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Deep Dive: Last Shop Standing (2012)

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Last Shop Standing
Last Shop Standing is a documentary that examines the history and impact of independent record shops in the UK. It is based on Graham Jones' 2009 book and features interviews with shop owners and musicians, including Billy Bragg and Johnny Marr. The film presents a timeline of music sales, noting that record sales peaked in the 1970s with over 300 million sold, while the number of independent record shops dwindled from around 2,200 in the 1980s to just 269 by 2012. The film attributes the decline of record shops to the rise of new media formats like cassettes and CDs. It includes insights from various record shop owners and shows specific shops such as Rough Trade and Sister Ray. The documentary also features a soundtrack contributed by independent musicians, emphasizing the community aspect of the record shop culture.

Why Watch

  • •Meet record shop owners sharing their stories
  • •See interviews with musicians like Paul Weller
  • •Find out about the decline of record sales

Did You Know

•In the 1970s, over 300 million records were sold in the UK.
•By 2012, only 269 independent record shops remained in the UK.
•The film was made after Blue Hippo Media approached Graham Jones in 2012.
•The documentary became the official film of Record Store Day on April 20, 2013.
•The soundtrack was donated by independent bands like Half Man Half Biscuit.

Perfect For

Music history enthusiastsIndependent music fansRecord collectors