Record shop hits right note with fans

While national figures suggest that sales are in decline, one of the region´s last-standing independent record shops in proving that some imaginative marketing can reignite the public´s passion for buying music.

According to the latest figures from the BPI, combined sales of digital and physical albums fell overall by 5.6 percent to 113.2m last year, down from the 2004 peak of 163.4m.

But ever eager to buck the trend, Marlborough´s Sound Knowledge has kicked off the new year by announcing two free concerts and record signings in the space of a few days.

On Friday, January 20 from 6.30pm London band Tribes will perform on the week of release of their debut album Baby.

Having already grabbed NME´s Radar Band Of The Week accolade and been included in the NME awards tour line up next year alongside bands such as Two Door Cinema Club and Metronomy, Tribes are set to be one of the biggest bands of 2012.

And on Tuesday, January 24 from 7pm The Loose Salute will be performing in support of their new album Getting Over Being Under.

The band was founded by drummer Ian McCutcheon of Slowdive and Mojave 3 and they play a dreamy, surf rock sounding chorus of music helped live by friends and fans.

Fans of both bands will have the chance to see them play in the intimate setting of adjoining bar Azuza, and get their album signed by the band in-store after the show by registering their interest on the store´s Facebook page.

For more information log on to www.facebook.com/pages/Sound-Knowledge/108109829223506

Pictured: Roger Mortimer, owner of Sound Knowledge