BACKTRACK SERIES: THE WHO/JIMI HENDRIX/ARTHUR BROWN etc

	£		93
	$		123

 
BACKTRACK SERIES: THE WHO/JIMI HENDRIX/ARTHUR BROWN etc COMPLETE SET OF ALL 14 UK LPS IN THE COLLECTORS SERIES

UK TRACK RECORDS BACKTRACK SERIES
FULL SET OF ALL 14 LPS

A FABULOUS, POSSIBLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY (NEVER SEEN THESE OFFERED ANYWHERE AS A COMPLETE SET BEFORE) TO AQUIRE ALL 14 LPS IN THE COLLECTABLE TRACK RECORDS BACKTRACK SERIES - WITH FULL RELEASES FROM THE WHO, JIMI HENDRIX, MURRAY ROMAN AND ARTHUR BROWN, SHARED LPS FROM THE WHO/HENDRIX AND COMPILATIONS CONTAINING RARE CUTS FROM EIRE APPARENT, BENT FRAME, CHERRY SMASH, THE SANDPEBBLES, THE PARLIAMENTS AND AL KENT AMONGST OTHERS

OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS I HAVE LISTENED TO ALL 14 LPS TRACK BY TRACK (AND ITS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE) AND THEY ARE ALL GRADED (with the individual album details below) WITH THE COVER FIRST, THEN THE VISUAL APPEARANCE OF THE VINYL SURFACES AND FINALLY THE ACTUAL SOUND QUALITY OF THE RECORD; COVER/VISUAL/AUDIO

ALL THE COVERS ARE GOOD AND SOLID WITH NO SPLITS OR UNWANTED WRITING AND ARE GRADED BETWEEN VERY GOOD AND NEAR MINT
SLEEVES 1 - 6 "Printed and made by MacNeill Press Ltd., London, S.E.1"
SLEEVES 7 - 14 "Printed and made by the E. J. Day Group, London and Bedford"
AND ALL HAVE THEIR ORIGINAL POLYDOR, LINED INNER SLEEVES
ALL THE RECORDS (w/Black/Silver TRACK labels with "Made In Gt Britain"text at 6 o'clock) HAVE NO PROLONGED SCRATCHES, NO SKIPS OR JUMPS AND HAVE ALL BEEN VERY CRITICALLY GRADED (at a LOUD volume) BETWEEN VERY GOOD AND NEAR MINT (see individual details below)

Retailing at a penny under a pound, the Track Records label debuted the Backtrack series in 1970, as the label itself entered what would become its darker days -- the Who alone remained consistent hit-makers on the company roster, and the days when a new Track record was regarded as something of a major event were already receding into the past. Hence the decision to up their profile with a new series of LPs.
Backtrack 1 compiles a dozen 45s from the 1967-69 heyday, laden down with sufficient hits (Jimi Hendrix and the Who, naturally) to intrigue the casual shopper, but bristling with enough rarities to assure a more specialist audience as well. Indeed, for any modern collector looking to assemble a Track collection, such Backtrack mixed bags as this serve up a (relatively) inexpensive way of securing some supremely scarce 45s. Marsha Hunt, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, John's Children, individually and collectively, are all present as is vocalist Andy Ellison's first solo single, while Hendrix protégés Eire Apparent round up the comparatively lesser-known names here, but also leave you wondering how they ever deserved such an appellation. It is, after all, one of the greatest mysteries in music how Brown failed to enlarge on the success of his "Fire" hit, and the scintillating "Devil's Grip" offers no clues. John's Children's "Desdemona," meanwhile, is now regarded with such wide-ranging affection that it seems difficult to believe it never scored during its own lifetime. . .but listen carefully, and you will discover why. Prudish British radio took exception to the lyric "lift up your skirt and fly..." -- why, one cannot imagine. The band did record a cleaned-up version, substituting the offending line with an innocuous "why do you have to lie," but the damage was done. But it is Eire Apparent's "Follow Me" that crowns this collection, a magnificent singalong that will hook itself into your head for days. And, as you reel from such a brilliant assault, you will have no choice but to seek out further Backtrack volumes. One down, 13 to go....


