History: 1966-1969
Hendrix' first single "Hey Joe" was intended for release by Track, but since the label was not yet fully in operation it was first released in the UK on Polydor in December 1966. His second single "Purple Haze", released on 17 March 1967, was the first Track Records single and Are You Experienced was the first LP. These and other Hendrix recordings released by Track were licensed to Reprise Records in the US. The first UK Who single on Track was "Pictures of Lily" released in April 1967. The same year Track also issued the Who singles "The Last Time" and "I Can See for Miles" and the LP The Who Sell Out. The Who stayed with Decca Records in the US until 1972, when Decca was folded into its parent company MCA Records.
By late 1967 Track faced a lawsuit from Ed Chalpin and his company PPX Enterprises, based in New York City. Chalpin had signed Hendrix to a 3 year exclusive recording contract in October 1965. Chalpin viewed the 1966 Hendrix agreement with Track as a violation of his PPX contract and was later able to claim a large monetary settlement. Track quickly fell into financial trouble. Hendrix released Axis: Bold as Love in the U.K. in December 1967. The album appeared in the U.S. in January 1968 on Reprise.
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown had a 1968 UK #1 hit with "Fire" which was co-produced by The Who's Pete Townshend and Kit Lambert. US versions of Arthur Brown's recordings were distributed by Atlantic Records; initial pressings of these records were branded with the Track Records imprint, and later ones with Atlantic's but retaining the same catalog numbers. "Fire" reached #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Brown has claimed that he was never properly compensated by Track. Also in late 1968, Track released Jimi Hendrix's double album Electric Ladyland, one of his most successful recordings. Initial U.K. copies of the album featured a picture of 19 nude women which was not authorized by Hendrix.
In 1968 Track began releasing compilations albums such as The Who's Direct Hits. Some of these, including Electric Jimi Hendrix (1968) and The Who's Who Did It! (1970), are thought to have been sold only on a very limited basis through mail order, making them extremely rare today. A various artists compilation titled The House That Track Built was issued in 1969. In 1970 Track began a 14 album series titled Backtrack 1 through Backtrack 14. These were budget priced re-issues and new compilations of earlier Track recordings, occasionally containing previously unreleased material and rare versions. This series, which was very unusual for its time, included both Hendrix and the Who's first two Track albums along with works by lesser known Track artists. The reissue albums did not feature any of the original cover art. The strategy of producing such a large number of reissues was probably a drastic attempt to boost sales as a direct result of the PPX lawsuit.
Track also distributed the Apple Records release by John Lennon and Yoko Ono titled Two Virgins in the U.K. Original stereo copies of this album from 1968 had a Track Records logo and matrix number (613 012) on the label. These were added to the artwork after EMI (Apple's distributor) refused to handle the record because of its controversial nude cover photo. Original U.K. Mono copies of the record had no reference to Track, as these were apparently manufactured before Track assumed distribution. US distribution of Two Virgins was initially handled by Warner Bros. Records affiliated label Tetragrammaton Records.
The Who released the double album Tommy on Track in 1969, which one of their biggest selling albums. The U.S. version of the album was on Decca.
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