Geoff Travis: Rough Tradesperson

Another 'Writing on the Wall' festival event tonight, in collaboration with Bido Lito magazine. A chance to hear one of the most important/influential people in British music for the past 40 years talk about his life and the importance of independence in the music industry.

Geoff Travis opened the first Rough Trade record shop in London in 1976, about 6 months before punk broke. Inspired by the spirit of City Lights bookshop in San Francisco and Compendium Books in London, and heavily influenced by feminist politics, the former drama teacher was the right person in the right place at the right time.

His radical, principled, approach to the business of selling records also led him to form the Rough Trade record label in 1978. Over the years the label has been home to hundreds of acts, of which the following list is but a representative sample...

Alabama Shakes
Antony & The Johnsons/Anohni
Arcade Fire
Arthur Russell
Aztec Camera
Belle and Sebastian
British Sea Power
Cabaret Voltaire
The Decemberists
The Fall
The Go-Betweens
The Hold Steady
Jonathan Richman
The Libertines
Parquet Courts
Pere Ubu
The Pop Group
Pulp
The Raincoats
Scritti Politti
Sleaford Mods
The Smiths
The Strokes
Sufjan Stevens
Super Furry Animals
Swell Maps
This is the Kit
The Unthanks
Warpaint
Robert Wyatt
Young Marble Giants

Phew!

Also in 1978 he was instrumental in the formation of the nationwide independent music distribution network, The Cartel, which allowed small, grassroots operators such as Probe in Liverpool, Fast Forward in Edinburgh, Red Rhino in York and Revolver in Bristol to compete with the major record labels and make hard-to-come-by indie records available to the music-hungry scenesters in 'the provinces'. His influence on my life as a music fan has been huge!

As part of his discussion of the Rough Trade story he picked 3 songs to play which he felt exemplified particular aspects of the label. He chose 'This Charming Man' by The Smiths, 'Hope There's Someone' by Antony and the Johnsons, and 'BHS' by Sleaford Mods. His stories about all three of them were fascinating, and sometimes scurrilous, as were his many other reminiscences.

If I had to pick just one 'Desert Island Disc' from the superb Rough Trade catalogue, it might well be 'Final Day' by Cardiff's very own Young Marble Giants. Under 2 minutes of minimalist pop perfection from 1980 www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUxcsbOtzQU

Geoff was very sporting about having his picture taken and immediately struck this pose without the need for direction. Thanks to him.

(Fans of Liverpool music may be interested to know that I spent the evening sitting directly behind Carl Hunter, former bassist with The Farm and now a film director and film production lecturer.)