Lobster Pot Records has its roots in the vibrant music scene of the 60s and 70s. This was a time when many of the leading names from the worlds of Folk, Blues, Jazz and World Music were happy to supplement their income by playing to packed audiences in smaller venues up and down the country.

In Instow near Barnstaple in North Devon, John Oliver ran his Lobster Pot Restaurant and his commitment to music, theatre and the arts soon had the Lobster Pot firmly on the map as the place to catch the best in live entertainment in the South West. Packed audiences came night after night to see the cream of the UK's touring acts as well as top international performers.

John's wide taste in music meant that Lobster Pot audiences were treated to a tremendous variety of performers from different background and traditions. One night you might see English Folk legend Shirley Collins and the next evening a masterclass in classical Indian music with Ravi Shankaar. Big names from the World of Jazz were regular visitors, such as Ronnie Scott, Acker Bilk, Monty Sunshine and Ken Collyer. Ewan MaColl and Peggy Seeger made several trips to the venue along with the late, great Jake Thackray who was a firm favourite with the local crowd.

Of course all of this would be no more than a pleasant memory for those who were fortunate enough to be there except for one important detail. In-between pouring pints of beer and serving up food, John indulged his passion for sound recording and managed to capture many performances on 2 track and 4 track reel-to-reel tape. What we are left with is arguably one of the most important historical archives of live music, poetry and literature readings from this vibrant period and Lobster Pot Records is dedicated to bringing this archive to light for all to enjoy.

Please register to receive regular updates about new releases and other Lobster Pot news. By signing-up you can also listen to some clips of both released and unreleased material from the archive. Thank you for visiting.