Tag: David Essex

Michael Damian – Rock On (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

 

REQUEST

“Rock On” is a song that was composed and sung by English singer/songwriter David Essex in 1973. In March of 1974, it was a Top 5 song (reaching the #5 position) on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop-music chart. It was Essex’s only Billboard Top 40 hit.

“Rock On” was covered by soap opera star and singer Michael Damian in 1989 and featured in the teen film, Dream a Little Dream, starring Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, among others.

Damian’s version, which he also released from his independent album Where Do We Go From Here on the Cypress Records label, which A&M Records distributed, was a harder-edged interpretation that employed none of the vocal or instrumental distortion Essex’s version had used. It reached the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, thus outperforming Essex’s original Billboard ranking. However, the song did get to #1 for Essex in ’74 on the US Cashbox charts, the same week it was at #11 on the Billboard Charts.

This version was ranked #99 on VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s (despite the fact that Damian actually had four Billboard charting singles during the ’80s).

 

SIDE A:
Rock On (7″ Extended Dance Mix) 6:30
Rock On (12″ Power Re-Mix) 3:54

SIDE B:
Rock On (Original Dance Mix) 4:56

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near mint
Sleeve: Near mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1989 Rock On U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Cypress Records
Catalog#: SP-12308
Format: Vinyl, 12″
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Edited By – Manny Lehman (tracks: A1, A2)
Producer – Larry Weir , Michael Damian , Tom Weir
Remix – Manny Lehman (tracks: A1, A2) , Michael Damian (tracks: A1, A2) , Tom Weir (tracks: A1, A2)
Written By – D. Essex

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi