Dance Band Encyclopaedia

Labels

Sterno

 Home page  Introduction Label Index  Musicians  Sound Files
          Sterno records were a product of the British Homophone Company between 1926 and 1935. They were named after William Sternberg whose company had already been selling gramophones under the trade name "Sterno" for some years.
         The first Sterno records (see first picture) are now extremely rare.They were recorded and pressed by The Gramophone Company  (of HMV fame!) and are a quality product, with most dance records being by a studio band directed by Bert Firman, and well recorded electrically, too. 
           
As far as is known, all of these first Sternos were also issued on Homochord too. The catalogue numbers started at S-101, and ran until about S-168 (the highest listed in
Rust & Forbes' "British Dance Bands On Record"), so they were only around from about July 1926 until October 1926. As I said before, they are very rare and more information on them would be gratefully received.
         The second (and more permanent) appearance of Sterno records was in 1928 (see second label). These were recorded & pressed by Pathe and, whilst possessing generally fine smooth surfaces, suffer from Pathe's rather boomy recordings, though they vary - some are shrill and tinny instead!. The musical director at Sterno was Charles "Nat" Star and he used virtually the same musicians as Stan Greening at Columbia and Harry Bidgood at Vocalion.
In fact both Greening & Bidgood took part in may of Star's sessions. The band played mainly stock arrangements in a rather old-fashioned manner, but the records were cheap and sold well. 
         From 1929, Homophone recorded & 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 some "name" bands (as opposed to Nat Star's studio band under several pseudonyms) appeared, albeit second or third string ones, such as Bertini and Tommy Kinsman. In 1932 the final label was introduced, with a strobe around the edge. Soon there were many more name bands: Charlie Kunz, Oscar Rabin, Syd Lipton, Ray Starita. Sterno really gave the big boys a run for their money.
      The problem was limited availability, as the records were only available at Marks & Spencer's. Also, although the recordings had improved, the surfaces were usually very gritty and there was often a "rumble" audible. Billy Merrin was probably the last name band to join, but it was too late; in June 1935 HMV & Decca jointly bought the entire record side of the company.
          With only a few currently known exceptions, all Sterno recordings are of British or Continental origin. As far as dance records are concerned, only 2 using American masters have been reported, but as no comprehensive list of Sternos has been produced, others may turn up yet. The two known ones are:
    Sterno 109  Unlucky Blues        by Palace Trio (issued as by Novelty Four).  Rec'd 1920
    Sterno 105  Sonny Boy             by Arthur Lange's Orch
           ditto     Old Man Sunshine by Texas Ten (possibly a Sam Lanin group in this case.)
 (Note: Only some issues of 105 use the U.S. masters. All are labelled as by Bert Madison's Dance Orchestra, a pseudonym for the English studio band directed by Nat Star.) There are other (non-dance) Sternos which, like 109 above, use pre-electric Homochord masters.

      The catalogue numbers of the red Sterno label started at 101 and ran until the early 1600s. Towards the end there were 6-minute 10" Sternos with a magenta label rather than red. It was short lived, and very little in the way of dance records appeared on it. (see left). The catalogue numbers were in a 5000 series. This series obviously replaced the popular "4 in 1" label (q.v.)

Sterno-1.jpg (32484 bytes)

Sterno-3.jpg (30503 bytes)

Sterno-4.jpg (31717 bytes)

Sterno-5.jpg (39390 bytes)

 Just thought I'd note all the currently known issues in the early S- series. Any additions welcome.
All dance band items are actually by Bert Firman's Dance Orchestra.

Cat Matrix Title  Artist's name as shown on label
S-101 HH-8641-3
HH-8668-1
You've Got Those Wanna-Go-Back-Again Blues
My Irish Home, Sweet Home (waltz)
Eugene Brockman's Dance Orchestra
       
S-109 HH-8756-1
HH-8759-1
Buy Bananas
What About Me? (waltz)
Eugene Brockman's Dance Orchestra
S-110 Yy-7944-2
Yy-8098-1
Night
Picador (6/8)
Eugene Brockman's Dance Orchestra
S-111      
S-112 Yy-7868-2
Yy-8097-1
Clap Hands! Here Comes Charley
Always (waltz)
Eugene Brockman's Dance Orchestra
S-113 Yy-7988-1 The Two Of Us Eddie Norman's Dance Orchestra
S-114      
S-115      
S-116      
S-117 HH-8730-1
HH-8757-1
I Never Knew How Wonderful You Were
I'm Knee-Deep In Daisies
Eddie Norman's Dance Orchestra
S-118 HH-8610+1
HH-8643+2
I Never Knew
Pearl Of Malabar
Newton Carlisle and his Dance Orchestra
S-119 HH-8611-1
HH-8612-1
Then I'll Be Happy
Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue
Newton Carlisle's Dance Orchestra
S-120 Yy-7717-3
Yy-8282-1
My Castle In Spain
Oh! You Lulu Belle
Eddie Norman's Dance Orchestra
S-121 Yy-7658-2
Yy-7659-2
Dinah
Wait Till Tomorrow Night
Eugene Brockman's Dance Orchestra
S-122      
S-123 HH-8813-1
HH-8816-1
When It's June Down There
A Night Of Love (waltz)
Eugene Brockman's Dance Orchestra
S-124 HH-8820-2
HH-8821-1
Waters Of The Perkiomen (waltz)
Perfumes Of The Past (waltz)
Eddie Norman's Dance Orchestra
       
