Andrew Lauder started the Radar, F-Beat and Demon labels, worked at Liberty, Stiff and United Artists and signed (or licensed) and helped shape the careers of countess acts we’ve loved over the years, among them the Bonzos, Hawkwind, Captain Beefheart, JJ Cale, Nick Lowe, Creedence Clearwater, Elvis Costello, Can, Dr Feelgood, Stranglers and the Stone Roses. He was one of the main architects of the whole world of independent labels. Mick Houghton has written his memoir – Happy Trails – and talked to us here about …

… the Denmark Street days when the music business was just a village.

… the complete list of journalists on Brinsley Schwarz’s famously catastrophic press trip to the Fillmore East in 1970.

… why ‘the Beat Merchants’ album was the UK Nuggets.

… the old world of the ‘70s rock and roll when the record industry was part of the packaged goods business and gigs got stopped for 20 minutes because of a power cut.

 … the golden age of rock samplers – Gutbucket, Greasy Truckers Party etc. 

… and the LIBERTY WANTS TALENT! ad that brought us the Bonzos, the Idle Race, Family and Elton John & Bernie Taupin.  

Order Happy Trails here …

https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Good-Clean-Mick-Houghton/dp/147462359X

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