John Lever opened his small record shop at 45
Kettering Road, Northampton in 1954, from which sadly in April 1957 some
£200-worth of records were shoplifted, possibly in broad daylight. It was
the first specialist shop of its kind in the town. In addition to selling
records, John sold musical instruments and accessories, TVs, radios, record
players and tape recorders at another shop at number 20, on the other side of
Kettering Road, close by the Garden of Rest. He had two engineers on-site:
Michael Pitts and Howard White. Subsequently, in 1959, a second shop, solely
forrecords, was opened at 52 Gold Street, below Swann`s
gentlemen`s outfitters, where John was helped by Don White, Howard`s
brother. Meanwhile, Howard White and Michael Pitts set up ‘Audiocraft’ in
the old 20 Kettering Road premises, before eventually moving to Derngate as
business expanded. John Lever had been leading his own band, the ‘John Lever
Seven’, prior to joining The Apex Rhythm & Blues All Stars as the
band's drummer.
