Probe Records

Went in a few weeks ago and much of what I wanted was hung from the walls. The chap behind the counter did not mind getting up on a step ladder and fetching several Dylan and Dead LPs down for me. I also found a few more things I wanted stacked on the till waiting to be put on the shelves. We chatted about my choices and I complemented them on the Robert Crumb artwork and how nice it was to see Grateful Dead records given such prominence in a UK store. Other reviewers have complained that the staff were not fond of interaction, but on this occasion I had a very pleasant chat with them - I am pretty sure they knocked a bit of my total too!

was on holiday in the UK Last year from Australia. guys in here was very friendly and we had a good chat. i brought a few records and as i was leaving the gave me a CD for free. they said i might like the music on it. CD was great. will defiantly visit again next time im in Liverpool

It’s funny, you see a lot of reviews about them being miserable, I think people need to be less precious, they are miserable, but in the typical charming miserable old man way… their prices for new vinyl is much cheaper than elsewhere, I like the store and think their personalities suit the shop very well… hah.

I have been coming to Probe for decades and it is in fact the only record store I go to in Liverpool because I just love it so much. For me it is not only my favourite shop in Liverpool bur it is quite literally my favourite shop on the planet. I love how as soon as you enter the store you are greeted with absolutely fantastic music playing every single time. I love how the infamous Bobby P sticky label reviews are always spot on every time, far more accurate than any music journalist in my opinion. I love how the store is laid out, adorned with wall to rack records with huge , great sticky label reviews of the classics and records that our man Bobby P deem to be most noteworthy. I love how Bob and John behind the counter can always be relied upon to give an honest opinion of a record rather than just saying everything is great in order to make a quick sale. Over the many decades I have been frequenting Probe I have discovered so many musicians and bands that I would never have found our about otherwise. Probe is like marmite , you either love it or hate it, there is no middle ground. Critics complain about the customer service- it's not service with the cheesy smile and have a good day. Hell no! This is where for those genuine music enthusiasts who go with the genuine intention of actually buying something you can actually have a proper conversation about music and tap into the font of musical knowledge contained in the brains of music stalwarts - Bob and John. Yes it is totally cult. It is totally unique. It is like nothing else and that is what makes it so stunningly brilliant. There are many record stores there is only 1 Probe. I love it so much I set up a dedicated Facebook group in it's honour. So for you , the true music connoisseurs check out the Probe Records Appreciation Society group on Facebook and give your head a wobble.

I only came here to read reviews to see if anyone else experienced how rude he seemed. Like someone else has written, old guy behind the counter had stroppy teenager vibes. I was the only other person in the shop and he didn’t acknowledge me even looking into my eyes. When he looked again I said Hi as thought it was weird/ awkward. He just ignored me. I think they may more money if they were polite and helpful but I don’t want to tell them how to run a business.

Brilliant advice, nice friendly staff, good stock of LP’s, I was particularly impressed by the soundtrack collection.

Visited this place a few weeks ago, I asked the guy behind the counter a question about an obscure group from Liverpool, he didn't even look up from his mobile phone, and grunted his answer in a negative way, bad experience altogether.

Excellent record shop. I could have literally mortgaged my house because they had so much I wanted to buy! Guy I spoke with was clearly a proper music fan, when we were speaking about stuff he kept pulling out hidden gems that I had to have. The Birthday Party? Damn, yes please. Daisy Chainsaw? Take my money already!! I am now plotting ways to make a big pile of money and go back and buy more, because we simply dont have enough record stores like this.

A Liverpool institution, Probe was immortalised in Kevin Sampson's Awaydays as the shop everyone visited in the late 70s to buy the latest punk and no wave singles. Three decades on, they still have a small selection of Joy Division and Magazine albums but their stock is much more eclectic. Alongside classic funk, soul, dub and electro, there are racks devoted to krautrock, psyche, garage, indie, freakbeat and classic rock. Endearingly, vinyl is the dominating medium rather than CDs with lots of lovingly sourced re-issues as well as new and original releases. The staff are friendly and knowledgable and more than happy to play records if you want to try before you buy. If only all record shops were like this! The magnificent Magazine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nImOq_eWHEM&feature=related

Not much to add here on Probe Records, as everyone affirms it's a real-life genuine piece of musical heritage in a city where a lot relies on the idea of the ghost of the myth of the beat-era. Offering a broad selection of punk, post-punk, indie, funk, soul and reggae on CD and Vinyl, Probe is really the one-stop shop for music you might not find in HMV. It feels like a real record shop too; blasting a selection of funk and punk cult classics through the speakers, with wooden rack upon wooden rack of records, some with little well-thought out recommendation cards. The staff are friendly and surprisingly un-high fidelity-y in that a misstepped request won't be answered with a volley of insults in the direction of your musical knowledge. Regulars are treated well and newcomers are treated like regulars. A few years ago I asked for the new Iron and Wine album (the fantastic, laid-back "Our Endless Numbered Days") and although it wasn't out until Monday they let me have it anyway. Brilliant.

