![[British Beatles Fan Club logo]](/gfx/logo.gif){kind=logo}
The archive, which is due to launch online in the next few months, is keen to hear from anyone who may have important recordings, footage, photographs, out-takes or acetates by any of the countless Liverpool bands that have helped shape pop music - or any other intriguing items that shed light on the city's role as the centre of British rock and pop. Rokpool is particularly interested in hearing from people with recordings on the seminal Liverpool label, Kensington Records.
Rokpool's managing director, Robin Smith, says:
"The Liverpool area has played a unique role in the development of pop music in this country, from The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers, to the Teardrop Explodes and Frankie, through to the Zutons today. At Rokpool, we want to ensure that the fantastic sounds that have been created here are saved for future generations and take pride of place in what is destined to be the greatest rock and pop archive in the UK. The Kensington Record label is typical of the small independent studios, working at what was then the cutting edge of technology, that helped shape our pop culture. And they are perfect for our archive, as much of their material was never commercially released"
Kensington Records was set up by Percy Phillips, who opened Liverpool's first recording studio, at 38 Kensington, in 1955. Running until 1969, the label was the first to record The Beatles' forerunner, the Quarrymen, and went on to cut discs and demos for artists as diverse as Ken Dodd and Billy Fury. Many of these historic recordings now form the backbone of the Percy Phillips Archive, which has been made available to Rokpool by Mr Phillips' grandson, Peter Phillips. Rokpool is now creating a unique CD of the best of these tracks. He says:
"The Percy Phillips Archive is a great foundation for Rokpool's collection of Mersey sounds, but my grandfather recorded thousands of people over the years and there must be some fascinating records out there that shows how pop music developed in Liverpool. I know that Rokpool would be delighted to hear from anyone who has interesting or unusual Kensington Records discs and it would be brilliant to bring all this material together."
Rokpool is a new rock and pop archive, covering video, audio, photography and memorabilia, which will soon be available online at www.rokpool.com. With thousands of hours of rarely-seen live footage, recordings, photographss, articles and unheard studio out-takes from artists such as Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin, Rokpool is set to be the greatest UK archive of classic rock and pop from the last 50 years.
Robin Smith adds:
"The key to building this fantastic collection is the involvement of fans. We have had music given to us that was found in lofts and basements, at the bottoms of wardrobes and stacked, almost-forgotten, in cardboard boxes under the stairs. There must be thousands of intriguing items right across the city that are currently gathering dust and we are appealing to everyone to dig out their musical memories and give us a call, not only will you be saving a little bit of music history but you might really find some cash in the attic! ""We don't want to split people's treasured collections up, but we do want to find ways to save or copy these unique items and, where appropriate, there could well be a financial return for items that are going to play an important part in the Rokpool archive. "So, see what you've got and call Rokpool on 08444 776247 or email us at info@rokpool.com."
