Haven't thought of this place in years but it just popped in my mind so wanted to leave a review…read more Spent a week in London in 2010 and felt I needed to seek out something punk while I was there. Left my group that I was with and took off to the other side of the city and found this place. It was perfect. Spent a bunch of time talking to the staff and some other patrons about punk in the US and the UK and got some great local recommendations from them (though wish someone had recommended Frank Turner to me then - I was practically on his doorstep and now I love him lol). Would love to come back and explore again.

Someone just told me about All Ages so this was the first time I've visited on my many trips to…read moreLondon. So glad I know about it, perfect place for those who like punk, hardcore and garage. The fact that you can see a Snazzy Boys poster in the photo says it all for me. Found a nice sale bin of 7"s that were buy 2 get 1 free, can't beat that. A good stop after you hit the market (or before).

My husband LOVES to go record shopping when we travel to other countries, and Sound of the Universe…read morewas on the top of his list of London record shops. It also has the advantage of being located down the street from two other record shops, so it's like a three-fer. Anyway, Sounds of the Universe is in the most picturesque lovely building standing tall on a corner with an understated yellow "Records" sign pointing people towards the door. They have a wide selection of records that are really nicely organized, and the shop is really bright and clean. My husband said they were very smart because they had the type of record collection that encourages people who are into one style of music to explore and find additional albums that are related within easy reach.

I know it is a thing here to have a photocopy of the album cover instead of the actual album out;…read morebut I don't like it. Other than that, this shop is average at best. Was underwhelmed by the selection and organization of the shop. Didn't really find anything unique or desirable. The prices also reflect the higher end of the market. There are better deals to be had elsewhere.

You know that oft-quoted line from the movie High Fidelity that goes "I agreed that what really…read morematters is what you like, not what you are like... books, records, films -- these things matter"? The truth of this is up for debate, but are you someone whose eyes light up (and ears perk up) at the mention of The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire, and The Strokes (who were all signed to Rough Trade at one point or another), even though you're loath to admit that you read Pitchfork occasionally...? Go on. This is just the place for you. Make a pilgrimage to Rough Trade because we both know that you're the kind of person who'd wander around Brick Lane anyway. Rough Trade makes me feel like that this is probably what an everyday record store looked like back in the heyday of college radio back in the '80s and '90s. (Recent former college DJ here, confirming that absolutely no one listened to our station because we were online.) There's something for every music fan here, from indie to underground CDs and vinyl to hip music memorabilia such as posters and clothing. Browse to your heart's content and remember to stop by when there's a free gig going on. Soak up the cooler-than-you vibes that'll help boost your indie cred, fork out some money for the trendy black-and-white photo booth (you know you can't resist it), and brag to all of your friends back home that you discovered a cool new band here that they've probably never heard of before.

I loved getting to check out Rough Trade Records. As a vinyl junkie, it was like a music pilgrimage…read morefor me while I was in London. I wanted to check out the original location, though I read it was not in the original location/building any more and we were never quite close enough to it while on our trip to make it a convenient stop. So this one became the one for me given that I read it had the best overall selection in the city. Loved this place. Active, vibrant, folks everywhere checking out records. There's a coffee and bar up front so after shopping I sipped a pint and continued to listen to the great music they played throughout. Prices were fair, a lot of new sealed vinyl at "2 for 50 (pounds)" or even 13-20 pounds single. I loved the notes and "essentials" stickers pointing you to different music. I picked up several albums, focusing on ones I don't often (or ever) see on the rack in the states, a book, some rough trade branded merch. I love that they sell quality turntables and stereo gear, etc.--but sadly none of that would fit in my carry-on! The only thing that keeps this from being a "5 star" record shop for me is that if I lived here, it couldn't be my "go to" given that there are no used/trade-in options. I popped in one other Rough Trade location on our trip and guess that is standard, these are sealed/new record sellers only. But it's such a cool spot and I'm glad I went. Saved my Rough Trade cloth bag for display.

