Track Records - 1970-1978

1970-1978

In March 1970 Track issued the live Hendrix album Band of Gypsys. This was the last album authorized by Hendrix before his death. As part of a legal settlement with PPX Enterprises U.S. release rights were assigned to Ed Chalpin who arranged to have the album released by Capitol Records a few months later. The UK cover featured pictures of Hendrix as a doll. The US version replaced the doll photos with a photograph of Hendrix performing under multicoloured lights.

The Who released the album Live at Leeds in May 1970. In late 1970 the group Thunderclap Newman released their only album, Hollywood Dream on Track (Atlantic in the U.S.) The album was another Pete Townshend production and contained the UK #1 hit "Something in the Air". The song also reached #25 in the U.S.

Track released a 3 song EP by Jimi Hendrix titled Voodoo Chile which was Hendrix's only No. 1 UK hit in 1971. After the posthumous Jimi Hendrix album The Cry of Love Polydor took over Hendrix's catalogue, except for North America, where it remained with Reprise Records.

The Who released the compilation album Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy and an album of new recordings Who's Next in late 1971, both of which were very successful. In 1972 the Dutch rock group Golden Earring had a successful UK tour with The Who and were signed to Track. Their 1973 album Moontan became their biggest international success. The album was released by Track/MCA in the US. The hit song "Radar Love" was especially popular in the US where the single reached #13. U.S. versions of Who solo albums such as Pete Townshend's 1972 release Who Came First were released by Track/Decca.

In 1973 The Who produced Quadrophenia their last album of new material released by Track (Track/MCA in the U.S.) In 1974 The Who fulfilled their contract with Track by releasing Odds & Sods. This album was compiled by John Entwistle from a batch of previously unreleased Who recordings made between 1964 and 1972. In 1974 The Who parted ways with Lambert and Stamp amid litigation. In a move initiated by Roger Daltrey, the band attempted to collect a large sum of unpaid royalties from Track. The Who moved to Polydor, except in North America, where they remained with MCA. Polydor later became a sister label to MCA after Universal Music Group absorbed PolyGram in 1999.

By 1975, Track was left with only Golden Earring on its roster, who also soon left. After this, Track only released two more LPs, one by The Heartbreakers, and one by Shakin' Stevens. Track ceased business operations in 1978, though Track albums that remained in print in the UK remained on the Track label until the distributor re-issued them on Polydor a few years later. Kit Lambert died in 1981 at age 45.