* BACKTRACK ONE: COMPILATION (UK TRACK 2407 001) (STEREO)
NEAR MINT / NEAR MINT / NEAR MINT beautiful copy, played just once or twice at most and one of the harder to find in the series
Side One: MARSHA HUNT - Walk On Gilded Splinters / JIMI HENDRIX - Hey Joe / ARTHUR BROWN - Devil's Grip / THE WHO - Pictures Of Lily / JIMI HENDRIX - All Along The Watchtower / JOHN'S CHILDREN - Desdemona
Side Two: ARTHUR BROWN - Fire / THE WHO - I Can See For Miles / EIRE APPARENT - Follow Me / ANDY ELLISON - It's Been A Long Time / THE WHO - Call Me Lightning / JIMI HENDRIX - The Wind Cries Mary

* BACKTRACK TWO: COMPILATION (UK TRACK 2407 002) (MONO)
VERY GOOD++ / EXCELLENT+ / NEAR MINT superb audio, lightly played only
Side One: THE WHO - Under My Thumb / MARSHA HUNT - Desdemona / JIMI HENDRIX - Purple Haze / JOHN'S CHILDREN - Come And Play With Me In The Garden / FAIRPORT CONVENTION - If I Had A Ribbon Bow / THE WHO - Magic Bus
Side Two: THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN - Something In The Air / CHERRY SMASH - Sing Songs Of Love / THE WHO - Pinball Wizard / ARTHUR BROWN - Nightmare / JIMI HENDRIX - Let Me Light Your Fire / THE WHO - The Last Time

* BACKTRACK THREE: WHO/HENDRIX (UK TRACK 2407 003) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD / EXCELLENT+ / EXCELLENT+ quite a few spindles and centre hole wear (well played) but the surfaces are unmarked and it sounds great
Side One: THE WHO: Substitute / Disguises / Run Run Run / I'm A Boy / Whiskey Man / Happy Jack / So Sad About Us
Side Two: JIMI HENDRIX : Hey Joe / I Don't Live Today / Purple Haze / Can You See Me / The Wind Cries Mary / Stone Free

* BACKTRACK FOUR: WHO/HENDRIX (UK TRACK 2407 004) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD+ / VERY GOOD+ / VERY GOOD++ there is a scuff mark on side two but it has little audio consequence - the LP plays with some pops (nothing too major) and still sounds great
Side One: THE WHO: Pictures Of Lily / Relax / Sunrise / I Can See For Miles / Armenia City In The Sky / Our Love Was / Call Me Lightning
Side Two: JIMI HENDRIX: Burning Of The Midnight Lamp / Are You Experienced / If Six Was Nine / Remember / Gypsy Eyes / All Along The Watchtower

* BACKTRACK FIVE: WHO/HENDRIX (UK TRACK 2407 005) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD+ / VERY GOOD / VERY GOOD well played with a couple of marks on side two and some scuffs on side one - there is some surface noise at the beginning of both sides and between some (not all) of the tracks and some pops. This LP has the lowest grading for audio, but it still plays very well indeed
Side One: THE WHO: Magic Bus / Boris, The Spider / Mary Anne (With The Shaky Hand) / Tattoo / Pinball Wizard / I'm Free / Rael
Side Two: JIMI HENDRIX: Rainy Day, Dream Away / Manic Depression / Love Or Confusion / Come On / Spanish Castle Magic / Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)

* BACKTRACK SIX: COMPILATION (UK TRACK 2407 006) (MONO)
EXCELLENT / EXCELLENT / EXCELLENT+ a few superficial light scuffs but a barely played copy and one of the rarest LPs in the series - sounds superb
Side One: THE SANDPEBBLES - Love Power / THE PARLIAMENTS - I Can Feel The Ice Melting / THE PRECISIONS - If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely) / THE DEBONAIRES - Headache In My Heart / THE SANDPEBBLES - Because Of Love / THE PARLIAMENTS - Let Hurt Put You In The Loser's Seat
Side Two: THE DEBONAIRES - I'm In Love Again / AL KENT - You've Got To Pay The Price / THE PARLIAMENTS - I Wanna Testify / THE PRECISIONS - You'll Soon Be Gone / THE PARLIAMENTS - Don't Be Sore At Me / AL KENT - Where Do I Go From Here

* BACKTRACK SEVEN: 'MIXED BAG' COMPILATION (UK TRACK 2407 007) (STEREO)
EXCELLENT / EXCELLENT+ / EXCELLENT+ another barely played copy and another one of the rarer LPs in the series
Side One: JIMI HENDRIX & CURTIS KNIGHT - How Would You Feel / MARSHA HUNT - Hippy Gumbo / BENT FRAME - It's Only Me / THE WHO - The Seeker / THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN - I See It All / MARSHA HUNT - Keep The Customer Satisfied
Side Two: THE WHO - Summertime Blues / CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN - What's Happening / JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - Long Hot Summer Night / THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN - Accidents / THE WHO - Here For More / JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice


