Synthetic Plastics Company
Encyclopedia
Synthetics Plastics Company or SPC of Newark, New Jersey
was a plastics manufacturing company that made various items made of plastic including children's records and budget music albums.
, in 1949, operating the label under SPC from then until 1970. Daniel and Louis Kasen owned several subsidiaries music labels including Ambassador Records, Parade, Prom, Promenade, Pirouette, Guest Star, Power Records and Diplomat Records whose motto was "Fine records need not be expensive".
In 1950 the American Music Performance Trust Fund challenged Synthetic for not paying royalties. A spokesman said that Peter Pan records were designed purely for home use and therefore there was no reason to pay contributions to the fund.
Diplomat Records had its own children's label, Rocking Horse Series. In the 1960s SPC ventured into the Southern Gospel
music arena when it hired former Oak Ridge Quartet member Ron Page to solicit groups to record for its Scripture label. Most of the Scripture sessions were done in Nashville, with the musicians under the direction of pianist/composer David Reece. Groups recording for Scripture included The Sego Brothers & Naomi, The Rangers Trio (featuring Reece and Page), Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters
, and The Goss Brothers.
One of the most successful records released under the SPC banner was "My Son, The President"—a comedy spotlighting former president skewering then-president John F. Kennedy
, his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy and their daughter, Caroline—that followed in the footsteps of Vaughn Meader's The First Family
series of comedy records. "My Son, The President" (the "My Son" part of the title itself borrows from Allan Sherman's series of comedy albums) was released on the Clan subsidiary of SPC in 1963. They were very active in the business of sound-alike
recordings. They would find a singer who sounded like a well-known artist of the time, such as Mario Lanza
or Perry Como
. The sound-alike singer would record an album of songs previously recorded by the better-known artist, which would be released with a facsimile of the "name" artist on the cover. The cover would prominently mention the popular artist (e.g., A Tribute To Mario Lanza), while the actual singer would be mentioned in very small print ("Sung by Enzo Stuarti
"). Eventually, if the sound-alike became a name artist, the same record could be re-issued with a new title (Enzo Stuarti Sings). Some of the record pressings were of poor quality, as they were created from inferior grade vinyl, and often sounded very noisy.
Despite record companies lowering their prices, Synthetic Plastics said they remained successful due to their cooperation with the stores that sold them.
In 1964, the company changed it's name to Peter Pan Industries because of their success in children's records under the name of Peter Pan Records.
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
was a plastics manufacturing company that made various items made of plastic including children's records and budget music albums.
History
SPC was formed by Daniel Kasen in the late 1920s as a plastic manufacturer of buttons for the garments industry and game parts for the toy industry. After World War II, Daniel and his brother Louis Kasen founded Peter Pan RecordsPeter Pan Records
Peter Pan Records is a record label specializing in children's music. It was created in the late 1940s. The label was owned by the Synthetic Plastics Company of Newark, New Jersey until the 1970s....
, in 1949, operating the label under SPC from then until 1970. Daniel and Louis Kasen owned several subsidiaries music labels including Ambassador Records, Parade, Prom, Promenade, Pirouette, Guest Star, Power Records and Diplomat Records whose motto was "Fine records need not be expensive".
In 1950 the American Music Performance Trust Fund challenged Synthetic for not paying royalties. A spokesman said that Peter Pan records were designed purely for home use and therefore there was no reason to pay contributions to the fund.
Diplomat Records had its own children's label, Rocking Horse Series. In the 1960s SPC ventured into the Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music arena when it hired former Oak Ridge Quartet member Ron Page to solicit groups to record for its Scripture label. Most of the Scripture sessions were done in Nashville, with the musicians under the direction of pianist/composer David Reece. Groups recording for Scripture included The Sego Brothers & Naomi, The Rangers Trio (featuring Reece and Page), Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters
Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters
Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters was a Southern gospel music and comedy trio that was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001...
, and The Goss Brothers.
One of the most successful records released under the SPC banner was "My Son, The President"—a comedy spotlighting former president skewering then-president John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy and their daughter, Caroline—that followed in the footsteps of Vaughn Meader's The First Family
The First Family (album)
The First Family is a comedy album recorded on October 22, 1962, as a good-natured parody of President John F. Kennedy, both as Commander-in-Chief and as a member of a large, well-known political family...
series of comedy records. "My Son, The President" (the "My Son" part of the title itself borrows from Allan Sherman's series of comedy albums) was released on the Clan subsidiary of SPC in 1963. They were very active in the business of sound-alike
Sound-alike
A sound-alike is a recording intended to imitate the sound of a popular record, the style of a popular recording artist, or a current musical trend; the term also refers to the artists who perform on such recordings. In the voice-over world, it may also refer to those who recreate the voice and...
recordings. They would find a singer who sounded like a well-known artist of the time, such as Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza
right|thumb|[[MGM]] still, circa 1949Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. The son of Italian emigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16....
or Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
. The sound-alike singer would record an album of songs previously recorded by the better-known artist, which would be released with a facsimile of the "name" artist on the cover. The cover would prominently mention the popular artist (e.g., A Tribute To Mario Lanza), while the actual singer would be mentioned in very small print ("Sung by Enzo Stuarti
Enzo Stuarti
Enzo Stuarti was an Italian American tenor and musical theater performer. After a performing on Broadway under the stage names Larry Laurence and Larry Stuart, he changed his name again and began a recording career in which he released several successful albums...
"). Eventually, if the sound-alike became a name artist, the same record could be re-issued with a new title (Enzo Stuarti Sings). Some of the record pressings were of poor quality, as they were created from inferior grade vinyl, and often sounded very noisy.
Despite record companies lowering their prices, Synthetic Plastics said they remained successful due to their cooperation with the stores that sold them.
In 1964, the company changed it's name to Peter Pan Industries because of their success in children's records under the name of Peter Pan Records.