Eastern Bloc Records

The Story

This store opened in 1985 on the ground floor of Affleck's Palace, founded by Martin Price, future member of 808 State, and John Berry. It was the center of Manchester's electronic music scene in a pre-internet era, importing house records from Chicago and techno from Detroit that local DJs transformed into the Madchester sound. It helped launch the career of Inspiral Carpets and hosted signing sessions with The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays. It later moved to Oldham Street, and since 2011 has been in Stevenson Square, now also operating as a café and bar. It specializes in drum and bass, jungle, dubstep, house, and techno, with regular parties featuring established and emerging DJs.

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