Category: Sparks

Sparks – Music That You Can Dance To (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Music That You Can Dance To” is the first single taken from the fourteenth studio album of the same name by American pop band Sparks. The single only charted in the United States where it peaked at #6 on the Billboard Dance Chart.

The song also appeared on the soundtrack for the 1986 American film about BMX racing “Rad”.

The U.S. 12″ contains alternate remixes than what appeared on the U.K. 12″.

SIDE A:
Music That You Can Dance To (LP Version) 4:23
Music That You Can Dance To (Mini Version) 2:32

SIDE B:
Music That You Can Dance To (Club Version) 6:34
Remix – Dan Lacksman, Marc Moulin

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Mint (generic)

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1986 Music That You Can Dance To U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #6

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– MCA-23640, Curb Records ‎– MCA-23640
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Written-By, Producer – Ron Mael, Russell Mael

NOTES:
A1: From the “Rad” Soundtrack and the upcoming Sparks LP, “Music That You Can Dance To”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp:
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube:
Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard:
Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Sparks – Music That You Can Dance To (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Music That You Can Dance To” is the first single taken from the fourteenth studio album of the same name by American pop band Sparks. The single only charted in the United States where it peaked at #6 on the Billboard Dance Chart.

SIDE A:
Music That You Can Dance To (U.K. Extended Club Version) 6:29
Written-By – Ron Mael, Russell Mael

SIDE B:
Fingertips (Extended Club Version) 6:35
Written-By – C. Paul*, H. Cosby*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1986 Music That You Can Dance To U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #6

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Consolidated Allied Records ‎– TOONT 2
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design – Michael Diehl
Photography By – Rocky Schenck
Producer – Ron Mael, Russell Mael
Remix – Steve Bates
Technician [Production Assistant] – John Thomas (5)

NOTES:
Track A remixed at Allied Artists Studios, Santa Fe Springs, California.

Track B remixed at Laramie Sound Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Pressed at Damont Audio Limited.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp:
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube:
Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard:
Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Sparks – All You Ever Think About Is Sex (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“All You Ever Think About Is Sex” was the second single released from the album In Outer Space by American rock band Sparks. The single was remixed for it’s single release but failed to chart. The b-side is a remixed version of the album track; “Dance Godammit”.

SIDE A:
All You Ever Think About Is Sex (12″ Club Version) 5:06

SIDE B:
Dance Godammit (12″ Club Version) 4:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic ‎– 0-86990
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Art Direction – Larry Vigon
Engineer – Dan Lacksman
Management [Personal] – Joseph Fleury
Photography By – Jim Shea
Producer, Written-By – Ron Mael, Russell Mael
Remix – Brian Reeves

NOTES:
Produced for Giorgio Moroder Enterprises Ltd.
Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York.
Printed in U.S.A.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp:
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube:
Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard:
ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Sparks And Jane Wiedlin – Cool Places (France 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

A. Front

“Cool Places” is a song recorded by American duo Sparks in collaboration with Go-Go’s member Jane Wiedlin.

The song was released as the lead single for Sparks’s 1983 album In Outer Space. At the time Sparks were at their most popular in US, their two previous albums had dented the lower reaches of the Billboard 200 album chart. The single reached #49 on the Hot 100 in April 1983. The song’s success followed on from the success of their previous single and only other Hot 100 entry “I Predict”.

Sparks recorded “Lucky Me, Lucky You” with Jane Wiedlin for the same parent album. Jane Wiedlin also helped promote the album on tour and appeared at a few gigs to perform the duets.

The song is a bit of an anomaly in Sparks back catalogue, being one of the closest examples to a novelty song. Sparks have often been labelled a novelty act throughout their career. The song is at least representative of the style and content of their work in the mid eighties.

Wiedlin’s band, The Go-Go’s, performed the song on their 2006 tour, employing a more rock-driven style. The song continues to be a part of their live set.

SIDE A:
Cool Places (Long Mix) 4:40
Engineer – Brian Reeves
Vocals – Jane Wiedlin

SIDE B:
Sports 3:24
Engineer – Dan Lacksman

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1983 Cool Places U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #49
1983 Cool Places U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #13

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Underdog (5) ‎– 8245
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 45 RPM
Country: France
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer, Written-By – Ron Mael, Russell Mael

NOTES:
Produced for Giorgio Moroder Enterprises Ltd.

Jane Wiedlin, courtesy of I.R.S. Records, Inc.

Special version from the LP “IN OUTER SPACE”

Find the 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp:
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube:
Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard:
ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi