Homochord

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Records

Homochord

Records

British Dance Bands

The Homophone Company of Germany had been issuing their German-made HOMOPHON records (q.v.) in Britain since 1906.
It was in August 1913 when the Homochord label was introduced. These were 10" discs with a 4000- catalogue number series costing 1/6. Amongst the new recordings were many former Homophon(e) issues. In April 1914, with the outbreak of WWI, the British agents could no longer obtain Homochord records or the masters from the German factory. The catalogue had reached 4618 by this time. Subsequent Homochords were manufactured in England at Lindstrom's Mead Works in Hertford, using their own masters which were in a 35000-series. Sales were poor, though, because of the known German connection. All issues ceased, with the highest known in the series of 4703, when, in March 1917, the Lindstrom UK company was wound up following the "Trading With The Enemy" acts.

It wasn't until the late Autumn of 1921 that the label re-appeared. The owner was now British Homophone Ltd, a company started by William David Sternberg, the proprietor of the Sterno Manufacturing Company, which was already well-established. Although they had their own recording facilities, many of the new records used masters from Vocalion and Pathe (both from UK and US sources) as well as some pre-war Homophon masters which had been obtained fron the German company.

The 10" records started at 100, using an H- prefiix for their own and for Vocalion masters, and a C- prefix for Pathe sourced recordings; the records initially cost 3/-, reducing to 2/6 within a few months. The 12" issues, which first appeared in October 1922 were in a 2000 series, with an HB-prefix for Homophone & Vocalion sources and HC- for Pathe, and costing 4/-. The recordings by BH used masters in an L-00 series, but I have never seen any information as to where these were recorded or who the recording manager was. Vocalion masters usually kept the original master numbers but with a suffix of '3'.

In late 1925, British Homophone made a deal with the Gramophone Company to supply Homochord with masters. The 10" issues, in the same series as the H and C range were now prefixed D-, and the 12" prefixed HD-. Initially, the Gramophone Company used their Zonophone masters (Yy prefix for 10" and Zz prefix for 12") but then started specific recordings only for Homochord with a prefix of HH for 10" and JJ for 12" (with HR- for location recordings). By early 1926, all the Homochords were being recorded & pressed by the Gramophone Company and the Vocalion & Pathe pressings ceased.

In June 1928, the contract with the Gramophone Company ended. In October, British Homophone bought a newcomer to the market: Gramophone Records Ltd, and also became independent from Sternberg, while also purchasing his Sterno Company. BH once more started making their own recordings; the records being pressed by Pathe in Stonebridge. BH also bought the Pathe factory from its then owners, Columbia. The BH master numbers, which had reached the L-00800s at the time of the start of the Gramophone Company contract, continiued from that point, but with a PL, later BL and finally just B- prefixes. The D-series 10" continued, as did the short-lived P-10000 series; the D-series ceased in 1930. Then in 1932 the label was revived with a short lived H-100 series (about 20 issues), and then in 1933, the HN-series (changing to HR-prefix after 14 issues) starting at 1 and running to nearly 100 in 1934 which were the last Homochords.

In 1935, British Homophone once more did a deal with the former Gramophone Company (now EMI) and sold off their commercial recording division to EMI. BH continued to do contract pressings until the 1980s, but never again had their own commercial record label.

The CLPGS has issued a near complete listing of the various Homocord label series in their Reference Series booklets, No. RS-27. This contains a CD with the data in the back of the booklet. the information is the result of many years research by Frank Andrews and Bill Dean-Myatt.

4000-series first design

4000-series second design
(courtesy Norman Field)

4000-series, British made

1920s H/C series

D-series

P- series

new H- series

HR-series

The CLPGS has issued a near complete listing of the various Homocord label series in their Reference Series booklets, No. RS-27. This contains a CD with the data in the back of the booklet. the information is the result of many years research by Frank Andrews and Bill Dean-Myatt.

I am not proposing to pirate that information here, but I would like to list a few of the smaller later series, based on my own research. These have some considerable gaps still, and by listing them here, I am hoping it will flush out some of these quite elusive recordings.

Please e-mail me if you can help me fill in the gaps in any of these series.

My thanks to the following who have provided extra information: Wayne Ivany, Mike Langridge, Mark Schuler

Firstly, the H-100s from 1932. Not to be confused with the early 1920s original H- series.

