Max Millward (Blue Max) closes his record shop in Wednesfield near Wolverhampton today. He is retiring after running record shops in the area for 45 years!. I would like to wish him the very best for the future.

Neil

I second Neil's words...congratulations Max. I tip my hat to anyone who managed a business for that length of time...especially in the music business.

I recall once upon a time when I was a young lad rep'ing for Charly Records in the mid-80's, that one of my customers based in Folkstone still had listening booths (as did another one in Hounslow!). I remarked innocently that they must have been there a fair few years...and joked that they must've sold 78's as new! The shop keeper replied, '78's? My dear boy we used to sell cylinders!' pmsl. They sadly closed a year or so later...think they were established in 1928 as an electrical store!

MAX

TIME TOO PUT YOUR FEET UP AND RELAX !

I WILL MISS THE SHOP ! AS YOUVE SOLD ME MY RECORD BOXES OVER THE YEARS+ CARDBOARD COVERS, ENJOYED BROWSEING THROUGH THE PILES OF 45S TOO

BEST TIM

PS HALF PRICE SALE?

What a top bloke!

Back in about '74 me and my brother wagged school on a Monday as I recall and set off for Max's.

Got there and it was shut!!! Asked the butcher nearby what the score was and he said he didn't open on a Monday but he'd see if he could get in touch with him.Sure enough Max came in to open up for us 'niusances from Manchester!'

Had a real learning experience afternoon with loads of new tunes fired in our ears.Max really appreciated our meagre budget and added loads of ace cheapies to make our trip worthwhile.

Funny upshot of it all was - got back home and tanned the record player to death.Anyway, the old man came in from work and had found out (god knows how) that we'd wagged school.It was a mortal offence and oh yes he knew what had caused it - 'that bloody soul music' and was he gonna get it out of our heads once and for all yes sirreeee!!!

Being Irish he went for the basic approach - legged it upstairs to our bedroom swept up the nearest records to the deck (you've guessed it - we'd only just begun tannin' em) and decided to grill em! yup grill em (not the verbal variety)

Well 35 years later it's still in our bloody heads - we've managed to recollect all the charcoaled tunes -the old man finally had to admit we woz hooked and yes very fond memories of that day.

Thanks Max

Take Care

Tom 'n Our Kid

Max Millward (Blue Max) closes his record shop in Wednesfield near Wolverhampton today. He is retiring after running record shops in the area for 45 years!. I would like to wish him the very best for the future.

Seconded...

All the best Max. End of an era eh mate!

See you soon.

Sean & Jayne x

Good Luck for the future Max

enjoy your retirement mate

All the best

Dazz

All the best Max. End of an era eh mate!

Certainly is, i have spent most of my life either in the shop listening & buying or the other side of the counter serving. Nowhere now to congregate, have a coffee and enjoy the banter. Put yer feet up Max me old mate you deseve it (just don't give up DJing). THE END OF AN ERA

All the best for the future

Ken & Claude

Like many, I shall miss popping in and having a chat and trawl through the records. I had some great buys, will miss it. Enjoy your retirement from the shop, but keep on DJing

ALL THE VERY BEST MAX

Know how hard it is selling stuff ,without a shop,SO ITS DOUBLE HARD

with the overheads etc...........dont know how youve done it this long

last time i was in,bought a couple of great record boxes

know you sell em for someone else as a favor

Thats Max will help anyone

WELL DONE AGAIN MATE

keith williams

give my best to kenny /john pugh/carl jones /ben the carpet man etc

not forgetting Paul Everton---

All the very best to you Sweetheart your free to do just what you want to do now aye!! Lovely!! Have to say though it will be strange not saying to Mart on a Saturday morning... "can we go to Maxs shop today" .... Still you,ve done more than enough now Max ......i mean 45 years!! Its time to relax now and take things easy,you so deserve it But don,t give up your DJ in!!

Luvs ya Helen & Martin xxxxx

Edited April 30, 200817 yr by JELLYBEAN

all the very Best Max , take it easy now I will miss poping over especailly when i used to finish work early and have a good chat and a few coffees . Never forget when i took Steve calloway over on that saturday afternoon . See ya soon Mate.

Max Millward (Blue Max) closes his record shop in Wednesfield near Wolverhampton today. He is retiring after running record shops in the area for 45 years!. I would like to wish him the very best for the future.

