Imperial Records, the second United Kingdom-based

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...

of that name, went into business in 1920. It was purchased by the Crystalate Gramophone Record Manufacturing Company Ltd. in 1925. The company's main

recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for Sound recording and reproduction, recording and Audio mixing, mixing of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home proje ...

was in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. Most Imperial issues were recorded by the company, but some issues from masters leased from other companies in continental

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and from the United States'

Banner Records Banner Records was an American record company and label in the 1920s and 1930s. It was created primarily for the S.S. Kresge Company, though it was employed as a budget label in other discount stores. History Banner was formed in January 1922 as ...

which also appeared on Imperial. Most Imperial recordings were of popular songs,

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

tunes, and dance music of the time. Their biggest star was bandleader Jack Payne. The label went out of business in February 1934. A history of Imperial Records, together with a listing of known records issued by the label, is published by the

CLPGS The City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society (CLPGS)In the United Kingdom, the term 'phonograph' is used for a player of cylinders, while a 'gramophone' plays disc records. In many other parts of the world the term 'phonograph' is used for ...

in their Reference Series of books.

References

British record labels Record labels established in 1920 Record labels disestablished in 1934 {{UK-record-label-stub

See also

References