Peter Boy and the Trend Feature (1969-1975)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
The first reference to Peter Boy and the Trend we can find is
in March, 1970 when they were playing in the Adelphi in Dundalk. An
article a few weeks later described the band as "new" but having
already toured much of Europe, so we don't quite know when they
actually hit the road. The original line-up was: Peter "Boy" Roddy
(vocals), Raymond Beales (guitar), Hugo Carlin (bass), Richard Kelly
(drums), Ed Sweeney (sax and accordion), Don Sweeney (keyboards) and
Michael O'Doherty (trumpet and trombone). Apparently Ed Sweeney was
the leader of the band and it is possible a name had been overlooked
as in all the photos we have the band has either seven or eight
members.
Managed by Eddie Davis and based
in Derry, the band seem to have hit the ground running and was very
successful from the start. In August, 1970 Tony Wilson of the
Evening Herald reported they were off on their first tour of
Canada where they would be playing the famous Maple Leaf Ballroom.
In May of 1971, the band released
its first record with Peter Roddy featuring on a
"double A side" single which included "Almost Persuaded" and "The
Rose of Moray." Given the band's reputation as a pop group, the
single was not that well received by some in the press and it
apparently did not sell well. However they were making great
progress in Dublin and were being compared favourably to one of the
other new "pop" bands at the time, Chips. In June of 1971 the
band parted ways with manager Eddie Davis and according to Donal K.
O'Boyle in the Derry People they were "now under their former
director Robert Nobel."
By December of
1971, the band was being managed by Tony Byrne and they released
their second single, "Run, Run, Run" with "Come On And Love Me" as
the "B" side. Although the record also didn't chart, 1972 would see
the band really hit their stride playing all the major ballrooms up
and down the country alongside the biggest showbands of the era.
In May, 1973,
the band recorded what we think was its final single, "Funny Face,"
which was also released by Roly Daniels at the same time.
Unfortunately, Roly had the success with the record which reached
number number 4 in the Irish charts for and the Trend lost
out in the race for sales. Despite this, their success in the
ballrooms continued across the country.
Sometime in
1974 the band underwent a massive change when three of its founding
members, Ray, Richard and Donal emigrated to Canada. Apparently
early in 1975 (the last date we can find it in March), the band
finally broke up and we understand several of those members also
went to Canada.
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
