Tag: Stephen Lipson

January 3, 2018

Pet Shop Boys – Left To My Own Devices (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

“Left to My Own Devices” is a song recorded by Pet Shop Boys, released as the second single from their third studio album, Introspective.

The single fared better than the album’s lead single, “Domino Dancing”, charting three positions higher in the UK Singles Chart, at Number 4. It became the first track that Pet Shop Boys recorded with an orchestra, arranged by Richard Niles. Since its release, it has become a staple of Pet Shop Boys live performances.

In the U.S. the single only managed to rech #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. “Left To My Own Devices” was a bigger hit in U.S. dance clubs peaking at #8 on the Billboard Dance Chart.

SIDE A:
Left To My Own Devices (The Disco Mix) 11:28
Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor – Richard Niles
Remix – Robin Hancock, Stephen Lipson, Trevor Horn
Vocals [Additional] – Bruce Woolley, Sally Bradshaw

SIDE B:
Left To My Own Devices 4:46
Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor – Richard Niles
Vocals [Additional] – Bruce Woolley

The Sound Of The Atom Splitting 3:29
Engineer [Assistant] – Renny Hill
Written-By – Lipson*, Tennant/Lowe*, Horn*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	Left To My Own Devices	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#84
1988	Left To My Own Devices	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#8
1988	Left To My Own Devices	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#25

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI-Manhattan Records ‎– V-56121, EMI USA ‎– V-56121
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Arranged By, Producer – Stephen Lipson, Trevor Horn
Design – Mark Farrow, Pet Shop Boys
Engineer –Stephen Lipson
Engineer [Assistant] – Danton Supple
Photography By – Michael Roberts (6)
Written-By – Tennant and Lowe* (tracks: A, B1)

NOTES:
Mark Farrow at Three Associates
Printed in U.S.A.

Find the 12″ on 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

September 15, 2017

Propaganda – p: Machinery (Polish) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“p:Machinery” is the third single by German new wave/synthpop band Propaganda, released in 1985. The song is taken from their debut album A Secret Wish. The song reached the top 10 in various countries across Europe, including France and Italy, but was most successful in Spain, where it peaked at number 1. In the US, the song reached the top 10 on the dance chart.

SIDE A:
p: Machinery (Polish) 9:22
Vocals – Claudia Brücken

SIDE B:
p: Machinery (Passive) 3:45
Vocals – Claudia Brücken

Frozen Faces 5:28
Vocals – Susanne Freytag

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	p: Machinery	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#10
1985	p: Machinery	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#20

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Island Records ‎– 602 014-213, ZTT ‎– 602 014-213, Island Records ‎– 602 014, ZTT ‎– 602 014
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Europe
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Mixed By [Mixed And Matched] – Lipson*, Horn*
Music By [Additional Music Written] – Brücken*, Freytag*
Music By [Words By] – Dorper*
Music By [Written By] – Mertens*
Painting – Anton Corbijn
Performer [With Contributions From] – The Big Bath Brass Boys*, David Sylvian, Derek Forbes, Moritz V. Oswald*
Photography By [Parque] – John Stoddart (2)
Photography By [Practical] – Tony Latham
Producer – S. J. Lipson*
Sleeve [Packaged] – The London Design Partnership

Find the 12″ on 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 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

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

March 29, 2017

Propaganda – Duel (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“Duel” is the second single by German pop group Propaganda. The song was included on their first album, A Secret Wish.

Released in the United Kingdom in April 1985, it became their most successful single in the UK, reaching no. 21. This led to the band making their sole appearance on the flagship BBC music programme, Top of the Pops, in June of that year.

“Duel” was originally released with an alternative version of the track, “Jewel (Rough Cut)” as the B-side. This featured the same lyrics delivered in a more aggressive manner over a backing track of heavy beats and industrial sound effects.

SIDE A:
Duel (Bitter Sweet) 7:38

SIDE B:
Jewel (Cut Rough) 6:55

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: ZTT ‎– 12 ZTAS 8
Series: Action Series – 8
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 07 Apr 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer [Junior] – Bobby Kraushar*
Executive-Producer [Zang Tuum Tumb’s Musical Director Is…] – Trevor Horn
Painting – Anton Corbijn
Photography By – David Levine (11), Peter Brown (23)
Producer – S.J. Lipson*
Programmed By – Michael Mertens
Sleeve [Designed By] – The London Design Partnership, Z.T.T.*
Vocals – Claudia Brücken, Susanne Freytag
Written-By – Brücken*, Mertens*, Dorper*

NOTES:
Label copy: “The Third Side ‘Face To Face’ / The Fourth Will Have You On Your Knees ‘Tooth For A Tooth'”

Sleevenotes (edited):
“Susanne compels her boyfriend to do infamous things, Ralf loves flowers and certain smells. Claudia takes an interest in shocking and disgusting things, Michael’s ambition is to compose an immortal Hymn.”

“Michael Mertens: writing, programming, identifying, demonstrating. Ralf Dorper: writing, pursuing, defining, translating. Claudia Brücken: singing, writing, corrupting, raging. Susanne Freytag: embracing, accumulating, singing, demanding. This is Propaganda: their ambition is to make some repairs. What motivates them? Error, and terror.”

“Photography by David Levine (screams) and Peter Brown (skin shots) captured at various times in different rooms in the East End of London. Painting of the Beaten Heart by Anton Corbijn, snatched from inside the body. Propaganda Management: Keith Bourton at Heavenly Management. Catalogue number 12 ZTAS 8 (making it number eight in Z.T.T.’s concerned Action Series).

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

November 16, 2015

Pet Shop Boys – It’s Alright (The Alternatives) (UK 10″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

“It’s Alright” is the 13th single from Pet Shop Boys and was released in the UK by Parlophone Records on 26 June 1989. It reached number 5 in the UK and, as of February 2009, it is the Pet Shop Boys’ 8th best-selling single. The song was originally written and performed by Sterling Void & Paris Brightledge and came to the attention of Pet Shop Boys on a house compilation.

The lyrics list a wide variety of serious political issues in the headlines at the time (“Dictation enforced in Afghanistan, revolution in South Africa taking a stand…”), and then offers the positive message of the title—that on its “timeless wavelength”, “music is our life’s foundation”, it “shall last” and ultimately “succeed all the nations to come”.

On the 10″ single there are additional lyrics with Neil Tennant speaking: “there’s a boy standing by a river, there’s a girl lying with her lover, there’s a statesman standing at a crossroads, there’s a soldier polishing his gun”.

SIDE A:
It’s Alright 4:44

SIDE B:
It’s Alright (Extended Dance Mix) 10:30

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Parlophone ‎– 10R 6220
Format: Vinyl, 10″, Single, Limited Edition, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: Jun 1989
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: House, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve Designed By] – Mark Farrow
Engineer – Julian Mendelsohn, Stephen Lipson
Mixed By – Julian Mendelsohn
Percussion – Danny Cummings
Producer – Pet Shop Boys, Stephen Lipson, Trevor Horn
Vocals [Additional] – Tessa Niles
Written-By – Sterling Void

NOTES:
“Limited edition contains free poster”

“These two alternative versions of It’s Alright were recorded in January, 1989 and are available only on this limited edition ten-inch disc.”

Designed at 3a.

Find the 10″ on DISCOGS

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

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