Still relevant today as it was when it opened back in 1971, Probe is one of only a handful of independent record shops still operating in Liverpool but luckily they don't become much more unique and individual than Probe. Unlike the purely second hand record at Probe or House & Techno heavy choice at 3 Beat, Probe prides itself on offerring a range of genres from new artists and labels such as Warp as well as reissued rareties of 60s Garage, Psychedelia and Funk on 12" and CD formats and they wont be easily found in your local HMV. The blokes who work there are very knowledgable chaps and the shop still provides a point of focus for much of the city's alternative music scene, bands and clubs but, as you would expect from a small group of men who spend much of their time in a dark room, they might not be the most customer service orientated!

Probe records is situated in Liverpool City Centre, on the corner of Wood Street and Slater street. As it isn't on one of the main streets you might never know it was there until someone told you about it, as happened to me. I spent a long time looking for rare music in high street stores to no avail but as soon as I entered Probe Records I knew I had found the right place. As you browse through the stock you realise it is devoid of the mediocre "pop" music and instead prides itself on stocking the more difficult to find titles. I found Cd's I had been looking for in high street stores for a long time but had online found them at a hugely inflated price, if at all. The Cd's and vinyl at Probe are not available at the same price as chart Cd's, but they are reasonably priced, considering the fact that they are less easy to come by. If there happens to be something you cannot find in the shop then the staff are more than happy to order it for you at no extra cost. Probe also stocks t-shirts which again are usually difficult to find and more obscure than you would get on the high street. They also stock Tickets for gigs and club nights in the area which can be very useful if you are not able to attend the clubs themselves to purchase them. Probe will soon be moving to the Bluecoat Chambers so look out for info on this.

What can I say, Probe Records is legendary. It's a no nonsense, down to earth Liverpool stalwart that's as old as the hills - well, as old as the 70s. Having always been a major supporter of local bands of an independent persuasion this place is all about the heart as opposed to the business, and is run by true die-hard music fans as opposed to anybody who knows anything about selling. I smell High Fidelity... This all adds to its charm. Liverpool is of course one of the primary cities in the UK for music, and I found myself in a horrendous argument not a week ago where someone dared to infer that down south, DOWN SOUTH?!? was the better place for music. Er, please. Perhaps all the record companies live down there now but nobody cares about that, they care about nostalgia and history, and this shop has it in spades. Probe has had a massive influence on the industry for such a small place. In fact, the likes of Virgin and HMV and the sadly defunct Our Price purchased a lot of independent stock from here. The infamous John Peel was heavily involved in setting up Probe's own record label, and would you believe it, not only did Pete Burns work here but so did one of the vocalists from Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Indeed it's steeped in history and culture, but let's not forget that it sells a bunch of mighty good records and nothing in the shop is second-hand. They specialise in re-issue vinyl, something that's not easy to find. Any music fan worth their salt should visit Probe Records, it's an institution and a must-see.

On the corner of Wood Street/Slater Street is the cooooooeeellll independent retailer of underground music specialising in new and reissue vinyl. They have 'astounding sounds' available on discs both large and compact. What is raising the temperature in the shop next month? Moon Duo - Escape, Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty, The Fall - Your Future Our Clutter, The Doors - L.A. Woman and MGMT - Congratulations. If they don't have what you want on the shelf they should be able to order it in for you. I go to Probe Records because they stock records that other record shops just don't have. For those that know and have loved Probe Records over the years. If you go to their website www.probe-records.com and then flyers on the right hand side - you will find a selection of Probe Records flyers since 1995. If you click on the thumbnail, you will get an A6 image which you can then download and/or print off.

So, when I go into Probe, I feel like the guy from High Fidelity that gets harpooned by Jack Black for wanting to buy his daughter 'I Just called to say I Love You', I'm definitely not a record collector, but I love rifling through the ridiculously cool range of CDs and wishing I knew a little more about 60s Psychedelic Funk than I do... and generally gaping in awe of the knowledgable place. But, they also sometimes stock gig tickets here and my friend bought THE last tickets available anywhere in Liverpool for The XX for us here. Thank you, Probe!

A tiny store front, I walked right by it several times. Once inside, a nice selection of assorted titles. I picked up a copy of The Beatles "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" LP on black vinyl. I've been looking for the yellow vinyl copy, which is getting harder to find.

I came to Liverpool Uni in 1972 from Anglesey being used to whatever the record shops in Bangor and Holyhead had to offer. I could not believe my eyes when I went to the far right corner of the tiny shop to find a whole rack of 'bootleg' LP's. The guy with the frizzy hair apologised that they were sealed so couldn't be played prior to purchase. I remember going in one afternoon and smelling a 'certain aroma' and after listening to a couple of songs took up the kind offer to partake.....I left after a while with a new copy of the record I wanted at the 'second hand' price with a strange fuzzy glow between my ears....The weird and wonderful singles went in the window and there wasn't a visit where my student grant was not stretched. It was like standing in a box surrounded by all the greatest music in the world and I will always have fond memories of that great placeand its brilliant staff..