The Diskery

Ikon teams up again with local independent record shop The Diskery on Saturday 1 June 7-10pm as part of The Migrant Festival. We spoke to Danny Young from the Diskery to find out more!  

The Diskery is Birmingham’s oldest record shop. The store opened in 1952 by Morris Hunting and has been supplying music in the city ever since. Danny Young who has been working at the Diskery for 4 years was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica. In 1958 his father, a baker from Kingston, Jamaica came over to England in search of a new life. In the early 1960s Danny and his mother joined his father and grew up in Lozells, Birmingham.

 

Could you tell us a little bit about your musical influences growing up in Birmingham in the 1960s?

My father would set up blues parties –  I always knew which houses they would be in and what nights they were on. Duke Sonny was someone who my father would book for the all night parties. Another of my influences was Count Joseph who was the resident sound at the Monday club youth centre 1969, where the entrance fee was one old penny.

What was your first record that you owned?

When we were growing up we had tenants that lived in our attic, one evening I came home to find that one of the tenants was throwing out some stuff including some records, I picked up one of the records which was Fatty Fatty by Clancy Eccles (1969) and asked if I could have it.

Since your time working at the Diskery is there any interesting people who have come into the shop or memorable moments?

We have had quite a few influential people from the music industry in the shop. I would have to say that my most memorable moment was a Friday afternoon in 2017 when Dr Almantado walks into the shop; he smiles and asks if we could stock his albums and singles. Another time was when Winston Edwards a records producer from studio 16 – producer of King Tubby Meets the Up Setter at the Grassroots of Dub Album.

How do you choose what to stock in the shop and where do you get it from?

We at the Diskery stock all types of music. You name it, we’ve got it! Being a second hand record shop which is one of the oldest in the country we have accumulated records and paraphernalia over the years. We source stock from ex DJs and independent record producers. We do also get people walk in off the street and bring in there record collection from the attic.

Could you give us a flavour of some of the records that you are going to play at the event at Ikon?

We will be playing a selection of music, including Rocksteady, Ska, Blue beat, Roots music and Lovers rock. I will be showcasing some rare records from my collection alongside some of The Diskery’s stock which we will be for sale.

Join Ikon and The Diskery in Yorks Cafe on Saturday 1 June. Drop in between 7 and 10pm. This event is part of The Migrant Festival which runs from 30 May – 2 June. A four day festival fusing visual art, music, film and performance. Download the full guide here.