S-139 Yy-7847-2
Yy-8309-2
I'm Knee-Deep In Daisies
I Had You - I Lost You - I Found You
Stephen Arthur
S-140      
S-141   Pal Of My Cradle Days Stephen Arthur
       
S-153 HH-8926-1
HH-8975-1
Jack In The Box
Lonely Acres
Dan Frederick and his Dance Orchestra
S-154 HH-8922+1
HH-8930+1
I'm Tired Of Making Believe
Oh! Charley, Take It Away! (6/8)
Dan Frederick and his Dance Orchestra
S-155 HH-8927-1
HH-8976-1
I'd Climb The Highest Mountain
Only For You (waltz)
Deronia Dance Orchestra
       
S-164 HH-9036-1
HH-9037-1
My Carmenita (6/8)
In My Gondola
Dan Frederick and his Dance Orchestra
S-165 HH-9038-1
HH-9039-1
Comin' Thro' The Cornfield
Antoinette (waltz)
Deronia Dance Orchestra
S-166      
S-167      
S-168 HH-9044
HH-9045
When The Red, Red Robin...
That's Why I Love You
Deronia Dance Orchestra
S-169      
S-170      
S-171      
S-172      
S-173 HH-9053+1
HH-9055+1
I Wish I Had My Old Girl Back Again
Am I Wasting My Time On You?
Fred Barnard

Here is a list of the Sterno long playing 5000 series: Please let me know if you can help with the missing matrix numbers.

Cat No Matrix No Title Artist
5000   The Maid Of The Mountains - selection parts 1 & 2 Reginald King and his Orchestra
5001   Airs From Verdi's Operas - selection
The Barber Of Seville - selection
Mantovani's Concert Orchestra
5002   A Musical Comedy Switch
Waltzland
Mantovani's Concert Orchestra
5003   Cavalleria Rusticana - selection
I Pagliacci - selection
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5004   Ballet Egyptien, parts 1 & 2 Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5005 SS-3075
SS-3076
Slavonic Rhapsody, parts 1 & 2 Reginald King and his Light Orchestra
5006   Melodious Memories
Looking Backward
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5007   Bitter Sweet - selection
Ball At The Savoy - selection
Mantovani's Concert Orchestra
5008 X-206
X-207
Family Favourites
Classica
Roy Wilson and his Wurlitzer (organ solo)
5009 SS-3262
SS-3264
Ballet Music From "Faust" (Gounod)
Two Hungarian Dances (Brahms)
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5010   Die Meistersinger, selection parts 1 & 2 Sterno Military Band
5011   Air On A G String
Prelude In C Sharp Minor
Reginald King and his Orchestra
5012   Gipsy Fiddles
Heartless
Mantovani and his Tipica Orchestra
5013   Maritana selection
Martha selection
Sterno Military Band
5014   Alpine Memories
Mendelssohn Music - selection
Mantovani and his Tipica Orchestra
5015 SS-3669
SS-3671
Foolight Parade - selection
Moulin Rouge - selection
Andre Astan and his Orchestra (actually Nat Star & his Orchestra)
5016   Benedictus
A May Day Overture
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5017   Fantasie Hongroise parts 1 & 2 Mantovani and his Tipica Orchestra
5018   Mozart Airs - selection
Tschaikowsky Airs - selection
Reginald King and his Orchestra
5019   Poem D'Amour
The Caliph Of Bagdad
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5020   Rose Marie - selection
The Desert Song - selection
Reginald King and his Orchestra
5021   Coppelia Ballet
Sylvia Ballet
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5022   William Tell
Sicilian Vespers
Joseph Lewis and his Orchestra
5023   Gems From Famous Musical Comedies - parts 1 & 2 Mantovani's Concert Orchestra
5024   Chu Chin Chow - selection
Merrie England - selection
Joseph Lewis and his Military Band
5025   Mananiello Overture
Pique Dame Overture
Joseph Lewis and his Military Band
5026   Sanderson's song selection
Memories Of Old Vienna
Reginald King and his Orchestra