Meet the Disc World Record Store Community (In Pictures)
Back in November, DJs and label owners Chris Dexta and Lewis Sicknote crowdfunded the launch of a record shop and dubplate cutting house in Deptford.
The idea was to create a new hub for underground bass music in South London.
And with the help of the underground music community, they raised £14k in two weeks, EXCEEDING their target of £12k.
Three months later, they’re open for business!
At the launch, I chatted with the local ravers, DJs and producers, and find out why they support Disc World.
With some selected photos by Rahael Ross Photography
dj sweetpea
I’ve known Chris and Lewis for a long time, and I couldn’t think of two other guys more suited to the task of bringing a record shop down to South London. Absolute top notch guys, great knowledge, loads of friends. I’m so glad everyone in the community came together to make it work. I wish ‘em all the best man.
cid poitier
I haven’t seen a record shop with dubplate cutting service before! I’ve seen a dubplate cutting service in Peckham, and that felt like a very homegrown thing. And this does too, dubplate cutting in a record shop. It’s quite novel, and something South London really does need.
Dj Flight
People who have been around in the scene for a bit longer will remember record shops used to foster a community vibe. Before everything was online, you’d meet via pirate radio, in raves, or in the record shop. You’d find a hub of people. The people who worked in the shop were knowledgeable of whatever scene they represented. It’s nice to see another physical record shop popping up after so many have closed over the years. They’ve worked really hard and they made the crowd fund really quickly, it shows that people want it.
lewis and chris
AKA Sicknote and Dexta, the OGs behind Disc World
rahael
“It’s beautiful to see community being not only continued from AAJA but extended. I cant wait to see this community in the summer. Being a place where people can come together, socialise listen to music, and meet people with the same passion for the music”.
Sheba Q
It’s amazing to see Chris and Lewis speak so clearly about a vision and passion for our scene and the music. And I think for a lot of people in this community, the ethos is just to bless people how you can. You give back to the community in that way. I have Chickaboo as a mentor as well, and there’s Indi [Mantra] who gave me a chance to play and practise in Room 3 at Fabric. I just feel blessed in this scene.
jay
It’s great that record shop culture is starting to come back into fruition with the rise in vinyl sales again. I used to go to Vinyl Mania in Ealing and Blackmarket Records in Soho. I loved that whole thing of spending a whole Saturday in a record store listening to tunes. And having further outlets to go and purchase jungle and drum and bass is only a good thing. It was always a shock D&B record shops went in the first place, but that was the fall in vinyl sales not the genre know what I mean?
WHAT GENRE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF AT DISC WORLD?
“Hip hop.” - Anonymous
elvy
When I started mixing, record shops were the only place you’d go to get tunes. Sometimes spend 3 or 4 hours there at a time. It was like therapy. I’m gonna be making regular trips down for sure. Big up the guys for this!
gee
Vinyl records are important as they represent a way of life for people. If I really love a piece of music that stands out for me and connects to me, well I don't want to just listen to it I want to hold it and I want it in the format that will soothe my ears in a way that digital can't and that's one of the beauties of vinyl it just sounds warmer. So big love to Lewis and Chris for Disc World, it will be a great musical hub for the community.
chris and lewis
SAM & ls dare
Sam (right): We’re running a live streaming music venue, bar and food spot next door. With our neighbours Disc World cutting dubs and DJs coming here to play radio shows, it means people are gonna be able to press up the vinyl, and come and play it that very same day. Then come summertime everyone’s gonna be really rolling out here. We’re gonna make a bit of a garden area out here, get some trees and lights. It’s win win!”
LS DARE (middle) :I think Disc World and AAJA [bar nextdoor] will bounce off each other really well. You're gonna have customers coming down and buying some vinyl, then they might wanna come and have a pint and listen to a bit of music in here! Or somebody might come to an event at AAJA and be like ooh, they're selling records. It's a beautiful thing really.
gemma, vromm &
cid poitier
Gee and luke
Thinking about all those new dubs and records for the already vast collection!
kai
I’m just feeling a creative vibe. And I'm just so excited to bring everything I’ve been working on to the drum and bass scene. Because music is just an essential part of life. And the drum and bass scene just sums that up!
Mc chickaboo & mc sofi mari
Chickaboo (left) Coming to the Disc World launch felt like I’d been transported back to the past. To the good old days of the 90s and the 00s, where record shops were a community hub. Where we can meet up with like minded people, support a small business, keep our scene alive while supporting vinyl - a crucial medium.
Sofi Mari (right): Disc World is gonna bring a hell of a lot more selection, a lot more music, some more culture for the game. Stuff for us to really dig into and have a place to call home. It’s gonna blow up I know it will. Especially with the dubplate cutting, come on who else is doing that in a record shop? No one else is doing that.
vromm
A couple of guys like Chris and Lewis have very big and strong bollocks to open Disc World. Not many people are capable of making a decision like this and going ahead and doing it. So all my respect, as it’s very important to really push the scene, and create new scenes.
charlotte simmons
“Disc World is gonna be a new meeting place for us. A place to get together, share tunes, share a vibe. It’s beautiful tonight, seeing everyone here. Thousands of people have come out - sorry hundreds ahaha - it’s attracted a lot of people”.
mani festo
The vinyl selection is looking good. There’s a great mix of jungle, hardcore, drum and bass, dubstep and more. It's great to see a broad diversity of electronic music represented, and not just the D&B scene. Big up Disc World!
chris aka dexta
Banging out the freshest UK garage and grime on wax
deamus j
Disc World and 1800 Dubplate cutting is gonna bring people from North South East West. Loads of people are gonna turn up to buy records. And last year they said vinyl’s at all time high for sales!
nilly P
“Our underground music community has brought a lot of people together, and everyone’s on a level with it! I didn't even need to know who was gonna come to the Disc World launch, cos I knew my friends would be here”.
kai and jake
Double 0
“Disc World and 1800 Dubplate is exciting because it’s a place maintaining the vinyl culture by two guys who are really passionate about what they do. I can see a new wave of vinyl enthusiasts visiting that store…they better plan on a bigger shop in a few years ;)
mantra
In the mix playing a banging breakbeat house set!!
Jacob hodgkinson
Disc World. Fucking love it man, its such a good vibe. Everyone’s so friendly, DJs are on point, had a wicked day. I wasn’t even planning on coming, got dragged here down by a mate and I fuckin love it.
alex immerse
Buying records from my friends rather than from a faceless internet site makes it different for me. Also, they can curate. Lewis has offered to get in records especially for me. So rather than having to hunt about he can be a personal distributor. It’s great! One of my best mates has a record shop, what more could I want?
mauoq
I remember hanging out with Chris not long after the dubplate cutting machine arrived! And now I’m coming in to collect the dubplate of a track I made. It's a very exciting project indeed!
stretch
With the increase in vinyl sales it's important to have a base that brings communities and like minded people together like the days of Music House and Blackmarket. The opening of Disc World brings that back for older and younger generations. I wish them every success!
Leano
DJ K.i.m
Deptford is up and coming and having Disc World within the community will bring back the old skool vibe, because vinyl isn't dead. I’m still bang on vinyl! So if I’m playing a set at AAJA, I can pop into Disc World. A tune could come out on that day and I can get in there, pick it up, go to AAJA and play it in my set. It's a privilege to be part of this community!
yorobi
