The Sudden Revival of Trax Records

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http://www.traxhouse.com

I know they just celebrated their 20th anniversay and all, but since when was 2004 the year of Trax reissues? Not that I am complaining, it just seems to have come out of nowhere.

I've been enjoying the "20th anniversary collection" lately, and I just picked up the "Trax Acid Classics" comp today which should satisfy my desire for all things 303.

A quick scan at their website shows a rarities comp, a Screamin' Rachel album, and a comp of "Queer Trax" coming out in the next 2 months.

The website also has a pretty thorough essay on the birth of House music, but it also includes this amusing paragraph:

"Meanwhile, here in America, the sound remained underground, until House Music's biggest champion, Madonna, came along. It was she who, always with an ear to the underground clubs, took the sound together with her producer Shep Pettibone and brought it to mainstream dancefloors and Top 40 radio, most memorably with the song, "Vogue."

I'd never realized it before, but you *could* make a case for "Vogue" being a mainstream house track.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

this is maybe one of the greaTEST things to possibly be happening. trax is def. startling music, particularly if you're finally done will all that kindergarten IDM horseshit. i would urge everyone to support this revival if it is indeed occurring....

― duke house, Wednesday, 23 June 2004 00:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'd never realized it before, but you *could* make a case for "Vogue" being a mainstream house track. "

Frankie Knuckles does. In the Rock & Roll BBC/PBS special from a decade ago he said that he felt house music had become "legit" when he first heard "Vogue".

― Scott Warner (thream), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 01:54 (twenty-one years ago)

They did a bunch of re-releases on 10" vinyl a few years back. I picked up "You used to hold me" b/w "Washing Machine" and "Girls out on the floor" b/w "Rockin down the house"...

Also they did stuff like that strange 12" with Adonis remixes of "Move your body" in a dull prog-house stylee.

― Jacob (Jacob), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 02:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I LOVED that BBC/PBS series. They used to play an episode per week on Much Music and I must have watched each episode several times over. I may have to start a thread on this ...

Also memorable from that episode -- Alex Patterson and his spaceship chair, as well as Derrick May in a tire lot explaining that techno is soul music.

Back to the thread at hand, Trax is KLASSIK of the highest order. I so want the Screamin' Rachel album and a 12" re-pressing of "Pump Up Chicago".

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 02:10 (twenty-one years ago)

it is always nice when music is good enough to bring together dj tiesto and the DFA under one roof (see promo packet).

― vahid (vahid), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)

that three CD set is awesome, I gotta get a copy.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Also they did stuff like that strange 12" with Adonis remixes of "Move your body" in a dull prog-house stylee.

There were a bunch of remixes doing the rounds when Trax put out those reissues (both on a compilation and as 12"s). The majority of them didn't do justice to the originals, but the Basement Jaxx mixes of We're Rockin' Down the House are amazing. Sound exactly like you imagine they should...

― Graeme (Graeme), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I found this Trax collection -- three CDs -- used for something like $5 a few years back? Pretty damned great.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I thot it just came out?

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I'm assuming it's some other earlier comp. Still good, though! I'm not an expert on it, I just like what I hear.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...

Under the banner Trax Classix, the label recently released three artist compilations: Armando, Farley Jackmaster Funk, and Joey Beltram.

Armando
1 Land Of Confusion
2 Venture Oui
3 Robotics
4 Don't Stop
5 Turn My Shit Up
6 Get Crazy
7 Ecstasy (Original Mix)
8 Trance Dance
9 Pleasure Dome
10 Warp Factor
11 Simple Minded
12 Morse Code
13 100% Of Disin' U
14 Here We Go
15 Wave Form
16 Land's End

Joey Beltram
1 Dance Generator
2 Mucho Acid
3 Drum Unit
4 252
5 Life Force
6 Time warp
7 Ogo
8 The Next
9 Pulse
10 The Start It Up
11 Fuzz
12 Work Dat
13 Optics
14 Flashcube
15 Gravitate
16 Voyager