Across its first seven releases, the Backtrack series concentrated upon rounding up stray singles, hot hits and the like, to be unleashed across some genuinely great compilations. From here on in, however, the label's approach would change somewhat, to offer up straightforward budget reissues of the Track label's album catalogue.
Excluding compilations, between 1967-70, Track released no less than ten albums, three apiece by the Who and Jimi Hendrix, two by American comedian Murray Roman, and one each by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Thunderclap Newman.
November 1970 would see six of these reissued in the Backtrack series, each retailing for a budget-priced One Pound (a penny more than the first six releases!), and collectors quickly learned that some remarkable nuggets lurked within the sequence.
Ever since the release of Tommy, interest in Pete Townshend's earlier attempts at a rock opera had been high -- hence, presumably, the reissue of his first stab at the form, 1966's A Quick One While He's Away album. Of course, the operatic title track itself consumes considerably less vinyl than Tommy would -- it is just one of four tracks on Side Two of the album. But the germ of the deaf, dumb and blind acorn is visible nonetheless. Elsewhere, the album ventured into further unknown territory, as Townshend's bandmates, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle were themselves encouraged to contribute to the proceedings. The latter's writing abilities, of course, were already well established, and his "Boris the Spider" remains one of the Who's best-loved numbers, even today. His colleagues, however, tapped surprising wellsprings of their own, and Moon's "I Need You" is certainly one of the album's other highlights. A Quick One was one of several Backtrack albums to be reissued in mono only. A fine stereo mix was prepared and saw release in Germany (and elsewhere) back in 1966. This, however, remains the only band-approved version


* BACKTRACK EIGHT: THE WHO 'A QUICK ONE' (UK TRACK 2407 008) (MONO)
VERY GOOD+ / EXCELLENT+ / EXCELLENT+ superbly engineered crisp, clean LOUD Mono cut on this one - lightly played only - superb
Side One: Run, Run, Run / Boris, The Spider / I Need You / Whiskey Man / Heatwave / Cobwebs And Strange
Side Two: Don't Look Away / See My Way / So Sad About Us / A Quick One, While He's Away

* BACKTRACK NINE: THE WHO 'THE WHO SELL OUT' (UK TRACK 2407 009) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD+ / EXCELLENT / EXCELLENT+ moderate play, superbly engineered crisp, clean LOUD Stereo cut - probably my favourite Who LP - sounds great
Side One: Armenia, City In The Sky / Heinz Baked Beans / Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand / Odorono / Tattoo / Our Love Was / I Can See For Miles
Side Two: I Can't Reach You / Medac / Relax / Silas Stingy / Sunrise / Rael (1 and 2) - with continuous play into the run-off groove

* BACKTRACK TEN: THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE 'ARE YOU EXPERIENCED' (UK TRACK 2407 010) (MONO)
EXCELLENT / EXCELLENT+ / EXCELLENT+ sounds great
Side One: Foxy Lady / Manic Depression / Red House / Can You See Me / Love Or Confusion / I Don't Live Today
Side Two: May This Be Love / Fire / 3rd Stone From The Sun / Remember / Are You Experienced

* BACKTRACK ELEVEN: THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE 'AXIS BOLD AS LOVE' (UK TRACK 2407 011) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD+ / EXCELLENT+ / EXCELLENT+ tremendous audio, lightly played copy
Side One: EXP / Up From The Skies / Spanish Castle Magic / Waiting Until Tomorrow / Ain't No Telling / Little Wing / If Six Was Nine
Side Two: You've Got Me Floating / Castles Made Of Sand / She's So Fine / One Rainy Wish / Little Miss Lover / Bold As Love

* BACKTRACK TWELVE: THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN (UK TRACK 2407 012) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD+ / EXCELLENT+ / EXCELLENT+ moderately played, practically unmarked vinyl, superb sound - another one of the series which is very hard to find - fantastic LP
Side One: Prelude - Nightmare / Fanfare - Fire Poem / Fire / Come And Buy / Time / Confusion
Side Two: I Put A Spell On You / Spontaneous Apple Creation / Rest Cure / Money / Child Of My Kingdom

