Author Bio
In the late '90s and early '00s, Sydney’s Darlinghurst was home to up to seventeen specialist dance music record shops.
In 2025 there's only one: the Recordstore. This salubrious establishment opened its doors in 2003, rising like a dazed and confused phoenix from the ashes of the beloved BPM Records (est.1994).
From disgruntled customer and promising psychology student, though manager of BPM, to co-owner of the Recordstore, the author has witnessed — and taken part in — the rise and fall and rise again of vinyl DJ culture.
As first a punter at the early ‘90s raves, and then DJ / Promoter / Producer during the heyday of clubland and the explosion of Electronic Music into festivals and stadiums, he has stayed the course and seen it all.
From co-producing Sydney’s “party of the year” in 1999, to DJing at Berlin’s famous Tresor nightclub and Love Parade in 2000, the author’s home base has always been Darlinghurst.
And that’s because Eastside Sydney in general, and Darlinghurst in particular have always been safe and welcoming places for queers, bohemians, and misfits alike: a community understanding of differences and clubs within which to congregate and dance anonymously.
That’s how Steph found Darlinghurst in 1991. From the very first moment, he knew it was his home.
