Rough Trade Records is an
independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by
Geoff Travis, who had opened
a record store off
Ladbroke Grove. It is currently run by co-managing directors Travis and
Jeannette Lee and is affiliated with
Beggars Group.
Having successfully promoted and sold records by
punk rock
Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
and early
post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...
and
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...
bands such as
the Normal and
Desperate Bicycles, Travis began to manage acts and distribute bands such as
Scritti Politti and began the label, which was informed by
left-wing politics
Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social ...
and structured as a
co-operative. Label activities began in 1978. Soon after, Rough Trade also set up a distribution arm that serviced independent retail outlets across Britain, a network that became known as the
Cartel. In 1983, Rough Trade signed
the Smiths.
Interest and investment of major labels in the UK indie scene in the late 1980s, as well as overtrading on behalf of Rough Trade's distribution wing, led to cash flow problems, and eventually to bankruptcy, forcing the label into
receivership
In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver – a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights" – especia ...
.
However, Travis resurrected the label in the late 1990s partnering with Lee, finding success with
the Libertines,
the Strokes,
Anohni and the Johnsons and more. The roster is diverse, with
Pulp,
Sleaford Mods,
Dean Blunt,
black midi,
Special Interest,
Jockstrap and
Lankum among those signed to the label, which has ranged stylistically through
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
, post-punk and
new wave,
garage rock, and
psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
, but also
art pop,
folk,
electronic, and
soul.
History
Rough Trade began as a record shop, opened by
Geoff Travis on Kensington Park Road, West London, in February 1976, with Travis reportedly taking the shop name from the Canadian
art punk/
new wave band
Rough Trade. It was inspired by what Travis has described as the "community-based environment" of the
City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, and specialised in
garage rock and
reggae. Steve Montgomery, initially a customer of the shop, was offered a job soon after it opened and became its effective co-manager. Travis and Montgomery were joined by a further employee, Richard Scott, in June 1977.
Rough Trade produced its own record for the first time after French punk band
Métal Urbain came into the shop asking for assistance in publicising their music.
[
The Rough Trade label subsequently issued a single by Jamaican reggae musician Augustus Pablo, the debut EP by Sheffield band Cabaret Voltaire and the second Stiff Little Fingers single, "Alternative Ulster". During 1978, the label released singles by the Monochrome Set, Subway Sect, Swell Maps, Electric Eels, Spizzoil and Kleenex.]subsidiary
A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...
that is owed by Beggars Group, which in turn is a privately held company
A privately held company (or simply a private company) is a company whose Stock, shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in their respective listed markets. Instead, the Private equi ...
not publicly traded on the stock market. Throughout this period, and continuing under Beggars, the label has been co-managed by Lee and Travis.
Artists
References
Further reading
* Cavanagh, David. ''The Creation Records Story: My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry for the Prize''. London: Virgin Books, 2000. .
* Savage, Jon. ''England's Dreaming: The Sex Pistols and Punk Rock'' London: Faber and Faber, 1991.
* Taylor, Neil. ''Document and Eyewitness: An Intimate History of Rough Trade''. Hachette UK, 2010.
* Young, Rob. ''Rough Trade''. London: Black Dog, 2006.
External links
*
TV documentary from 1979 exploring the company's early ideals and development
{{Authority control
Record labels established in 1978
Record labels disestablished in 1991
Record labels established in 2000
Re-established companies
Beggars Group
Alternative rock record labels
Indie rock record labels
New wave record labels
Zomba Group of Companies subsidiaries
British independent record labels
1976 establishments in England