Bolton's X-Records signs up Star and Garter to launch upcoming bands

Bolton’s X-Records in Bridge Street is bringing back its 80s record label, with local singer Edweena Banger first to be signed up.

Owner of the record shop, Steve Meekings said: “I have been going to the Star and Garter, or what it was, since I was a young boy, at just 15.

“I even got banned at that age and they told me to come back at 16.”

Steve said he recognises that X-Records needs to appeal to more people as as footfall is not as high as it once was.

He said: “We need to expand and needed a bigger venue than just using the shop to host all of our special events.

Star and Garter

“The room at the Star and Garter is perfect for us and what we want to do going forward, and that place is amazing and has been there for ages.”

First launched in 1986, the X-Record label sold albums with the band Dirty Tryx.

Steve hopes the relaunch will help reintroduce vinyl records and punk rock artists back into the Bolton music scene.

He said: “Now we are seeing the end of Covid, we’re in a new normal state and we want to bring something back to the scene.

“I am always doing things like this, so it’s not new to me but just on a bigger scale.

“If we don’t evolve, we won’t survive, so we created our own thing and it’s doing really well.”

L-R Steve Meekings and Edweena Banger

The next show at the Star and Garter in Bow Street is with Edweena Banger, formerly singer with Ed Banger and The Nosebleeds, on March 5.

Steve said: “I hope this is a new era of music and we can bring everything we do out into the open again.

“I can’t wait to see everyone at the event.”

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