Neil

The Arkwright of the west midlands pulls the shutters down for the last time .........

Only been at it 45 years ? I could have sworn he was open during the war .........

Happy retirement Mr Millward .........

Malc Burton

Best wishes Max, Thank`s for all the hour`s you have allowed me to raid your shop, l`ve done my time on my knee`s ........ think me and Paul have seen every nook and cranny(keep it clean plez), not to mention the spiders and dust.

I know you`re really looking forward now to you`re fishing trips, and we are looking forward to hearing any fisher mans tails, take a camera just to back em up Max ( 3ft Barble, how heavy again did you say it was ???).

Enjoy your retirement mate, and we will see you at the venues, and remember what l said, time to take it slow, no need to make changes there then!!!

Best regards with lota of love Sandi xxxxxxxxxx

Best wishes and a enjoy a long and happy retirement.

See you soon

Best wishes and a enjoy a long and happy retirement.

See you soon

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

Good luck in the future max, a life of doing what you love, can`t be bad eh

What a top bloke!

Back in about '74 me and my brother wagged school on a Monday as I recall and set off for Max's.

Got there and it was shut!!! Asked the butcher nearby what the score was and he said he didn't open on a Monday but he'd see if he could get in touch with him.Sure enough Max came in to open up for us 'niusances from Manchester!'

Had a real learning experience afternoon with loads of new tunes fired in our ears.Max really appreciated our meagre budget and added loads of ace cheapies to make our trip worthwhile.

Funny upshot of it all was - got back home and tanned the record player to death.Anyway, the old man came in from work and had found out (god knows how) that we'd wagged school.It was a mortal offence and oh yes he knew what had caused it - 'that bloody soul music' and was he gonna get it out of our heads once and for all yes sirreeee!!!

Being Irish he went for the basic approach - legged it upstairs to our bedroom swept up the nearest records to the deck (you've guessed it - we'd only just begun tannin' em) and decided to grill em! yup grill em (not the verbal variety)

Well 35 years later it's still in our bloody heads - we've managed to recollect all the charcoaled tunes -the old man finally had to admit we woz hooked and yes very fond memories of that day.

Thanks Max

Take Care

Tom 'n Our Kid

Bloody funny story!!!

BEST WISHES HAVE A LONG AND HAPPY RETIREMENT MAX

SEE YOU WHEN I GET THERE!

JOHN FISHER

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

Well then, that will be that then ! Life on easy street here you come.

You take care my old friend and enjoy your free time to the full.

please pass my love to John and I hope maybe to see the 2 of you this year

45 YEARS. ONLY HOPE I CAN DO AS GOOD AS YOU HAVE. REALLY HOPE OLDIES UNLIMITED CAN CARRY ON IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU DID. YOUR'E GONNA BE HARD TO BEAT.

WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST MAX...

SWOZ

OLDIES UNLIMITED

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

Max very best wishes from all the lads at the Cellar and hope have a long and happy retirement from the shop.I used to come over as a 'young lad' to the old shop in 72 with Stinny, Alec and Henry on Saturday afternoons, I am sure they would all agree that it was always a pleasure to visit.

See you on 17th then / Graham

All the best on your retirement. One of the Soul Scenes true gentlemen!!!!

Best Wishes

Tony

Max Good luck in your retirement you deserve a gold medal or maybe a gold record for 45 years UNBELEIVABLE. I can't beleive I never went there in the late 60's early 70's.

Regards Brian

Max Good luck in your retirement you deserve a gold medal or maybe a gold record for 45 years UNBELEIVABLE. I can't beleive I never went there in the late 60's early 70's.

Regards Brian

Thats where I was first introduced to music in general back in 69, living about half a mile from the shop. Max introduced me to my beloved soul about a year later - though I looked too young to get in anywhere other than Mothercare back then.

When I joined the RAF in 71, Max was my conduit to the tunes, only me and a guy from Derby in the whole apprentice entry that were into soul.

Throughout the years Max never failed to make me feel welcome in the shop, turned me on to some amazing stuff, not only northern but jazz funk and other club tracks!

Never heard him slate anyone, and can't thank him enough for his help over the years, now both Annie and I count him as a friend indeed.

Oh he even did us the honour of being a witness at our wedding too !

Thanks Mate not a lot else I can say - except perhaps you can come round and drink MY tea now

Wulfie

All the best from me too - Max is a legend in his own lunchtime! His contribution to the UK Soul scene is inestimable and vastly underrated.