* BACKTRACK THIRTEEN: MURRAY ROMAN 'YOU CAN'T BEAT PEOPLE UP & HAVE THEM SAY I LOVE YOU (UK TRACK 2407 013) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD / VERY GOOD+ / VERY GOOD+++ the most worn out of the 14 sleeves with heavy wear to the edges and surface rubbing but it is still good and solid with no splits. The vinyl surfaces have light marks/scuffs and the labels are spindle marked - this copy has been very well played but still sounds excellent. This is probably the most obscure LP in the set and undoubtedly the hardest to find (the original sold practically nothing and this reissue didn't do much better). Roman was a strange addition to the Track stable signed, at Keith Moon's request after he saw the comic on one of The Who's US tours
Side One: Three Kinds Of Highs / That's A Bust / The Banana Thing / Anything You Want To Do... / Good Chicks And Bad Chicks / Three Ways To Score / The Baja Marimba Band Story / The Riots
Side Two: Be There, Be There (Of Course) / Horror Films / Twiggy / Try This, Little Joe! / Good News / Join The Navy / War Films / Our Rael Enemy

After half a dozen albums that reissued past Track label LPs, the Backtrack series returned to its roots for its final volume, with a custom-built compilation subtitled The Ox, which brings together 13 Who songs that have one thing in common — they were all written by John Entwistle.
And, though the contents won't surprise you, the breathtaking quality of all 13 will.
Few Who albums, even among their regular releases, are this consistent; few are so capable of delighting, amusing, and horrifying the listener all in the space of one song. Shortly before his death, Entwistle himself mused aloud on the possibility of finally putting The Ox on CD, noting only that he'd need to wrestle control of the production and remixing away from those who've overseen the rest of the Who catalogue. That will never happen now, of course, and one wonders whether The Ox itself will ever see the light of day again. Or maybe it will remain as overlooked as many of Entwistle's finest compositions did at the time, lost within LPs, buried on B-sides, or caught amid the concept albums.
From Tommy, "Cousin Kevin" and "Fiddle About" really do stand proud among the entire album's best moments. Elsewhere, the delightful "Silas Stingy" and the effervescing "Heinz Baked Beans" spiral off The Who Sell Out, the B-side "Heaven and Hell" crashes with all the power chords and clatter that represented the Who's Next-era band at its best, and the macabre fantasies of "Whisky Man" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" paint brilliant B movies in your mind. And then, of course, there's "Boris the Spider," still crawling across the floor, black and hairy, very small, after all these years. Strangely absent is the actual song that titled this collection, the My Generation-era "The Ox."

* BACKTRACK FOURTEEN: THE WHO 'THE OX' (UK TRACK 2407 014) (STEREO)
VERY GOOD+ / EXCELLENT / EXCELLENT+ light to moderate play only, sounds great
Side One: Heinz Baked Beans/ Heaven & Hell / Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde / Fiddle About / Cousin Kevin / Doctor, Doctor
Side Two: Medac / Boris The Spider / I've Been Away / Whiskey Man / In The City / Someone's Coming / Silas Stingy


FANTASTIC SET OF ALL 14 BACKTRACK LPS AND A ONE-OFF OPPORTUNITY TO AQUIRE ALL OF THEM AT ONCE

PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT MY PICTURES - I USUALLY TAKE QUITE A FEW SO YOU CAN GET A CLEAR INDICATION OF EVERY DETAIL. I HAVE UPLOADED AS MANY AS I CAN BUT I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SUPPLY ANY ADDITIONAL PHOTOS ON REQUEST
I THINK ALL THE BASES ARE COVERED BUT DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUERIES YOU MAY HAVE AND PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO SPLIT THE LOT AS THAT KIND OF DEFEATS THE WHOLE POINT
THANKS FOR LOOKING, CHEERS

POSTAGE IS EXPENSIVE BUT THESE 14 RECORDS WEIGH IN AT ALMOST 4KG
TO PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE EUROPEAN POSTAGE COMES IN AT AROUND £1.50 PER LP AND INTERNATIONAL AT AROUND £3 PER LP
UK: £10.00 (Courier - UPS)
EUROPE: Airmail: £22.00 (2 x £11 as the records are too heavy to send in one package)
REST OF THE WORLD: Airmail: £42.00 (2 x £21 as the records are too heavy to send in one package)

UK bidders: PayPal or Cheque
INTERNATIONAL bidders: PayPal ONLY
ALL THE LPS ARE INDIVIDUALLY HOUSED IN PROTECTIVE PLASTIC SLEEVES AND WILL BE POSTED WITH THE RECORD SEPARATED FROM THE COVER AND PACKED IN A STRONG BOX WITH AMPLE REINFORCEMENT


I will email you when payment has been received to let you know when the item will be posted. Please leave feedback upon receipt of the item so that I know you have received it safely. Any problems please email me. Thanks

 307 (GS 5.3.6 (307))