Geoff Travis
{{Short description|British businessman}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Geoff Travis
| title =
| image = Geoff Travis.jpg
| caption = Travis in 2016
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1952|2|2}}
| birth_place = Stoke Newington, London
England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| occupation = Record company/record shop manager
| years_active = Mid-1970s–present
| known = Head of Rough Trade Records
| spouse =
| website =
| children =
}}
Geoff Travis (born 2 February 1952) is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops.{{cite news |url=http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/features/article1438877.ece |title=Rough Trade: Rough and ready |work=Independent Online |location=London |date=10 September 2006 |access-date=3 May 2010 |first=Russell |last=Hotten |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230145713/http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/features/article1438877.ece |archive-date=30 December 2007 }} A former drama teacher{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3666667/This-Rough-plan-makes-sense.html |title=This Rough plan makes sense |date=19 July 2007 |first=Tim |last=Burrows |work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London}} and owner of a punk record shop,{{cite news |work=Clash |title=Rough Trade Is 30! |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/news/rough-trade-30! |date=11 September 2008| first=Robin |last=Murray }} Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1976.{{Cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/69294013.html?dids=69294013:69294013&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+04%2C+2001&author=Ed+Glinert&pub=Sunday+Herald&desc=Rough+justice+After+25+years+of+musical+madness%2C+the+label+that+launched+Morrissey+is+taking+on+the+majors+once+more.+Ed+Glinert+investigates&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102154934/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/69294013.html?dids=69294013:69294013&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+04,+2001&author=Ed+Glinert&pub=Sunday+Herald&desc=Rough+justice+After+25+years+of+musical+madness,+the+label+that+launched+Morrissey+is+taking+on+the+majors+once+more.+Ed+Glinert+investigates&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 November 2012 |work=Sunday Herald |first=Ed |last=Glinert |title=Rough justice |date=4 March 2001 }}
Biography
Travis was born on 2 February 1952 in Stoke Newington, London, and was raised in Finchley.Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave, Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0231-3}}, p. 363 He is Jewish, his ancestors emigrated from Romania and Ukraine.{{cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/culture/interviews/life-in-rough-trade-how-geoff-travis-became-a-major-player-for-indie-bands-1.52566 |title=Life in Rough Trade: How Geoff Travis became a major player for indie bands|date=17 February 2014 |first=Paul|last=Lester |work=The Jewish Chronicle| location=London}} Travis studied English at Churchill College, Cambridge.{{cite web
|url=http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/societies/phoenix/?p=135
|title=Churchill College Phoenix Society
|quote="Geoff Travis originally studied English at Churchill and supplied many of the records that started the College's weekly ent, Pav in the early 1970s."
|access-date=3 May 2012
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102132047/http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/societies/phoenix/?p=135
|archive-date=2 November 2014
|url-status=dead
}} He worked as a drama teacher before opening the original Rough Trade record shop in Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, London on 23 February 1976, setting up the record label two years later."[https://books.google.com/books?id=LRMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22geoff+travis%22&pg=PA23 The Billboard Q&A: Martin Mills & Geoff Travis]", Billboard, 12 January 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2010Hart, Gerry (2003) "[https://books.google.com/books?id=gXmvrHq6d30C&dq=%22geoff+travis%22&pg=PA26 Rough Trade: 25 Years of Anarchy, Mayhem, Catastrophe...and Success]", CMJ New Music Monthly, 15 December 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2010 He claimed that he chose the location because it was close to Powis Square, where Performance, one of his favourite films, was made.Glinert, Ed (2001) "[https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-75327787/he-likes-a-bit-of-rough-rough-trade-former-home He likes a bit of Rough; Rough Trade, former home to early punk – not to mention The Smiths – is celebrating its 25th anniversary]", London Evening Standard, 16 February 2001 Travis was also instrumental in the foundation of the independent distribution network The Cartel. While Rough Trade was a key independent label, Travis also co-ran labels with major record companies, including Blanco y Negro in 1983 (with WEA) and Trade2 (with Island Records).
Rough Trade was home to The Smiths, but by 1986, after three years on the label, the band were in dispute over finances. The song "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" from The Queen is Dead was a jibe at Travis.Spitz, Marc (2005) "[https://books.google.com/books?id=p6-UYTO7l1MC&dq=%22geoff+travis%22&pg=PA67 The Smiths The Queen is Dead]", Spin, July 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2010
The label was wound up in 1994 after briefly being revived in partnership with One Little Indian, but revived by Travis in 2001 with breakthrough acts The Strokes and The Libertines.Cromelin, Richard (2004) "Indie's new adventure; Rough Trade, a force on the '70s and '80s scene, has found renewed life", Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2004
Writer Douglas Wolk credited Travis as virtually defining "the British post-punk sound",Wolk, Douglas (1995) "[https://books.google.com/books?id=JC0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22geoff+travis%22&pg=PA47 Lida Husik & Beaumont Hannant – star]", CMJ New Music Monthly, January 1995. Retrieved 20 June 2010 and XFM viewed his impact on independent music as greater than anyone else's in the country."[http://www.xfm.co.uk/Geoff-Travis-From-The-Smiths-to-The-Strokes Geoff Travis: From The Smiths to The Strokes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331120110/http://www.xfm.co.uk/Geoff-Travis-From-The-Smiths-to-The-Strokes |date=31 March 2009 }}", XFM, 2 July 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2010
=Jamie Travis=
Geoff Travis has a son called Jamie, who is one half of the post-rave pop duo Babeheaven with singer Nancy Andersen.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/dec/12/one-to-watch-babeheaven|title=One to Watch: Babeheaven|date=12 December 2020|website=the Guardian}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071027092817/http://www.furious.com/perfect/rt.html Interview with Furious in Nov. 1996]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loydtQRR4eA Several interviews with Travis explaining his ideals are included in this 1979 TV documentary]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Travis, Geoff}}
Category:British music industry executives
Category:British people of Romanian-Jewish descent
Category:British people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
Category:Alumni of Churchill College, Cambridge