Cat No	Master No	Title	Artists	Source
H-101
H-102
H-103	S-2306 S-2325	Sailing On The Robert E. Lee Back Again (6/8)	Eddie Norman & his Band (= Ray Startita & his Band) Eddie Norman & his Band (= Bertini & his Band)	Sterno 929 Sterno 942
H-104
H-105
H-106
H-107
H-108	S-2238 S-2239	The Dear Old Home Songs, part 1 The Dear Old Home Songs, part 2	Cecil Langley (Wurlitzer organ) (= Reginald Dixon) at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool
H-109
H-110	S-2266 S-2315	By The Fireside Songs That Are Old Live Forever	Billy Day & Fred Knight (= Tom Barratt & Fred Douglas)	Sterno 919 Sterno 940
H-111
H-112	S-2132 S-2133	Sunshine Susie, selection part 1 Sunshine Susie, selection part 2	Homochord Orchestra (= Nat Star & his Orch.)	Sterno 911
H-113	S-2361 S-2371	Should I Be Sorry ? Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear	Ben Eldon & his Dance Band (= Nat Star & his Orch.) Ben Eldon & his Dance Band (= Ray Starita & his Band)	Sterno 953 Sterno 952
H-114	S-2322 S-2328	In Old Seville Who's Your Little Who-Zis ?	Eugene Brockman & his Orchestra (= Bertini & his Band)	Sterno 951 Sterno 950
H-115	S-2326 S-2373	Somebody Loves You Snuggled On Your Shoulder	Eddie Norman & his Band (= Bertini & his Band) Eddie Norman & his Band (= Ray Starita & his Band)	Sterno 942 Sterno 943
H-116
H-117	S-2278 S-2279	The Gay Nineties, part 1 The Gay Nineties, part 2	Lester Conn's Band (= Nat Star & his Orch.)	Sterno 931
H-118
H-119
H-120

Now, The HN/HR series. These cost 1/- only. An irony that what was perviously the main label from British Homophone has become a subsidiary label; a way to re-market existing Sterno records and issue them under pseudonymns. It didn't fool the reviewer in "The Gramophone" though!

Cat No	Master No	Title	Artists	Source
HN-1	S-3074 S-3101	In The Valley Of The Moon (waltz) Hold Me	Al Gold & his Band (= Syd Lipton's New Grosvenor Band) Al Gold & his Band (= Oscar Rabin's Romany Band)	Sterno 1218 Sterno 1220
HN-2	S-3166 S-3169	Lazybones Learn To Croon	Al Gold & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1224 Sterno 1241
HN-3	S-3171 S-3198	Isn't It Heavenly ? Don't Blame Me	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Casani Club Orch; Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1240 Sterno 1248
HN-4	S-3199 S-3207	Sweet Dreams, Pretty Lady (waltz) At The Old Pig And Whistle	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Casani Club Orch; Charlie Kunz) Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Syd Lipton & his Orch.)	Sterno 1248 Sterno 1249
HN-5	S-3196 S-3197	My Lucky Day Happy Ending	Dick Rose & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1246
HN-6	S-2834 S-3232	Whsitling Under The Moon Trouble In Paradise	Dick Rose & his Band (= Mantovani & his Tipica Orch.) Dick Rose & his Band (= Syd Lipton & his Grosvenor Orch .)	Sterno 1269 Sterno 1274
HN-7	S-2891 S-	Signorina Let Me Whisper "I Love You"	Del Rio Accordeon Band (= Zigano's Accordeon Band)	Sterno 1255
HN-8	S- S-3110	When You Play Your Gay Castanets By The Shimmering Twilight Sea	Del Rio Accordeon Band (= Zigano's Accordeon Band)	Sterno 1255
HN-9	S-2668 S-3082	Minuet (Boccherini) Moment Musical (Schubert)	Philip Lacey's String Orchestra (= Mantovani & his Orch.)	Sterno 1214
HN-10	S-3030 S-3031	Rienzi, overture, part 1 (Wagner) Rienzi, overture, part 2 (Wagner)	The Challenge Brass Band (= St Hilda's Band; cond: James Oliver)	Sterno 1213
HN-11	S-2126 S-2182	There's No Harm In Hoping Carry Me Back To Green Pastures	Best & Best (= Fred & Leslie Douglas)	Sterno 1238 Sterno 1245
HN-12	S-3164 S-3213	Sweetheart Darlin' I'm Away In Killarney With You	Patsy Donovan (tenor) (= Cavan O'Connor)	Sterno 1239 Sterno 1257
HN-13	S-2519 S-3086	Aromas Mendocinas Ranno De La Noche	Malatest & his Tango Band (= Mantovani & his Tipica Orchestra)	Sterno 1064 Sterno 1215
HN-14	S-3066 S-3092	42nd Street Selection, part 1 42nd Street Selection, part 2	Homochord Orchestra (= Syd Lipton's New Grosvenor Band)	Sterno 1211
HR-15	S-3208 S-3209	Gold-Diggers Of 1933, selection part 1 Gold-Diggers Of 1933, selection part 2	Al Gold & his Band (= Syd Lipton & his Grosvenor House Orch.)	Sterno 1297
HR-16	S-3258 S-3261	Night And Day I Gotta Get Up And Go To Work	Al Gold & his Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band)	Sterno 1294
HR-17	S-3244 S-3301	The Song That You Gave To Me The Last Round Up	Dick Rose & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1270 Sterno 1271
HR-18	S-3205 S-3210	The Shadow Waltz Remember My Forgotten Man	Dick Rose & his Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band) Dick Rose & his Band (= George Glover & his Band)	Sterno 1264 Sterno 1265
HR-19	S-3234 S-3241	Oh! Johanna Dear Stranger	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor Band) Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Casani Club Orch; Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1263 Sterno 1262
HR-20	S-3243 S-3256	Dinner At Eight Morning, Noon And Night	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Casani Club Orch; Charlie Kunz) Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band)	Sterno 1270 Sterno 1275
HR-21	S-3028 S-3038	Enchantress March (White) Two's Company (Southern) (with trombone duet)	Challenge Brass Band (= St Hilda's Colliery Band)	Sterno 1212 Sterno uniss
HR-22	S-3253 S-3254	A Serenade Out Of The Night (Spoliansky) A Night In May (Strauss)	Gandino & his Orchestra (= Mantovani & his Orch.)	Sterno 1338
HR-23	S-3183 S-3217	I've Found The Right Girl I Like To Go Back In The Evening	Best & Best (= Fred & Leslie Douglas)	Sterno 1245 Sterno 1267
HR-24	S-3274	Oh! Ella Madamoiselle	Del Rio Accordion Band (= Zigano's Accordion Band)	Sterno 1304
HR-25	S-3179 S-3283	My Girl Ran Away Yodel-O-De-Ay	Billy Weston & his Pioneers (= Monte Hunter & his Texas Rangers)	Sterno 1266 Sterno 1281
HR-26	S-3286 S-3287	There Are Many Good Reasons For Drinking Eleven Good Lads	Bill Hart & The Boys (= Fred Douglas)	Sterno 1320 Sterno uniss.
HR-27	S-3204 S-3219	Pettin' In The Park My Forgotten Man [sic]	Al Gold & his Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band) Al Gold & his Band (= George Glover & his Band)	Sterno 1264 Sterno 1265
HR-28	S-3233 S-3237	Goodnight, Little Girl Of My Dreams (waltz) Snowball	Dick Rose & his Band (= Syd Lipton & his Grosvenor Orch .)	Sterno 1274 Sterno 1273
HR-29	S-3238 S-3239	Old Waltz Medley, part 1 Old Waltz Medley, part 2	Alec Newman's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1261
HR-30	S-3298 S-3300	Did My Heart Beat, Did I Fall In Love ? What Is the Use Of It Now ?	Alex Newman's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1271 Sterno 1339
HR-31	S-3328 S-3329	Blue Moments Yvonne (waltz)	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= George Glover & his Band)	Sterno 1290 Sterno 1289
HR-32	S-3309 S-3310	The Bit Hit, selection, part 1 The Bit Hit, selection, part 2	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Nat Star & his dance Orch.)	Sterno 1284
HR-33	S-3330 S-3341	It's The Talk Of The Town Thanks	Mellor's Dance Orchestra (= George Glover & his Band) Mellor's Dance Orchestra (= Casani Club Orch, Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1290 Sterno 3341
HR-34	S-3269 S-3273	Christopher Lover	Del Rio Accordion Band (= Zigano's Accordion Band)	no sterno Sterno 1304
HR-35		Sunny Light As A Feather	Del Rio Accordion Band
HR-36		Barcarolle ("Tales of Hoffmann") Canzonetta	Philip Lacey's String Band (= Joseph Lewis & his Orchestra) Philip Lacey's String Band (= Reginald King & his Orchestra)	Sterno 1254 Sterno 1347
HR-37		Sing Another Line You're Never Too Old	Billy Hart & The Boys (= Monte Hunter & The Texas Rangers)	Sterno 1281 Sterno 1266
HR-38		The Wedding Of The Grave-Digger's Daughter Jam-A-Lam-A-Do-Do-Do	Billy Hart & The Boys (= Billy Seymour & The Boys) Billy Hart & The Boys (= Monte Hunter & The Texas Rangers)	Sterno 1291 Sterno 1259
HR-39	S-3365 S-3366	Well Done, Gordon A Couple Of Pals (6/8)	Dick Rose & his Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band)	Sterno 1301
HR-40	S-3409 S-3411	You'll Never Understand This Is Romance	Alec Newman's Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band)	Sterno 1325 Sterno 1324
HR-41	S-3397 S-3408	When You're Over Sixty I've Got You On My Mind	Alec Newman's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz) Alec Newman's Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band)	Sterno 1295 Sterno 1324
HR-42	S-3373 S-3396	T'Ain't You've Got Everything	Dick Rose & his Band (= The Barnstormers) Dick Rose & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1313 Sterno 1312
HR-43	S-3370	Christmas Bells At Eventide (waltz)	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= The Barnstormers)	Sterno 1298
HR-44	S-3297 S-3393	He Was A Handsome Young Soldier (waltz) Roaming	Archie Mercer's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1295
HR-45	S-3377 S-3378	Scotia (Scottish Selection) part 1 Scotia (Scottish Selection) part 2	The London Accordeon Band (= Alexander's Accordion Band)	Sterno 1305
HR-46	S-3415 S-3418	That's Another Scottish Story Five And Twenty Soldiers And A Nurse	Mellor's Dance Orchestra (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band)	Sterno 1318 Sterno 1317
HR-47	S-3353 S-3385	I Took My Harp To A Party Wedding Day	Billy Hart & The Boys (= Nat Star & his Orchestra)	Sterno 1321
HR-48	S-3410 S-3419	Sweet Georgia When He Tries To Kiss Her By The Duckpond	Archie Mercer's Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band) Archie Mercer's Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band)	Sterno 1325 Sterno 1317
HR-49	S-3368 S-3416	An Old Old Man With An Old Old Pipe Just Making Conversation	Archie Mercer's Band (= The Barnstormers Archie Mercer's Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band)	Sterno 1299 Sterno 1318
HR-50	S-3338 S-3339	Everybody Loves My Marguerita [sic] You Ought To See Sally On Sunday	Dick Rose & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1285
HR-51	S-3337 S-3398	We All Go Riding On A Rainbow The Wind's In The West	Alec Newman's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz) Eric Sellers' Dance Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1293 Sterno 1312
HR-52	S-3327 S-3354	Symphony Of The Breeze No Funny Business	Al Gold & his Band (= George Glover & his Band) Al Gold & his Band (= Nat Star & his Dance Orch.)	Sterno 1289 Sterno 1314
HR-53	S-3087 S-3361	Elvira (rumba) The Cage In the Window	Gandino & his Orchestra (= Mantovani & his Tipica Orch.)	Sterno 1215 Sterno 1302
HR-54	S-3280	Lohengrin, Introduction to Act III (Wagner) Tannhauser March (Wagner)	Homochord Military Band (= Sterno Military Band)	Sterno 1277 Sterno ?
HR-55		Barcelona Revels (Cuvelier) Garrison Carnival (Cuvelier)	London Accordeon Band
HR-56	S-1160	The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls All Through The Night	Gregory Austin (baritone) (= Foster Richardson)	Sterno 491 Sterno 715
HR-57	S-3475 S-3480	On A Steamer Coming Over Did You Ever See A Dream Walking ?	Archie Mercer's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1337 Sterno 1336
HR-58	S-3490 S-3492	Three Of Us Moonlight Down In Lover's Lane (waltz)	Dick Rose and his Band (= The Barnstormers)	Sterno 1346 Sterno 1345
HR-59	S-3448 S-3494	Eadie Was A Lady La-Di-Da-Di-Da	Mellor's Dance Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz) Mellor's Dance Band (= The Barnstormers)	Sterno 1323 Sterno 1344
HR-60	S-3315 S-3324	Moonlight And Melody, selection, part 1 Moonlight And Melody, selection, part 2	Al Gold & his Band (= Syd Lipton's New Grosvenor Band)	Sterno 1296
HR-61	S-3450 S-3451	When You Were The Girl On The Scooter Without That Certain Thing	Al Gold & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1335
HR-62
HR-63
HR-64
HR-65
HR-66	S-3384 S-3468	I'm Learning To Play The Guitar, I Am We All Went Up Up Up The Mountain	Billy Hart & the Boys (= Fred Douglas with Nat Star's Orch.)	Sterno 1321 Sterno 1339
HR-67	S-3414 S-3561	My Song Goes Round The World Play To Me Gypsy (tango)	Dick Rose & his Band (= Oscar Rabin & his Romany Band) Gandino & his Orchestra (= Mantovani & his Tipica Orch.)	Sterno 1327 Sterno 1360
HR-68	S-3514 S-3547	Unless (waltz) Who Walks In When I Walk Out ?	Dick Rose & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz) Dick Rose & his Band (= Jock McDermot & his Band)	Sterno 1354 Sterno 1366
HR-69	S-3515 S-3516	Who's Gonna Take You Home Tonight ? At The End Of The Day	Mellor's Dance Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1376 Sterno 1355
HR-70	S-3493 S-3526	The Buggy Song So Shy	Archie Mercer & his Band (= The Barnstormers) Archie Mercer & his Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor Band)	Sterno 1344 Sterno 1356
HR-71	S-3449 S-3518	Come Up And See Me Sometime Good Morning, Glory	Al Gold & his Orch. (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1323 Sterno 1355
HR-72	S-3445 S-3446	Old Time Waltz Tunes, part 1 Old Time Waltz Tunes, part 2	Billy Fredericks & his Band (= Casani Club Orch; Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1322
HR-73	S-3214 S-3569	The Hymn That I Sung As A Boy Play To Me Gypsy	Albert Cordray (tenor) (= Cavan O'Connor) Syd Kennedy (baritone) (= Leslie Douglas)	Sterno 1257 Sterno 1372
HR-74
HR-75	S-3587 S-3589	Over On The Sunny Side Who'll Buy An Old Gold Ring ?	Dick Rose & his Band (= The Masterkeys)	Sterno 1374 Sterno 1375
HR-76	S-3590 S-3592	No More Heartaches, No More Tears The Soldier's Farewell	Dick Rose & his Band (= The Masterkeys)	Sterno 1376
HR-77	S-3616 S-3618	Doggone, I've Done It Coffee In the Morning	Archie Mercer's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1377 Sterno 1395
HR-78	S-3579 S-3621	This Little Piggie Went To Market Hell's Bells	Archie Mercer's Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1364 Sterno 1377
HR-79	S-3521 S-3522	Annie Doesn't Live here Any More Lullaby Lady (waltz)	Al Gold & his Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band)	Sterno 1357 Sterno 1356
HR-80	S-3527 S-3624	Masquerading In The Name Of Love Gay Vienna	Al Gold & his Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band)	Sterno 1386 Sterno 1387
HR-81
HR-82	S-3529 S-3534	It Was Sweet Of You Unless	John Ellis (baritone) (= George Baker)	Sterno 1358 Sterno 1369
HR-83	S-3437 S-3438	Lullaby Lady Prairie Lullaby	Monte Hunter and the Texas Rangers	Sterno 1334 Sterno 1333
HR-84
HR-85	S-3654 S-3661	In Town Tonight In A Little Rocky Valley	Frank Taylor & his Orch. (= Teddy Joyce & his Dance Music)	Sterno 1384 Sterno 1383
HR-86	S-3617 S-3665	It's Time To Say Goodnight (waltz) Wagon Wheels	Dick Rose & his Band (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1378 Sterno 1395
HR-87	S-3588 S-3623	I Had To Change The Words Swaller-Tail Coat	Dick Rose & his Band (= The Masterkeys) Dick Rose & his Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band)	Sterno 1374 Sterno 1400
HR-88	S-3564 S-3652	Maruschka (tango) I'll Follow My Secret Heart (waltz)	Archie Mercer's Band (= Mantovani & his Tipica Orch.)	Sterno 1367 Sterno 1389
HR-89	S-3676 S-3678	How Can I Belive In You ? After Tonight	Al Gold & his Band (= Nat Star & his dance Orch.)	no Sterno issue
HR-90	S-3521 S-3577	Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore Jimmy Had A Nickel	Al Gold & his Band (= Syd Lipton's Grosvenor House Band) Al Gold & his Orch. (= Casani Club Orch, dir. Charlie Kunz)	Sterno 1357 Sterno 1363
HR-91	S-3401 S-3402	Serenade The Herd Girl's Dream	Philip Lacey's String Orchestra (= Pierre Fol's String Quintette)	Sterno 1330 Sterno 1349
HR-92
HR-93	S-3571 S-3573	My Mother's Favourite Hymn Springtime Is Here	Best & Best (duet) (= probably Fred & Leslie Douglas)	Sterno 1371 Sterno uniss.
HR-94	S-3568 S-3599	So Shy You're Just Unfair	Syd Kennedy (baritone) (= Leslie Douglas) Best & Best (duet) (actually a dance band record with single vocalist)	Sterno 1371 Sterno uniss.
HR-95