RICHARD KINGSMAN THE MUSIC TRADING COMPANY RYE EAST SUSSEX 1ST MARCH 2026

Richard Kingsman is a British guitarist, singer-songwriter and long-time figure in the UK music scene, best known today as the owner of The Music Trading Co, a respected guitar and music equipment shop in Rye, East Sussex. He began playing guitar in the late 1960s and spent many years performing in bands throughout the 1970s and 1980s. During that period he honed his craft on stage and in the studio, notably with his band Straight 8UK, which toured and recorded through the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Over the decades Kingsman developed a deep passion for guitars and vintage instruments, both as a player and a collector. This passion eventually led him to open his own music shop in Rye, where he specialises in new and vintage guitars, amplifiers, effects and accessories. The shop has become well-regarded locally and beyond for its eclectic stock and Kingsman’s personal expertise in gear selection and trading.

Today he is equally known for his contributions to the local music community through his business and for his lifelong dedication to playing, collecting and trading guitars.

Straight 8UK was a British rock band active primarily in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Emerging during a period when the UK scene was shifting from classic rock toward new wave and post-punk, the band blended tight, guitar-driven rock with melodic songwriting and a punchy live sound.

The group built its reputation on energetic performances and regular touring across the UK club and pub circuit—an important proving ground for many British acts of the era. Their style reflected the transitional nature of the time: rooted in classic rock structures but streamlined with the directness and urgency that defined late-’70s British rock.