Gallery - 3 (record labels)

	Jimmy Mesene's records with Percy Chandler and his band were released on this label in 1931. One of the most attractive British labels, Piccadilly was introduced in October 1928 as the budget line for Metropole Records, though the labels all state Piccadilly Records Ltd with no mention of Metropole. They sold in huge numbers before disappearing in April 1932. The catalogue numbers started at 100 and ran to 934, and the English matrix numbers, initaially in an M-series (from Metropole) then switched to a 1000-series. There was also a red-labelled classical series using a 5000-series catalogue. The recording quality varied, but the pressing were usually very smooth, though rather brittle.
	As our George Glover discography shows, several recordings featuring vocals by Jimmy Mesene were released on this label. 4 in 1 (a British Homophone product) was a genuine attempt to give more value for money. The records do have 4 full-length tunes on every record, each side playing for at least 6 minutes (some are longer!). The groove is fine and the quality is not bad considering the technical limitations. Each is a master recording and not dubbed from an existing "normal" 10" record. All matrices are English, and mainly dance bands. The catalogue ran from 1 to about 91 and all date from 1932-34. They must have sold well, at least to start with; the first 20 or so are quite common, but they get progressively more difficult to find until any numbered above 60 are rare; above 80 are pretty well impossible to find. The rare ones include the George Glover's.
	Sterno records were a product of the British Homophone Company between 1926 and 1935. Early Sterno's were pressed by Pathe and were poor acoustically and from 1929, Homophone recorded and pressed their own records. Interestingly, the recording quality was generally worse. The label was changed to state "Electrically Recorded" but the sound was almost acoustic, being often thin and distant. Things improved over the next couple of years, and by 1933 When George Glover's and Teddy Joyce's records with Jimmy Mesene were made things had definately improved although the record surfaces were usually very gritty and there was often a "rumble". In June 1935 HMV and Decca jointly bought the entire record side of the company.
	Jimmy's recordings with Joe Loss and his band in 1933 and 1934 were recorded for the Winner label, as were his recordings, made over the same period, as 'The Masked Singer'. Winner proudly boasted on its label that the records were 'British Throughout' and they were manufactured at The Edison Bell Record works in London, hence all these records have a release number beginning EBW. Edison Bell issued other records in the UK under other labels but the Winner label was the cheapest and best seller. Edison Bell was an American company and issued records in that country under the Edison label.
	Parlophone began making records in a new factory in Hertfordshire in 1922 or 23. From that the company grew to be a major label, merging into EMI, but always seeming to keep its own identity. The main catalogue series were the E-5000 (red label), E/R-3000 (this series seemed to be given either prefix), the R-100 (purple, later blue and still in use today) and the F-100 magenta label. Jimmy Mesene's records with Nat Gonella and his Georgians were all issued on the Parlophone F series magenta label.
	Plaza was British Homphone's main label entry for the 8" market and they first appeared in 1933. To keep costs low, they usually had a non-copyrighted title on one side, often mixing dance band items with classical ones. The recording quality was good, but the very tight grooving (similar to, but not as fine a "4 in1") meant that they could quickly become very worn. Catalogue numbers ran from P-100 to just over P-400. ceasing production in 1935. A number of Jimmy Mesene's records with George Glover made in 1933 were issued on this label. Plaza releases are shorter versions of the Sterno releases and were issued as by Art Willis & his Band

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