The Ways and Means
Group managed by Ron Fairway, later became Chaucer's Tales.
The Ways and Means were managed by Ron Fairway, a Scotsman. Before joining Trend Records, they issued a single on the Pye label: "Sea of Faces" with the B-side "Make the Radio a Little Louder." That record reached number 41 on the Radio Caroline chart for the week starting January 21, 1967. Their Trend release, "Breaking Up A Dream," was considered their best work and marked a shift away from the surf music covers they had previously played. The group later changed its name to Chaucer's Tales.
- managed_by
- Ron Fairway
- previous_label
- Pye
- trend_release
- "Breaking Up A Dream"
- chart_peak
- no. 41 on Radio Caroline charts (January 1967)
- later_name
- Chaucer's Tales
Lore & Background
The Ways and Means were a group that was managed by Scotsman Ron Fairway. Prior to their association with Trend Records, they had released a single, "Sea of Faces" backed with "Make the Radio a Little Louder" on the Pye label. This single reached no. 41 on the Radio Caroline charts for the week beginning January 21, 1967. Their first release for Trend Records was "Breaking Up A Dream," which was described as their finest recording and marked a shift away from the surf music covers they had been performing. The group eventually evolved into Chaucer's Tales.
Reader's Guide
The Ways and Means are significant as one of the early acts signed to Trend Records, a label launched in February 1968 as part of Barry Class's group of companies. Their single "Breaking Up A Dream" was among the label's first releases, alongside "Speak to Me" by The Explosion and "Step Down" by the Rangers. The group's transition from surf music covers to a different musical direction illustrates the stylistic diversity of Trend's roster. Their eventual transformation into Chaucer's Tales shows the fluidity of band lineups and identities in the late 1960s UK music scene. Though they did not achieve major chart success, their inclusion in Trend's launch highlights the label's strategy of signing managed acts.
Did You Know?
- The Ways and Means were managed by Scotsman Ron Fairway.
- Their single "Sea of Faces" reached no. 41 on the Radio Caroline charts in January 1967.
- Their Trend release "Breaking Up A Dream" was described as their finest recording.
- The band eventually became Chaucer's Tales.
More in Psychedelic musical groups 1-18
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