Follow the sound of a record playing across the 1981 Hall of Leeds Kirkgate Market and you will usually end up beneath a bright yellow sign at Row G. Too Damn Loud has been selling music from this corner of the city’s great covered market for half a century, making it one of the longest-standing traders under Kirkgate’s roof and a genuine piece of Leeds shopping history.
Background / History
The stall opened in 1974 and has been run ever since by proprietor Peter Whitley and his wife, a husband-and-wife partnership that has seen the business through every twist in the way people buy music. The name has a story of its own: an early neighbour on the market complained that the stall was too damn loud, and the phrase stuck so well that it went up on the sign. Over the decades the shelves have moved from vinyl to cassettes, then to CDs, and now back towards vinyl again, with videos and DVDs joining along the way. Today the business occupies two units, 438 and 439, side by side in the 1981 Hall.
What You’ll Find
The range is broad and unpretentious. Crates of LPs and 7-inch singles line the front of the stall, with plenty more vinyl inside, covering both new releases and second-hand records. Classic rock, pop, soul and rock and roll sit comfortably next to current chart pressings, so a Bowie or Pink Floyd album might share wall space with the latest Taylor Swift. Long racks of CDs carry everything from Elvis and Fleetwood Mac to decades-themed compilations, while DVDs and film titles fill another wall. Too Damn Loud also buys records, and runs an ordering service for CDs, vinyl, DVDs, books, toys and games, with postage available on request.
Experience / Atmosphere
Browsing here is very much a market experience. There is music playing, shoppers drifting past from the food and fashion stalls, and stock priced with everyday buyers in mind rather than collectors with deep pockets. The stall feels practical and well organised, with handwritten signs pointing you towards more records inside, and the turnover of second-hand stock means regular visits are rewarded. Peter is a familiar face behind the counter, happy to talk through what is in stock or track down something that is not.
Why Visit
- A family-run music stall trading in Kirkgate Market since 1974
- New and used vinyl alongside CDs, DVDs and film titles
- Records bought as well as sold, so the second-hand crates keep changing
- An ordering service for music, films, books, toys and games
- Easy to combine with a wander around one of the largest covered markets in Europe
Summary
Too Damn Loud is a slice of Leeds music retail that has outlasted formats, trends and countless neighbouring stalls. Fifty years on, it still offers honest prices, a wide mix of new and second-hand music and a friendly word from the people who started it. Whether you are hunting for a cheap LP, a film for the weekend or a favourite album you thought you had lost, it is well worth stopping at Row G.
