Author: DjPaulT

July 26, 2025

Burning The Ground Turns 15!

🔥 Celebrating a Decade and a Half of Remix Resurrection 🔥

Fifteen years ago, Burning The Ground lit its first digital spark—and what a fire it’s become. What started as a personal passion project to share rare 12″ remixes from the golden age of vinyl has grown into a global community of collectors, remix lovers, nostalgia seekers, and music obsessives who all share one thing: a love for the long version.

🎧 A Labor of Love
Back in 2010, the mission was simple: to preserve and share the extended, often-forgotten dance mixes that defined the club culture of the 1980s and 1990s. These weren’t just versions of songs—they were whole experiences: dub breakdowns, vocal reworks, synth passages, re-edits that transformed hits into epics.

Each post has been lovingly curated, ripped from original vinyl, cleaned, edited, and presented with the kind of detail and respect these mixes deserve. And over the years, it’s become more than just a blog—it’s an archive, a time capsule, and a celebration of music that was never meant to be forgotten.

📀 Highlights From The Journey

- Thousands of 12″ singles digitized and shared
- Countless rare promo-only and remix service exclusives uncovered
- Deep dives into artists from chart-toppers to one-hit wonders
- Special themed events—Disco Fridays, Halloween Mixes, Pride Month sets, and more
- H Fridays, Halloween Mixes, Pride Month sets, and more
- A community of passionate readers who keep the comments section alive with memories, trivia, and appreciation

💿 Why It Still Matters
In a world of compressed streams and algorithm-fed playlists, Burning The Ground remains proudly analog at heart. These remixes weren’t designed for shuffle—they were crafted for the dancefloor, the roller rink, the after-hours crowd. They were about movement, sweat, seduction, and story. And they deserve to be heard again, in full fidelity.

🙏 Thank You
To everyone who’s ever visited, downloaded, commented, or shared a post—you are the reason this blog still burns bright. Your support, encouragement, and shared love for this music keeps me going, even through personal challenges, recovery periods, and the changing tides of the internet.

A special thank you to those of you who’ve been with me since the beginning. Your loyalty, kindness, and connection over these 15 years have meant more than I can ever put into words.

Here’s to 15 years of basslines, breakdowns, and bonus beats—and to many more ahead.

Love & Light, Let’s keep dancing.

—Paul

July 25, 2025

D&M – On The Shelf (US 12″ Promo) (1978)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date May 10, 2011

Pure pop-disco heaven from America’s favorite siblings — Donny & Marie Osmond! Today’s Disco Friday spotlight shines on their glittery, feel-good groove “On The Shelf,” a rare 12″ promo single released in 1978 on Polydor Records.

This infectious tune marked a key moment in Osmond history: it became the final song by any Osmond to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1970s, peaking at #38. While disco was ruling the airwaves and the Osmonds’ chart reign was winding down, Donny and Marie took one last dazzling swing at pop radio—and it stuck.

Originally featured in the duo’s 1978 big-screen misfire Goin’ Coconuts, “On The Shelf” was a highlight in an otherwise forgettable film. The movie bombed at the box office, effectively ending their Hollywood hopes. Ironically, around this same time, Marie Osmond was offered the lead role of Sandy in the smash hit Grease—but turned it down, reportedly uncomfortable with the film’s message of “tarting yourself up to get the guy.” She passed on Grease… but said yes to Coconuts.

Still, the late ’70s were prime time for the duo, thanks to their hit ABC variety series Donny & Marie, which ran from 1976 to 1979 and cemented their place in pop culture. And while the movie fizzled, “On The Shelf” stood on its own as a tightly produced disco-pop nugget—full of sweet harmonies, swirling strings, and that unmistakable Osmond charm.

🕺 The 12″ promo release contains the same version on both sides—but it’s become a collectible oddity for disco DJs and Osmond completists alike.

Both Donny and Marie would go on to future chart success—Donny with a surprise pop comeback in 1989–90, and Marie hitting the country charts in the mid-‘80s—but “On The Shelf” remains their glittering farewell to the disco decade.

The track duration on the label is incorrect. The actual track time is 4:17.

SIDE A:
On The Shelf 4:17
Arranged By – John D’Andrea
Written-By – Peter Yellowstone, Steve Voice

SIDE AA:
On The Shelf 4:17
Arranged By – John D’Andrea
Written-By – Peter Yellowstone, Steve Voice

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1978	On The Shelf	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#38

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor – PRO 054
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: Electronic
Style: Disco

CREDITS:

Producer – Michael Lloyd

NOTES:
For Programming Use Only
Promotional Copy Not For Sale

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: 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:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

July 24, 2025

Icehouse – Cross The Border (Steel Love) (US 12″) (1986)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio restoration

Original post date: August 28, 2011

In 1986, Australian synth-rockers Icehouse—led by the enigmatic Iva Davies—were continuing their push into international territory with the album Measure for Measure. Known for their sleek, moody blend of synth-pop and new wave, Icehouse struck a particularly sharp chord with the track “Cross The Border”, a politically tinged song reworked and remixed specifically for U.S. audiences as “Cross The Border (Steel Love).”

Released on a rare U.S. 12″, this version features three exclusive remixes that never appeared on commercial singles or retail releases—making it a must-have for collectors and remix enthusiasts alike.

