Trend Records was an English Record label which existed from the late 1960s until the early 1970s. It issued recordings by such notable artists and personalities as Consortium, The Foundations, Audrey Hall, Marcus Lipton, Julie Stevens, Warm Dust and Colin Young.

Background In February 1968, the label was launched. They had entered into a deal with Associated Records. Promotion was handled by Richard Eddy of Trend and Andrew Vere of Saga Records. All of the acts that had been signed to Barry Class' company Barry Class Management would have their recordings issued on the label. One act, The Foundations that Class managed would not have their recordings issued on Trend. Prior to the February launch, Class was speculating on issuing budget records.Billboard, January 20, 1968 - Page 40 International News Reports, Barry Class Starts Label

Trend Records was one of the Class group of companies which also included Class Destination Inc., Class Management, Class Theatrical Agency and the Disci chain of record shops.Billboard, July 6, 1968 - Page 54 International News Reports, All- Purpose Service for Acts Touring U.S. Is Given Name

In 1968, the label was headquartered at Classic House, 113 Westbourne Grove, London W.2. It appears that for a period of time in 1968, Curtis Clements was employed as an assistant.Billboard Buyers Guide, 9TH ANNUAL EDITION, August 31, 1968 - Page 31 Tread, Classic House, 113 Westbourne Grove, LondonSydney Morning Herald, Updated March 31, 2017 - Clem Curtis, original singer with the Foundations

History 1960s In February, 1968, Beat Instrumental reported that the two first releases for Trend Records were "Breaking up A Dream" by the Ways and Means and "Speak to Me" by The Explosion. Both records to be available on the 9th. Also that month on the 23rd, "Step Down" by the Rangers would be issued.Beat Instrumental, February, 1968 - Page 24 INSTRUMENTAL NEWS, BARRY CLASS STARTS TREND RECORD LABEL The Ways and Means were a group that was managed by Scotsman Ron Fairway. The group had previously released a single, "Sea of Faces" bw "Make the Radio a Little Louder" on the Pye label which got to no. 41 on the Radio Caroline charts on the week beginning January 21, 1967. With their release on Trend, "Breaking Up A Dream", said to be their finest recording, it was in a different musical direction from the surf music covers that had been doing. The band eventually became Chaucer's Tales.The Strange Brew - The Ways and Means

A producer for the label at the time was Eric Allandale who played trombone for The Foundations.Beat Instrumental, February, 1968 - Page 24 INSTRUMENTAL NEWS, BARRY CLASS STARTS TREND RECORD LABEL

In January 1969, Hong Kong group, Danny Diaz & The Checkmates won the Hong Kong's Battle of the Sounds contest which was organised by Levi Strauss. They also won a $10, 000 recording contract with Trend Records.Record Mirror, No. 413 February 8th, 1969 - Page 10 NAMES & FACES PETER JONESAlamy - Music - Danny Diaz & the Checkmates - Marble Arch, London, More information: The result was the single, "Solomon Grundy" backed with "Goodbye Baby" which was released in the UK on Pye 7N 17690.Sixties Beat - Pye Records - U.K. Singles Discography (1963-1969) They were pictured with The Foundations in the Record Mirror February 8 issue who were hosting the group who were in London for the single's launch.Record Mirror, No. 413 February 8th, 1969 - Page 10 NAMES & FACES PETER JONES Foundations manager Barry Class had arranged for them to come to the UK.Cash Box, February 1, 1969 - Page 60 Cash Box Great Britain

The Seventies Sevens website says that it was reported in the November 5, 1969 issue of Record Retailer that songwriters, David Myers and John Worsley left Southern Music to join Barry Class' Trend label that year.Seventies Sevens - TREND They wrote "Baby, I Couldn't See" for The Foundations. Eric Allendale who had been taken on as a producer for Trend in 1968 co-directed the song's recording with Worsley. It was a Trend production and Barry Class was the executive producer.45Cat - Record Details, Artist: The Foundations, Baby, I Couldn't SeeBeat Instrumental, February, 1968 - Page 24 Instrumental News, Barry Class Starts Trend Record Label Backed with Colin Young's composition "Penny Sir", it was released on single, Pye 7N 17849 in 1969.45Cat - Record Details, Artist: The Foundations, Baby, I Couldn't See It became a minor hit in Holland, making it on to the Dutch Tipparade chart. It peaked there at no. 8 on week three.Top 40 - TIPPARADE-LIJST VAN WEEK 49, 1969, BABY, I COULDN'T SEE, the foundations 13 8 3 WEKENTop 40 - TIPPARADE-LIJST VAN WEEK 50, 1969, BABY, I COULDN'T SEE, the foundations 8 16 4 WEKEN

1970 It was reported by Cash Box in the January 31 issue that Trend Records had put together a sampler with excerpts by three artists, The Chads with "Dearest Belinda", Consortium with "Melanie Cries Alone" and Abel Mann with "The Sun in My Morning". Each section had an introductions by deejay David Hamilton for each song.Discogs - The Chads / Consortium (2) / Abel Mann – Trend Promotional Label SamplerCash Box, January 31, 1970 - Page 68 Cash Box Great Britain The Consortium song was released that month. Backed with "Copper Coloured Years" it was released on Trend TNT 52.Hitparade.ch - Consortium – Melanie Cries Alone

As reported by Cash Box in the June 20, 1970 issue, Barry Class and Trend Records had put out a single by Marcus Lipton who was a Socialist member of parliament for the Brixton area. Lipton was hoping to run again. Interestingly the catalogue number MP 6500 represented the amount of his majority when he had been elected twenty five years earlier. The A side was described Cash Box as having a Bread logo at the top and the B side having a butter motif. The single "Hand in Hand" was backed with "Friends in Need".Cash Box, June 20, 1970 - Page 48 Cash Box Great Britain When the single was released, the label was Butterfly, yellow in color and credited to Marcus Lipton CBE, MP And Friends.45Cat - Record Details, Artist: Marcus Lipton CBE, MP And FriendsSeventies Sevens - BUTTERFLY (1970).

It was reported by New Musical Express in the week ending October 10, 1970 issue that Colin Young. the lead singer of The Foundations had left the group to pursue a solo career. He had already signed a contract with Barry Class and was putting together his new band which was called Development.New Musical Express, October 10, 1970 - Page 8 Foundations lose their lead singer

In late 1970 Barry Class wanted to revive the Foundations name. The revived group was fronted by Colin Young on vocals. Graham Preskett was the group's musical director. He also played guitar and electric violin. Other members included Jean Roussel on keys, Steve Bingham and Roger Cawkwell on sax and flute. They toured throughout Latin America and even played at the Expo-Show in Buenos Aires. They continued though to early 1971.

As reported in the December 19 issue of Record World, Class had signed a distribution with Pathé-Marconi for the distribution of Trend product in France and Italy. Two bands that were ready for distribution were Warm Dust and Swegas.Record World, December 19, 1970 - Page 47 FRANCE By GILLES PETARD

1971 Colin Young had an album released on the Stateside label It was called In The Beginning and credited to Colin Young's Development, which was recorded by Trend.Discogs - Colin Young's Development – In The BeginningMusic Metason - ArtistInfo, Colin Young's Development, In The BeginningPopsike - IN THE BEGINNING COLIN YOUNG'S DEVELOPMENT PROG.RARISS. The musicians on the album included Graham Preskett on violin, guitar, banjo, harmonica, melodica, Steve Bingham on bass, Roger Cawkwell on flute, recorder and saxophones, Jean Roussel on organ and piano and Eddie "Tan Tan" Thornton on trombone and trumpet etc.Music Metason - ArtistInfo, Colin Young's Development, In The Beginning That year Colin Young also had a single, "Any Time at All" bw "You're No Good" released on Trend 6099 005. It was produced by Tony Rockliff and Barry Class.Austrian Charts - COLIN YOUNG - ANYTIME AT ALL It was also released on Uni 55286. A Hot 100 prediction, it was in Billboard'''s Top 60 Pop Spotlight section for the week ending June 5, 1971.Billboard, June 5. 1971 - Page 39 TOP 60 POP SPOTLIGHT, Spotlights to reach the top 60 of the HOT 100 Chart

