MOLE JAZZ IS CLOSING

[David Ayers]

MOLE JAZZ IS CLOSING

1/3rd OFF ALL COMPACT DISCS - LP’s -

DVD’s - VIDEO’s and BOOKS

SALE BEGINS

1st OCTOBER

and must end on 19th NOVEMBER 2005

This Mole is not the original one. The name and stock was bought by a guy who was running it out of the upstairs of Harold Moore's Records. Evidently it wasn't working out too well.

I have a fantasy that I will buy the name and run it as a mail order operation...

[J.A.W.]

It seems like yesterday when good old Ed Dipple was running the place. It's never been the same since his untimely death.

[fent99]

Agreed that its not what it was but its not been that bad and it must be pretty heavy going as a jazz retailer in the UK...

[JohnS]

It seems like yesterday when good old Ed Dipple was running the place. It's never been the same since his untimely death.

←

Agreed. And dont forget Graham Griffiths, one of the original partners who was responsible for all those great Japanese imports.

[brownie]

Every time I travelled to London (not that often) I made a point to visit the store. Got a number of those great Japanese imports there. Mole seemed to have more - and a wider variety - of those than what was available in Paris.

[medjuck]

If remember correctly the original Mole also issued some good records.

[sidewinder]

I have a fantasy that I will buy the name and run it as a mail order operation...

That's exactly how it started. I still have a copy of Ed Dipple's first mail-order list from back in about 1976. I recall buying a Miles Davis Prestige twofer from it.

This is really sad news. Whenever in London I try to visit the store and the current owner (Andy, I think) was always very helpful and fun to chat with about things to do with jazz vinyl. I'm sorry that it hasn't worked out.

I can recall when Mole stocked all of those King pressings ('Oblique', 'Inner Glow' etc) but at the time I couldn't afford them. It was fun drooling over them though..

A sad event for UK jazz.

[sidewinder]

If remember correctly the original Mole also issued some good records.

←

Indeed ! Including:

Milcho Leviev 'Blues For The Fisherman' (Art Pepper session in disguise)

Reissues of Tubby Hayes 'Mexican Green' and 'Tubbs' Tours'

A Gil Evans RFH recording

and a Bobby Jaspar.

They were also behind the excellent releases on the Hot House label (Nathan Davis, Dusko Gojkovich etc.)

Edited October 5, 2005 by sidewinder

[tonym]

Shame that such an 'institution' is closing. Unfortunately, as I don't visit London much, I haven't had chance to even shop there. I wish the current owners well whatever they do; and hope your fantasy becomes realised David.

[John Delaney]

I seem to recall Ed Dipple (good bloke) opened his first shop prior to 1976. It was at the top end of Baker Street, on the left looking north, (near where Sherlock Holmes was supposed to live) and was not called Mole Jazz. I think he had a bequest from his granny to start it off.

The second shop was at the south end of Baker Street on the opposite side of the road. Graham Griffiths and Pete Fincham came in as partners and the move was made to Kings Cross with the entrance on the north of the shop. Later the entrance was switched.

And the rest is history.

John Delaney

[andybleaden]

I seem to recall Ed Dipple (good bloke) opened his first shop prior to 1976.  It was at the top end of Baker Street, on the left looking north, (near where Sherlock Holmes was supposed to live) and was not called Mole Jazz.  I think he had a bequest from his granny to start it off.

The second shop was at the south end of Baker Street on the opposite side of the road. Graham Griffiths and Pete Fincham came in as partners and the move was made to Kings Cross with the entrance on the north of the shop.  Later the entrance was switched.

And the rest is history.

John Delaney

←

You the same guy I used to buy cds from ......oooh many moons ago?

good grief .....that was a while ago........used to do a list?

[andybleaden]

I remember the auction list coming out and getting really excited and then winning sod all and realisin how skint I was ....I had bugger all money then......but I do remember winning once or twice and that was like heaven .....pre ebay and all that easy to use stuff........cannot remember what I won then........I think it was some later Blue notes I expect.........sold em all since too but it was nice.........

I remember saving up to go from home on the train to there and .........erm Rays I think. I had not been to london as an adult and went by train.....bought a john patton lp (Blue John) and a few other goodies

Well I wish em well for the future

[sidewinder]

I seem to recall Ed Dipple (good bloke) opened his first shop prior to 1976.  It was at the top end of Baker Street, on the left looking north, (near where Sherlock Holmes was supposed to live) and was not called Mole Jazz. 

←

That wouldn't be 'All Change' Records would it?

I remember that place !

[John Delaney]

I seem to recall Ed Dipple (good bloke) opened his first shop prior to 1976.  It was at the top end of Baker Street, on the left looking north, (near where Sherlock Holmes was supposed to live) and was not called Mole Jazz. 

←

That wouldn't be 'All Change' Records would it?

Yes! That's right: All Change Records.

Andy, also yes. I was in Stourbridge and then Birmingham. Now an old codger and retired to North Wales. Beautiful sea air!

[sidewinder]

John - I have a number of 2nd hand LPs with the label of your Stourbridge shop on the back !

