Does anyone have a scanned copy or perhaps know of a webpage that has a Wax Trax! catalog? I would like to get a copy of one somehow.
They used to send them to me in the mail and that’s how I found a lot of new bands. My friends used to laugh at the name of the band “1000 Homo DJs”. Years before I had ever even heard Supernaut I knew the band name. It was a joke amongst my friends. We’d ask, “What is a Homo DJ?” The answer was always, “I don’t know but there are 1000 of them.” Eventually it lead to my navy nickname “Harpo DJ”.
Anyway, aside from my stupid story, I would like to find a copy of the catalog if one exists.
Why are there two releases (Brian Eno and Strange Circuits) listed before Strike Under?
Yeah what is the official deal with those? i had heard they released some 7"s before strike under but why do most people consider that 12" the first wax trax release if these came out first?
Yeah. And more coming. I’ll try to get a few more updates to the site this weekend.
Cool, I check in there once in a while to see if those links are working yet! Don’t know if this idea has come up, but how about down the road streaming Wax Trax videos (YouTube embeds or otherwise) on the site? Wax Trax Radio would be cool, too, but then you get into webcasting and $$, probably a headache. Wish I could contribute in some way…maybe a shirt design (I’d wear one, anyway)?
I believe those two 7"s were small issue US versions of the UK releases. Not sure they were even really authorized. I’ll have to ask Brandt, as he’s the expert.
Youtube embeds wouldn’t be out of the question, but one step at a time… Still need to get all the tracklistings, band write ups, press releases, catalogs, etc. Hopefully a forum soon. Progress is slow, but definitely happening.
Ok. added some updates I’d been working on. Check out the “Catalogs/Press Releases” section for most of them. Guaranteed at least a couple things you’ve never seen before.
Glad you guys seem to be enjoying the site. There is definitely more to come… what Bisquit has posted thus far is the tip of the iceberg (as far as my collection is concerned). We have a lot of work ahead of us.
Regarding Brian Eno and Strange Circuits… those are definitely legitimate Wax Trax! releases (I own both of them.) But I have never seen an explanation as to why they aren’t acknowledged as such. I get the impression that Rodney Baker - the main man behind Strange Circuits - felt that his band did not receive the recognition they deserved. But at least they’re getting some credit now. If you’re interested in learning more about Rodney, he has a MySpace page (and is still Chicago-based).
On a semi-related note: Rodney claims that Al swiped Steven George from Strange Circuits. And I don’t doubt that for one second.
On a semi-related note: Rodney claims that Al swiped Steven George from Strange Circuits. And I don’t doubt that for one second.
that’s funny. just saw this quote online:
"The story goes that Al came to a Strange Circuits show at the Cubby Bear Club in Chicago and invited us to his home after the show, he even introduced his mother to us, a month later Steve disappeared and stopped coming to rehearsals we went to his house one night and he told us he had left us to be with Al. At the time when Strange Circuits was doing an all electronic trio act with no live drummer we used a korg “KR 55"drum machine. AL was in a rock band called Special Effect which did Duran Duran type stuff but after he saw Strange Circuits he changed direction took our concept and band member, and the rest is History.”
-brandtrax, i just realized that you are the bastard that outbids me on pretty much anything wax trax related on ebay over the years! someday i will sneak something from you ; )
My apologies, Fish. No hard feelings I hope. But I do take the collection quite seriously… I’ve been at it for thirteen years at this point.
The good news is that, in time, the entire collection will be scanned or photographed and posted on the Web site for everyone to appreciate. As I wrote previously, what’s there now is barely the tip of the iceberg… its the tip of the tip. I’ve got probably 50 or 60 rare posters, hundreds of t-shirts, test pressings that were once-in-a-lifetime finds. So yeah… there’s a lot more to come.
hehe no it’s all good man. I’m not a die hard collector like you (although i have a decent collection), just seen a few things here and there that i missed out on and just remembered the username. but i figure someday you’ll have everything and then i won’t be outbid anymore (i’ll pray you don’t collect duplicates).
do you have a want list or anything for stuff you are looking for? what’s the most you’ve thrown down for a wax trax related item if i may ask? i assume that 242 test press i saw recently on ebay has to be up there at $200+ right?
If I spot something really rare, I’ll often pick up a second copy. It depends on the cost and the rarity of the piece… it’s difficult to quantify. I had the good fortune of growing up just outside of Chicago in the 1990s, so I came across lots of interesting rarities in local stores, and many of them were inexpensive. This was pre-eBay, of course. One funny story is that, around 1996, I found two copies of the KMFDM “Apart” test pressing within a week of each other.
As far as the most I’ve thrown down… that’s a difficult question. The Front 242 “Official Version” test pressing was definitely expensive by my standards… but I’m accustomed to that with anything 242-related (sub-question: Where do these 242 fans get all this fucking money?) About a decade ago, I spent a few hundred on a collection of original backstage passes that came direct from a Wax Trax! veteran who worked on those tours. But that’s the exception to the rule, typically.
PS: That Summer 1997 picture with the dude was from when TVT first bought out Wax Trax! (and ran it into the ground, hrmh)… The guy with the milk was one of the cooler people that worked over there. There was a series of pictures taken with hot employees covered in milk. Heh.