Bristol-based seller Bee has just marked the first birthday of Crazy Diamond Records, the business she launched after veering away from a career in policing and towards the thing that had always been her safe place, vinyl.
In our chat, she traces the moment that pushed her to finally pursue record selling, talks accessibility and community at record fairs, reveals the albums she can’t keep in stock, and shares the shops and bargain bins she loves digging through most.
Tell us a little about yourself and the story behind Crazy Diamond Records
I’m Bee, from Bristol and Crazy Diamond stemmed from a crossroads in my professional life. I was a Police Call Handler at 19 and left at 22 to start my Policing Degree which I graduated from at 25, intending to be a Police Officer. I considered moving out of Bristol and travelled to Southampton to enrol in the next Police course. But whilst on the way, I felt extremely unsettled, everything in me felt hot with uncertainty and I needed to admit that I never wanted to be a Police Officer. In the midst of my breakdown, my partner googled ‘nearby record shops’ as they knew it has always been my safe space: which led us to Eric’s, an independent store run by the lushest of people. I am usually a tad more closed regarding feelings, but with Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” playing, I told them everything. Including, for the first time, that I really wanted to sell records. They gave unconditional encouragement and practical guidance which made me realise that the only thing stopping me from trying was me. That same evening, I had created my business name, first logo, instagram account and email all in the car whilst listening to… you guessed it, Wish You Were Here.
I came back to Bristol that same weekend to tell my nearest and dearest. They were not surprised as when having a bad day, I would often joke about ‘quitting my job to open a record store’, I haven’t managed to quit my job but I haven’t looked back at trying to since.
What first inspired you to start selling vinyl?
I’m inspired by both my passion for vinyl as a physical media form—the feeling, the ownership, even the smell—but mainly by a desire to challenge some of the unspoken norms around who gets to be considered an “expert” in record culture. The goal isn’t to exclude anyone, but to respond to a system that can unintentionally sideline certain voices. Starting to sell vinyl felt like a way to help shape a more welcoming, balanced space—one where no one is asked to prove themselves by naming five songs or quizzed on who managed a band decades before they were born. I haven’t lived through every era, but that distance allows me to approach the history with fresh curiosity and to share it in a way that keeps the culture alive rather than locked in the past. I don’t oppose tradition—I love hearing about Live Aid or Hendrix playing Woodstock, and will always be tremendously jealous—but I’m interested in building a space where emerging tastes are valued alongside inherited ones, where curiosity matters as much as expertise, and where no one’s knowledge is questioned because of their age or gender, or assumed to be “borrowing” their taste or their collection from someone else (including their father).
You currently sell at record fairs – what do you love most about that environment, and how has it shaped the way you run the business?
It’s busy, different and exciting; similar to my ADHD brain. I used to run a local community market in Fishponds, so I’m familiar with them. I’m also a certified yapper, which always helps. A founding moment in my business was on a campsite in North Devon, I watched a group of pre-GCSE girls who lived in the area getting extremely excited, and I mean, screeching-levels of excitement about my records. They continued to tell me that once a month, they caught a two hour train to their next big city to go to a bigger retailer then caught the train home. I realised that music needs to be about accessibility and created my ‘Spring Chicken’ loyalty cards to encourage younger customer bases (if you buy five records, you can get the sixth for free). I have never forgotten this interaction and am grateful for how excited this group were to see some classics and newer pop albums that they were absolutely dyyyinnggg to get. Their energy fuelled my passion and stems my need in creating a non-judgemental, open to change, safer space for young people to explore music and physical media.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for Crazy Diamond Records? Is a bricks-and-mortar shop part of the dream?
When I first began, and drew out Crazy Diamond in a notepad, I designed a brick-and-mortar shop with the bay windows (bad for wax but absolutely beautiful) and silly ‘tongue-in-cheek’ categories. However, the more I consider, practically, each day going to a static location, sitting in a shop and waiting to close, I just know it’s not very me. I’m looking into other dynamic options such as converting a horse trailer or using my camper-van. I’m wanting to travel with my dog, Fig, and still see the beauty of the UK – bringing records to rural communities. I’m looking into festivals and day events but I’m also led by my returning customer base and will continue doing Bristol markets too. The more I meet people in markets, the less I see a brick-and-mortar shop being my personal journey. I love variation, despite how knackering carrying records around can be (no need for a gym membership though).
“A greatest hits can be your favourite album, I’m not here to judge people wanting the classics on one album during a cost-of-living crisis”
Which artists or genres fly fastest at record fairs? Any surprise best-sellers?
Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, I can never keep The Bends, In Rainbows, or, AM and Whatever People Say… on my table. Each time they sell I personally get extremely excited as they are big on repeat albums for me. Also, Queen and Elton John’s Greatest Hits – I work on two big principles: no ‘yaking another’s yum’ and a greatest hits can be your favourite album, I’m not here to judge people wanting the classics on one album during a cost-of-living crisis.
What’s the most treasured record in your personal collection, and what makes it so special to you?
My most treasured record is a first pressing of The Stone Roses, which was very kindly gifted to me by a customer without knowing the story behind it. I originally owned an early pressing, which was one of my prized possessions. I later discovered that an ex-partner had scratched my favourite track, “I Am the Resurrection”, right along the line, “I am the resurrection and I am the life — I couldn’t ever bring myself to hate you as I’d like.”
The majority of my collection seemed to get this treatment, but it was the one album that genuinely brought me to tears when I heard the skip. I never told that story to anyone, other than my partner who saw me cry when I heard it. But at my last market of my first year of trading, a returning customer brought me a gorgeous first pressing from their collection that plays through beautifully. Hearing it all the way through brought big tears, and I’m forever grateful to have it. It’s currently on my shelf above the player as I can’t help but keep playing it – I mean, come on, that distorted start to “I Wanna Be Adored”… need I say more?
When you’re crate digging for yourself, where’s your go-to spot?
I’m a shop local, shop independent girl so it’s got to be Longwell Records. I also go to record stores whilst abroad or in different cities as I love the community in music, can be anywhere on the planet and talk about music. For crate-digging, I love a bargain bin, and a definite flick in 70’s psychedelic rock… can’t really be called Crazy Diamond and not have a soft spot for Pink Floyd!
Follow Bee’s record selling journey over on Instagram.
