.
Nigel Graham, who is now 50, said his first single would have been either Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd or Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick by Ian Dury and The Blockheads, but he could not remember which.
He said vinyl was still the best format and added: “CDs are smaller and you don’t have the same thrill of holding an album in your hands. The artwork is bigger. The sound is fuller and warmer for me, but that is my opinion.”
And the rarest record he has had in the shop was also by David Bowie – a copy of the album The Man Who Sold The World.
Mr Graham said: “He is wearing a dress on the cover and it was banned. It was in a collection and I knew exactly what it was. I had a copy of it before and I had sold it because I was skint. Then I found a second one.”
He said there was a strong interest in vinyl in the city and he had a cohort of regular customers. He added: “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”
Most of his stock comes from estate sales.
Mr Graham said Inverness BID had done a good job keeping businesses informed throughout the lockdown and added: “I emailed them three quarters of the way through lockdown thanking them for all their help. They did a fab job.”
