Great Record Shops -Rough Trade

Rough Trade East   *The record shop every music fan should visit once in their life*

Old Truman Brewery

91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL

0207 392 7790

roughtrade.com; enquiries@roughtrade.com; @RoughTrade

Monday-Thursday 9.00am-9.00pm

Friday 9.00am-8.00pm

Saturday 10.00am-8.00pm

Sunday 11.00am-7.00pm

Established 1976

Stock, Vinyl, CD, Books, Cassettes, Coffee, Food, In-stores, Licensed, T-shirts

Nearest station - Aldgate East

Based in an area of London associated with Jack the Ripper, but nowadays better known as the best place in London to go for a curry, you will find the most renowned independent record shop in the world. Rough Trade has made a significant contribution to independent music for more than four decades. The story began in 1976, when Geoff Travis, a Cambridge graduate working as a drama teacher, took time out to visit America. In San Francisco, he discovered the well-known independent bookshop City Lights, which published the kind of edgy books that mainstream publishers steered clear of. It was a was a meeting place for poets and the art community.

The independent ethos and alternative spirit of City Lights made a considerable impression on Geoff. In those days, the exchange rate favoured visitors from the UK, and vinyl records were a good-value purchase. A committed music fan, Geoff took full advantage and brought hundreds of records back to England from the record shops he had visited on his travels, without any clear idea of what he was going to do with them.

With the help of a loan from the Bank of Dad, he opened his first premises with perfect timing in 1976 at 202 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill. The punk revolution was starting, and the shop quickly established itself at the hub of the movement.

Like many record shops of that period, Geoff started his own label. The first release on Rough Trade was “Paris Marquis”, a single by the French punk band Metal Urbain with the catalogue number RT001, quickly followed by releases by Stiff Little Fingers, Swell Maps, the Raincoats, and Cabaret Voltaire. The label quickly became a key influence on musicians and music fans alike.

Geoff has had an amazing career in the industry, having been involved in the signing and development of acts including Babyshambles, Belle & Sebastian, The Fall, James, the Libertines, the Strokes and, most famously, the Smiths.

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Rough Trade originally specialised in US and Jamaican imports as well as being an outlet for the punk scene. It subsequently became a pilgrimage point for anyone buying or selling DIY new wave records and fanzines.

What followed was a period of swift international growth with branches of Rough Trade opening in San Francisco, Tokyo and Paris. When the decline in record shop retailing took hold, the shop closed down these global outposts and went back to its London roots. The shop and label businesses separated in 1982. Nigel House, Pete Donne and Judith Crighton, who were all Rough Trade employees, bought the shop and moved around the corner to 130 Talbot Road. Geoff, meanwhile, continued to run the record label.

In 1988, Rough Trade opened a second store at 16 Neal's Yard, Covent Garden - a hip courtyard just off Monmouth Street, which was full of quirky shops and cafes. In 2001, they celebrated their 25th anniversary with a series of gigs and the release of a commemorative 56-track compilation box set featuring artists such as the Smiths, Joy Division, the Buzzcocks and Nick Cave among many others. The same year, they received an award from Music Week in recognition of their unique contribution to the British music industry.

Rough Trade West

In 1996 Stephen Godfrey joined the business and was instrumental in launching the Album Club, a premium music recommendation service aimed at those people without the time or opportunity to visit a store who require an honest recommendation of exciting new music. The club came about after a gig by the Gotan Project at London’s Festival Hall. Rough Trade had a stall and before the gig had even started they had sold out of all their Gotan Project CDs. This inspired Nigel to think that there must be thousands of people who love this type of music but can no longer purchase it, many would be ex-customers who had moved away from London and could no longer find the time to flick through record shop racks anymore. As people marry and have children, they often find they have less time, but this does not mean they have lost their taste for music. Each month, members receive a parcel through the post with the shop’s recommendation. This is a perfect solution for music fans who wish to keep up with new music but can’t make regular visits to the shop.

The criteria for music being chosen as an Album Club recommendation is simple. The staff must love it. The idea is to give exciting new music the chance to be enjoyed by people who appreciate something more stimulating than chart music. Customers choose what genres they like and decide if they want the release on CD or vinyl. Other benefits include exclusive goodies such as rare bonus recordings alongside invites to member-only gigs. To sign up, check out the website.

