Eel Pie Records is a vinyl-led Record Shop opened in June 2017 by music industry ‘veteran’ Phil Penman and his long-time close friend, drinking buddy and music-obsessive Kevin Jones.
As Phil says, ‘we are hugely fortunate to have a store with a historical location and the perfect brand: the significance of the music heritage of Eel Pie Island is enormous.’
From the start Eel Pie Records took a conscious decision to stock both new and second-hand vinyl. Building on a base range of classic albums inspired by the bands and artists that played on the Island in the 60s: The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie, Pink Floyd… Eel Pie Records has built a wide range of thousands of new vinyl albums, which is of course ever-changing according to what customers ask for, covering every genre, from Rock to Reggae, from Jazz to Hip-Hop. The second-hand selection is equally broad.
Kevin and Phil remain huge fans of new music, and the great young staff they employ contribute to the ongoing objective to keep the shop relevant and in tune with the ‘spirit’ of Eel Pie Island. The atmosphere of the shop is always friendly and inclusive – anything can be ordered in, and even the coffee is great! The shop hosts a monthly social night where only recent new music selections are played on vinyl and the team chat about their choices with customers.
In 2019 Eel Pie Records also launched the first High Tide Festival in Twickenham, devoting huge amounts of time and energy to create a festival that is free to attend, but funded through a combination of grants, sponsorship and donations to ensure all the musicians get fairly paid. Bringing live music to the venues and streets of Twickenham, High Tide 2024 in July promises to be bigger and better than ever.
