Month: March 2020

March 19, 2020

Billy Idol – To Be A Lover (Rock N’ Roll Mix) (Australia 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

NEW 2020 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Originally posted: March 25, 2013

“To Be a Lover” is a song notably covered by Billy Idol on his 1986 album Whiplash Smile. As the album’s lead single, it became Idol’s second top ten hit in the US, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song was written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones and originally performed by Bell as a soul ballad titled “I Forgot to Be Your Lover”, released in late 1968 and hitting No. 45 on the Hot 100 and No. 10 on Billboard′s Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in early 1969.

In 1986, the track was again reworked and became the second high-profile cover Billy Idol released as a single, after 1981’s “Mony Mony”. Idol would later top the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 7 UK), with a live version of “Mony Mony” in 1987. The single was backed by Whiplash Smile album track “All Summer Single”. Two different 12″ singles were also released worldwide (1x UK and 1x Australia), featuring the aforementioned track and two extended remixes of “To Be a Lover (Mother of Mercy Mix)” and “Rock’n’Roll Mix” (Australia only). The “Mother of Mercy Mix” differs quite significantly from the single version; it is a harder sounding song, with a prominent heavy guitar riff dominating most of the track and an ‘interlude’ with distorted female groans. It is this version that is featured on the remix compilation album Vital Idol 1987 US/1988 Japan editions. The UK 12″ was also released as a limited-edition picture disc.

**”Rock N’ Roll Mix” is exclusive to this 12″

SIDE A:
To Be A Lover (Rock N’ Roll Mix) 7:10
Remix – Tom Lord-Alge

SIDE B:
To Be A Lover (Mother Of Mercy Mix) 6:45
All Summer Single 4:32

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	To Be A Lover	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#6
1986	To Be A Lover	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#2

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Chrysalis ‎– X 14449
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM, Limited Edition
Country: Australia & New Zealand
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Mixed By – Gary Langan
Photography By [Back Cover] – Albert Sanchez
Photography By [Front Cover] – David Kennedy (10)
Producer – Keith Forsey
Sleeve [Design] – Olinsky*, Gorman*
Written-By – B. Idol* (tracks: B2), Booker T. Jones (tracks: A, B1), William Bell (tracks: A, B1)

NOTES:
Original version appears on Chrysalis Album “WHIPLASH SMILE”

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
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/Dither: 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)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

March 18, 2020

Go West – We Close Our Eyes (Total Overhang Mix) (Australia 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“We Close Our Eyes” is a song by British pop band Go West, composed by both members Peter Cox and Richard Drummie. Recognizable by its synthesizer hook, it was the first single from their début album Go West.

The single was promoted by a music video directed by Godley & Creme.[1] This video included Cox, Drummie and the guitarist Alan Murphy, performing the song in front of dancing wooden artist mannequins.

“We Close Our Eyes” spent fourteen weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 5 in April 1985. In the United States, the single reached 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 5 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

**”We Close Our Eyes (Total Overhang Dub Mix)” is exclusive to the Australia and New Zealand releases of the 12″ single.

SIDE A:
We Close Our Eyes (Total Overhang Club Mix) 6:41

SIDE B:
We Close Our Eyes (Total Overhang Dub Mix) 5:56
Missing Persons 5:24

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	We Close Our Eyes	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#41
1985	We Close our eyes	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	#5

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Chrysalis ‎– X 14166, Chrysalis ‎– CHS 12 2850
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Limited Edition
Country: Australia
Released: Apr 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Illustration [Illustrations] – Nick Hardcastle
Lacquer Cut By – P*
Producer – Gary Stevenson
Remix – Julian Mendelsohn
Written-By – Peter Cox, Richard Drummie

NOTES:
Release date: 15 April 1985

Tracks B2 & B3: Taken from the album and chrome cassette “Go West”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

March 17, 2020

Wham! – The Edge Of Heaven (Japan 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“The Edge of Heaven” is a song by English pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1986. It was written and produced by George Michael, one half of the duo, and was promoted in advance as Wham!’s farewell single.

