I designed the bag for Advance Records in 1968 or 69. One of the things that many forget is the important role record shops played as ticket agencies for local concerts. It made so much sense to buy tickets for your live music at the same place as your recorded music.
Advance Records was around in the early 60s, originally in the Malcolm Arcade, and was one of the top outlets in Leicester for many years. They were one of the first shops that sold second-hand records and I notice that they feature on at least four of my posters from the time as a place to buy concert tickets. The bag design, limited to 2 colours, reflected the pop-art style that was very fashionable in the late 60s and I remember we even threw in a new logo. Brian Phews
(April 11, 2015) When Advance moved to High Street, Leicester in the mid sixties it was run by two very knowledgable guys. One of them was Pete Jenney who went on to run Archers record shop. From 1966 to 1968 my friends and i would spend most Saturday mornings there listening to music and talking to the guys. They started to make trips to the USA and would bring back rare imported stuff for us. Pete Jenney was well respected around Leicester and when he died there was a tribute in the local newspaper. Comment: Bob Pfeiffer
A former city record shop owner with a music knowledge second to none has died, aged 73.
Pete Jenney, described as Leicester's equivalent to John Peel, finally closed his Archer Records business in High Street in 2006, after the shop became a victim of digital download.
He enjoyed a 42-year career in the music retail business in the city, including 25 years as owner of Archer Records. He started the business in a small shop in Highcross Street in 1981 before moving to bigger premises in High Street in 1995. At one time, his shop held a stock of 20,000 records.
His widow Mary said: "Pete always said he was very lucky because he did what he liked and got paid for it. He was very knowledgeable about music."We used to go to loads of concerts and he was a regular at The Musician, in Clyde Street, where you used to see quite a lot of big acts. "His favourite was Bob Dylan. He saw him play three times, including an appearance at De Montfort Hall.
"Two of our three children, Dave and Sarah, worked with him in the shop until business started to go downhill. He made loads of friends through the shop, many of whom we still have today."His career in the music industry began in 1964, when he left his job at AS Yates hosiery factory in Blackbird Road and started work at Advance Records, in the city centre's Royal Arcade where he'd previously been a customer.In 1968, he left Advance and began importing music from America for four years before starting work in the record department of Eastwoods, in Uppingham Road.After 10 years, during which he rose to the position of shop manager, he set up his first second-hand record shop in Highcross Street.When the doors closed at his High Street shop for the final time, Pete, of Blaby, enjoyed a party with family, friends and a handful of regular customers.Listening to tracks from some of Pete's favourites, including Bob Dylan and the Carter Family, the party-goers celebrated with Champagne.
At the time, Pete said: "I've called it a day because everyone has got to retire sooner or later and also trade has been going down a bit anyway, partly down to internet sales, I suppose. "Throughout the years we've been here there have been a lot of changes, with vinyl being replaced with CDs, and now we have i-Pods, too." Pete's funeral will be held at Gilroes at noon on Thursday, February 7, followed by a celebration of his life Whetstone Baptist Church at 1pm, where Bob Dylan's music will be played. Apart from his wife and three children, he also leaves three grandchildren.
