The Peckings Records shopfront on Askew Road.
(Picture: joshua osborne)On 9 March another unassuming building in west London received a prestigious Nubian Jak Community Trust blue plaque. The reason? 142 Askew Road was the spot where the late George ‘Peckings’ Price decided to set up shop in 1974. Now, unless you’re a music buff, west London native, or a vinyl collector, you may not have heard of Price by name, but you will have heard of the distinctive music that he introduced to the UK and the rest of Europe: reggae, rock steady and American rhythm and blues.
Today the charming, lively shop sits a few doors down at number 81, and 48 years on, superstars from Bob Marley to The Who and The Sex Pistols have put money in the till, and two of Price’s sons, Chris and Duke, continue to sell vinyl while managing the eponymous label featuring artists including Gappa Ranks and Macka B.