With the known desire of George Michael to move into a more adult market, Wham! had announced in the spring of 1986 that Michael and his musical partner Andrew Ridgeley would go their separate ways after a farewell single, album and concert. The album was called The Final and the concert was held in front of 72,000 fans at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday 28 June 1986. Prior to the official release date of the single, the song had been performed during their 1985 “Whamamerica!” tour.

The single, a five-minute tale of emotional and physical frustration within a relationship, was a slick and upbeat — albeit harder-edged than earlier works — a pop tune which became the fourth and final No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart (and the final US Top Ten hit, reaching #10) for the duo. Elton John, a friend of Michael and Ridgeley, played piano on the track.

Michael has said the lyrics to the song were “deliberately and overtly sexual, especially the first verse”. The reason for this, he says, was he thought no one would care “because no one listens to a Wham! lyric. It had got to that stage.”

Epic released a double record set in the UK, with an updated version of Wham!’s early signature song “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)” on the flip of disc one, and two new songs – “Battlestations” and a cover of the Was (Not Was) song “Where Did Your Heart Go?”—on the flip of the second disc. “Where Did Your Heart Go?” was later given equal billing and reached a lowly position in the UK Top 40 as a result.

In the United States, “The Edge of Heaven” was backed with a live version of “Blue” from Wham!’s tour of China. “Where Did Your Heart Go?” was released separately as the follow-up and the fourth and last single from Music from the Edge of Heaven (the shortened American version of The Final), and charted at #50 (backed with “Wham! Rap ’86”).

**As a special bonus track, I have added the mega-rare “Extended Edit” of “Battlestations” which should have been released as a single in my opinion. The track is remixed and edited by Steven Bourasa for the Hot Tracks remix service.

SIDE A:
The Edge Of Heaven 4:31
Written-By – G. Michael*

SIDE B:
Where Did Your Heart Go? 5:41
Written-By – Don Was & Dave Was*

BONUS TRACK:
Battlestations (Extended Edit) 6:36
Edited By – Steven Bourasa*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	The Edge Of Heaven	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#10
1986	The Edge Of Heaven	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#22

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic ‎– 12・3P-748
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: Japan
Released: 21 Jul 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer – Chris Porter
Producer, Arranged By – George Michael

NOTES:
Special thanks to Elton for The Edge Of Heaven

“Battlestations” taken from Hot Tracks Series 5, Issue 11

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

March 16, 2020

ABC – How To Be A… Zillionaire! (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“(How to Be A) Millionaire” is a song by English new wave and synth-pop band ABC. It was the first single taken from their third studio album, How to Be a … Zillionaire!

The single peaked at a modest No. 49 on the UK Singles Chart, though it fared better in the US where it reached No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.

SIDE A:
How To Be A Zillionaire (Nickel & Dime Mix) 5:23
Mixed By –Julian Mendelsohn

SIDE B:
How To Be A Zillionaire (Bond Street Mix) 6:05

Tower Of London (Extended Version) 5:54
Mixed By –Julian Mendelsohn

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	How To Be A Millionaire	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#20
1985	How To Be A Millionaire	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#4

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury ‎– 884 382-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Arranged By – Mark White
Engineer [Engineered By] – Martyn Webster
Photography By – Nick Knight
Sleeve – Design KB*
Written-By, Producer [Produced By] – Mark White, Martin Fry

NOTES:
Original version from the Mercury album ABC – How To Be A Zillionaire!
The track is listed as “How To Be A… Zillionaire! on the front of the sleeve.

Track A mastered at Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, NYC.
Track B2 is listed on back sleeve as ‘Extended Mix’

ABC managed in U.S.A. by Nu-Visions Management Ltd.

Manufactured & marketed by Polygram Records, Inc., New York
Printed in U.S.A.

Find the 12” at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.