Month: May 2017

May 11, 2017

Duran Duran – Rio (Part 2) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

35 years of “RIO”!

“Rio” is the seventh single by Duran Duran. It was first released as a single in Australia, in August 1982, followed by a UK release on 1 November 1982.

The song was the fourth, final, and title single lifted from the band’s album of the same name, and was edited for its release. It was issued worldwide in January 1983 and became an immediate Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #9 on 11 December 1982.

“Rio” was released as the third single from the album in Australia, and debuted on the Kent Music Report top 100 singles chart dated 6 September 1982.

The song did not attract much notice in the United States upon its initial global release, but received very early airplay at highly influential KROQ in Los Angeles as early as 2 August 1982. After the band’s breakthrough hit “Hungry Like the Wolf” stormed MTV and scaled the American charts in December 1982, radio programmers paid closer attention to the catchy melody and insistent, intricate bass line of “Rio”, and Capitol Records reissued the single in March 1983 to great success as the band’s 2nd US top 20 hit.(peaking at #14)

It is one of the band’s most recognisable songs, mostly due to its famous music video, which is widely regarded as symbolic of 1980s glamour and excess.

The parent album “RIO” was released 35 years ago this week May 10, 1982.

SIDE A:
Rio (Part 2) 5:30

SIDE B:
Rio (Part 1) 5:11
My Own Way 4:37

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	Rio	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#14
1983	Rio	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#5

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12 EMI 5346
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Colin Thurston
Sleeve – Assorted iMaGes
Written-By – Duran Duran

NOTES:
Mastered at Town House

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: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/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

May 9, 2017

Eurythmics – Love Is A Stranger (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Love Is a Stranger” is the fifth single by the British rock/pop duo Eurythmics. Originally released in late 1982, the single was commercially unsuccessful, but it was rereleased in 1983 when it became a hit, reaching the UK Top Ten. The single was re-released again in 1991, to promote Eurythmics’ Greatest Hits album.

Originally released in November 1982 in the United Kingdom, the song reached a disappointing #54 on the singles chart. Following the huge success of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” the following year, the song was re-released and reached #6 in April 1983. In the United States, the song was the second single from the Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) album and it was released just as the title track reached number one. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #81 on 17 September 1983 and peaked at #23 on 12 November of that year. The song was in the charts for thirteen weeks.

The b-side for the 12″ release “Let’s Just Close Our Eyes” is a newly recorded version of “The Walk” with a more synth-oriented instrumentation and is exclusive to vinyl. The song blends into another non-LP track “Monkey, Monkey” therefore I made an artistic decision not to seperate the tracks in keeping with the original 12″ continuity. There is pleny of audio editing software if you want to seperate them yourself.

SIDE B:
Love Is A Stranger 3:36

SIDE B:
Let’s Just Close Our Eyes/Monkey, Monkey 9:30

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	Love Is A Stranger	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#23
1983	Love Is A Stranger	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#7

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA ‎– DAT 1, RCA ‎– PC 5525, RCA ‎– PB 5525
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: Nov 1982
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Mastered By – BilBo (3)
Other [Special Thanks To] – Alan Harrison
Photography By – Lewis Ziolek
Producer, Engineer – Adam Williams, David A. Stewart
Sleeve – Laurence Stevens
Written-By – Lennox*, Stewart*

NOTES:
“Let’s Just Close Our Eyes” (Special 12″ Bonus Track), appears on back of sleeve.
“Love Is A Stranger” from the LP “SWEET DREAMS (Are Made Of This)”.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

May 8, 2017

Big Country – Wonderland (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Wonderland” is a single-only release from Scottish band Big Country, released in the UK on 9 January 1984 between their first and second albums. It became a Top Ten hit for them in the UK, peaking at number 8, giving the band their third Top 10 entry. The song was included on all the band’s subsequent greatest hits collections, although it was never released on any of the band’s studio albums.

In the U.S. the song peaked at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100.

SIDE A:
Wonderland (Extended Version) 7:08

SIDE B:
Wonderland 3:58
Giant 5:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Wonderland	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#86
1984	Wonderland	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#48

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Phonogram ‎– COUNT 512
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 13 Jan 1984
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Bass – Tony Butler
Drums – Mark Brzezicki
Guitar – Bruce Watson
Photography By [Cover Photos] – Red Saunders (4)
Producer – Steve Lillywhite
Vocals, Guitar – Stuart Adamson
Written-By – Big Country

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

May 5, 2017

The Men A.K.A. The Human League – I Don’t Depend On You (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

“I Don’t Depend on You” is a disco-influenced song by the British synthpop group The Human League released under the pseudonym The Men. It was released as a single in the UK in February 1979, but failed to chart. It was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh; was produced by Colin Thurston and featured guest backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike (who later worked with Pink Floyd ).

After hastily signing the Human League in 1978 it became apparent to Virgin Records that the band were not very profitable, with none of their releases under Fast Records making any impact on the charts. Virgin began putting pressure on the group to justify their large advance signing fee. Pressure was put on Ware, Oakey and Marsh to abandon their no traditional instruments rule and use conventional instruments in an attempt to be more commercial and sell more records. Ware reluctantly agreed but insisted that any material recorded this way should be released under a pseudonym to ensure that it wasn’t confused with the pure electronic sound of The Human League. “I Don’t Depend on You” was the only product of this compromise with Virgin. It was recorded with the addition of session musicians and was released under the name The Men. The song also features the synth riff from debut single Being Boiled towards the end of the track. Afterwards the band were able to record tracks in their original style for Virgin. Before any further conventional style records could be recorded, the original Human League had split; Oakey then took the new reformed band down a different commercial and pop route.

Later, it would be commented on that in recording “I Don’t Depend on You” – two years prior to the arrival of schoolgirl vocalists Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall – Oakey, Ware and Marsh had already produced a Human League Mk 2-style track complete with commercial pop sound: Oakey’s vocal with female backing (with Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike providing the backing vocals).

The B-side, titled “Cruel”, is simply a remix of “I Don’t Depend on You” without Oakey’s vocals. “I Don’t Depend on You” received little promotion or airplay and did not chart. Re-releases on albums now credit the track as The Human League aka ‘The Men’.

SIDE A:
I Don’t Depend On You 4:31

SIDE B:
Cruel (Instrumental) 4:41

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – VS 26912
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1979
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop, Disco, Funk

CREDITS:
Management – Tunenoise Ltd*
Photography By – Mackertich*
Producer – Colin Thurston, The Men
Written-By – Marsh*, Ware*, Oakey*

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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