Farley jackmaster Funk
1 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Love Can't Turn Around (Original Mix) (4:11)
Vocals - Darryl Pandy
2 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk As Always (Full Vocal Version) (6:26)
Vocals - Ricky Dillard
3 Farley Keith Give Yourself To Me (4:08)
4 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Farley Knows House (4:28)
5 Jack Master Funk / Jack Master Dick Jack The Bass (Jack The Dick) (6:37)
6 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Jackin' The Trax (5:05)
7 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Clap'n The Pella (2:30)
8 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Farley Farley (5:03)
9 Blackman (4) Beat That Bitch With A Bat (7:46)
10 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Jackin' The Bass (7:25)
11 Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Aw Shucks (Let's Go) (Long Version) (7:41)
12 Farley Funkin' Keith The Acid Life (Extended Version) (6:54)
13 Farley Funkin' Keith I Need A Friend (6:05)

― paul c (paul c), Monday, 18 April 2005 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course "Vogue" is a house track! But "Deeper & Deeper" even more so!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 18 April 2005 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

five years pass...

looks like the entire catalog -- or a large portion of it -- arrived on emusic today.

these are early house records, iirc. is it still relevant/worthwhile, and if so, what items are highly recommended?

― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 8 February 2011 02:27 (fifteen years ago)

would also be interested in the answer to this

― bouquet brigade (electricsound), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 02:28 (fifteen years ago)

it's worth doing a youtube binge to see what you like. trax had a lot of different styles and dozens of classic releases.

― elan, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 02:36 (fifteen years ago)

absolutely still relevant & worthwhile, I haven't heard THAT much out of all that stuff listed but Mr. Fingers, Adonis, Phuture, Marshall Jefferson, Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, Joey Beltram all have some classic tracks

xpost - elan otm

― dmr, Tuesday, 8 February 2011 02:38 (fifteen years ago)

can't go wrong with:
frankie knuckles "your love"/"cold world"
ralphi rosario "you used to hold me"
mr. fingers "can you feel it"
all the virgo tracks
sleezy d "i've lost control"
ron hardy "liquid love"

i don't see adonis "no way back," but that too.

― one time gaffled 'em up (one time), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 02:40 (fifteen years ago)

and in other trax revival news, this was recently released: http://www.djhistory.com/shop/cds-and-vinyl/trax-re-edited

― one time gaffled 'em up (one time), Tuesday, 8 February 2011 02:44 (fifteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

just realized you can stream a bunch of classic trax records on their bandcamp page:

http://traxrecords.bandcamp.com

― akaky akakievich, Saturday, 5 March 2011 19:52 (fifteen years ago)

two years pass...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51n6i278EbL.jpg

Yesss

― phuturephase, Friday, 12 July 2013 16:52 (twelve years ago)

oh shi

Traxbox presents the first 75 Trax Record 12” releases in their entirety – both the A & B sides including ALL the mixes used from Trax TX101 Le Noiz in 1985 to Trax TX175 Virgo Four in 1989 all housed in a beautiful heavyweight 16 x CD purpose-designed wallet together with an 80 page booklet all enshrouded within specially commissioned new artwork from cult artist Aidan Hughes.
All 75 12” releases have been extensively re-mastered and, in some cases, completely re-built in order to get all the original tracks to a decent degree of quality for the first time ever. Each individual 12” has been painstakingly re-mastered by experts, with all the original vinyl copies scrupulously supplied by renowned 12” collector and House music historian, Johnathan Woodliffe, for mastering comparison purposes and, in some cases, to supply the missing links in the Trax catalogue.
Bill Brewster – author of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” and co-founder of the world’s foremost DJ forum, DJ History has supplied a comprehensive history of the label and specific write-ups on each individual 12” all of which has been combined with lots of rare scans, photos and archive material from this incredibly influential era.

― the SI unit of ignorance (Noodle Vague), Friday, 12 July 2013 16:59 (twelve years ago)

Tracklisting

CD 1

01. Wanna Dance? - Le' Noiz
02. Girls Out On The Floor - Jesse Velez
03. I'm Scared - Le' Noiz
04. Jack The Bass - Jack Master Funk/Jack Master Dick
05. Ride The Rhythm (Remix) - Marshall Jefferson
06. Jack The House - Farley Jackmaster Funk
07. Jack'n The Trax - Farley Jackmaster Funk
08. Clap'n The Pella - Farley Jackmaster Funk
09. Virgo Tracks Again – Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
10. Virgo Tracks Again – Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
11. Virgo Tracks Again – Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
12. Virgo Tracks Again – Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
13. Girls out on the Floor - Jesse Velez
15. Fire 121 - Jesse Velez
16. Do It To The Beat - Jesse Velez