One innovation that is impressive at Rough Trade is their “counter culture”. Piled high on the sales counter are a selection of CDs recommended by the staff. When a customer purchases a CD, the staff will often recommend a similar title that they feel the client would also appreciate.

2006 was a big year for Rough Trade - their 30th Anniversary, commemorated with the release of a double-album: The Record Shop - 30 Years of Rough Trade Shops. This was also the year they launched their digital store.

In 2013, Rough Trade fulfilled their international ambitions when they stunned the world of record retailing by announcing that they were opening a shop in New York at 64 North 9 Street, Brooklyn, NY11249.

This magnificent store is housed in an old film prop warehouse with more than 15,000 square feet of space which also houses the Brompton Café and Melville House bookstore. The shop is spread over two floors, in which old shipping containers are cleverly used as part of the design. The second floor houses a particularly quirky container which has been deployed as the Guardian Green Room. The room is fitted with touchscreen displays that visitors can use to read articles from the British newspaper. It would be intriguing to know what USA fans make of this innovation.

The building also houses a music equipment store, a lounge space, an installation gallery, (for temporary art exhibitions) and an impressive concert venue with a bar. The venue space will comfortably hold around 300 people.

Such is Rough Trade’s reputation, the calibre of artist they can attract for in-store appearances is unrivalled. Bands that have played at Rough Trade in London include Arcade Fire, Belle & Sebastian, Blur, James, The Libertines, and Sufjan Stevens. Most days somebody is performing so check the website before you call in.

Rough Trade also has its own magazine which was first issued in 2015.The magazine is a cracking read for those wanting to know about new music. It has features on artists, labels, background to the shop’s Albums of the Month and even runs a horoscope. One feature called Ask Jonathan gained cult status.  Featured in the first 18 issues, it was written by musician Jonathan Richman, who answered questions sent in by fans. The only problem was Jonathan did not own a computer so Liv Siddall, the editor, would email the questions to Debbie Gulyas of Blue Arrow Records (Jonathan’s label) who would ask Jonathan and email his answers back.

Rough Trade also has its own radio station where you can check out features, mixes and some chit chat with artists who have played in the shop or have records released. You can listen on iTunes or via SoundCloud at souncloud.com/rough-trade

Do not leave Rough Trade East without recording your memories of your visit in the shop’s photo-booth. You can add your photo to the thousands displayed on the wall surrounding the machine.

Look out for Rough Trade pop up shops which can be found during the summer at the Green Man and End of the Road festivals.

In 2014, Rough Trade joined forces with the highly-rated Bristol-based chain Rise which had been started by Lawrence Montgomery. The first store opening was in Nottingham in the city’s Creative Quarter at 5 Broad Street, NG1 3AL, 0115 896 4013.

December 2017 saw the opening of a Rough Trade shop at 3 New Bridwell, Nelson Street, Bristol, BS1 2QD. 01179 290383.The store is spread over 4,500 square feet and has a venue at the rear of the shop. Local band Idles performed on the opening evening.

If you have never been to a Rough Trade store, it is time to pay them a visit. If you are planning to open a record shop, make sure you visit Rough Trade for inspiration. You won’t be disappointed.

Rough Trade has a smaller branch in London, known as Rough Trade West.

130 Talbot Road, W11 1JA,

01892 653451

I recommend you check out both East and West, but if you only have time to visit one “go west” (to quote the Pet Shop Boys). The shop has been trading at the Talbot Road address since 1982 and has some amazing authentic posters of artists such as the Clash and the Sex Pistols. Don’t think of it as a museum though. Rough Trade is still at the forefront of new music and the shop has a buzzy atmosphere.

Top tip -  If you wish to read the full story of Rough Trade check out Neil Taylor’s excellent book An Intimate History of Rough Trade.

The books of Graham Jones are available in record shops or online. The latest book The Vinyl Revival and the Shops That Made it Happen' has been turned in to a film. It is released on 13 April on DVD and is available in record shops. Distributed by Proper Music.

 www.thevinylrevivalfilm.com

@Revival_Vinyl

For film screenings and talks contact Graham at graham@lastshopstanding.co.uk