Jeanette Lee (musician)
Encyclopedia
Jeannette Lee is a British
filmmaker, musician, and music businesswoman. A retail worker at the Acme Attractions
store that, along with the SEX
boutique run by Malcolm McLaren
and Vivienne Westwood
, was instrumental in spawning punk
in the UK,
she went on to become a member of post-punk
band Public Image Ltd (PiL). Lee is currently co-owner of the independent record label
Rough Trade Records
.
. To stay out of trouble she spent most of her time in her room listening to records. While she was at a club she was noticed by Don Letts
, who asked her to work for a store he was managing, Acme Attractions. It was here she met and befriended key players in London's up-and-coming punk scene, including The Sex Pistols.
After the Pistols' disintegration, frontman John Lydon
asked her to help out with his new band, Public Image Ltd. She first took a management role but later became a public face in the band as a singer/performer on stage. The sleeve of Flowers of Romance
credits her as a musician, though without specifying her role—it is thought she is the percussionist—and it is her face that graces the album cover. Lee and PiL moved to New York City
, where they stayed during 1980 and 1981. There, Lee brought a multimedia awareness to the band, including using video as an aspect of live performances. This would lead to the 'riot' at the Ritz
when the band elected to play behind a giant video screen .
Lee moved back to London and married Gareth Sager
. While raising their first child, she was approached by Geoff Travis
with an offer to join him in managing the Rough Trade label. Eventually, in 1987, the two became full partners.
Rough Trade had many successes, signing acts such as Stiff Little Fingers
, The Smiths
and The Sundays
before going bankrupt in 1991 due to cash flow problems within their distribution business and an expensive and unsuccessful new computer system. Lee and Travis then moved into band management for successful groups including The Cranberries
and Pulp
.
In 2000, Sanctuary Records decided to resurrect Rough Trade and brought on Lee and Travis to run their old label again. The label had immediate success with The Strokes
, Arcade Fire and The Libertines
Musicians have credited Lee's musical sense and straightforward honesty as important components of the label's ability to keep signing the next big band. In July 2007 Sanctuary Records then sold Rough Trade to the Beggars Group
making it once again independent.
Lee personally managed Welsh
soul singer Duffy
, from 2006 until the relationship ended in January 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
filmmaker, musician, and music businesswoman. A retail worker at the Acme Attractions
Acme Attractions
Acme Attractions was a London clothing store on Kings Road, Chelsea, London that in the early 1970s provided a place for many punk and reggae musicians and scensters to hang out...
store that, along with the SEX
SEX (boutique)
SEX was a boutique run by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood at 430 King's Road, London between 1974 and 1976. It specialized in clothing that defined the look of the punk movement.-History:...
boutique run by Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
and Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood, DBE, RDI is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.-Early life:...
, was instrumental in spawning punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
in the UK,
she went on to become a member of post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band Public Image Ltd (PiL). Lee is currently co-owner of the independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
.
History
Lee grew up in the 1970s in a rough council estate in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. To stay out of trouble she spent most of her time in her room listening to records. While she was at a club she was noticed by Don Letts
Don Letts
Don Letts is a British film director and musician. He is credited as the man who through his DJing at clubs like The Roxy brought together punk and reggae music.-Biography:...
, who asked her to work for a store he was managing, Acme Attractions. It was here she met and befriended key players in London's up-and-coming punk scene, including The Sex Pistols.
After the Pistols' disintegration, frontman John Lydon
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
asked her to help out with his new band, Public Image Ltd. She first took a management role but later became a public face in the band as a singer/performer on stage. The sleeve of Flowers of Romance
Flowers of Romance (album)
The Flowers of Romance is the third studio album by Public Image Ltd, released in the UK in April 1981 by Virgin Records.The title of the album makes reference to The Flowers of Romance, an early punk band of which Keith Levene was a member...
credits her as a musician, though without specifying her role—it is thought she is the percussionist—and it is her face that graces the album cover. Lee and PiL moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where they stayed during 1980 and 1981. There, Lee brought a multimedia awareness to the band, including using video as an aspect of live performances. This would lead to the 'riot' at the Ritz
Ritz (rock club)
-History:The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. Formerly a ballroom known as Webster Hall, The Ritz still retained some of its previous incarnation's Art Deco style. As a venue, it focused...
when the band elected to play behind a giant video screen .
Lee moved back to London and married Gareth Sager
Gareth Sager
Gareth Sager is a British guitarist, keyboardist, musician and songwriter, who has played in several British groups.He moved to Scotland with his family and attended George Watsons College from 1965 till 1970. Sager was a member of the Bristol acts The Pop Group, Rip Rig + Panic , Float Up CP and...
. While raising their first child, she was approached by Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.-Biography:...
with an offer to join him in managing the Rough Trade label. Eventually, in 1987, the two became full partners.
Rough Trade had many successes, signing acts such as Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...
, The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
and The Sundays
The Sundays
The Sundays were an English alternative rock band. The band formed in the late 1980s and released three albums in the 1990s.-Career:The band's beginnings came with the meeting of Harriet Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin at university. Wheeler had played gigs with 'Cruel Shoes' an early...
before going bankrupt in 1991 due to cash flow problems within their distribution business and an expensive and unsuccessful new computer system. Lee and Travis then moved into band management for successful groups including The Cranberries
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
and Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
.
In 2000, Sanctuary Records decided to resurrect Rough Trade and brought on Lee and Travis to run their old label again. The label had immediate success with The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, Arcade Fire and The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
Musicians have credited Lee's musical sense and straightforward honesty as important components of the label's ability to keep signing the next big band. In July 2007 Sanctuary Records then sold Rough Trade to the Beggars Group
Beggars Group
Beggars Group is a British record company that owns or distributes several other labels, including 4AD, Rough Trade Records, Matador Records, and XL Recordings...
making it once again independent.
Lee personally managed Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
soul singer Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
, from 2006 until the relationship ended in January 2010.