Two months after his Octacross recording session in August 1935, (which, incidentally, featured a young girl vocalist named Vera Lynn!) Joe Loss signed the contract with EMI which was to last longer than that of any other bandleader in the world. From October 1935, until his death in 1990, Joe Loss remained with the same company. A record in recording of 55 years!
His first recording for EMI featured Chick, and appeared on the HMV BD “Variety” series (BD 100) which began the year before the “Dance” (BD 5000) series. “Wyoming in the gloaming” was the obscure first title, of four which were cut on 22nd October, 1935 (Matrix OEA 1998-1 Catalogue No. BD 293). The records didn’t sell very well but, nevertheless, at 25 years of age, Joe had become the No. I Bandleader for Europe’s No. 1 label. HMV was such an inportant label that only specially selected dealers were allowed to sell them. Funnily enough, this did not restrict sales — it increased them, and only the best artistes in their profession were ever meant to get on the label.
In the previous five years, the British Dance Band scene had been domi- mated by “Society” Dance Bands — bands which played for the rich and royal - rn fact, Royaltyt Lew Stone at the Monseigneur Restaurant, Piccadilly - Roy Fox at the Kit Kat Club - Ambrose - then Harry Roy at the Mayfair - Sidiney Lipton at the Grosvenor then the Dorchester Hotel. All of these bands had “star” sidesmen amongst their musicians and singers. Lew Stone could boast Joe Crossman, Europe’s top reed man, as well as Nat Gonella, trumpet, and Lew Davis, trombone. Roy Fox had Denny Dennis, trumpeter Sid Buck- man, and saxist Harry Gold, whilst Ambrose at the Embassy had Max Gold- - berg - trumpet, Ted Heath - trombone, Danny Polo - clarinet, and Max Bacon - drums.
Joe Loss did not have a Society Band with name sidesmen. His was a “Palais” Band — a Dance Hall Band . . . a band made for dancing for Joe Public who could outstep any of the “toffs” at the Society gigs who shuffled and pranced in the narrow spaces left between the tables of guzzling gourmets who could afford a meal costing up to five times the weekly wage of a North- ern pitman.
The Astoria Dance Salon off Charing Cross Road was where the best dancing of that day took place with the quite nondescript group of musicians who worked for Joe Loss. However, they had the knack of bouncing a “lift” which could make people dance. To be strictly fair, a lot of this was the result of Joe’s good, steady drummer, Jack Greenwood, who, with Reggie Richmond - string bass, drove the band along. (Greenwood stayed with Loss for 20 years!) Later, in 1936 Jack Hylton returned to the U.K. and resumed his place as HMV’s No. I Band. Joe had got the No. 1 position because of Jack’s absence. Joe was relegated to Regal-Zonophone, EMT’s budget price label. This meant that more people were able to purchase his records. Increased sales brought increased popularity and, more so, to his handsome crooner who was responsible for a hard core of new young ladies at the Astoria, which, in turn, attracted more young men. This fact alone increased record sales.
