Well, a very hearty welcome to A Nickel And A Nail, which I know for many will be a long overdue new independent book-store experience for lovers of soul music, R&B and related fields. Our purpose is to source literature for those wishing to explore the historical development of black american music. There is much to tell beyond the already well documented stories of the major record labels.
The original driver for this book store venture was my life long interest in collecting rare soul / northern soul (call it what you will), blues, R&B and Motown records. Some while ago, I developed a particular appetite for digging deeper into the southern US states of the 1960s. Several black artists and groups from this area were associated with recordings which are now part of underground legend on the northern soul scene. However, I was also conscious that there was much stuff of folklore, half truths and supposition surrounding the lives and careers of these people. Surprisingly little was documented about their history, often due to their relative obscurity outside of a regional context (and often within it). It has pretty much become a personal mission to track down these artists, label owners, musicians and key players for interview so that a permanent record of their histories can be made. These activities have resulted in a few publications of my own - but needless to say more of that in future blogs.
The vision of A Nickel And A Nail is to be a leading retail outlet for historical reference accounts of the singers, musicians, the music industry of black America, and of the subsequent subcultures which have ensured an ongoing appreciation of this facet of the industry.
We stock new and used books, magazines, fanzines and collectable sheet music. We also uniquely provide self-publishing authors with a platform to present their works. Any queries from authors regarding the promotion and sale of self-published works through us are always most welcome.
If you, like me, are passionate about music and have a thirst for knowledge, you will find A Nickel And A Nail an invaluable resource. Do stop by regularly, sign up for our updates, check out our blog, book reviews and events - and of course maybe even buy a book or two. Whatever your particular taste, our intention is to supply your needs, to educate and to be educated.
Your custom is appreciated!
Regards,
E. Mark Windle
A Nickel And A Nail (Proprietor).