One of the most prolific and influential of the '80s electro artists, Miami- based producer Tony Butler recorded a string of popular club tracks on Power /Jam Packed and his own Music Specialist label in the mid-'80s, helping build the electro legacy that would give birth to Miami style bass music and freestyle (named after Butler's primary pseudonym), as well as influence '90s post-techno artists such as Autechre and Biochip C. Butler's earlier tracks under his own name are all electro classics, with singles such as "Fix It in the Mix", "Jam the Box" and "Get Some" exploring a thinner, more stripped-down sound similar to Man Parrish and Cybotron. Butler's tracks with Freestyle are perhaps the more well known, and include such club staples as "It's Automatic", "Don't Stop the Rock" and "The Party Has Begun". His more commercial, pop-oriented writing and production work with Trinere, Debbie Deb, and Shannon, however, remain his claim to fame. Butler continues to live and record in Miami.
Releases:
Computer Language (12") Music Specialists 1984
Fix It In The Mix (12") Music Specialists 1984
Fix It In The Mix (7") Disques Vogue 1984
Fix It In The Mix (12") Disques Vogue 1984
Jam The Box (12") Music Specialists 1984
Get Some (12") Music Specialists 1985
Will We Ever Learn? (12") Music Specialists 1985
Fix It In The Mix (12") Pandisc 1991
Jam The Box (12") Pandisc 1991
Fix It In The Mix (CD) Hot Associated Label 1997
Fix It In The Mix / Jam The Box (12") Hot Classics 1997
Remixes:
All Night (Remix) (12") All Night (Remix) Jam Packed, Blackout 1985
Alone At Last (12") Alone At Last (Pretty ... Pandisc 1992
Production:
Freestyle Classics 5 (12") When I Hear Music Not On Label
Freestyle (7") Disques Vogue 1983
The Christmas Rock (12") Music Specialists 1983
When I Hear Music (12") Jam Packed 1983
When I Hear Music (12") Sunnyview Records 1983
When I Hear Music (12") Sunnyview Records 1983
When I Hear Music (12") Sunnyview Records 1983
When I Hear Music (12") Jam Packed, Blackout 1983
Freestyle (12") Bellaphon Germany 1984
Lookout Weekend (12") Jam Packed 1984
All Night (Remix) (12") Jam Packed, Blackout 1985
Lookout Weekend (12") Jam Packed 1985
High Fashion Dance Music Vol. 3 (LP) I'll Be All You Ever Need High Fashion Music 1986
I'll Be All You Ever Need (12") TSR Music GmbH 1986
It's Automatic (12") Music Specialists 1986
Twenty Four / Seven (12") Jam Packed 1986
Power Trax (Cass) I'll Be All You Ever Need Power Records (Canada) 1987
Blackout Trax (LP) Lookout Weekend, Party... Blackout 1988
Can't Stop The Beat (12") Pandisc 1989
It's Automatic (12") It's Automatic (Vocal)... Pandisc 1989
Freestyle (CD) Pandisc 1990
Games (Promo) (12") Luke Records 1991
Games / No Matter What The Weather (12") Games (LP Version) Luke Records 1991
Plain and Simple (12") Pandisc 1991
Best Of Freestyle (CD) When I Hear Music Atlantic Records 1992
Rockin' To The Rhythm (Remix) (CD, Maxi) Pandisc 1992
Freestyle's Greatest Hits Volume 1 (CD) Lookout Weekend, I'll ... SPG Music Productions Ltd. 1993
Freestyle's Greatest Hits Volume 2 (CD) All Night, The Party's... SPG Music Productions Ltd. 1994
Old School Volume 5 (CD) Don't Stop The Rock Thump Records 1995
All Night / How Can We Be Wrong (12") Hot Classics 1997
Freestyle Greatest Beats: The Complete Collection Volume 08 (CD) When I Hear Music, I'l... Tommy Boy Music 1997
Freestyle Greatest Beats: The Complete Collection Volume 09 (CD) How Can We Be Wrong, I... Tommy Boy Music 1997
Lookout Weekend / When I Hear Music (12") Hot Classics 1997
Electro-Funk Essentials (CD) When I Hear Music (12"... Hip-O Records 1999
FabricLive. 24 - Diplo (CD) When I Hear Music Fabric (London) 2005
Mix:
If You Got A Lotta Booty (Buck 'Em Down) (12") Pandisc
Freestyle (7") Disques Vogue 1983
Freestyle (CD) Pandisc 1990
Appears On:
Don't Stop The Rock (12") Jam Packed
Summer Delight (12") Music Specialists 1983
When I Hear Music (12") Disques Vogue 1983
Are You Lost? (12") Music Specialists 1984
Fly Freestyle (12") Music Specialists 1984
I Know You Love Me (12") Jam Packed 1984
I Want You Back (12") Prelude 1984
The Party Has Begun (12") Music Specialists 1984
All Night (12") Jam Packed 1985
Can't Get Enough (12") Jam Packed 1985
Don't Stop The Rock (12") Music Specialists 1985
I Know You Love Me (12") Jam Packed 1985
How Can We Be Wrong (12") Jam Packed 1986
I Know You Love Me (12") Jam Packed 1986
Trinere (LP) Jam Packed 1986
I'm Searchin' (12") Jam Packed 1987
They're Playing Our Song (12") Jam Packed 1987
All Night (Promo) (12") Pandisc 1989
Don't Stop The Rock (12") Pandisc 1989
Love Ta Love Ya Baby: An NMS '93 Dance Compilation (LP) Rockin To The Rhythm New Music Seminar 1993
All Night (Greatest Hits) (CD) Hot Associated Label 1997
Little Sally Walker / Schemin' (12") Black Rhythm Records 1998
Tracks Appear On:
Street Jams: Electric Funk Part 3 (CD) Jam The Box Rhino Entertainment Company 1994
Street Jams: Electric Funk Parts 1-4 (4xCD) Jam The Box Rhino Entertainment Company 1994
History Of Miami Bass (CD) Fix It In The Mix K-Tel International (USA), Inc. 1995
Electro Funk Volume One (CD) Jam The Box Priority Records 1996
Electro Funk Volume Two (CD) Fix It In the Mix Priority Records 1996
Electro Vol. 1 (12") Jam The Box Harzfein 1996
Straight Up Detroit Shit Volume 5 (CD) Fix It In The Mix Electrofunk Records 1998
Vol. 4 (12") Jam The Box Miami Bass Classics 1998
Electro-Funk Essentials (CD) Will We Ever Learn? (1... Hip-O Records 1999
Breakdance Nation (CD) Fix It In The Mix, Jam... StreetBeat Records 2000
Greatest Hits (CD) Jam The Box, Fix It In... Pandisc 2002
FabricLive. 24 (Radio Mix) - Diplo (CD) Fix It In The Mix Fabric (London) 2005
Unofficial Releases:
Body Rock (2xLP) Jam The Box Not On Label
