Backtrack Compilation LPs

The "Backtrack" series of compilation albums released on vinyl in the UK in the late 1960s by Track Records were such an integral part of my early record-buying years, yet I have never seen a copy of one of them in a second hand record store in recent times. There were apparently 14 seperate albums, and I can remember buying some of the early ones, with tracks by The Who (of course), Hendrix, Arthur Brown, Fairport Convention and others who I never heard of since (Cherry Smash?). I only wish I'd kept them, but we all seemed to take them so much for granted, that I can't even recall what became of them. Were they as widespread and commonplace as I remember, and if so, why aren't there loads of them turning up in sales and second-hand stalls? I also had a copy of a 45 by The Who of two Rolling Stones songs, released when Jagger and Richard were busted for drugs - The Last Time and Under My Thumb. I wish I still had that too!

 

a few years ago, I found a couple of them in an Indiana based used record store but I only bought one (backtrack 7) that I ended up giving to a friend who collects Hendrix. It had his B side rarity "The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice" on it.

I have the one that is just a straight mono reissue of the Who's A Quick One. It sounds great and I think that is a desirable aspect about the backtracks in general, SQ and original UK mono/stereo mixes.

 

The whole Track Records story is quite inspiring, predating The Beatles Apple label by about 18 months, and having more chart success than Apple too, with uk hits by Hendrix, Thunderclap Newman, Arthur Brown, Marsha Hunt, and The Who along with huge album success. Those Backtrack compilations started in 1970, and were quite groundbreaking, minimalist artwork, regular new releases, and cheaply priced. As ever it was major label interference that thwarted them all the way. Losing Hendrix didn’t help either I guess.

 

I have all the backtrack albums that feature The Who, that's 9 of the 14 if I recall, I don't have them to hand at the moment. There was also a later series called Track Allsorts of which there were 4 albums, I have these in close to mint condition. A one off album called The House That Track Built was released around 1970, I have a nice copy of this too, it feature's an otherwise unavailable (at the time) version of "Young Man Blues" by The Who. The backtrack series has a few tracks that are (or were) somewhat rare too. There are re-issues of "A Quick One" and "Sell Out" too, can't remember if "Sell Out" is mono or stereo, will look at my copies when I get an opportunity, also one album collecting most of the John Entwistle penned Who songs up to that time. I also have The Who's "Under My Thumb"/ "The Last Time" Track single.

 

See some of the Backtrack comps pretty regularly, saw four different ones for sale at a boot sale yesterday, some of them are definitely a lot harder to find than others though.

 

the Hendrix Axis backtrack release is a different mix. i used to see them all the time, but only found out it was a different mix recently. it was the only version i had of Axis, so its the mix in most familiar with.

 

it's stereo, and I'd guess the cheapest way to get something close to original. I bought the mono A Quick One from this series. These are discussed on a wonderful Who pressings thread in the forum, but I can't recall details right now.

 

It's almost like this entire series of Backtrack releases - complete with mono mixes and rare tracks - was designed to entertain and tempt collectors fifty years later...

 

I have the Backtrack LP - The Ox. It's a compilation of John Entwistle written Who tracks. Good stuff. I also have that The Last Time / Under My Thumb Who 45.

 

When Jimi Hendrix died, Track released the single of Voodoo Chile, with All Along Thw Watchtower and a third track (?) at a low price, and it was a big UK chart hit. Another great move by the label.

 

Just dug out my Backtrack 4 which is in mint condition, and playing the Who side now. Wow it sounds pretty good! Anyone else like the sound of these? I don't have any UK original Track albums of anyone else... picked this comp up for less than a $1... really like the track selections too, it's nice having a different artist each side, it changes things up a bit. I might seek out more of these..

 

I do have a bunch of these.

There's a lot of track (ahem) repetition amongst these, but that's gonna happen as they started with compilations, some with two acts, some with various, moved to "paperback" straight refashioning of back-cat albums, then finished off with a special John Entwistle set (he was talking about reissuing it just before he died), and a comedy album - I've got it but not played it, dreading the worst to be honest. Oh, and there's a soul compilation album too!