ACE RECORDS

In discussion with Pete Keeley over Ace Records -

KH: Who started Ace Records?

PK: I think it was Colin (sadly deceased). When I was there 78-80 it was Colin and Willy who would alternate between the Norwich shop and one in London. I never met anyone else.

KH: I take it the London shop was also called Ace Records?

PK: Yes, it was in Islington.

KH: What was the reason for picking Norwich for the second shop? Did they have Norwich connections?

PK: I'm not sure. I was only young and didn't know the back story. I'm still in touch with Willy's partner Biddy on FB, so I could probably find out!

KH: That would be much appreciated Pete. It would be nice to know.
Follow on:

PK: Had a chat with Willy from Ace/Backs about the history of Ace, and got some useful pointers. Originally there was a record shop on those premises that Willy used to frequent as a customer called Garon Records. It was owned by two guy one called Gavin, the other called Ron, who had a stall on Cambridge market and decided to open in Norwich. This would have been around 73/74 Willy thinks. The guy they had managing the Norwich shop was a guy called Dave Wright, and the shop sold folk, jazz, deletions, cut-outs etc, and Willy ended up doing a few hours here and there if Dave needed a break (he remembers Ian McKellen coming into the shop at the time and buying a Scott Joplin album around 76ish, dates are all a bit vague), Garon wasn't doing too well, and the manager Dave Wright, in conjunction with Colin Barnes took over the premises from Garon, and a lot of the stock and set up Ace Records. As they couldn't get accounts with all the majors they specialised in Colin's tastes, Reggae, Northern Soul, and the emerging Punk scene. At some point after that maybe 78/79 they opened the Ace shop in London on Upper St in Islington, and Dave Wright concentrated on that with Colin alternating between Norwich and London (and Willy flitting between the two occasionally as well). Apparently, this Dave bloke wasn't the greatest so by 77ish, the Norwich shop was just Colin and Willy, and once they'd opened up the shop in London it facilitated getting punk/indie from RT, Reggae from London specialists etc and they'd buy stock for both shops and ship stuff up to Norwich via Redstar overnight to Norwich station for the weekend (I remember having to pick up boxes of records from the station). About late 78 early 79, Colin and Willy separately both hired me part-time to help them when the other was in London (Colin told me not to tell Willy, and Willy told me not to tell Colin, I think it was about a month before they cottoned on they'd both employed me). By about 1980 it became obvious that Ace couldn't survive, I think there were just too many shops in Norwich at that point, it limped on for a bit longer but the writing was on the wall.

KH: This is great stuff cheers Pete. I recall Garon records from my research notes as a shop specialising in imports never linked it to the same shop though so great connection. Cheers

EEN Oct 78 Ace Records Sale now on