Happy Trails: Andrew Lauder's Charmed Life and High Times in the Record Business

Andrew Lauder is undeniably one of the British record business's most significant and highly influential figures, yet his name likely remains unknown to many outside the music industry itself. He has consistently maintained a genuine fan's perspective which, coupled with an exceptional and deep knowledge of music, meant he was always at ease in the company of musicians and found his greatest pleasure in spending time with them. His adventurous signings of bands as diverse as Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Can, Hawkwind, and Brinsley Schwarz to Liberty Records and United Artists Records in the 1960s and 70s further underscore his visionary approach.

During the latter part of the 1960s and throughout the 1970s in particular, while working at the legendary United Artists Records, Lauder possessed a remarkable knack for anticipating the next musical trend. While it's easy in hindsight to identify the changing eras in music, underground music, pub rock, and punk in Britain, for instance, evolved quite organically. It was visionaries like Andrew who, instinctively, recognised what was on the horizon and played a crucial role in facilitating those transitions.

He was also ahead of the curve in other significant ways, pioneering a more creative and engaging approach to marketing and promoting records, and revolutionising the way record catalogues were organised and presented to the public. This book tells his story, offering a unique insider's perspective on some of the most pivotal moments in British music history.