40 years of Rough Trade to be celebrated at a special London event


Johnny Marr's former band The Smiths became one of Rough Trade's biggest success stories (Photo: Gary Mather for Live4ever)

Johnny Marr’s former band The Smiths became one of Rough Trade’s biggest success stories (Photo: Gary Mather for Live4ever)




40 years of Rough Trade will be celebrated at an event in London this October.

On October 22nd, spoken-word sessions, pop-up performances and collaborations between The Pop Group and Protomartyr, and Scritti Politti and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, will be held in conjunction with the Battle Of Ideas festival. John Grant‘s Wrangler venture will also be there.

Founded in 1976, Rough Trade led the independent revolution of the early eighties and, just as the institution was becoming mired in the harsh business world and the onslaught of the majors, enjoyed a rebirth when Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke went barging into its London base armed with a demo tape and a demand to sign for the label in 1983.

The request was duly granted, and The Smiths would go on to a lay a path trodden in their wake by more hugely important bands such as The Strokes, The Libertines and Arcade Fire.


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