Gordon Hayes, record shop owner

[Ash Armstrong]

😢

I knew Gordon from the 1970s, before he started the shop. He was a regular in the old front bar at the Union Inn in Hinckley.
I dreamed about him last night. I remembered the very first record I bought from Nervous Records, the US single of Led Zeppelin's Over the Hills and Far Away/Dancing Days. Probably soon after he started Nervous Records in 1978.
I have happy memories of evenings spent in the Castle Tavern ('prayer meetings') in the 1980/90s, prior to sessions back at Gordon's playing Yahtzee, smoking lots of joints, and listening to music from his personal collection. His knowledge of music, football and cricket was encyclopedic. A lovely, warm, generous and hospitable guy.

[Ash Armstrong]

[Ash Armstrong]

Rest easy old friend. We're going to give you the celebratory send-off you deserve today.
❤️

[Ash Armstrong]

Back home again after the funeral of one of my oldest friends. We gave him a good send-off. Big crowd. Lots of music, Beatles, CSN, Loudon Wainwright, Pink Floyd, Nirvana. Went on to the cremation, and lost it there. It got real at that point, more music, the old faces, the beautiful woven willow coffin, couldn't keep it in any more. So many people.
Pub afterwards was packed, huge spread of (vegan) food (not for me), had a few pints of Guinness, caught up with people I'd not seen in years, but after an hour or so it just got too much for and I made my goodbyes and headed for the train and home. Terribly sad and difficult day.

[JMKUSA]

Very sorry for your loss, Ash. I have tons of respect for anyone who can keep a music store running for so long and make it such an iconic place for so many fans. Clearly he was a very special person.

[Ash Armstrong]

Very sorry for your loss, Ash. I have tons of respect for anyone who can keep a music store running for so long and make it such an iconic place for so many fans. Clearly he was a very special person.

Thank you. He certainly was special.