Lakeside Records

Lakeside Records is a historically ambiguous record-label name used by at least two separate United States record companies. The earlier Lakeside operated before the First World War, from approximately 1912 to 1917. Its records were manufactured by Columbia Records and distributed through Montgomery Ward, the major American mail-order retailer. The label’s releases were single-sided, lateral-cut disc records, a format typical of the period before double-sided discs became standard. Lakeside therefore belonged to the early commercial recorded-music system in which record manufacturers supplied branded discs for sale through department stores and mail-order catalogues rather than relying solely on specialist record shops. A second Lakeside Records appeared in the 1990s. This later label issued compact discs of classical music and was also associated with a substantial catalogue of funk recordings. The available reference material does not establish that the later classical and funk activities were part of the same corporate operation as the pre-1918 Columbia-manufactured imprint. They are best treated as distinct uses of the Lakeside name. The later label’s catalogue is represented by a range of funk titles, including “Fantastic Voyage,” “Back Together Again,” “We Want You,” “Turn The Music Up,” “Real Love,” “Show You The Way,” “Money,” “Party Patrol,” “Still Feeling Good,” “Bullseye,” “U Got It Goin On,” “All For You,” “If You Like Our Music,” “Shot Of Love,” and “Your Love Is On The One.” Other titles associated in the reference material include “Rough Rider,” “One Minute After Midnight,” “From 9:00 Until,” “I Need You,” “Strung Out,” “Your Wish Is My Command,” “The Urban Man,” “Raid,” “Untouchable,” “Tinse Town Theory,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” and “I Can't Get You Out Of My Head.” Because the name covers more than one label and the available material does not identify a continuous ownership history, a single unified corporate biography would be misleading. Lakeside’s historical significance rests instead on two different moments in recorded-music distribution: the early twentieth-century mail-order disc business and the 1990s compact-disc market, particularly the reissue and specialist-market activity surrounding classical and funk music. No reliable information is provided here about current operations, ownership, headquarters beyond the United States, financial performance, or whether either operation remains active.

The Lakeside Records name refers to at least two separate American record-label operations rather than one continuously documented company. The first was active during the period from 1912 through 1917, before the United States entered and then emerged from the First World War. Columbia Records manufactured the label’s discs, while Montgomery Ward sold them through its mail-order business. This arrangement placed Lakeside within the expanding catalogue-retail economy of the era, when consumers could order recorded music alongside household goods without visiting a dedicated music retailer. The early Lakeside issues were single-sided lateral-cut discs. Lateral-cut recording encoded sound through side-to-side movement in the record groove and was a standard commercial technology of the period. The use of a separate retail imprint manufactured by Columbia illustrates how established record makers could support catalogue brands aimed at particular distribution channels. The available material does not identify Lakeside’s founder, managing executives, artists, catalogue numbering system, or precise reason for the label’s discontinuation. Its documented period of operation ends around 1917. A different Lakeside Records emerged in the 1990s and produced compact discs. This later operation is described as issuing classical music as well as becoming a prominent participant in the funk compact-disc market of that decade. The reference material does not provide enough information to determine its corporate ownership, location, artistic staff, distribution arrangements, or relationship—if any—to the earlier Columbia-related imprint. Accordingly, the two operations should not be presented as successive phases of one confirmed company. The later Lakeside catalogue included a substantial group of funk titles. The listed repertoire includes “Fantastic Voyage,” “Back Together Again,” “We Want You,” “Turn The Music Up,” “Real Love,” “Show You The Way,” “Money,” “Party Patrol,” “Still Feeling Good,” “Bullseye,” “U Got It Goin On,” “All For You,” “If You Like Our Music,” “Shot Of Love,” and “Your Love Is On The One,” alongside other titles such as “Rough Rider,” “One Minute After Midnight,” “From 9:00 Until,” “I Need You,” “Strung Out,” “Your Wish Is My Command,” “The Urban Man,” “Raid,” “Untouchable,” “Tinse Town Theory,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” and “I Can't Get You Out Of My Head.” The source material identifies these as popular songs released under the later Lakeside name but does not supply complete artist, release-date, or catalogue information. Lakeside Records is therefore best understood as a shared label name with two documented historical contexts: an early twentieth-century Columbia-manufactured mail-order disc imprint and a 1990s compact-disc label active in classical and funk. Current status and ownership are not established by the available sources.

• 1990

  Later Lakeside compact-disc operation appears

  [1]Lakeside Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  A separate Lakeside Records operation is documented in the 1990s as producing classical-music compact discs and participating prominently in funk CD releases.

• 1917

  Documented period of the early label ends

  [1]Lakeside Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The available reference identifies the first Lakeside label as operating through approximately 1917.

• 1912

  Early Lakeside imprint begins operation

  [1]Lakeside Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The first documented Lakeside Records begins operating in the United States during the pre-First World War period.

• 1912

  Columbia manufactures Lakeside discs for Montgomery Ward

  [1]Lakeside Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Columbia Records manufactures single-sided lateral-cut Lakeside discs for sale through Montgomery Ward’s mail-order business.

A historically used United States record-label name spanning early mail-order discs and later compact-disc releases in classical and funk music.

• Historical phonograph records · 1912

  Early Lakeside lateral-cut discs

  Single-sided lateral-cut disc records issued by the early Lakeside imprint from approximately 1912 to 1917. Columbia Records manufactured these records, and Montgomery Ward sold them through its mail-order catalogue. They represent Lakeside’s documented role in the early American catalogue-distribution model for recorded music.

• Compact discs · 1990

  Classical compact discs

  The later Lakeside Records operation produced compact discs of classical music during the 1990s. The available source does not identify the performers, repertoire, production staff, or distribution partners, so the line is documented only at the format and genre level.

• Compact discs · 1990

  Funk compact discs

  The later label was described as a prominent participant in the 1990s funk compact-disc market. Its associated repertoire includes titles such as “Fantastic Voyage,” “Back Together Again,” “Turn The Music Up,” “Real Love,” and “Your Love Is On The One,” although complete artist and release metadata is not available in the supplied material.

1. 1Lakeside Recordsen.wikipedia.org