🔥 A Steel-Edged Makeover
The standout here is the Dance Mix—a 6:33 reimagining that brings the track into club territory with an extended intro, added percussion, and more space between the instrumentation. While the original album version is sleek and dramatic, this mix ups the tempo and emphasizes the track’s rhythmic foundation—perfect for mid-’80s dance floors and underground new wave clubs.

Also included is a Dub Version, clocking in at 5:41. This remix strips away most of the vocals and rides the instrumental elements, highlighting the track’s haunting synth lines and atmospheric guitar work. It’s a darker, moodier version that plays like a lost remix from an early Bill Laswell session.

The Single Version rounds out the set—a slightly edited form tailored for radio, with all the hooks intact and just enough polish to slide into a late-night rotation next to the likes of Simple Minds, The Fixx, or Peter Gabriel.

While “Cross The Border” never became a major chart hit, this U.S. 12″ reveals how labels were willing to repackage and remix deeper album cuts for a chance at radio or club crossover. The subtitle “Steel Love” gives the song a harder, more industrial flavor, and the remixes here only reinforce that steel-edged aesthetic.

As with many Icehouse tracks from this era, there’s a cinematic quality to the production—thanks in part to David Lord, who co-produced Measure for Measure and brought his atmospheric touch (having worked with Peter Gabriel and XTC). “Cross The Border” might not be one of Icehouse’s better-known singles, but in remix form, it becomes a totally new experience—one that fits right in with the darker, dancefloor-oriented direction many bands explored in the mid-’80s.

SIDE A:
Cross The Border (Steel Love) (Dance Mix) 6:33

SIDE B:
Cross The Border (Steel Love) (Dub Version) 6:09
Cross The Border (Steel Love) (Single Version) 4:19

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	Cross The Border (Steel Love)	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#19

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Chrysalis – 4V9 43062
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Stereo, Pitman Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Leftfield, Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Lacquer Cut By [Runout Etch ✩] – Greg Calbi
Producer – Rhett Davies
Remix – Michael Brauer*
Written-By – I. Davies*, B. Kretschmer*

NOTES:
Original version on the LP “Measure for Measure” #BFV 41527.
Remixed for MHB Productions.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

July 22, 2025

Burning The Ground Remembers: Ozzy Osbourne (1948–2025)

The world has lost one of the most iconic, unpredictable, and uncompromising voices in rock history. Ozzy Osbourne, the so-called Prince of Darkness, passed away at the age of 76, just weeks after taking his final bow in his hometown of Birmingham, England.

Ozzy’s death brings the curtain down on a career that defied rules, labels, and expectations. For us here at Burning The Ground, where extended mixes and rare pressings help keep history alive, it’s hard to overstate what Ozzy and Black Sabbath meant—not just to rock, but to music culture as a whole.

A Farewell Worthy of a Legend
Ozzy’s final performance came earlier this month on July 5th at Villa Park—aptly titled “Back to the Beginning.” Billed as his last-ever concert, it brought the original Black Sabbath lineup together one last time: Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. Even with his ongoing health battles—Parkinson’s disease and limited mobility—Ozzy delivered an emotionally raw, thunderous set, performing seated atop a gothic throne.

The setlist was a masterclass in heaviness: “War Pigs,” “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” “Children of the Grave,” “Fairies Wear Boots,” and of course, his solo anthem “Crazy Train.” This wasn’t just a sendoff—it was a declaration. Ozzy didn’t go quietly.

The show was streamed live to a global audience and raised over £140 million for Parkinson’s and youth mental health causes.

Beyond the Bat Myths: A Cultural Force
To reduce Ozzy to the bat-biting antics and MTV soundbites would be to miss the full scope of his legacy. Born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, Birmingham, he helped invent heavy metal when he fronted Black Sabbath in 1968. Their debut album redefined what rock music could sound like—darker, slower, heavier—and Paranoid (1970) remains one of the most influential records of all time.

After Sabbath, Ozzy’s solo career burned just as brightly. From Blizzard of Ozz to No More Tears, his collaborations with guitarists like Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde gave us some of the most anthemic, adrenaline-pumping rock of the ’80s and ’90s.

For those of us who came of age digging through import 12″ bins and watching 120 Minutes, Ozzy was always there—the voice in the distance, the howl in the night. He didn’t need a dance remix. He was the remix: raw, wild, and totally original.

Coming Soon: Back to the Beginning in Theaters
Ozzy’s final concert was filmed and will hit theaters in early 2026 as Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow. For fans who couldn’t witness it live, this will be a chance to say goodbye properly—to raise the horns one last time and celebrate the man who brought heavy music out of the underground and into the mainstream.

Final Thoughts from the Ground
Ozzy’s passing feels like the end of a chapter we all thought would never close. In an age where so much of music feels algorithmic and overprocessed, he remained defiantly real—unfiltered, loud, and gloriously imperfect.

Here on Burning The Ground, we dig into the grooves of forgotten formats, spin the long versions, and honor the strange, glorious detours of music history. Ozzy was one of those wild detours—a punk in platform boots, a metal godfather, and a reality show dad who somehow made it all make sense.

Rest in power, Ozzy. May your riffs echo through eternity, and may the next world have amps that go to eleven.

Paul / Burning The Ground