In Conversation With... Jumbo Records
Film and music collide in the form of Sound & Vision, an ongoing season of concert films, music documentaries and legendary soundtracks presented by Hyde Park Picture House and Jumbo Records.
For National Vinyl Record Day, we spoke to Aidan at Jumbo about life at one of Leeds’ most iconic cultural institutions – and what makes the perfect music doc!
Written by Aidan Razzall
Music and more
Introduce us to Jumbo Records!
Jumbo Records is an independent record shop in Leeds founded in 1971. We stock pretty much every genre you can think of, with a particular focus on left-field, rock and pop, jazz, reggae, punk, electronic, folk, soul and funk, to name a few. We try to offer something for everyone- we’re the kind of shop where you might find Merzbow or Nurse With Wound records in one corner, to Charli XCX or Underscores in the other.
We sell gig tickets for pretty much every independent gig in the local area, books, record players, merch and accessories. We also program our own events like in-store gigs, signings, film screenings and Q&As.
We’ve been in Leeds for over 50 years, and feel a deep-rooted sense of place in the Leeds music scene- though we try to never rest on our laurels. A good local record shop requires hard work and dedication, and our small and friendly team work hard to make sure we can be not just a shop, but a space for everyone – whether you are buying your first record or your 100th!
In-store event at Jumbo Records.
Jumbo Records has a rich history – how has the organisation evolved over the years and how do you see its future?
Jumbo was founded by Hunter Smith in 1971 , born from a mobile discotheque called ‘Jumbo – The Unique Dance Machine’. Due to demand, Hunter opened a tiny record shop tucked away at the top of a shopping arcade, selling reggae and soul records which were popular at his mobile discotheque. Isaac Hayes’ Black Moses was Jumbo’s first big seller. Though now a permanent shop, Jumbo has always been slightly nomadic – it has moved around to different locations across Leeds over the years.
Perhaps a landmark moment for Jumbo would be the cultural impact of the punk and post-punk periods of the 70s and 80s, which certainly changed the kinds of records that the shop was stocking, and in many ways act as a blueprint for the identity of the shop today. Throughout the 90s and 00s, the shop became more eclectic than ever, with a bigger focus on events, partnerships and collaborations. Our most recent collaboration has been with the V&A East Museum in London, supplying records as part of their exhibition ’The Music Is Black’.
The future for Jumbo is one that retains our completely independent ethos. We are proud to be an old-school high street record shop, independently owned and staffed, offering a space for music fans from all walks of life to stumble upon something they might enjoy. We need places like Jumbo in our communities more than ever – as the world increasingly becomes more focused on isolated, remote experiences, independent record shops offer an actual, human experience.
Sounds and stories of Leeds
How would you describe an average day at Jumbo?
It totally depends – there are days where we have a big in-store event on, and the shop is rammed full of people watching their favourite band, and the staff are off their feet on the counter selling records or helping set up speakers and amplifiers on the stage.
Other days it may be quiet, and we can use this time to order new records in for the shop, or work on our website or filing systems, or answer interview questions like this! There is a lot of very specific admin that comes with working in a record shop, so an eye for detail is extremely important. We don’t just sit around and listen to music all day! Everyone chips in here and there with all the various daily tasks.
A busy day at Jumbo!
Aidan at Jumbo Records.
As a staple in Leeds’ music landscape, how do you view the city’s arts and culture scene? What about Leeds helps to inform Jumbo’s identity?
We feel very proud to be a part of a cultural scene in Leeds, and Jumbo has been around long enough to be part of many music scenes – from the art school post-punk bands of the 70s and 80s, and the Leeds goth scene around the Phonographique nightclub (though now defunct, the entrance to the club is a stone’s throw from Jumbo’s current location), to the thriving jazz and indie scenes in the city today.
I think the fact that Leeds is a big enough city to foster a diverse range of musical scenes, but small enough for those scenes to overlap, cross-pollinate and collaborate is reflected in the myriad of genres that we stock and the kind of ‘extra-curricular’ partnerships that we work on. We have a brilliant ongoing film season called Sound & Vision with the wonderful Hyde Park Picture House, which perhaps reflects the Leeds community spirit best – two stalwarts working together to bring interesting films to the music fans of Leeds.
Signings, shows and cinema
Any recent highlights of album launches, signings or intimate performances? Any that you are particularly looking forward to?
Recent highlights in the shop have been Yard Act’s signing session for their new album, and great in-store gig by White Flowers. We’ve got some crackers coming up too – a Phoebe Bridgers listening party, a sold-out Westside Cowboy in-store, Everlast, Cassia, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Personal Trainer and lots more.
Top albums of the year (so far)?
I have really enjoyed albums by Hannah Stretton, Xavisphone, The Sh*ts, Cancer House, and Spatial No Problem to name a few. There’s a few that are yet to come out that I’m looking forward to as well!
David Byrne's American Utopia
Sirāt
Jumbo Records has an existing relationship with Hyde Park Picture House, supporting the Sound & Vision strand – which celebrates the intersection between music and film. What do you think of the relationship between the two artforms – and what makes the perfect concert film or music documentary?
I think something which sets a successful music documentary apart is an interrogation of process – great artists are always interested in the process of making work, rather than anything else. Sometimes the gaze of a camera can illuminate this, or indeed not, to great effect. Some music documentaries can also tell a tale entirely separate from the music – something like You’re Gonna Miss Me is a difficult watch which documents Roky Erickson’s (13th Floor Elevators) severe mental illness.
Music and film are symbiotic. It’s really fun to work with HPPH on this ongoing season as there’s been a huge variety of films for people to explore, from concert documentaries (David Byrne’s American Utopia), to ravey road trip movies (Sirāt) and everything in between. We are very proud of this ongoing collaboration between two indie titans of Leeds!
Sound & Vision at Hyde Park Picture House
In collaboration with Jumbo Records.
From iconic concert films and fascinating music docs, to films with unforgettable soundtracks – this is cinema that pulses with rhythm, soul and noise. So whether you’re a crate-digger, a film-fanatic, or somewhere in between – join us at HPPH as we turn up the volume and spotlight the artists behind some of cinema’s best sounding pictures.
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