Record Store Day: Music-lovers line up outside Southsea's Pie and Vinyl to get their hands on prized albums

Pie and Vinyl in Castle Road celebrated Record Store Day yesterday (April 22) by welcoming music-lovers and having lots of exciting products on offer. Rock band Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs were also doing a signing session for fans before their gig at The Wedgewood Rooms.

Some were up at the crack of dawn. Steve Courtnell, who has owned the independent shop for 11 years, told The News: ‘It’s been really great. It’s a real reward for the amount of work that goes into it.

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‘The demographic has been fantastic, much younger, which gives it more of a future. It feels like having a birthday when you see all of your customers at once.

‘They’re your friends and that’s why it feels so special. Today has been our most successful Record Store Day.’ Younger customers were seen scanning the albums and picking out their favourites.

Joshua Grainger, 21, of Southsea, said: ‘It’s a good place to go and it has a great atmosphere. Vinyl is about having that thing that you can see and hold, and to me, the music does sound better.

‘‘I love to sit back, relax, and listen to an album the whole way through. In the age of digital, you appreciate that experience.’

James Lee, 30, of Gosport, bought a Life Is Dub album by Foals. ‘I’ve been coming here for years and I’ve been collecting vinyl since I was 18.

‘For me, you need something tangible, something that you can buy and have more connection to. I much prefer independent places and I’ll continue to support them.’

Record Store Day encourages people to support independent record shops. Peter Howells. 59, of Castle Road, picked up the collecting bug from his parents, and thinks the event every year is ‘brilliant’ and buying the local stores is ‘important’.

He said: ‘I think people buy the vinyl because of the experience, it’s not just about the music, it’s about the whole package.

‘You can get together with friends and read the album notes together. It’s always a talking point.

‘There’s no comparison to downloading songs. The longer generation love it because it has more gravitas and the artist is supported more.’

Michael Duffy, 60, of Gosport, has records ‘spewing all over the house’ due to his collection of just under 2,500 albums.

‘Music has always been my passion,’ he said. ‘I’ve had my own music played on the radio in Los Angeles and it’s great to have proper equipment to appreciate music more.

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‘The warmth of vinyl is superior. Supporting the artist is important. If you stream it, buy it.’ Despite the cost of living crisis, Mr Courtnell said Pie and Vinyl is continuing to have success as it diversifies into food and retail alongside selling online, and thinks everyday should be a Record Store Day.

‘We’re a record shop so we’re always meant to struggle and not succeed. Today is great but it’s important that people come back next week or next month and buy a record.

‘There is so much great new music out there. We can’t live off Led Zeppelin reissues forever. It’s a wonderful event and we are very grateful to showcase it.’