Phuture

Phuture
Also known as	Phortune
Origin	Chicago, USA
Genres	Acid house
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Trax Records Music Man Records Strictly Rhythm Records A1 Records
Members	Spanky, Proffessor Trax

Phuture (now called Phuture 303) is a 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.

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 raised 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. Its only albums, however, have been Alpha & Omega (1997)—the first release since the group renamed itself Phuture 303—and Survival's Our Mission (2003), the title referencing the opening lyrics of the 1988 single "We are Phuture."

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

• Spanky (Earl Smith Jr.) (1985–present)
• Professor Traxx (Damon Nelomns) (1985–present)

Former members

• DJ Pierre (Nathaniel Pierre Jones) (1985–1990)
• Herb J (Herbert Jackson) (1985–1988)
• Jay Juniel (1990)
• L.A. Williams (1997)
• Phill Little (1990)
• Roy Davis Jr. (1990–1997)
• DJ Skull (Ron Maney) (1996–1997)

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)
• Alpha & Omega (1996)
• Acid Soul (1997)
• Jack 2 Jack (Robert Owens/Phuture) (1998)
• Hardfloor Will Survive (Hardfloor vs. Phuture 303) (1998)
• Phreedom! (1997)
• Thunder Part One (2000)
• Thunder Part Two (2000)
• Soulgers Of Tekkno (2000)
• Washing Machine / Got The Bug (Mr. Fingers/Phuture) (2002)

Albums

• Alpha & Omega (1997)
• Survival's Our Mission (2001)

Remixes

• Roy Davis Jr.: Heart Attack (Phuture’s Mix) (1994)
• DJ Pierre: Matrix Chamber (Phuture 303 Deep Underground Mix) (1999)
• Zzino vs. Filterheadz: No Weapons (Phuture 303 Remix) (2002)

External links

• Deejay Booking - Phuture
• Discogs.com - Phuture
• Acid Tracks review at Head Heritage