CD 2

01. Sensation ‎(Long) - Ron Hardy
02. Sensation (Short) - Ron Hardy
03. My Main Man - Screamin Rachael
04. My Main Man (Vocal) - Screamin Rachael
05. Sensuous Woman Goes Disco - Jackmaster Dick's Revenge
06. No Way Back (Vocal) - Adonis
07. I've Lost Control - Sleezy D.
08. Free Yourself - Virgo
09. Under You - Virgo
10. Dum Dum Part Two - Fresh
11. Give Your Self To Me - Rude Boy Himself Farley Farley Farley

CD 3

01. The House Music Anthem - Move your Body - Marshall Jefferson
02. Dub Your Body - Marshall Jefferson
03. When You Hold Me - Master C & J
04. Thank Ya - Sweet D
05. We're Rocking Down The House - Adonis
06. Ride The Rhythm (Ron Hardy mix) - On the House with Marshall Jefferson
07. What Is House? ‎- Willie Wonka
08. What You Deserve - Radio Fashion ‎
09. Jackin' Me Around (Farm Mix) - Farm Boy
10. Beat Me Till I Jack - Fat Albert
11. Work Me Trax - Santos

CD 4

01. Washing Machine - Mr. Fingers
02. Can You Feel It - Mr. Fingers
03. House Beat Box - Sampson "Butch" Moore
04. The Jungle - Jungle Wonz
05. Hey Rocky! - Boris Badenough
06. Party People Jack Your Body - Liddell Townsell
07. Party People Jack Your Body (House Mix) - Liddell Townsell
08. Party People Jack Your Body (Radio Mix) - Liddell Townsell
09. Bring Down The Walls - Robert Owens
10. Housemaster (12” Mix) - Terry Baldwin
11. Housemaster - Terry Baldwin
12. Move My Body - 2 House People Featuring Cynthia M
13. Time Marches On (Vocal) - Jungle Wonz
14. Give Me Back Love (Club Mix) - On The House
15. Give Me Back Love (Radio Mix) - On The House

CD 5

01. I Can't Forget (Vocal) - Mr. Lee
02. Mystery Girl - Mystery
03. Your Love (Inst Mix) - Eric Bell
04. Come To House - Mr Lee
05. I'll Never Let You Go (Vocal Mix) - William S
06. Acid Tracks -‎ Phuture
07. Can’t Let Go (Radio Dub)- DJ Joey feat Sheba
08. Rock Steady ‎(12" Mix) - Dalis
09. Rock Steady (Edit) - Dalis
10. Children Of The Night ‎(12") - Kevin Irving
11. Children Of The Night (Radio) - Kevin Irving
12. Somewhere In West Hell ‎(12") - Two Of A Kind Featuring James Earl
13. Fuck Charley - Pleasure Zone
14. House Nation - Pleasure Zone

CD 6

01. Dance Doctor (Inst) - Doctor Derilict
02. Don't Stop - Dean Anderson ‎
03. Baby Wants To Ride - Frankie Knuckles
04. It's A Cold World - Frankie Knuckles
05. Lost In The Groove (Vocal) - Marshall Jefferson Presents Hercules -
06. Am A Dog Mixed (Frankie Knuckles Mix) - Dancer
07. Just Stay The Night ‎(12") - Evie
08. Are You Ready ‎(12") - Rich Martinez
09. House This House (Vocal) - Mr. Lee
10. G. T. B. Got The Bug - Pierre's Pfantasy Club
11. Get The Hole - Lidell Townsell
12. Acid Hole - Lidell Townsell .
13. Lets Get Busy - Curtis Mc Claine And On The House
14. Lets Get Busy (Radio Mix) - Curtis Mc Claine And On The House

CD 7

01. Number Nine - Dancer
02. Number Nine (Bedroom Mix) - Dancer
03. Fantasy - Pleasure Zone
04. We Are Phuture - Phuture
05. Pump Up Chicago - Mr. Lee
06. Pump Up Chicago (Acid Mix) - Mr. Lee
07. Knockin At My Door - Donell Rush
08. Knockin At My Door Edit - Donell Rush
09. Cool J Track (RM) - HIT TRAX 111 The House Gang
10. Gotta Big Dick - Maurice Joshua With Hot Hands Hula.
11. Gotta Big Dick (Inst Mix) - Maurice Joshua With Hot Hands Hula
12. Jack The House - Liddell Townsell
13. As Acid Turns - Liddell Townsell
14. The Groove - Liddell Townsell

