In the present day, the past is easier to grasp than ever before. Whether it’s the AI algorithm serving up long-lost city pop, or the notorious cult films that are only a click away, perhaps one of the main defining characteristics of the current era is our convenient relationship with recent history.
That said, there’s still no substitute for accessing this stuff in physical form, and although it might not take long to find a poorly digitised copy of a Derek Jarman super 8 film on Youtube, or maybe a few low-res scans from an old Face photoshoot on an Instagram moodboard page, these metaverse versions still don’t hold a candle to the real thing.
That’s where Unified Goods comes in. From pristine copies of Perfect Blue on VHS to official Aphex Twin beach towels, the London-based shop sells tangible cultural artefacts from the not-so-distant-past—liberating rare gems from attics and wardrobes around the globe. And whilst niche culture can often be a bit of a closed-off clique, the shop is anything but elitist—choosing to share the knowledge rather than belittle those who aren’t in the know.
With founder James Goodhead currently scouring the streets of New York for new stock, I talked to him about hoarding, Fargo snow globes and nostalgia over on the Sabukaru site…
https://sabukaru.online/articles/unified-goods-using-the-past-to-progress-culture-forwards
Roman Candle Magazine 