I didn't go to 'All Change' very many times but I recall it being on the upper floor of a property very near Sherlock's pad. Last time I was in there they had Albert Ayler's 'New Grass' blaring out at full volume. I also have vague memories of seeing most of the French 'America' vinyls on deletion special including 'Panther and the Lash' and 'Tes Etat'. I think I picked up a few BN twofer deletions from there though.

Ah... those were the days..

Edited October 23, 2005 by sidewinder

[John Delaney]

John - I have a number of 2nd hand LPs with the label of your Stourbridge shop on the back !

I didn't go to 'All Change' very many times but I recall it being on the upper floor of a property very near Sherlock's pad. Last time I was in there they had Albert Ayler's 'New Grass' blaring out at full volume. I also have vague memories of seeing most of the French 'America' vinyls on deletion special including 'Panther and the Lash' and 'Tes Etat'. I think I picked up a few BN twofer deletions from there though.

Ah... those were the days.. 

←

Now I remember All Change being at street level, this is the one at the north end of Baker Street. A very small shop.

The one at the south end, a more opulent place by far, I seem to recall was in a semi basement and much bigger.

Some where around this time, a radio disc jockey named Stuart something or other became invlolved. He wasn't a jazz dj and he wasn't around for long.

When I retired Pete Fincham, by then the sole owner of Mole, bought my remaining stock.

I seem to recall Ed was known for some reason at school as The Mole and that's where the shop got its name. I always got on well with Ed and he was very knowledgeable. Crazy about Chet Baker. The auction side of things, which was Ed's department, went downhill after he died. Very, very sad as he knew he was dying for some time before he actually did. Rest In Peace, Ed.

[J.A.W.]

I seem to recall Ed was known for some reason at school as The Mole and that's where the shop got its name.  I always got on well with Ed and he was very knowledgeable.  Crazy about Chet Baker.  The auction side of things, which was Ed's department, went downhill after he died.  Very, very sad as he knew he was dying for some time before he actually did.  Rest In Peace, Ed.

←

I remember Ed hadn't been feeling well for quite some time before they discovered he was terminally ill. It was an immense shock. He was a very nice guy.

[Guest]

I live in Los Angeles, and was fortunate enough to visit the store at King's Cross once on a trip to London a couple years ago and immediately fell in love with the place. Sad to know that it's history now.

I came across your thread here while Googling Mole Jazz... I just happen to have pulled my GREAT Mole Jazz T-shirt out of the drawer today and was checking online to find a replacement before this one wears out. How miserably poetic, eh?

[Chuck Nessa]

"Warm fuzzies" are in order for the original BUT during the Pete Fincham days a number of us have very bad feelings. You don't want to hear what Bruno Johnson (Okka) has to say about this era.

[sidewinder]

... I just happen to have pulled my GREAT Mole Jazz T-shirt out of the drawer today and was checking online to find a replacement before this one wears out. 

Never even realised they did them !

The last days of the Kings Cross era were pretty sad I'm afraid. The upstairs 2nd hand racks got steadily depleted, the record demo turntable went U/S and the 'Collectors' racks were no longer the place where rarish pressings appeared by magic. I enjoyed the earlier days at Kings Cross when they were located across the road in the Ed Dipple era and the racks were just bursting with those King Japanese imports. Funnily enough, last time I was up there the original site still had the Mole banner above the door but was semi-derelict. I'm suprised it hasn't yet been redeveloped by the property money-grabbers.

Edited October 25, 2005 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Mole used to be a regular first stop on my infrequent visits to London in the late 70s/early 80s. It was in an ideal spot as my train used to land in King's Cross/St Pancras.

I recall picking up import copies of 'My Funny Valentine' and 'Miles Smiles' there at a time when huge chunks of the Davis catalogue were not available in the UK (must be an unthinkable situation to younger jazz fans, given what you find in the jazz racks today!).

I never really cared for it when it shifted across the road. Never did visit the last shop though I did try to open the door once. Couldn't be bothered to ring the doorbell.

In fact both visiting Mole and catching trains are now confined to nostalgia for me!

[sidewinder]

Never did visit the last shop though I did try to open the door once. Couldn't be bothered to ring the doorbell. 

First time I tried that I cut my hand open on the doorknob (nothing too serious).

About as difficult to find and get into as an outstation of MI6..

[David Ayers]

I live in Los Angeles, and was fortunate enough to visit the store at King's Cross once on a trip to London a couple years ago and immediately fell in love with the place.  Sad to know that it's history now. 

I came across your thread here while Googling Mole Jazz... I just happen to have pulled my GREAT Mole Jazz T-shirt out of the drawer today and was checking online to find a replacement before this one wears out.  How miserably poetic, eh?

←

Hi Matt - glad you found us.

That IS a poetic coincidence. I never bought a T-Shirt, nor the anorak-y Mole LP bag... but now I wish that I had!

[sidewinder]

Up for this thread. There's a short article on Mole Jazz in this month's 'Jazzwise'.

[A Lark Ascending]

Up for this thread. There's a short article on Mole Jazz in this month's 'Jazzwise'.

Love the last few lines from Graham Griffiths:

We had some fun at Mole but it wasn't exactly glamorous. On busy days, looking at the customers, all exclusively male and standing in line at the racks, fiddling with something at waist level in front of them, it felt like working in a urinal.