A massive South Asian vinyl collection is set for exhibition in Manchester

Request Line takes place in Manchester Museum on July 19.

A 3000-record collection of South Asian vinyl will be on display as part of an exhibition at the Manchester Museum.

Read more: Inside the 15,000-strong record collection at Hawaii’s State Archives

The exhibition’s opening event Request Line takes place at 6pm on July 19 to launch the True Form Projects vinyl archive. The collection was rescued by the archive in 2017 when Mohammed Ayub’s Oriental Start Agencies record store in Birmingham was forced to shut.

“In 1970 Mohammed Ayub founded Oriental Start Agencies in Birmingham. This record store and then label became one of the most influential and important parts of South Asian history and diaspora in the UK and worldwide,” explains a description of the event.

“Before the store had to close in 2017, True Form Projects rescued much of the record collection and other artefacts in order to archive them and keep them protected for future generations. As part of a 3 year project they are archiving over 3000 records and artefacts and will be collecting memories of the music and culture contained in these important records”.

Many of the records in the archive were initially played at BBC Radio WM by Mohammed Ayub, Anita Bhalla and Farah Durrani as part of the East in West radio show. The Request Line event is paying homage to this history by playing the records, showing their artwork and sharing some requests sent to the presenters throughout the ’80s.

Faisal Hussain, from the archive, will speak at the event and DJs Rizmi & Chandé will perform.

Request Line will take place at the South Asia Gallery, Manchester Museum. The wider exhibition will run from July 19 to August 21. Find out more here.