Phuture
Encyclopedia
Phuture 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 single
s. 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 pseudonym
s, generally using the substitution of ph or pf for f. For example, the name Phortune or Pfortune.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
group founded in 1985 by Spanky, DJ Pierre
DJ Pierre
DJ Pierre is the stage name of Nathaniel Pierre Jones, a Chicago born DJ and performer of house music. He helped to develop the house music subgenre of Acid House, as member of Phuture, whose 1987 E.P...
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
Roland TB-303
The Roland TB-303 Bass Line is a bass synthesizer with built-in sequencer manufactured by the Roland corporation from late 1981 to 1984 that had a defining role in the development of contemporary electronic music.-History:...
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
Ron Hardy
Ron Hardy was an instrumental DJ in the development of house music. An innovator and originator of the genre, he is highly regarded not only for his iconic performances at the Muzic Box, a Chicago house music club, but for his pioneering edits and mixes of disco, soul music, funk and early house...
'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 single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
s. 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
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
addiction
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
, or a simple chant, such as on "Spirit" (1994).
The group also recorded under several pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s, generally using the substitution of ph or pf for f. For example, the name Phortune or Pfortune.
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)
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)
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)