CD 8

01. Acid Pump Up London - Mr. Lee
02. Pump Up Chicago - Mr. Lee
03. As Always - Farley "Jackmaster Funk" Presents Ricky Dillard
04. As Always - Farley "Jackmaster Funk" Presents Ricky Dillard
05. Respect Rap (Radio Edit) - K. G. B.
06. Respect Rap (Scratch Mix) - K. G. B.
07. Respect Rap (Brads Club Mix)- K. G. B.
08. Power Move - Kool Rock Steady
09. Power Move (Fresh Mix) - Kool Rock Steady
10. Do You Know Who You Are? - Virgo Four
11. In A Vision - Virgo Four

CD 9

01. Certainly - Le' Noiz
02. Girls Out On The Floor Dub - Jesse Velez
03. Get Out - Le' Noiz
04. Jack the Dick - Jack Master Funk /Jack Master Dick
05. Dickapella - Jack Master Funk/Jack Master Dick
06. Ride the Rhythm Remix (Inst) - Marshall Jefferson
07. Oh My God - Farley Jackmaster Funk
08. Farley Knows House - Farley Jackmaster Funk
09. Farley Farley - Farley Jackmaster Funk
10. Virgo Tracks Again - Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
12. Virgo Tracks Again - Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
13. Virgo Tracks Again - Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
14. Virgo Tracks Again - Untitled - Vincent Lawrence
15. We Don't Need No Music - Jesse Velez
16. Laugh The Night Away - Jesse Velez
17. Intro (Do it to the Beat) - Jesse Velez
18. Rocko Laugh - Jesse Velez
19. Sensation (Inst) - Ron Hardy

CD 10

01. My Main Dub - Screamin’ Rachael
02. My Main Beat - Screamin Rachael
03. Sensuous Man Goes Disco - Jackmaster Dick's Revenge
04. No Way Back - Adonis
05. I've Lost Control - Sleezy D
06. My Space - Virgo
07. R U Hot Enough - Virgo
08. Dum Dum Part Two (Inst) - Fresh
09. Give Your House To Me - Rude Boy Himself Farley Farley Farley
10. Drum Your Body - Marshall Jefferson
11. House Your Body - Marshall Jefferson
12. Dub Love - Master C & J

CD 11

01. Do Do It - Sweet D
02. Turn It - Sweet D
03. Dig I Da-Dig I Da - Sweet D
04. W.R.D.T House (Break Down) - Adonis
05. W.R.D.T.House (Inst) - Adonis
06. Ride the Rhythm (Frankie Knuckles Mix) - On the House with Marshall Jefferson
07. It's Now Or Never - Willie Wonka
08. Blow - Willie Wonka
09. What You Deserve (Mistake Mix) - Radio Fashion
10. Jackin' Me Around (House Mix) - Farm Boy
11. Dub Mix - Farm Boy
12. Go Go - Fat Albert
13. Go Go Again - Fat Albert

CD 12

01. Space The Box - Santos
02. Beat The Knuckles - Santos
03. Beyond The Clouds - Mr. Fingers
04. House Beat Box (Inst) - Sampson "Butch" Moore
05. Jungle Mix - Jungle Wonz
06. Hey Rocky (Inst) - Boris Badenough
07. Party People Jack Your Body (Club Mix) - Liddell Townsell
08. Party People Jack Your Body (Inst) - Liddell Townsell
09. Bring Down The Walls (Dub) - Robert Owens
10. Bring Down The Walls (Inst) - Robert Owens
11. Housemaster (Radio Mix) - Terry Baldwin
12. Housemaster (Club Mix) - Terry Baldwin
13. House My Body - 2 House People Featuring Cynthia M
14. Trax My Body - 2 House People Featuring Cynthia M.

CD 13

01. I Can't Forget (Club) - Mr. Lee
02. Mystery Girl (Dub) - Mystery
03. Mystery Girl (Club) - Mystery
04. Your Love (Vocal Mix) - Eric Bell
05. Come Get House (Club) - Mr Lee
06. I'll Never Let You Go (Inst Mix) - William S
07. Phuture Jacks - Phuture
08. Your Only Friend - Phuture
09. Can’t Let Go (Vocal Mix) – DJ Joey feat Sheba
10. Rock Steady (Inst) - Dalis
11. Children Of The Night (Frankie Knuckles Dub Mix) - Kevin Irving
12. Somewhere in West Hell (Inst) - Two Of A Kind Featuring James Earl
13. Jana - Pleasure Zone
14. Hold These Nuts - Pleasure Zone

