Probe Records (shop)

Last updated

Probe Records, relocated to Bluecoat Chambers in 2010 Probe Records, School Lane, Liverpool, UK.jpg
Probe Records, relocated to Bluecoat Chambers in 2010

Probe Records is a small independent record shop in Liverpool, England.

Contents

Founded in 1971 by Geoff and Annie Davies and their friend Dave Keats, [1] the shop was originally located on Clarence Street, off Brownlow Hill with a second location soon opened in the basement of Silly Billies clothes shop.

The shop relocated in 1976 to Button Street around the corner from Eric's Club on Mathew Street and found itself at the centre of the city's emerging punk and new wave music scene, acting as a supporter of local independent bands and musicians. Davies admitted that he was far more a music enthusiast than he was a businessman. [2]

There are many stories about the famous musicians who worked behind the counter during this period. Not all of them are true, but it is documented that Pete Burns, Pete Wylie and Paul Rutherford were among them. [3]

Probe was seen as a key part of the Liverpool music scene. John Robb wrote in Louder than War: “Without Geoff, most of post-punk Liverpool probably would not have happened.” [4] Paddy Shennan wrote in the Liverpool Echo: “Geoff didn't just revolutionise their record collections, he transformed their lives.” [5]

During the 1980s, Probe set up an independent wholesale arm of the business as part of the independent distribution network The Cartel. Many larger record retailers throughout the north-west of England such as HMV, Virgin Records and Our Price bought most of their independent label stock from Probe.

In 1981 Geoff Davies set up the record label Probe Plus, which he initially ran from above the shop. The name was chosen to avoid confusion with the American record label Probe Records. Davies told The Quietus in 2011: “The label kind of grew from the shop. Probe was such an integral part of the local scene that I was constantly coming into contact with bands.” [6]

In 1986, Geoff and Annie were divorced and Annie took sole ownership of the shop while Geoff retained the record label. [7]

By the 1990s, the shop had again relocated, this time to Slater Street off Bold Street around the corner from The Zanzibar on Seel Street, where it stayed until 2010 before moving to Bluecoat Chambers on School Lane in the centre of the city. [8]

Death of Geoff and Annie Davies

Geoff Davies died on the 12th of September 2023, 2 weeks after Annie. The Liverpool Post wrote: “Probe was a joint enterprise, and its massive legacy is shared in equal parts between them.” [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

Big in Japan were a punk band that emerged from Liverpool, United Kingdom in the late 1970s. They are better known for the later successes of their band members than for their own music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rough Trade Records</span> English independent record label

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 to Beggars Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loud Records</span> Hip hop record label

Loud Records, LLC. is a record label founded by Steve Rifkind and Rich Isaacson in 1991. Rifkind served as the chief executive officer while Isaacson served as the president of the label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Records</span> Record label

Founded 1992 by John Loder, Southern Records is an independent record label. It is based in London and until 2008 had offices in the United States, France and Berlin.

Probe Plus was a record label based in Liverpool, England. It was founded by Geoff Davies, an enthusiastic promoter of small, unsigned bands, who described the label as "Music to drive you to drink".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rough Trade (shops)</span> Independent record shops

Rough Trade is a retail chain of record shops in the United Kingdom and the United States with headquarters in London.

An independent music scene is a localized independent music-oriented community of bands and their audiences. Local scenes can play a key role in musical history and lead to the development of influential genres; for example, no wave from New York City, United States; Madchester from Manchester, England; and grunge from Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Grant</span> Character in Brookside

Damon Grant is a fictional character in the defunct British soap opera Brookside, played by Simon O'Brien. The character was part of the initial cast, appearing from episode one in 1982 until 1987. At the time of the soap's inception, Damon was the youngest son of Bobby and Sheila Grant, with an older brother, Barry, and older sister, Karen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Liverpool</span> Part of the Merseyside regions cultural scene

Liverpool has a lengthy tradition of music both classical and pop. It is well known for the Beatles. Its pop and rock music scene has also been important in the development of a number of other bands and artists since the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deaf School</span> English art rock/new wave band

Deaf School is an English art rock/new wave band, formed in Liverpool, England, in January 1974.

Mickaël Madar is a French former professional footballer who played as a striker. Madar played for the France national football team. Madar works as a football pundit on French TV channel Canal+.

<i>43 Years with the Same Bird</i> 2008 book by Brian Reade

43 years with the Same Bird is a 2008 book written by Daily Mirror columnist Brian Reade. It documents his lifelong following of Liverpool F.C.

The Cartel was a co-operative record distribution organisation in the United Kingdom, set up by a number of small independent record labels to handle their distribution to record shops. Pooling their resources in this way allowed them to compete with the larger distribution operations of the major record labels, and also to gain access to the larger shop chains.

<i>The Pool of Life</i> 1988 studio album by The Onset

The Pool of Life is the first album released by English band The Onset. It was released by Probe Plus in 1988. The album takes its name from one of the many nicknames of Liverpool, the home city of both the band and the Probe Plus label.

Simon Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who was a member of Liverpool indie country rock band The Onset and folk rockers Ophiuchus. He studied music at the Liverpool Music College and has a degree in philosophy from Liverpool University. His solo work is in an acoustic, folk / country genre, described by Tim Peacock of Whisperin and Hollerin' online magazine as "showcasing a fluid finger-picking style and a gentle, unobtrusive voice which nonetheless carries a determined presence." Seph Ong of Glasswerk National stated that Cousins' songs were "derived from real life experience" and that as a performer he "presents a series of tales that gradually unravel to build a story of the mystery of life." Cousins performed at the Glastonbury Festival, Pilton, England, in 2010, 2011 and 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Make the Whole World Cry</span> 1992 single by Tanita Tikaram

"You Make the Whole World Cry" is a song by British singer and musician Tanita Tikaram, released by East West on 17 February 1992 as the only single from her fourth studio album, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness. The song, which was written and produced by Tikaram, peaked at number 92 in the UK Singles Chart.

Adam Rowe is an English stand-up comedian and podcaster from Liverpool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweetest Child</span> 1992 song by Maria McKee

"Sweetest Child" is a song recorded as a collaboration between American singer-songwriter Maria McKee and English record producer Youth. It was released in 1992 as a non-album single and reached No. 45 in the UK Singles Chart. "Sweetest Child" was written by McKee, Bruce Brody and Youth, and produced by Youth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Believers Roast</span> British record label

Believers Roast is a record label formed in 2009 by musician Kavus Torabi, initially to only release recordings by Torabi and his band Knifeworld. The label expanded with the fundraising album Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith in 2010 and has since released the collaborative album The Exquisite Corpse Game (2013) and albums by artists including Thumpermonkey, The Gasman, Karda Estra, Arch Garrison, and respective band members.

References

  1. Kiley, Penny (22 September 2023). "Remembering Geoff and Annie Davies". Penny Kiley's music writing. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  2. "A Brief History of Probe Records". Archived from the original on 19 October 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  3. Shennan, Paddy (13 September 2023). "Probe Records boss Geoff Davies dies as tributes paid". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  4. johnrobb (12 September 2023). "Geoff Davies (Probe Records) RIP". Louder Than War. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  5. Shennan, Paddy (13 September 2023). "Probe Records boss Geoff Davies dies as tributes paid". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  6. "Geoff Davies Of Probe Plus Records Liverpool Interviewed". The Quietus. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  7. Davies, Anne (6 October 2023). "Geoff Davies obituary". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  8. "New home for Probe record store". News.bbc.co.uk. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  9. "Come for the music, stay for the education: Annie, Geoff and Probe Records". www.livpost.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2024.