Background / History
Raves From The Grave has been a fixture of Frome’s independent music scene since 1997, when founder Richard swapped a management job at WHSmith in Notting Hill for life behind the counter of his own shop. He chose Frome for a simple reason: the town had no record shop of its own. The first day’s takings came to just £13, but steady support from local music lovers turned the venture around, and nearly three decades later the business has grown into one of the West Country’s best-known record shops, with a sister branch in nearby Warminster.
What You’ll Find
Spread across two floors on King Street, the shop carries a vast and constantly changing stock of new and secondhand music. Vinyl sits at the heart of it, from fresh pressings and current releases through to repressings and rare, deleted and collectable records, alongside a deep catalogue of CDs, DVDs and even cassettes. The genres run the full gamut: rock and pop, 1950s and 60s classics, reggae, prog, punk, metal, dance, drum and bass and folk all have their place on the shelves. Richard’s own enthusiasms surface in some unexpected corners, including a famously comprehensive Abba collection. For anything not in stock, the shop runs a worldwide search and ordering service, tracking down hard-to-find titles for customers at home and abroad.
Experience / Atmosphere
Browsing here is an unhurried pleasure. Records fill every available inch, giving the place the happily crammed feel of a shop whose stock has long outgrown its space. Billy Bragg once summed it up as a record shop with too many records for the room it occupies. The knowledgeable team are happy to talk music, point you towards something new or dig out a particular title, and the mood is relaxed and welcoming whether you are a seasoned crate-digger or picking up your first LP. Over the years the shop has become a genuine part of Frome’s cultural life, hosting outdoor performances from the likes of Billy Bragg and World Party and marking its twentieth anniversary in 2017 with a set from Tom Robinson.
Why Visit
- Two floors of new and secondhand vinyl, CDs, DVDs and cassettes
- Huge range of genres, from chart releases to rare and deleted rarities
- Worldwide search and ordering service for hard-to-find titles
- A long-running independent with deep local roots since 1997
- A friendly, music-mad team always ready to help
Summary
Few independent shops carry the history and character of Raves From The Grave. Part treasure trove, part community hub, it rewards the kind of patient browsing that turns up something you never knew you were looking for. Whether you are hunting a specific pressing, building a collection or simply enjoying an afternoon among the racks, this long-standing Frome institution remains one of the most characterful record shops in the South West.
