Track Record (a.k.a. Track Records) was founded in 1966 in London by Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, then managers of the rock group The Who. It was one of the first British-owned independent record labels in the United Kingdom. The most successful artists whose work appeared on the Track label were The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Thunderclap Newman and Golden Earring. The label ceased operations in 1978 but was revived in 1999. Background Track was originally intended to provide more creative freedom for the Who, but according to Stamp, at the end of 1966, he and Lambert were spurred to set up Track in order to get involved with new arrival from the United States, Jimi Hendrix. Even though Hendrix was not in need of management (as he had already signed an agreement with Chas Chandler) he was in need of a UK label. Lambert and Stamp had already grappled with the rigid confines of the established record companies. In 1966, they were involved in a court battle to release The Who from an onerous contract with producer Shel Talmy and the Decca Records (US) and Brunswick (UK) labels. At this time, Lambert and Stamp started releasing the Who's records in the United Kingdom on Robert Stigwood's Reaction Records label. Both Track and Reaction were very much reliant upon distribution support in the United Kingdom from the large Polydor Records label based in Germany. Polydor's involvement with these two small labels can be seen as its learning process about the rock music market. Polydor was interested in expanding its base beyond easy listening and ballads. Its best known artist at the time was Bert Kaempfert. History 1966–1969 Hendrix' first single "Hey Joe" was intended for release by Track, but since the label was not yet fully in operation it was first released in the United Kingdom on Polydor in December 1966. His second single "Purple Haze", released on 17 March 1967, was the first Track Records single and Are You Experienced was the first LP. These and other Hendrix recordings released by Track were licensed to Reprise Records in the United States. The first Who single on Track was "Pictures of Lily" released in April 1967. The same year Track also issued the Who singles "The Last Time" and "I Can See for Miles" and the LP The Who Sell Out. The Who