CD 14

01. Dance Doctor - Doctor Derilict
02. Don't Dub - Dean Anderson
03. Your Love - Frankie Knuckles
04. Bad Boy - Frankie Knuckles
05. Lost In House - Marshall Jefferson Presents Hercules
06. Groove Appella - Marshall Jefferson Presents Hercules
07. Boom - Boom (Frankie Knuckles Mix) - Dancer
08. Just Stay The Night (Radio) - Evie
09. Just Say The Night (Dub) - Evie
10. Are You Ready (Dub) - Rich Martinez
11. Are You Ready (Rub A Dub) - Rich Martinez
12. House This House (Dub) - Mr. Lee

CD 15

01. Got The Bug ( Dub) - Pierre's Pfantasy Club
02. Got The Bug ( Inst) - Pierre's Pfantasy Club
03. Under Control - Lidell Townsell
04. Dub Control - Lidell Townsell
05. Lets Get Busy ( Dub Mix) - Curtis Mc Claine And On The House
06. Stars on Number Nine - Dancer
07. Number Nine (S&F Mix) - Dancer
08. I Can't Understand - Pleasure Zone
09. Slam! - Phuture.
10. Spank-Spank - Phuture
11. Pump Up London - Mr. Lee
12. Pump Up New York - Mr. Lee
13. Knockin At My Door (Dub) - Donell Rush
14. Knockin At My Door (Wall Of Sound Mix) - Donell Rush
15. Hangover Trax - The House Gang
16. Bango Acid - The House Gang

CD 16

01. This Is Acid - Maurice Joshua With Hot Hands Hula
02. Fell The Mood - Maurice Joshua With Hot Hands Hula
03. Jack'N Tall (Inst) - Liddell Townsell
04. Jack'N Tall (Vocal) - Liddell Townsell
05. Art Of Acid - Mr. Lee
06. Feels Good - Mr. Lee
07. As Always (Lovin' House Mix) - Farley "Jackmaster Funk" Presents Ricky Dillard
08. Respect Rap (Extended Version) - K. G. B.
09. Respect Rap (Inst) - K. G. B.
10. I'll Make You Dance - Kool Rock Steady
11. Going Thru Life - Virgo Four
12. Take Me Higher - Virgo Four

― phuturephase, Friday, 12 July 2013 17:09 (twelve years ago)

meh

― the late great, Friday, 12 July 2013 18:17 (twelve years ago)

a girthy surfeit of acid trax

i'm estimating 1-3 must hear trax on each disc and the rest is padding

― the late great, Friday, 12 July 2013 18:20 (twelve years ago)

Be nice to see Gemini get similar treatment instead of what Chiwax are doing with the represses

― suare, Friday, 12 July 2013 18:54 (twelve years ago)

thought gemini was on relief, not trax?

what's wrong with the chiwax represses?

― the late great, Friday, 12 July 2013 18:57 (twelve years ago)

Gemini was on lots of different labels - if anyone is deserving of a proper anthology..

― suare, Friday, 12 July 2013 19:05 (twelve years ago)

supposedly there's a romanthony anthology coming out, hopefully it's like the complete blackmale records anthology

― the late great, Friday, 12 July 2013 19:07 (twelve years ago)

nine months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLIXzTBcoC0&feature=kp

This is worth it for the comments, in which the composer Dean Anderson makes several appearances talking about how it came about.

"It makes me happy to see that you guys had fun with the record, and at some point many moons ago, got a charge out of "moose and squirrel" on vinyl...Larry Sherman, who started Trax Records in an old warehouse his family trucking business owned, was a huge R&B fan. He also despised crosstown rival DJ Intl. Records, owned by...drum roll please... Rocky Jones. When I came to him with the idea, he was drooling to have it done... We all had fun with it and thanks to you it lives on!"

― andrew m., Thursday, 8 May 2014 16:58 (twelve years ago)

That's Boris Badenough, "Hey Rocky" 7" version FYI

― andrew m., Thursday, 8 May 2014 16:58 (twelve years ago)

Without much doubt, probably my first exposure to a Trax tune, though I certainly didn't know it at the time. Just liked it. Got some play circa 86-87 in Jackson, Miss., on stations like 94TYX and probably some others, especially on Friday-Saturday night HotMix shows. Also got some play on Dr. Demento, so I probably heard it there too.

― andrew m., Thursday, 8 May 2014 17:01 (twelve years ago)

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