While in London earlier this month, I wanted to hit up some record stores; Flashback being towards…read morethe top of the list. I hit up a couple Flashback locations but this one was definitely my favorite. It had some of the UK stuff that I was looking for, (I hail from the US), and at reasonable prices. I was in the shop for about an hour pursuing my sections/artists and taking second looks at the items in my stack and the employees let me do my thing and didn't bother me, which is always really appreciated. All of the stuff that I was looking for was on the main level, but they do have more vinyl in the basement, which is where I paid for my items. The employees were nice and understood that it was my first time in their shop and I didn't know the process of things. I loved this record shop and will definitely stop by here when I'm in London again!

Have experienced dentists available!! Don't farm out the…read morework to lesser practitioners just to make money!!

Visiting from out of town, the set up to this place is unique, only cds on the floor and all the…read morevinyl is behind the counter. I also walked in a minute from closing time at 6pm, and thought I might buy a shirt, but was rudely told that they were closed. Will spend my money elsewhere like Reckless Records who are open until 7pm. Cheers!

Sister Ray is a super cool record store (and conveniently down the street from a few other great…read morerecord stores). My vinyl crazed husband spent some good time in here. So first, this is a two-story store with vinyl downstairs and CDs upstairs. The downstairs is IMPRESSIVELY organized, which just tickled my fancy because I love it when things are organized. All of the sleeves are empty - the records are kept behind the counter downstairs. And even when you walk up with a stack of records, the organization is so good that they can easily locate all of the albums you wish you wish to purchase in a flash. The staff was great and friendly and they really knew their music too. The young man helping us had a deep discussion with my husband about some artists I don't know. It was a really good stop. And bonus points for the cool vintage cassettes painted on the stairwell.

The Bfi Filmstore is a film buffs' paradise. There are loads of obscure DVDs and more popular…read morechoices in here too... I recently found some cool Korean films in here that I couldn't get in Zavvi or HMV. There is so much choice, it's really great. I've also found a few gifts in here for friends as well. The Bfi is a great place to be anyways, the Benugo's Cafe is in the building, the cinema too... I love this place...

This place is so brilliant, I had no idea I was living beside such a gem. I went in for a browse…read moretoday and ended up buying some really good dvds that I haven't seen for sale anywhere else, like the a latin american documentary and an Irish film I love, each were £17.99. They have all the dvds arranged by country so it's all very easy to navigate. As well as books on film theory, biographies etc they also have fun little things like postcards of movie stills and cartoon flip books which would make nice little presents come my usual Christmas week panic. They also had a large flatscreen t.v on the wall playing a dvd that is on sale there so if you like it you can just buy it, no fuss. It's really user friendly and not at all film-nerdy like I though it would be. I'll be back!

So, made the mistake of trying to pop in here to grab a book however time was against me…read more Showed up at about 8 minutes to and was not permitted to enter because 'they had started clearing floors from the top'.YMMV but don't assume you can get in due to their published hours. I can on a Sunday not sure if they are more mellow when there is less God

I live in the US and order from UK bookstores quite a bit. This last time, I decided to try…read moreWaterstones a try since I wanted one of their signed editions. I will never make that mistake again. The book I received had tears and creases to the book jacket. I have included a couple of pictures to show what it looked like straight from the box. In the future, I will stick with Goldsboro Books, Coles, and a couple of others you know how to package and ship a book. Avoid this bookstore chain if you plan on having anything shipped

Absolutely disgusting, do NOT buy anything from these people. They are vile the lot of them, they…read moretalk to customers like they are nothing. I had a preorder that I paid for in cash. The item arrived damaged 3 or 4 days late. They tried to be awkward by refusing to refund me & only refund me by debit card. I told them they are NOT having my card details & it was absolutely absurd, at this point the manager Ross from Coventry HMV store started being abusive making accusatory comments about the tone in my voice. I have autism & I don't feel I was rude in any way. I was trying to state a fact which was misinterpreted as me being rude. The only time I was rude to HMV was when I was provoked. I've experienced discrimination as well with the staff making inappropriate comments about the way I was dressed which I felt isn't relevant & completely inappropriate. I do think stores like HMV unfortunately abuse vulnerable customers because they think they can get away with it. Their customer services via phone is absolutely awful & very unhelpful. I would urge anyone, simply don't do business with them at all, they don't care about you as the customer. They don't deserve any customers at all with they treated me.

