Waxing lyrical with Spiral Archive honcho Alex

It’s one thing harbouring a dream to open a little vinyl store, turning a hobby into a job, but it’s quite another to turn it into reality – which is exactly what man about town Alex Novak did.

This month, Spiral Archive celebrates its quarter century of trading second hand releases in Northampton, which is worth cracking open the bubbly for.

“When I was early in my teens I used to go to a record library in Northampton every week with my brother John, to satisfy our inquisitive minds,” Alex said, recalling his early connection with music, “We would get records on the strength of the cover alone, and as the releases were only borrowed, there was no risk – you didn’t have to pay out for a dud!”

Later, Alex took a Saturday job in the music department at WH Smith right when the all-important punk explosion happened.
Nonetheless, taking the plunge and opening a business is still a leap of faith. What made you do it?

“I had been doing Record Fairs with my friend Pete Morris, who is sadly no longer with us, and we’d been working them in London at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, and others in Cambridge, Bedford and Birmingham. It was a laugh, but it was the lugging of boxes full of vinyl that did it – I got fed up with that!” he laughed, “I’d been in bands as well, so I wanted to turn this knowledge into trying to make a living.”
Crucially, Alex set up shop at a time when record sales were in the doldrums.

“I started when vinyl sales were at their lowest, and I knew that if I could survive that, then I would be OK. Obviously, vinyl sales are now on the up, and I think there will always be a demand for physical releases.”

Many of his customers are returning vinyl fans, and a trip to the store often results in strangers bonding over the racks of releases. It’s a community, but there have been a good few familiar faces pop in to thumb through the goodies as well – everyone from Mark Lamarr to Jerry Dammers from The Specials have splashed the cash with Alex.

How easy is it to stay motivated?
“Aside from the fact that it is my job, you’ve simply got to like music,” he says, “…and you’ve got to stay interested. If you lose that passion, you’ve lost the reason for doing it.”

The way in which many people consume their music might have altered, but Alex stays resolute – it’s wax, discs and reels all the way with him.

“I’ve done pretty much the same as I have always done,” Alex said, “It’s just that more people are now interested in vinyl again, which is great.”

So we’ve done the quarter century. Do you think we’ll be checking in for the half century?
Alex smiled, “Watch this space!”

The first single and album that you bought
The first single was Paul Simon with Mother and Child Reunion, from Preedy in Northampton.
A T-Rex compilation of early tracks on MFP was the first album, picked up from a newsagents in Shepherd’s Bush in London.

The jewels in your collection
Roxy Music’s first LP, Bowie’s Diamond Dogs, and T-Rex with Electric Warrior.

One record you desperately want
Running the shop makes it dangerous to be a collector, and there’s never ‘just’ one, but at a push I would say a first press of Pink Floyd’s Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Give us some of your best selling artists
The Pistols, The Clash, The Cramps, The Cure, Mode, Nirvana, Metallica, Oasis, Blur, Arctic Monkeys, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are staples.

Spiral Archive will don its birthday hat and blow out the candles with a bash at The Lamplighter on August 31 – Alex will of course be among those disc spinning all the way to 1am. Entry is free.

Earlier in the day, Spiral Archive Records (1st Floor, 43 Hazelwood Road) will host a half price sale between 11am and 3pm. Call 07974 885450.

Visit the online eBay shop at ebay.co.uk/str/spiralarchiverecords