Meet the people: the Clay Cross friendly misfit that fits into Beck’s Rock Box

Derbyshire Times

Ian Bexton says he’s only called Ian when he’s in trouble, which is why everyone knows him as Beck.

Transcript

00:00 [Music playing]

00:11 My name's Ian Bexton. Everybody knows me as Beck.

00:16 Anytime anybody calls me Ian, I just think I'm in trouble.

00:21 This is my shop that's been ongoing in different locations on festivals, bike rallies for 20 years.

00:28 I like doing stuff that makes people happy, I know music does.

00:32 So it makes me happy and hopefully that conveys when people come in.

00:37 They feel relaxed as if they're coming in my front room.

00:40 A cup of tea, a warm welcome, coffee, if I've got biscuits, if I've not had them all.

00:46 And music has got me through some of the hardest times on earth.

00:51 Just when you think, "Oh, there's no left ink tank,"

00:55 put that certain piece of music on and take a snapshot of a very happy time.

01:00 So I think it should be on prescription, music, because it never fails me.

01:08 AC/DC, Highway Tell.

01:10 And as you can see we've covered the last album to feature Bon Scott.

01:16 Highway Tell, as everybody knows, shot down in flames.

01:22 Girls Got Rhythm, Love Hungry Man, Night Prowler, which allegedly inspired the serial killer Richard Ramirez.

01:30 But every Silver Cloud's got a bit of a dodgy part.

01:36 We've got a cornucopia of albums, everything from Adam Ant, Dance Mixers,

01:42 Mike Oldfield, Walkmans, bracelets, sci-fi toys, Magenta from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

01:50 The answer to life is treat people as you want to treat yourself.

01:54 And just because somebody treats you unkindly, you don't continue the chain.

02:00 You just see it as an experience.

02:04 Move on and don't take negative thoughts or vibes with you.

02:09 Because then you just take it with you and we all know where that ends up.

02:15 I love Pat Benatar.

02:17 Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Promises In The Dark, Love Is A Battlefield, and Treat Me Nice.

02:27 This has been an album that I constantly go back to.

02:32 Different patches, there's some biker patches, some band patches.

02:36 The ornaments like the Native Indian carved clock, button badges, posters, different CDs by all different artists.

02:44 DVDs, you've got journals.

02:47 The handcuffs are just there, you know, just in case.

02:51 It's like in this complex here, it's like a family.

02:54 We've got an hairdresser's next door, that's right here, Sammy and Emily.

03:00 The other side we've got Ghost Inc, which has got Chris, there's Jason, there's Dee, Tash, Megan and Christy.

03:12 At the back of here we've got a music recording studio and rehearsal space.

03:17 And at front we've got Lady Peacock, a good friend, Lydia, and she sells cornucopia of vintage stuff.

03:26 It's well worth a visit.

03:28 This album, Twisted Sister, You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll.

03:32 I went to see these in '83 and I actually met the band.

03:37 The bassist had had an altercation with somebody that unfortunately looked like me in Birmingham the previous night.

03:44 Of course, I wasn't in Birmingham, and if I were, I wasn't going to admit it.

03:49 Because his name weren't Mike 'The Animal' Mendoza from Tuff Streets of New York.

03:54 But they signed me stuff and it blew my mind.

03:58 One of the songs they portray is 'I am I am Me', 'Just Be Yourself'.

04:04 All these books, stage worn costumes, handmade leather coasters, biker jackets.

04:11 Pretty green, as designed by Liam Gallagher.

04:15 We have shirts from all sorts.

04:19 I mean this is Factory Records, everybody likes wolves and stuff.

04:23 This one is a very rare shirt.

04:26 Printed tote bags, water bottles, Smeagol.

04:31 Clay Cross is a close mining community.

04:35 It's like any place, I mean I've lived all over.

04:39 I was called Clay Cross Home.

04:41 I worked in Germany, I've lived all over the place.

04:46 I've always kept my house here, because I know I always migrate back.

04:51 This one, I love David Bowie.

04:54 I've got to pick one, it'll be this one at the moment.

04:59 David Bowie, Let's Dance, Mugs, Ice Dragons, Fire Dragons.

05:05 If you want one of these for your garden, like a buddha.

05:09 Bell Shaker, Ukuleles, Banjos, Frame Pictures, Coasters with Vinyl on.

05:17 And some of the albums that are dear to me.

05:21 Unfortunately, my favourite AC/DC album, I haven't got a copy.

05:26 It's that popular. It's also an hero of mine, Keith Richards' favourite AC/DC album, Powerage.

05:34 My favourite track off it is Gone Shooting.

05:37 It's that slow, sudden type slab, primal boogie.

05:42 Then you've got Down Payment Blues, I bet.

05:46 Well I knew, when I was 16, 17, I'd got very little money, not a penny to scratch my old behind with.

05:54 So I then found out, under the lines, I haven't even got the money to feed my cat, Down Payment Blues.

06:02 What's Next to the Moon, Rock and Roll Damnation, Kick Tint Teeth.

06:07 We've all had it, as much as we think we're big and tough men.

06:11 We've all had that heartbreak, that lady that took the old heart out and stamped all over it.

06:19 Then we lick her wounds and the next minute, we're back on the old Itchingman Trail again.

06:25 So don't ever be put off if you get that heartbreak.

06:29 This big lummox has had it, so you'll recover from it.

06:32 Would I change it? No.

06:35 And the thing is this time, this has been a team effort.

06:38 I'll and Irene Baird, a lot of people have helped me in here.

06:42 And all people that come in, it's all valued. I don't take anything for granted.

06:49 And the one thing I'd always say to people, when you're coming in, even if you're having a bad day,

06:53 don't take it out on your customers, because it's not their fault.

06:57 They're coming in to have a pleasant experience, not to have you snap and smile at them,

07:02 because you're tired or whatever.

07:04 And if it's self-inflicted, which it has been with me,

07:07 because I've been known to go out and have alternative Ribena a few times,

07:11 and that's it.

07:13 So the message is, yes, I love what I do.

07:17 And this has been the best example of it.

07:20 [Music playing]

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