All the best from me too - Max is a legend in his own lunchtime! His contribution to the UK Soul scene is inestimable and vastly underrated.

I'll second that!

Best of luck Max I'm always sad to see an "instatution" like Max's shop shut.

Have a great retirement and sit down and start writing that book ! I'm waiting for the chapter(s) where you first met Neil Rushton

Take care

Rob & karen

Good Luck on your retirement Max, nobody deserves it more

Keep smiling mate

Martin

Max will DJ'ing at, and will presented with an award marking his service to Soul Music in the West Midlands at the debut Soulvation @ The Connaught Hotel, Wolverhampton session on Friday May 30.

It would be great if as many people as many possible could turn up to show Max just how highly regarded he is.

Details of the event are on the web site

www.soulvation.biz

All the Best,

Neil

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

Hi Max,

Have a HAPPY AND LONG retirement, you deserve it. See you out and about at the weekends.

All the best

Jane & Taf xx

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

To a true pioneer - best wishes for the future. I've no doubt you'll soon wonder how you ever found time to work! Keep spinning, educating and growing the following of the sounds that we all love!

See you on 12 July at Lea Hall for the Soulvation Catacombs DJ revival night!

Carl Dene

WELL THERE WE ARE THEN! A LIFETIME OF SELLING RECORDS COMES TO AN END FOR ME!

GOOD TIMES! BAD TIMES! SOMEHOW I'VE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM TO CLOCK UP 45 YRS

YES I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME!! BUT A LONG TIME DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE HAS SOON FLOWN BY!

I WILL STILL CONTINUE TO DJ & KEEP MY CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITHOUT HAVING MY BELOVED SOUL MUSIC!! WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF, TO DO THE FEW THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO!!

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR ALL YOUR POSTS WISHING ME ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE!! MY THANKS GO OUT TO YOU!!

MAX..

It's not over though Max.

Just a new beginning mate.

Do those things you have always wanted to do

Enjoy your new found 'freedom'.

Best

Tabs

Absolute top bloke, love him to bits...!

Good luck in your retirement mate....you have earned it!

I remember John Pugh bringing Max to some of the Albrighton nights a few years ago...Max was so humble and into the music it was unreal, this from a guy who had`nt been anywhere for 30 odd years. He loved talking about the old times but was always more interested in the new stuff we were playing...what he did`nt realise was that to us he was a living legend!

I`ll even forgive him his "Bumpy and thumpy" re-invention...!!

A true gent and a lovely man.

Chris.

Max

Me auld mucka, the shop my be gone, but your passion for all things soulful never will, now there are so many fish to catch and so many places to visit, enjoy.

A ture gent who will always have a youthful enthusiasm for 'this thing of ours'

Chris W & Marcelle

Absolute top bloke, love him to bits...!

A true gent and a lovely man.

Chris.

Edited May 2, 200817 yr by JELLYBEAN

Good luck Max, where am I going to get my card covers , boxes and stylii from now? It's a shame to see an old style record shop close down, there aren't many left and when you walk into a totally soulless, corporate HMV or Vigin megastore, you remember how great small indie record shops actually were/are. Just another sad sign of the times. See ya out and about Max.

Best...Jordi

Now that's Dedication for ya.

Keep us Dancin Max

Top Man

...Max was so humble and into the music it was unreal, this from a guy who had`nt been anywhere for 30 odd years. ...what he did`nt realise was that to us he was a living legend!

You've hit the nail right on the head!!! I'd seen him and known of him for donkey's years but until two or three years ago never spoke to him. When I did finally speak to him, I didn't know what to expect from somebody who I held in such high esteem. Needn't have worried, couldn't meet a nicer living legend!! And yes, he does need to right a book. Regards Ade

...Max was so humble and into the music it was unreal, this from a guy who had`nt been anywhere for 30 odd years. ...what he did`nt realise was that to us he was a living legend!

You've hit the nail right on the head!!! I'd seen him and known of him for donkey's years but until two or three years ago never spoke to him. When I did finally speak to him, I didn't know what to expect from somebody who I held in such high esteem. Needn't have worried, couldn't meet a nicer living legend!! And yes, he does need to right a book. Regards Ade

well once again can i just say thank you for the kind comments & well wishes!

thank you so much!

max..