Phuture
| Phuture | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Phortune |
| Origin | Chicago, U.S. |
| Genres | Acid house, deep house |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels |
Trax Records Music Man Records Strictly Rhythm Records A1 Records |
| Associated acts | DJ Pierre, Roy Davis Jr. |
| Members |
Lothario "Rio" Lee DJ Pierre |
| Notable instruments | |
|
Roland TB-303 Roland TR-707 | |
Phuture is an American, Chicago-based acid-house group, founded in 1985 by Spanky, DJ Pierre and Herb J. The group's 12-minute track "Acid Tracks" (1987) is one of several recordings that lay claim to being the first-ever acid house record.[1]
"Acid Tracks" featured characteristic bass lines from the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer—which was manipulated to produce resonant and squelchy sounds uncharacteristic for a bass guitar it was designed to emulate. The track rose to popularity at DJ Ron Hardy's Music Box club in Chicago and has since been re-pressed many times.
Phuture released a great number of acid tracks now considered classics, usually as 12-inch vinyl maxi singles.
The music the group produces is dark and monotonous. Many tracks are very long, even passing the 10-minute mark (such as "Acid Tracks"). Sparse lyrics are occasionally related to drugs, like the lyrics of "Your Only Friend" (1987), which describe cocaine addiction, or a simple chant, such as on "Spirit" (1994).
The group also recorded under several pseudonyms, generally using the substitution of ph or pf for f. For example, the name Phortune or Pfortune.
Members
Current members
- Lothario "Rio" Lee
- DJ Pierre (Nathaniel Pierre Jones) (1985–1990; 2013–present)
Former members
- Herb J (Herbert Jackson) (1985–1988)
- Jay Juniel (1990)
- Phill Little (1990)
- Roy Davis Jr. (1990–1997)
- DJ Skull (Ron Maney) (1996–1997)
- Spanky, aka DJ Spank Spank, aka DeeJay Phuture (Earl Smith Jr.) (1985–2016)
Discography
Singles and maxi-singles
- Acid Tracks (1987)
- The Creator (1988)
- We are Phuture (1988)
- Do You Wanna Get Funky (1989)
- Rise from Your Grave (1992)
- Inside Out (1993)
- Mental Breakdown (1994)
- Spirit (1994)
- Acid Tracks / String Free (Phuture/Phortune) (1994)
- Times Fade (Phuture, the Next Generation) (1996)
- Jack 2 Jack (Robert Owens/Phuture) (1998)
- Washing Machine / Got The Bug (Mr. Fingers/Phuture) (2002)
Remixes
- Roy Davis Jr.: Heart Attack (Phuture’s Mix) (1994)