Managed by Rodney Harrod and Philip Peverley, Development went to Argentina in early 1971.Crónica, 17 de Enero de 1971 - Página 13 HIPPIES EN FA MAYOR.., Su Definición Argentinian newspaper Crónica had them on the front page and ran an article about the group on page 2.Crónica, 3 de Enero de 1971 - Página 2 LEGO “THE FOUNDATIONS? EMBAJADA DE MUSICA "BEAT" Two weeks another article explained that Colin Young's group were also going by the name Development.Crónica, 17 de Enero de 1971 - Página 13 HIPPIES EN FA MAYOR.., Su Definición Leo Vanes in his Leorama feature have the group a luke warm review in the 25 February issue of Crónica.Crónica, Jueves 25 de Febrero de 1971 - Página 20 LEORAMA por Leo Vanes, ★ FOUNDATIONS

Also in 1971, following a recent negotiation in Los Angeles with MCA Records involving the label's president Mike Maitland and Russ Reagan. Trend Records were in another deal. As reported by Billboard in the February 27 issue, the label had entered into a deal with Uni Records for a three-year lease for distribution in the United States and Canada.Billboard, February 27, 1971 - Page 44 From The Music Capitals of the World LONDON * Continued from page 41

That year, Audrey Hall came to the label.Penthouse Records - INTERVIEW WITH... AUDREY HALLBeat Instrumental, February, 1968 - Page 24 INSTRUMENTAL NEWS, BARRY CLASS STARTS TREND RECORD LABEL The single single she recorded for Trend was "Getting Ready For a Heartache". It was backed with her own composition, "M.Y.O.B. Leave Me Alone" The single did get some mainstream airplay. Following its release, there was no material from Trend for her to record. Her mother had invited her to join her in New York so she requested a release from the label.Penthouse Records - INTERVIEW WITH... AUDREY HALL

Consortium had a single released, "Annabella " bw "Tell Me My Friend" on Trend 6099 004 in 1971.Faintly Blowing - Thursday, December 29, 2011 - West Coast Consortium - Looking Back (1967-70)Popsike - Consortium - Annabella / Tell me, my Friend -Pop Vocal 7" 1971 Trend D PiCvr NM

On the week of September 12, Consortium's "Melanie Cries Alone" made its debut at no. 18 on the Top 20 TMP chart in Portugal.TMP Music, Encyclopédie Musicale en ligne - TOP 20 TMP Portugal 12 septembre 1971 #534, 18 CONSORTIUM LW NEW Spending another week in the chart, it got to no. 13.TMP Music, Encyclopédie Musicale en ligne - TOP 20 TMP Portugal 19 septembre 1971 #535, 13 CONSORTIUM LW 18

Actress Julie Stevens recorded a single for the label. "After Haggerty" was backed with "A Long Way From Home" which was released on Trend 6099 008.Seventies Sevens - TRENDLeft and to the Back, 7 March 2018 - Julie Stevens - After Haggerty/ A Long Way From Home

It was reported by Record World in the November 13, 1971 issue that Director Class had entered into a deal with MCA Records in the UK. Derek Everett the managing director for MCA was describing the deal as unique. The deal had enabled the release of the single, "Stoney Ground" by The Foundations.Record World, November 13, 1971 - RECORD WORLD INTERNATIONAL, ENGLAND By RON McCREIGHT (*note: "Stoney Ground" misspelt as "Stoneground") The record got on to the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart, spending a week there, it peaked at no. 113.Billboard, February 19, 1972 - Page 50 Bubbling Under The HOT 100Billboard, February 26, 1972 - Page 33 Bubbling Under The HOT 100, 113MusicVF.com - The Foundations Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, 1972, 8. 02/1972 Stoney Ground by The Foundations

1972