The magical music and the creative mechanics behind Simon Raymonde’s former band, Cocteau Twins, defy explanation – particularly by the band members themselves… Looking back over some of the press cuttings from my Cocteau Twins days (1983 to 1997) in an attempt to jog my memory for a book I’m writing, it’s a wonder that people even dare to speak to me. I was quite … Continue reading Simon Raymonde on… The Cocteau Twins

A family member’s passing reminds us that music plays a role in our lives far beyond entertainment – it’s a link to the past, a bond between families and a healing force. Simon reflects on one of the most important Bella Union releases yet – an incredible collection of his father Ivor Raymonde’s work. My mother passed away last year, and while it will come … Continue reading Simon Raymonde on… Ivor Raymonde

1979 began a shapeshifting period for Simon Raymonde, during which he went from Selfridges to gigs with Bauhaus and The Birthday Party, to joining the Cocteau Twins  Looking back to music circa 1979 seems a popular thing to do these days. Marc Riley’s shows on 6 Music are invariably imbued with the sounds and stories of that remarkable year and, indeed, many of the new … Continue reading Simon Raymonde on… Memories of 1979

The urge to own all of an artist’s back catalogue is a perfectly understandable one to most vinyl collectors. But what if that artist is invited round to dinner?  Can you remember the first time you harboured thoughts of completism? The first time you pondered your adoration of an artist and your thoughts didn’t just stop at having most of their back catalogue? Can you … Continue reading Pete Paphides on… The Completist

In this extract from new book The Vinyl Revival And The Stores That Made It Happen, author Graham Jones visits Sheffield vinyl guru Barry Everard. Barry Everard is the music man of Sheffield, responsible for giving many bands a helping hand in the early days of their fledgling careers. Def Leppard, ABC, Human League, Pulp, Richard Hawley, Comsat Angels and Gomez are just some of … Continue reading The Vinyl Revival – read an exclusive extract

Our resident record-shop owner Mark O’Shaughnessy has an enlightening encounter with a spiritual wanderer… Then buys his vinyl. Earlier this year, I had cause to stop and take stock of my own ‘outlook’ on life and music, due to the intervention into my world of somebody who was soooo unusual in his outlook that the conversations we had still resonate deeply with me. It was … Continue reading Mark O’Shaughnessy on… The Mysterious Man of Bath

This issue, Bella Union founder Simon Raymonde, current member of Lost Horizons and former Cocteau Twin recalls the alchemy at the heart of the Twins’ music-making process… Last week, Pitchfork posted a curious article headed “Cocteau Twins Announce Treasure And Head Over Heels Reissues”, the implication being that we were somehow involved in these pressings – and it made me laugh. We broke up 21 … Continue reading Simon Raymonde on… Nostalgia

Discover why a trip to a thrift store in Manhattan caused record shop owner Mark O’Shaughnessy’s heart to skip a beat… The question I get asked the most, as a record shop owner, is what is the most expensive record you’ve ever sold? It’s one I normally duck, as the answer might lead people to think that I’m some kind of ‘vinyl millionaire’, which I … Continue reading Mark O’Shaughnessy on… My Biggest Sale

Bella Union’s record shop, nestling in Brighton’s historic Lanes, could trigger a rejuvenation – if local planning issues weren’t holding it back… Written by Simon Raymonde I lived happily in and around London for almost half a century, but following a run-in with a crooked landlord in Hackney and a growing discontent with city life, I decided – on a whim – to get out. … Continue reading Simon Raymonde on… independent record shops

When Mark O’Shaughnessy is offered a haul of rare cosmic jazz, he finds himself temporarily blinded by the Sun… The renewed interest in deep space and the race to learn more about Jupiter and Saturn reminded me of when Sun Ra died in 1993. I recall Gilles Peterson playing Space Is The Place on his KISS FM radio show that night and that, in turn, … Continue reading Mark O’Shaughnessy on… Meeting My Match