Music: Nevermind - Twenty Years On by Tom

After a hectic couple of weeks, the music section managed a record week of sales. Those freshers just went wild for some of the great CDs and DVDs on show! A big thank you goes out to all the members of staff who helped to keep the shelves stocked up.

Three weeks on from it's formation, the classic albums section is still going strong. Possibly the best on show is Nirvana's 1991 seminal collection Nevermind, which was one of the most important albums of the '90s, as it pulled troubled adolescents away from the dross of Eighties New Romantics. Nirvana's second release has been at the forefront of music recently, as it's 20th anniversary has been celebrated throughout the industry. These appraisals have applauded Nevermind for having begun the first wave of grunge music, credited it for instigating the alternative rock movement, and the record has thus been regarded as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Come and get it whilst you still can.



Another truly great album still on sale is New Order's 1987 offering Substance, which is filled with some of the finest songs that were ever on show in The Hacienda years. In addition, we can let you decide whether you think The Bends is Radiohead's greatest album, providing stiff competition for critically acclaimed OK Computer. Both albums are currently available in store.

All albums mentioned are found in our 'Classic Albums' section, and all are priced at £2.99.


Elsewhere, for the purists amongst you, there is now a select few rare and much-vaunted VHS on display on the shop floor. Such cult horrors as 'An American Werewolf in Paris' and 'The Fog' can be found for just 99p, but perhaps the best offer comes in the form of classic Japanese anime series 'Mobile Suit Gundam'.



We are lucky enough to have the first four editions in stock, and all are priced at £1.99 each, or £4.99 for the lot. Bargain!

Pakistan Floods: One Year On by Sumiyya

A year on from the floods that affected a total of 20 million people in Pakistan, that's more than the amount of people affected by the Haiti earthquake and the 2004 Tsunami put together, there are still so many people who continue to be victims to the after effects of the floods. As well as this, fresh flooding in the Sindh province has meant the suffering is ongoing and millions desperately await relief.

Oxfam has been hard at work helping the victims to try and get them back on their feet. Oxfams work to date so far in the country includes providing 1.6 million people with clean water and sanitation as part of our flood response, which has been vital in flooded areas where any possibly clean water has been contaminated. Oxfam also ran a 'Cash for Work' scheme to those whose livelihoods were washed away. The scheme worked by getting villagers to help build such things as water pumps in return for an income which meant they could feed their family. Children affected by the floods were also educated in personal hygiene, these basic techniques can be vital in such cases as floods where cholera and dysentary can be big causes of death.

Photos and videos of Oxfams relief efforts can be viewed here.

However there are still so many people continually being affected as a result of malnutrition and those who simply are still in need of emergency aid such as blankets as a result of recent flooding and heavy rains.
According to the BBC's update on the floods 6.2 million people still need healthcare, 64 thousand need shelter, 5.6 million are in desperate need of food aid and 800,000 need water and sanitation. The full article can be found here on the BBC's website.

You can still donate and do your bit to help the millions who are still suffering from the floods one whole year on from the disaster at the Oxfams Website.

East Africa Appeal update

The biggest food crisis of the century is happening in East Africa, with more than 13m people in desperate need of food and water. The journey of a flat pack water tank from a UK warehouse to the arid landscape of rural Ethiopia where it is assembled may sound boring, but it isn't, honest! This video shows Oxfam's lifesaving work providing safe water for refugees. 

Want to help? Pop into the shop to buy safe water for ten people (Only £9) or rainwater collection for drought prone areas (Only £18).

or feed a family for Only £7. 

Spotlight on: The bigger picture

What is Oxfam all about?
What does volunteering in a shop achieve?
Why is buying a jumper from us satisfying?
Click here for the answers.

Fashion: clinging on to summer

The leaves are falling and the wind is fierce, but I can't let go of the hope Manchester will get more sunshine, partly because we've got some really cute summer dresses on the rails, including this vintage-inspired pink floral one (M, £6.99) with gathered pockets and this brand new Topshop dress  (small) with it's original price tags. It was £38 in Topshop, but we're selling it for a bargain £14.99. You can always flounce around indoors and throw a jumper and jacket on top if you feel a bit chilly! We have some really cool jackets in store, including this lilac leather number by Noah Christian (size 10, £15.99). There's real variety from an H&M fitted, cropped blazer with polka dot lining (size 10, £6.99) to this 60s inspired M&S swing jacket, with oversized buttons, a pleated back and cropped sleeves (size 10, £8.99). The picture doesn't do it justice. We've also got some pretty cute accessories from the Cath Kidson braclet and necklace set (£7.99) to a handmade Quite Contrary bag with lovely lining and buttons. "Sew a little happiness" is the tagline. We also have lots of shoes from brown brogues to leather pumps with bow detail. I've included the studded high heels. They're not exactly cute, but there's something about them. All shoes are from £3.99.

Spotlight on: New Product

This lovely owl tape measure from Vietnam was made by Mai Handicrafts, an organisation set up by two social workers who wanted to improve the lives of street children and single mothers in Ho Chi Minh City. The pirate patches were made in India by Believe You Can, which puts 50% of its profits into local community welfare projects, including two schools, a health clinic and veterinary service. The Shared Earth fish and octopus money boxes were made in Kolata, India by MKS, which gives artisans stable employment, making them self-sufficient, thus able to send their children to school.

Homeware: manager's pick of the week

Tom's brilliant music post (below) mentions the 12" vinyl we've started to frame and hang up around the shop. It was difficult to choose a favourite, but after much head scratching, it had to be Fame for the rush of nostalgia when I spotted it. I loved the original TV series although I didn't like the film much and the remake is utter rubbish. Boney M and a crazy cover for an obscure band called We Are Frank Chickens are close runners up. That means I've missed off Adam Ant and Culture Club. Too many good ones to choose from. We've already sold the Kid Kreole and the Coconuts so hopefully our customers love them as much as we do.

Music: A Mancunian's Paradise by Tom

There's a somewhat local feel to the music in store at the moment. With five Charlatans records on sale as well as classics from Doves, The Stone Roses and The Verve, Manchester is well represented. What's more, we have five of the earliest Oasis singles available with some of their rarest b-sides for only 99p each or £2.99 for the lot.

For those of you who don't want to stay within the musical confines of the north west, some of the best instrumental hip hop ever is brought to us in the shape of California's DJ Shadow, with his two earliest (And most critically acclaimed) creations 'Entroducing.....' and 'The Private Press' (pictured below) being available for £2.99. For the keen Warehouse Project goers among us, these CDs are a must if you are to be prepared for Shadow's September 17th showing.



With such a smattering of top records at our disposal, we have been able to introduce the new "Classic Albums" section which will showcase vintage albums that must be considered a staple of any music fans' CD collection. Current examples being The Fugees 90s favourite 'The Score', Bob Marley's reggae bible 'Legend' and John Lennon's timeless offering 'Imagine' (below), to name but a few.

Lest we forget our extensive vinyl collection. Emma recently underwent the task of displaying our most artistic LPs throughout the shop floor in and they really brighten up the place, exhibiting some of the finest 12 inch cover art around. All vinyl on display is avaiable for £9.99 (with case). With such a selection on show, it was difficult to pick the most picturesque, but my personal favourite is this funky little number for 'Hair' the musical, featured below.

Tom Hickman