Brian Selby, Selectadisc founder, created 'John Peel of record shops'

The rise of music downloads led to the demise of record shops like Selectadisc

Not many ventures which began life on a 1960s market ended up on an Oasis record sleeve, but that is what happened to former Nottingham record shop Selectadisc.

Tributes have been pouring in for the man who founded the much loved vinyl emporium, Brian Selby, who died this week of cancer, aged 71.

One such accolade, from Tony Roe, who made a BBC documentary about independent record shops, said Mr Selby "started the John Peel of record shops".

He added: "[Brian] created an oasis for non-conformist music lovers to trek to from all over the country".

Selectadisc closed its doors to music lovers in 2009. The reason for its demise was attributed to the way people now buy music in the 21st Century.

What's the Story?

Brian Selby opened the first Selectadisc as a stall in Mansfield market in 1966. He relocated it three years later to a shop in Arkwright Street, in the Meadows, Nottingham.

Jim Cooke, 56, worked there while he studied economics at university.

"It was absolutely tiny," said Jim. "There was enough room for about three racks of records."

One of its customers was a young Pete Waterman who used to travel from Coventry to pick up soul records.

Rather than pursuing a career in banking, Jim Cooke continued to work with Brian Selby when Selectadisc moved to the city centre.

House DJ Graeme Park - who had an eight-year residency at the famous Hacienda nightclub in Manchester - worked there too, but also became an intrinsic part of another venture when Brian bought the Ad-Lib club, in the Lace Market.

It was renamed The Garage and he was asked to DJ.

Park said: "I'd never DJ-ed, I was playing in bands at the time. I reluctantly agreed, I was 20-years-old and did as I was told. If it wasn't for Brian I wouldn't have carried on [doing it] for the next 29 years.

"He was a maverick. A lovely, amiable man. Everyone had a few fall-outs with him but that was part of his charm."

Selectadisc, in Nottingham, before it closed for good in 2009

Selectadisc found fame when its sister branch in central London was featured on the front cover of the 1995 Oasis album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

"That probably helped make [Selectadisc] significant to a '90s kid like me," said Tom Whalley, a producer at BBC Six Music.

The London shop served another purpose as Al Needham, editor of Leftlion magazine, explained.

"When I worked in Soho, and was homesick for Nottingham, which was often, I used to spend entire dinner hours in their London branch, pretending I was back home, in a happier place and time."

Selectadisc in London was sold by Mr Selby in 2008, and despite efforts to bring it back in Nottingham, the shop is no more.

Tom Whalley added: "[Brian] made something that I'm proud to have been part of, and that made me some lifelong friends.

"Without Selectadisc, I doubt I'd know enough about music to do what I do now."

Brian Selby's funeral will be held next week.