Rough Trade’s Geoff Travis is to receive the Pioneer Award at this year’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) awards.
He will follow in the footsteps of previous winners Daniel Miller from Mute and Domino’s Laurence Bell in receiving the honour.
Geoff opened the first Rough Trade Record Shop in Ladbroke Grove back in 1976 and went on to set up a label two years later. His hub for all things independent helped kickstart the careers of The Fall, The Smiths, Scritti Politti, Robert Wyatt and Cabaret Voltaire.
After being resurrected in the late nineties, Rough Trade Records continues to operate out of UK and US offices and release music from the likes of British Sea Power, Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens.
Alison Wenham, Chairman of AIM said: ‘Geoff is an icon not just amongst independents but across the whole industry. He shows the way, he inspires, he is and always has been true to his beliefs. We salute you Geoff, from your friends at AIM.’
The AIM Independent Music awards return to The Brewery in Clerkenwell on 3 September.
A panel of judging experts including representatives from 6Music, the NME, and The Quietus will decide on the winners of the other 14 categories.
Tickets are on sale now from www.musicindie.com/awards
He will follow in the footsteps of previous winners Daniel Miller from Mute and Domino’s Laurence Bell in receiving the honour.
Geoff opened the first Rough Trade Record Shop in Ladbroke Grove back in 1976 and went on to set up a label two years later. His hub for all things independent helped kickstart the careers of The Fall, The Smiths, Scritti Politti, Robert Wyatt and Cabaret Voltaire.
After being resurrected in the late nineties, Rough Trade Records continues to operate out of UK and US offices and release music from the likes of British Sea Power, Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens.
Alison Wenham, Chairman of AIM said: ‘Geoff is an icon not just amongst independents but across the whole industry. He shows the way, he inspires, he is and always has been true to his beliefs. We salute you Geoff, from your friends at AIM.’
The AIM Independent Music awards return to The Brewery in Clerkenwell on 3 September.
A panel of judging experts including representatives from 6Music, the NME, and The Quietus will decide on the winners of the other 14 categories.
Tickets are on sale now from www.musicindie.com/awards
