US label; also appears as "Mainstream" only.
Founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, who also ran the Sittin' In With, Jax (3), Jade, Shad, Brent and Time Records (3) labels. Mainstream issued many new recordings such as the first records by Janis Joplin and Ted Nugent, though also reissued many of the titles from the Shad and Time Records catalogs.
Among the titles reissued were the 10 titles in Earle Brown's Contemporary Sound Series, to which they added 8 more titles.
Early Mainstream releases used the catalog number system 5#### for Mono releases and S/#### for Stereo releases.
In 1970 Shad struck up a partnership with a Florida production company, Red Lion Productions, and relaunched the label with a new look (branded as A Red Lion Production) and new catalog numbering system with a return to focus on jazz. Mainstream also continued to reissue material from its old catalog as well as releasing new material targeted at fans of fusion and jazz-funk.
In late 1976 Shad licensed the Time and Mainstream catalog and 96 masters to Audiofidelity Enterprises, Inc. AFE sub-licensed the masters to Roulette Records, Inc. who had licensed other masters directly from Shad the same year - any release with rim text "Distributed By Roulette Records, Inc." is a reissue from 1977 or later made with these masters. Shad also consigned his inventory of 190,000 unsold copies of Time and Mainstream releases to Roulette in 1977. These copies are identified by the orange circular "Distributed by Roulette Records" stickers affixed to covers.
Bob Shad retired and closed Mainstream Records, Inc. in 1978. In the early 1990s, Shad's daughter Tamara Shad revived the Mainstream label to reissue a number of the jazz and blues recordings from the label on CD. In 1993, Sony acquired a large portion of Mainstream's catalog for reissue. In the early 2000s the Shad family purchased back the label and catalogue under Time / Mainstream Records Group, headed by Shad's granddaughter Mia Apatow.
Mainstream Records is a prime example of a label that had several incarnations, each one as different as the next. Formed in 1964 by Bob Shad, it primarily released jazz and soundtrack LP's, with a emphasis on jazz vocal artists like Morgana King and Billie Holiday. Fast-forward a few years to 1966, and, in a 360 spin, the label begins signing what seems to be every unsigned rock band, and thus letting each one record an LP - this is quite different than most major labels at the time, which preferred to have bands record 45's first, and then, if the 45's were successful, record an LP. Remember, just a few years ago rock n' roll LP's were mainly reasons to compile previously released 45's, with the odd outtake or two stuck in for good measure. (this is not to say the most of the majors didn't sign hundreds of groups, and let them release an LP or two - what makes Mainstream different is the volume of LP's released by seemingly unknown bands in a short amount of time (from '66 to about '70).
As mentioned above, for psych and garage fans, the period of '66 to '70 is considered the prime era of the label, releasing LP's by such bands as Bohemian Vendetta, Lincoln St. Exit, The Art of Lovin', Ellie Pop, The Tangerine Zoo, The Orient Express and The Last Nikle, as well as the V/A comp of recently signed bands "A Pot of Flowers" (some of which, like Harbinger Complex, only got to release a 45 on the label, never recording an LP). Only two groups signed during this time achieved any real success in the sales department: Big Brother & the Holding Company and the Amboy Dukes (ironically, both of these acts would eventually leave the label, Big Brother quickly, while the Amboy Dukes stuck it out for several LP's before signing to Polydor).
Now we get into Phase III: the funk era. By the early 1970s, the labels was releasing fewer rock/psych LP's, and focusing on funk/soul and jazz LP's and 45's, releasing records by Black Blood, Lenny Welch, Afrique, the Chubukos and others, as well as new recordings by Sarah Vaughan, and reissuing jazz LP's originally released on Time Records, one of Shad's earlier labels.
Sometime in the mid to late 70's the label folded, and remained dormant until the 1990s, when jazz titles began to be reissued on CD. Thankfully, in 1993, Sony acquired much of Mainstream's back catalog, and we now have excellent reissues of many of the psych & rock LP's mentioned above.
One final word: in the late 90's / early 00's, identical reissues of many of the psych LP's hit the market; some of these were pressed on color vinyl, while others on standard black vinyl. It's easy to spot a re (read: counterfeit), as the jackets are MUCH thicker than the OG releases, and look too white and crisp - thankfully, many have stickers indicating they are not the OG pressing, but a reissue. Still, if you see a sealed Mainstream LP in a record store, or for sale on Discogs for something like 14.99 or 19.99, pretty much assume it's a counterfeit reissue, and NOT a sealed OG.
shoestringrecords
April 15, 2013As mentioned above, for psych and garage fans, the period of '66 to '70 is considered the prime era of the label, releasing LP's by such bands as Bohemian Vendetta, Lincoln St. Exit, The Art of Lovin', Ellie Pop, The Tangerine Zoo, The Orient Express and The Last Nikle, as well as the V/A comp of recently signed bands "A Pot of Flowers" (some of which, like Harbinger Complex, only got to release a 45 on the label, never recording an LP). Only two groups signed during this time achieved any real success in the sales department: Big Brother & the Holding Company and the Amboy Dukes (ironically, both of these acts would eventually leave the label, Big Brother quickly, while the Amboy Dukes stuck it out for several LP's before signing to Polydor).
Now we get into Phase III: the funk era. By the early 1970s, the labels was releasing fewer rock/psych LP's, and focusing on funk/soul and jazz LP's and 45's, releasing records by Black Blood, Lenny Welch, Afrique, the Chubukos and others, as well as new recordings by Sarah Vaughan, and reissuing jazz LP's originally released on Time Records, one of Shad's earlier labels.
Sometime in the mid to late 70's the label folded, and remained dormant until the 1990s, when jazz titles began to be reissued on CD. Thankfully, in 1993, Sony acquired much of Mainstream's back catalog, and we now have excellent reissues of many of the psych & rock LP's mentioned above.
One final word: in the late 90's / early 00's, identical reissues of many of the psych LP's hit the market; some of these were pressed on color vinyl, while others on standard black vinyl. It's easy to spot a re (read: counterfeit), as the jackets are MUCH thicker than the OG releases, and look too white and crisp - thankfully, many have stickers indicating they are not the OG pressing, but a reissue. Still, if you see a sealed Mainstream LP in a record store, or for sale on Discogs for something like 14.99 or 19.99, pretty much assume it's a counterfeit reissue, and NOT a sealed OG.