Metallica bassist drops by independent record shop

The owner of an independent record shop has said it was "mind-blowing" when rock royalty stopped by for an album.

Dean Poole, who runs Rocka-Buy Records, in Oakham, Rutland, was visited by Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.

Trujillo, who was in the area while headlining at Download festival in Leicestershire, purchased an Ian Dury album with £20 and four plectrums the band had used at the festival.

Mr Poole said he had stayed in the shop for about two hours.

"We were just chatting music. He was a really lovely guy," he said.

"You have the greatest bass player in the world from the greatest band in the world coming to our little shop in Oakham."

Mr Poole, 57, who posts record reviews with his son on the shop's social media channels, said the bassist had also brought some albums in for review by his son's band.

He said he had set up the shop two years ago after working as a chef and as an NHS home care manager.

"When Covid hit, it really got to me," he said. "I was going around people's houses to check they were all right and sometimes they weren't."

His son suggested he set up the shop, inspired by his lifelong love of music.

Mr Poole said he had also had a brush with fame after becoming a champions league finalist on Ken Bruce's Popmaster on BBC Radio 2.

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