The demented story of one of the most influential British A&R men from the Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band (1968) to the Stone Roses (1989)
'Many people who love music - or think they do - aspire to the A&R role. Some are chosen. Very few succeed. Hardly any succeed as significantly and consistently as Andrew Lauder' Richard Williams
The demented story of one of the most influential British A&R men from the Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band (1968) to the Stone Roses (1989)
'Many people who love music - or think they do - aspire to the A&R role. Some are chosen. Very few succeed. Hardly any succeed as significantly and consistently as Andrew Lauder' Richard Williams
Andrew Lauder is one of British record business's most significant and highly influential figures but outside the music industry few people will probably know his name. He's always retained a fan's perspective which, combined with an exceptional knowledge of music, meant he was at ease around musicians and never happier than spending time with them. During the later '60s and throughout the '70s in particular (working at the legendary United Artists), he had a knack of being one step ahead of the next trend. In hindsight it's easy to identify the changing eras in music but underground music, pub rock and punk in Britain, for example, evolved quite seamlessly and it was visionaries like Andrew who, instinctively, saw what was coming and helped bring about those transitions. He was ahead of the game in other ways too; pioneering a more creative way of marketing and promoting records and revolutionising the way catalogue was organised and presented. This is his story.
Many people who love music - or think they do - aspire to the A&R role. Some are chosen. Very few succeed. Hardly any succeed as significantly and consistently as Andrew Lauder.
For 40 years, Andrew was an A&R man on whom those rivals kept the closest of eyes (I know that for certain because for a while I was one of them, and saw how good he was). Without making a fuss, without bothering - unlike so many -- about raising his own public profile, he applied his knowledge and enthusiasm to the business of identifying interesting musicians and helping them to reach an audience.
Happy Trails is a book for music historians and crate diggers, particularly lovers of the blues from the '60s through to the '00s.
Andrew Lauder's tale is a classic one: young and naïve country boy who came to the big city, fell into a random, entry-level but opportune position at the publishing company Southern Music, and went on to make his mark in the industry for half a century. During his tenure at various music companies in the UK Lauder released key albums from Elvis Costello, the Stranglers, Buzzcocks, Hawkwind, Can, Neu! and the Stone Roses.
Mick Houghton (Author)
Mick Houghton first met Andrew in 1970 and has worked with him on and off down the years. He holds Andrew responsible for inspiring him to get a job in music which began as a journalist in 1974. He became known for setting up Brassneck Publicity in 1980, one of the most successful independent PR companies over the next 30 years. Since 2010 he has written three books, all highly acclaimed: Becoming Elektra: The True Story of Jac Holzman's Visionary Record Label, I've Always Kept A Unicorn: The Biography of Sandy Denny, and Fried & Justified, focussing on his own career in the music business.Andrew Lauder is one of British record business's most significant and highly influential figures but outside the music industry few people will probably know his name. He's always retained a fan's perspective which, combined with an exceptional knowledge of music, meant he was at ease around musicians and never happier than spending time with them. During the later '60s and throughout the '70s in particular (working at the legendary United Artists), he had a knack of being one step ahead of the next trend. In hindsight it's easy to identify the changing eras in music but underground music, pub rock and punk in Britain, for example, evolved quite seamlessly and it was visionaries like Andrew who, instinctively, saw what was coming and helped bring about those transitions. He was ahead of the game in other ways too; pioneering a more creative way of marketing and promoting records and revolutionising the way catalogue was organised and presented. This is his story.
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