FEATURE
POP RECS LTD.
DAVE HARPER TALKS TO DAWN STOREY ABOUT THE ROLES OF COMMUNITY, RESILIENCE AND SHEER STUBBORNNESS AS POP RECS PREPARES TO ENTER A NEW PHASE In 2013, when music stores were closing and HMV went into administration, Sunderland band Frankie & The Heartstrings opened a record store in their home city. Ironically, history seems to be repeating itself – because now, while most gig venues are currently closed due to the pandemic, Dave Harper from the band is busy building a new one. “There’s definitely a timeline of stupid decision making,” he says ruefully, explaining: “We’ve been working with the Tyne & Wear Preservation Trust to bring three Grade Two listed buildings back to life down the bottom of the High Street. The five year project which everyone expected to fizzle out hasn’t, so we’ve accidentally found ourselves in a position where we’re the only people in the country building a music venue when everyone else is closing theirs. It’s right on line with our run of luck. I’m not one to
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complain – I’m used to it. It’s been a laugh watching how many things we’ve had to deal with – floods, rents, politicians trying to bully us – we’ve had the full spectrum.” The original Pop Recs, created to promote the band’s second album, was only ever meant to last a fortnight yet it became so important to the local community (hosting gigs, yoga classes and craft groups) that seven years later it’s still there. “ I always had one eye on it thinking ‘there’s too much work gone into this and too much need for it to disappear’,” says Dave. “It’s not been open through this situation and we’ve spent a lot of money trying to get it to reopen.” The Stockton Road space will be open this month, confirms Dave. “I owe that to the people we support who stick with us and I know there are some people who are not doing very well. Most people are
