Soul Brothers is a specialist record shop, based in Keswick Road, Putney. The shop was founded in 1991 by Laurence Prangell, his wife Doreen Prangell and brother Malcolm Prangell.
“You cannot compare the different experience of a physical record versus streaming.”
How did the business get started?
The shop opened in 1994. We had previously been operating a mail order business from home and selling at record fairs. It grew quickly so we needed to find commercial premises. The shop in Keswick Road (which used to be my hairdressers) became vacant and as it was near our home and also East Putney tube where we used to meet customers – it was a great location for us.
What type of music do you specialise in?
Soul, Funk and Jazz music but also have good selections of Reggae, Blues, World and classic Rock music.
What makes your shop unique in Wandsworth?
We are one of the very few surviving long standing record shops in the borough, and a family run business, with an emphasis on good customer service and product choice.
What did you do prior to starting the business?
I actually started selling records when I left school in 1971 and ran that business part time from home, selling by mail order and in venues until 1980. I also had an 18-year career in the office supplies industry, where I worked in various roles starting as a trainee accountant, working up to sales management/marketing manager, until I took redundancy and started up Soul Brother Records
If you had the chance to do it all again, what would you do differently?
Probably quite a lot, but hindsight and experience is a great thing… If you did it differently you wouldn’t have had the experiences to know. If I had known that I would have been doing this for 35 years, I would have looked to buy a shop rather than rent which is how some other record shops have managed.
What vinyl would you save in a fire?
Hopefully I would never be in that position, but if I had to pick one record it would have to be Marvin Gaye ‘What’s Going On’
What do you think record stores still matter in a streaming world
You cannot compare the different experience of a physical record versus streaming. In terms of superior quality of sound and the aesthetics of holding, playing and listening to a record that you actually own against an intangible stream.
The experience of coming into a record shop browsing through records, listening and interacting with staff and other music lovers and discovering other artists etc is what people who stream miss out on.
What record do you recommend to first time buyers and why?
That depends on the style of music they’re after. I usually recommend a classic album that has stood the test of time like Miles Davis ‘Kind of Blue’, 67 years young and still sounding great, Curtis Mayfield ‘Curtis’ or Fleetwood Mac ‘Rumours‘.
Name a few of the artists/DJs that have frequented your shop?
We have been privileged to have had many great artists and DJs in the shop, many for in store signings including George Clinton, Marlena Shaw, Lonnie Liston Smith, Will Downing, Carmen Lundy. DJs include Sir Norman Jay, Kenny Dope and John Morales
Finish this sentence… I like being based in Wandsworth because…
It’s a great place to be based, good vibes and easily accessible.
Where can people connect with you/find you
1 Keswick Road, Putney SW15 2HL
020 8875 1018
Photo credit – Laurence with jazz and soul singer Marlena Shaw in 2001.
Photo – Laurence Prangell