TALES FROM THE TAP
ROOM
Following in his father’s footsteps was something he’d never really imagined, however,
when Jerry Gilbert met up with Frank Irish it emerged that taking over the running
of the business, Lamba plc in 1973, turned out to be one of the best life-changing
decisions Frank ever made...
When Lamba plc were building their portfolio of premium sound years, and it’s fitting that Schiffman, who had learnt of Numark’s
and lighting brands for distribution at the turn of the 1990’s demise whilst on the shop floor in Frankfurt back in 1992, should
there was little to indicate that, come the new millennium, their mark his Lamba debut at the same German Messe this year.
imperative would have turned 180° from import to export, and
the development of the KAM brand around the globe. Over a get-together at a Hertfordshire pub this month the two
It is unlikely that the course taken by the original Lamba Electronic men turned back time with a series of anecdotes and milestones
Supplies, the wholesale business started by Charlie Irish back in covering the last 30 years, which define everything that is glorious
1952, would have deviated so profoundly, had the founder’s son about the DJ industry. Here we were — three sexagenarians, with
(and current chairman) Frank not been prepared to strategically a century of disco experience between us, bouncing tales around
plunge his company into the unknown - twice - in a ‘risk all’, do-or- the tap room like out-takes from Last Of The Summer Wine.
die strategy. Both proved to be masterstrokes. Here are the snapshots that mondo*dr managed to scoop up.
From the company’s origins, selling components and hifi
accessories from the back of a customised commercial vehicle,
Frank took the first fork in the road back in 1992, turning his back FRANK IRISH first rolled up his sleeves during the golden era of
on the burgeoning High Street business (with the Camlink and hifi at the tender age of 12. From 1960 onwards he would help
Vocall brands) that Lamba subsidiary, Apex Retail Distribution had his dad box valves which would be supplied to the service side of
established from its base in Welham Green, just five miles from retail.
Lamba’s new spiritual home in St. Albans. By the age of 14 or 15 he would load the lorry with valves and
While waiting for venture capital money to arrive, Frank and rectifiers on a Saturday and his father, who had invented an
partner Chris Osborne instead favoured a buy-out option. With elaborate honeycomb for stacking efficiency, would disappear with
the disco movement now in full spate, they were prepared to start a payload of up to 40,000 valves in these carefully prepared racks,
again from scratch (no pun intended), pulling current MD Gerry not to return until the following weekend.
Frost with them into this brave new world. The staff of six, which Frank’s academic achievements were fairly modest. “But I
marked their rebirth the following year in 1993 has today grown managed to scrape into college and did a Business HND Diploma.
to 30. It was a good foundation, but I certainly had no intention of joining
The second occasion was in 2005 when Frank was prepared dad’s business.”
to sacrifice the Stanton Group of companies (Stanton, Cerwin When his cousins took off for America Frank decided to join them
Vega! and KRK), which was responsible for 45% of the company’s in September 1971. “After nearly a year in the States he suddenly
turnover - in order to focus on developing their own brand, KAM. received a letter from home saying his father had decided to sell
They launched several spin-off KAM brands and began their the business.” He immediately set off for the UK.
assault on MI shops with a series of award-winning DJ, lighting and Frank took over the running of the Lamba business in 1973. “I was
accessory products. 24 when he handed me the keys, and said ‘There can only be one
Frank’s late father, who was still attending PLASA Shows well into captain of the ship’.”
the new millennium, would undoubtedly have been proud of his On January 1st 1974 Lamba Electronics became incorporated as
son’s courage. a limited company and the following year younger brother Paul
But after spending 40 years immersed in the belly of the joined the business, based in north west London. “It was intended
electronics industry itself, the rebirth of KAM has not only as a holiday job but he stayed 14 years.”
rekindled Frank Irish’s appetite but has rejuvenated him beyond Although the golden age of disco was right around the corner,
belief. He certainly doesn’t come like a man preparing for the end Frank stayed true to the company’s roots, wholesaling major hi-fi
game. brands of the day such as Altai and Ross — and becoming the
After seeing his father’s retail business develop into mail order, former’s largest UK wholesaler. And when they started going
and the camcorder / hifi boom take them into prestige High Street direct Lamba moved onto German company Vivanco to preserve
chains like Dixons, Argos and Tandy, his vista today is a global one their profit margin, selling headphones, mic stands, cables and car
- and helping him fulfill that is Mr Disco himself, the evergreen speakers - as well as low-end lighting such as ropelights.
Steven Schiffman. Having spent a number of years supplying By now they had taken the hugely ambitious step of purchasing
Lamba, first with Numark and later with Gemini products from his major German company, Leebig Wholesale Ltd, who were based
base in New Jersey, he joined the company full time this Spring. at Albion Mills in St. Albans. “The deal went through in 1978, and
The Frankfurt Prolight+Sound show has been responsible for this was a huge leap for Lamba as it gave us access to the whole of
some of the most cataclysmic events in both men’s lives down the the UK,” remembers Frank, “We had the first floor but soon
January /February 2010 023
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