I visited the store on 12/13 September 2011. It is located about 1500 meters from Bayswater Station…read moreon London's Underground. My only other experience with HMV in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada which used to be a Virgin Megastore (one of Sir Robert Branson's spinoffs). So, by comparison, this store is about 1/4 the size of the Vancouver location. The staff appear pretty friendly and helpful without being overbearing. They allow you to walk in the store and to get your bearing before chiming in with their "Can I help you..." mantra. The store is laid out as most music stores with CD's sorted by genre and alphabetized within the genre. The selection of DVD and Bluray is smaller than I expected. Additionally, some of the staff is not familiar with the region coding issues that can occur when you buy DVD media in countries other than those you reside. They do, however, seem to understand PAL vs. NTSC. Unlike it's Vancouver counterpart, it did not have as many accessories for music players (but this is probably because of the small size). The music is not played loudly and the lighting is adequate so the store atmosphere is pleasant. There is not an abundance of over-advertising of movies or music as I would have expected as I have seen in other non-HMV stores. Converting British Pounds to the US/Canadian dollar, there were actually many cheaper products than buying them in the US/Canada. Hopefully, the store is still there when I make my next trip to London as I will do my homework on movies and such to determine if I can play purchases on my home system.

DO NOT PRE ORDER FROM ROUGH TRADE IF YOU WANT RELEASE DAY STUFF…read more Pre ordered the Springsteen Nebraska 82 set as I wanted to get it the day it came out. It didn't arrive, it's now days later and I've had no news about when I'll get it either. I've tried contacting them via customer service messaging and emails and have been ignored. According to the Shop app, my package is still 'being prepared' which means absolutely nothing

I first learned about the iconic Rough Trade record store through my love for The Smiths, and I…read morecouldn't resist the magnetic pull of this indie vinyl haven. My friend Robert and I had to visit it while on a long layover in London. Despite its dilapidated state and small size, Rough Trade's undeniable charm was evident in every corner. It's a treasure trove for indie and obscure music! However, I must admit that the physical state of the store left me longing for more. It's not as impressive as the one in New York! We didn't buy anything though, we've never heard of some of the bands that were on display. lol

Great coffee, chill bohemian vibe, and surprisingly friendly staff for this part of the world. The…read moreunique juxtaposition of the chill coffeeshop atmosphere with a serious love of music makes this one of the cooler coffee shops you'll find around this area, and the food is nothing to turn your nose up at, either. They have a modest menu of great quality coffees, made to near-perfection, and a menu boasting of both healthy and not-so-healthy bagels and pastries, which are all equally delicious, (yes, the healthy ones, too). They have decadent toffee cheesecakes and big vegan cookies made with oats and coconut, chewy brownies and high-quality chocolates. Pick your poison, they all pair perfectly with their java. Check out their social media pages, as I hear they usually hold special events that you don't want to miss if you're ever in the area. So, take a chill pill and enjoy.

Very cute coffee shop hidden in exmouth market. I walked from kings cross station and needed a…read moreplace to grab some drinks and rest. I ordered ice latte with oat milk, which is pretty impressive as I didn't expect much anyway. It's quite "milky" but since it's plant based, it doesn't make my stomach suffer from digesting the drink (like I usually have to). I like the ratio of coffee and milk in my latte, the drink tastes creamy but neither of the flavor is overpowering. Overall it is a chill, warm, and cozy local cafe. It's also a good spot for 2-3 people to sit down and chat on weekend afternoon!