Butchart has owned Sound It Out Records since 1998, and in that time he has provided old and new vinyl, CD’s and music memorabilia to a large audience of music lovers. Sadly, after his passing in June, Tom Butchart’s wife Clare and the rest of the Sound It Out team have decided to close the shop, which was the last remaining record shop in the area of Teesside, Stockton-on-Tees.

On August 22nd, Clare Butchart released the following statement:

In addition to this, the Sound It Out staff issued a statement thanking the customers, saying that Sound It Out was “more than just a record shop”. They also took the time to thank Tom for the opportunity to work at Sound It Out and be “part of this music community legacy”.

Sound It Out Records stocked and sold music spanning from the 1950’s to present day, and featured a large variety of genres including Punk, Metal, Jazz, Techno, Hip Hop, Funk and much more. The store also provided a space for local DJ’s, as well as supporting local bands and artists by stocking music from all levels of release.

In 2010, Sound It Out Records was the subject of a documentary by Jeanie Finlay. The documentary focuses on how the market for independent music stores has been declining over recent years, and how Tom Butchart and his team strive to stay relevant and successful throughout this shift in how people get their music in today’s society. Finlay grew up only a few miles away from Sound It Out, and beautifully captures how the store is defying the odds and remaining successful through their stance and reputation in their local community.

You can watch the trailer for Jeanie Finlay’s documentary here.

Sound It Out Records have announced they will be using Vectis Auctions, a local auctioneering company, to sell the Sound It Out Records Collection in the coming months. Due to the large quantity of items to be sold, the collection will be sold over multiple auctions. You can find out more about the auctions of the Sound It Out Records Collection on the Vectis Auctions website, and Sound It Out’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Sound It Out Records has made a huge impact on the community of Teesside and has welcomed customers from far and wide, many of which left glowing reviews on their website. It is clear that Tom Butchart had a strong passion for music, as well as the people who entered his store, and through this, his legacy will remain.

The shop will be located on London’s Carnaby Street and will open on September 28 and will remain open until January 2022. There will be a line-up of limited edition music releases, exciting fashion collaborations and lifestyle products with weekly new product drops and events.  Each month will have its own theme: Music, Art & Design and Magic, with visual installations that act as storytelling from each of Queen’s historic 5 decades.

The store will take visitors on a journey over 2 floors, from a 70s thrift store taking inspiration from a stall Freddie Roger once had in Kensington Market, iconic live performances and tours from the 80s, 90s record store, 00s DVD homage through to 2010s tech concepts.

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The new store was created in partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company, featuring all of the hallmarks of the band.  There will also be an apparel collection with exclusive collaborations from many fashion brands including Champion, Wrangler, and Johnny Hoxton jewellery.

In a press release, Queen said “We are pleased to collaborate with Bravado on this project, which will be an exciting experience for everyone to come to London and enjoy. Carnaby Street was the perfect spot for the store to celebrate five decades.”

David Boyne, MD of merchandise company Bravado also added “We are delighted to announce this innovative partnership with Queen. The project will add another cultural moment to their rich legacy and will be a destination for fans to immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of one of the world’s most iconic and beloved bands.”

As well as this Queen guitarist Brian May recently spoke recently about his potential plans for a new solo album. He told Goldmine of the possibility of making a new album stating “I think it probably would be instrumental this time. Because I have enough ideas. And I have lots of unfinished business.” The star also revealed earlier this month that Queen has also been in the studio working on new music but it hasn’t “hit the button in the right way” yet.