The Trend
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The Trend was a unique but, alas, unknown post-punk/new wave rock band from 1979-1981 around the L.A. and Southern California area. Having risen from the dead (well, a prolonged middle age stupor anyway), various ex-members got together three times for a 20 year reunion in 1999, 2000 & 2001 with the plan of producing/releasing a CD retrospective/oral history of their greatest hits that never were, as well as recording songs for a reunion CD! This has yet to be completed a decade later but may yet see the light of day before the end of this decade! Numerous mp3 song downloads, additional vintage and recent photos, fliers, used condoms (just kidding) and inane commentary will be added soon. So stay tuned (not that our guitars ever did)!Band/artist history
Chronology: Formed from the ashes of the fragments of the wreckage of The Lemmings (you try plummeting off a cliff sometime) in January, 1979 by Jesse Jacobson, Jerome Faulkner and Thom Douglass (with Larry Jacobson guesting on bass); joined shortly thereafter by Fred Kepler, and, very briefly, Mike Odomuso (ex-Osibisa), before finally settling on a solid lineup with the addition of Dave Letwin. Phil Hardy replaced Thom Douglass on the drum throne after about eight months, who was in turn replaced by Barry Sauerwein following an additional four months.
The band's purpose was, essentially art for art's sake - or more precisely art for pop's (the genre not the parental unit) sake - with an eye towards combining a committed, post-punk edge with the energy, romance and humor New Wave had reinjected into the rock vernacular while experimenting with form and song structure (in terms of the music) and language and social commentary (lyrically), along with a casual disregard for the record industry and its evil minions (who, incidentally returned said disdain with interest).
This was to change rapidly in September, 1979 upon the advice of recently recruited Trend Manager, Rob Frankel, who argued that 'just because it's weird and you're all nerds, doesn't mean we can't sell it to the record companies and the masses!' Unable to stir up any industry interest, however, and sick of witnessing horrific 'local' bands like The Knack and their ilk ink lucrative deals right and left (mostly far right); through the ministrations of the game and canny Frankel (and no, it didn't involve knee pads), the band were able to finagle the release of their first and only vinyl effort - a four-song EP produced by Tony Berg in January/February, and released in May, 1980 on Brainwave Records.
Unfortunately, this record (rush recorded in a day with the producer absenting himself for the mix and a good portion of the actual recording itself) failed to set the Biz alight, and a few months after its release, a huge personnel change ensued, with Barry Sauerwein replaced on drums by Eddie Sena, and Fred Kepler replaced on lead vocals and occasional guitar by Robert Teegarden. This transition resulted in the band moving into darker, more emotive territory, concluding with the recording of their first professionally-produced demo, a sure-fire deal maker (as most of those who heard it at the time would attest), only to break up promptly within a couple of weeks of its completion. There then ensued 18 years of Trend-free silence until various members got together occasionally from 1999-2001 in New York, L.A. and London to re-record some of the old songs and collaborate on some new ones. Ten years on these tracks are finally nearing completion. Hey nobody said we weren't lazy!
Personnel:
Jerome Faulkner: Keyboards, Flute, Backing Vocals
Founding member of The Trend through its demise in 8/81.
Pre-Trend musical experience: The Lemmings (w/ Jesse Jacobson and Thom Douglass).
Post-Trend musical experience: Second Language (w/ Jesse Jacobson) 1981-1986.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily married with four beautiful children (was only recently informed of birth control), living and working in Oregon after stints in Fresno, Bakersfield, Santa Cruz and L.A. Long-term vegetarian who was employed at one time in a sausage factory.
Jesse Jacobson: Guitars, Backing Vocals
Founding member and primary songwriter of The Trend through its demise in 8/81.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Prudence Goodbody (w/ Larry Jacobson), The Virgins (w/ Larry Jacobson and Phil Hardy), Gang O' Four (w/ Larry Jacobson, Phil Hardy and Thom Douglass), The Lemmings (w/ Jerome Faulkner and Thom Douglass).
Post-Trend musical experience: Second Language (w/ Jerome Faulkner) 1981-1997.
Current whereabouts and activities: Jessie is married and lives in London. Still writes and records music on the same guitar and bass dating from The Trend & Second Language era(s) - too cheap to buy new instruments (update: bought new instruments, Hell freezes over).
Nature (The Drummer/Percussionist formerly known as Thom Douglass):
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Founding member of The Trend. Played with the band from 1/79-8/79.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Arwo the Mole, Manuel and the Gardeners, Vox Humana, Curiosity Shop, Gang O' Four (w/ Larry Jacobson and Jesse Jacobson), The Lemmings (w/ Jesse Jacobson and Jerome Faulkner).
Post-Trend musical experience: Rameses II, Third Degree, Beat Red, Hot Tub Man, Light, Eastwind.
Current whereabouts and activities: Living and working in Northern California. Still writing and recording original esoteric material on his own and in conjunction with others, and releasing self-produced CDs. Employed as a drum and percussion teacher, DJ and licensed masseur (not necessarily all at once as far as we know but anything's possible). Changed his name to Nature a few years back).
Larry Jacobson: Bass
Guested on bass with The Trend from 1/79-3/79
Pre-Trend musical experience: Prudence Goodbody (w/ Jesse Jacobson), The Virgins (w/ Jesse Jacobson and Phil Hardy), The Crabs, Gang O' Four (w/ Jesse Jacobson, Phil Hardy and Thom Douglass).
Post-Trend musical experience: Furniture, Youth Chairs, Bunny Rabbits, others.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily married with two children, living in Southern California, working as a lawyer. Still writing and recording original material on his own and in conjunction with others.
Would qualify as the Stuart Sutcliffe of The Trend except:
a) thankfully he hasn't died from a brain aneurysm
b) he was a good bass player and wasn't kicked out (as he was just guesting on bass)
c) he can't paint worth beans
d) his name isn't Stuart Sutcliffe
e) there is no e)
Fred Kepler: Lead Vocals, Occasional Guitar
Founding member of The Trend. Played with the band from 1/79-9/80.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Singing in the shower.
Post-Trend musical experience: Singing in the rain.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily living and working in Oregon. Huge biochemistry buff (great at parties)!
Mike Odomuso: Bass
Played with The Trend for two weeks in 3/79, at which point he simply disappeared into thin air.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Osibisa.
Post-Trend musical experience: Unknown.
Current whereabouts and activities: The great unknown.
David Letwin: Bass (& Resident Communist Pinko)
Played with The Trend from 3/79 through its demise in 8/81.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Fortune (the band, not the condition), Nightshift (the band and the job experience).
Post-Trend musical experience: Singing in the Theater.
Current whereabouts and activities: Exfoliated, happily living and working in New York as a stage actor, director, writer and teacher. Has performed theatrically and received enthusiastic reviews all over the world (often in front of young women in their early twenties but we won't get into that right now). Remains a semi-reformed neo-Hassidic Shakespearean Yippie. Recently changed his name to Urban (Blight).
Phil Hardy: Drums, Percussion
Played with The Trend from 8/79-12/79.
Pre-Trend musical experience: The Virgins (w/ Jesse Jacobson),
Gang O' Four (w/ Larry Jacobson and Jesse Jacobson), The Millionaires.
Post-Trend musical experience: The Millionaires, DV8, Bent Umbrella, others.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily married with no children, living and working in Austin, Texas. Still plays drums and writes songs. Continues to take the time to stop and smash the roses.
Personal Quote: "I was angry back then. Now I'm arrogant and prosperous and I still hate everybody."
Rob Frankel: Manager
Managed The Trend from 9/79 through early '81 when he was replaced by a pair of FotoFeet™ and an answering machine.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Singing in the hot tub, playing butt bongos.
Post-Trend musical experience: Cosmo Debris.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily married with three children, living and working in Southern California. A published author and professional speaker, who has his own website (www.robfrankel.com -- catchy name, eh?) and really invented the Internet. Specializes in Branding (as in advertising as opposed to cattle - still not sure what he does with the cattle although we've got a pretty good idea -- nudge nudge wink wink, say no more). Once got the band a gig (we didn't ask how but are guessing kneepads were involved)!
Barry Sauerwein: Drums
Played with The Trend from 12/79-8/80.
Pre-Trend musical experience: Some band we poached him from at Club 88.
Post-Trend musical experience: Still drumming.
Current whereabouts and activities: Santa Barbara, CA.
Bob Teegarden: Lead Vocals, Occasional Guitar
Sang with The Trend from 11/80 through its demise in 8/81.
Pre-Trend musical experience: World Citizen.
Post-Trend musical experience: Unknown.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily married, living and working in Southern California.
Eddie Sena: Drums
Played with The Trend from 11/80 through its demise in 8/81.
Pre-Trend musical experience: The Fakers.
Post-Trend musical experience: Casuals, solo recordings.
Current whereabouts and activities: Happily married with two children, living in New Jersey and working in New York (or as Ed sez: 'Noo Yawk'). Has aged about four years over the past few decades, the @#$%!#$^!!!Have you performed in front of an audience?The band played live in Los Angeles and surrounding areas extensively at clubs like Madame Wong's, Madame Wong's West (they weren't great with the whole name thing), Blackie's, Gazarri's, the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, Starwood, Club 88, the Elk's Lodge, and the club they considered their home turf, The Troubadour, in addition to various universities, colleges and peoples' back yards. Special moment was blowing away Oingo Boingo at two shows and Berlin at another, all at one or the other Madame Wong's facilities.
Your musical influences
Magazine, Beatles, Elvis Costello, Bowie, Rolling Stones (through 'Exile'), Kinks, Who, Doors, Peter Hammill/Van Der Graaf Generator, Roxy Music, Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols, XTC, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, The Byrds and lots more from the 60s and 70s.What equipment do you use?
Mostly a bunch of junk although Dave bought a couple of nice basses.Anything else?
Accomplishments (1979-1981): Concocted a powerful, cerebral blend of New Wave pop and Post-punk rock with verve, panache and cojones in equal measure. Galvanized audiences, empowered nerds all across the 'greater' Los Angeles area, and scared the bejesus out of record labels by failing to conform to the inert retro musical 'trends' of the day (or at least some of them). Furthermore none of them died of an overdose or found religion (as far as we know)!
Accomplishments (1982-2010): Er...um...ulp...so, uh, how about them Lakers, eh? Hey! C'mon! Just kidding! Jeez. Lotsa stuff....Y'know...For example...wow, where do we start, dude? Just way way too much to list in this tiny space, man! Really! We swear! Whoah!!! Hey, look behind you!! Isn't that Halley's comet?!?! cricketsAll comments (1)
Admin
Amy
@transversions
Welcome to Soundclick my old friend. I like seeing a picture of myself from the antiquity period of the Trend's musical history. My perm haircut was truly remarkable