Author: DjPaulT

February 13, 2026

ABC – Valentine’s Day (Japan 7″) (1982)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date: February 13, 2014

Few debut albums in pop history have arrived as fully formed and sonically lavish as The Lexicon of Love by ABC. Released in 1982 and produced by Trevor Horn, the album was a masterclass in orchestral pop sophistication. While it spawned major international hits, one of its most intriguing and elusive singles was a Japan-only release: “Valentine’s Day.”

And what better excuse to spotlight this rarity than February 13th or 14th, depending on where you are. Consider this a special Burning the Ground Valentine — a deep cut pulled from the grooves rather than the greeting card aisle. ❤️

A Japanese-Only 7-Inch

Issued exclusively in Japan in 1982 on Mercury Records, “Valentine’s Day” appeared as a 7-inch single backed with “The Look Of Love (Part 3).” The single did not chart, and no music video was produced, making it a comparatively quiet release during an otherwise high-profile campaign for The Lexicon of Love.

But what truly elevates this pressing for collectors is the B-side.

The Dancefloor Connection

“The Look Of Love (Part 3)” is not simply an instrumental reprise — it is a dance-oriented remix by legendary remixer John Luongo. Known in the early ’80s for transforming pop tracks into extended club workouts, Luongo reimagined ABC’s lush pop classic into a more rhythm-driven, floor-friendly mix.

While the original album version of “The Look Of Love” leaned heavily into sweeping orchestration and romantic drama, Luongo’s remix emphasizes groove and propulsion. It strips back some of the ornate grandeur and highlights the rhythm section, making it tailor-made for early ’80s dance floors. For fans of 12-inch culture and remix history — something I know many of us live for — this version represents an important bridge between new wave sophistication and club sensibility.

“Valentine’s Day” — Romance Without Irony

The A-side, meanwhile, showcases a slightly different emotional tone. “Valentine’s Day” feels more earnest than some of the album’s sharper, more sardonic singles. Martin Fry’s theatrical delivery remains front and center, but the track leans into vulnerability rather than clever detachment.

Within the broader narrative arc of The Lexicon of Love, the song plays like a sincere confession amid the stylish heartbreak. It’s polished, dramatic, and impeccably arranged — yet emotionally exposed.

A Hidden Gem for Collectors

Because this single was issued only in Japan and never charted, it remains a fascinating curio in ABC’s discography. No video, no major promotion — just a beautifully pressed 7-inch pairing a heartfelt album cut with a bona fide dance remix by one of the era’s most respected club architects.

For collectors of international variations and remix history, this release captures something special: the moment when glossy British pop met American club culture on the flip side of a Japanese 45.

And sometimes, that’s where the most interesting stories are hiding — not always on the charts, but in the grooves.

SIDE A:
Valentine’s Day 3:41

SIDE B:
The Look Of Love (Part 3) 4:17

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury – 7PP-85
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: Japan
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Producer – Trevor Horn
Written-By, Performer – ABC

NOTES:
Side B remixed by John Luongo but not credited.
Made in Japan

Buy the 7″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.

February 12, 2026

King – Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (Heavy Times Mix) (US 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Before Love & Pride became a defining pop moment of 1985, King were already refining their bright, brassy brand of new wave soul. One of the key stepping stones in that ascent was “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now,” the third single lifted from their debut LP Steps In Time.

Originally released in 1984, the single failed to ignite immediately, reaching only #112 on the UK Singles Chart. At that point, King were still carving out their identity in a crowded mid-’80s pop landscape. Stylish? Absolutely. Catchy? Undeniably. But they hadn’t yet broken through.

Everything changed with the explosive success of “Love & Pride.” After that breakthrough hit stormed the charts, “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” was re-released in March 1985 and finally connected with a wider audience, climbing to #24 on the UK Singles Chart. It was proof that sometimes the public just needs a nudge — or a hit — to look back and discover what they missed.

Brass, Bounce, and Romantic Urgency

Musically, the track is quintessential King. Paul King’s distinctive vocal delivery balances urgency and vulnerability, while the band propels the song forward with punchy brass stabs, tight rhythm guitar, and polished keyboard textures. The production straddles late new romantic flair and the emerging sophisti-pop sheen that would define much of 1985’s radio sound.

At its core, the song is simple and relatable — a plea for reassurance, connection, and emotional grounding. Wrapped in vibrant instrumentation, that vulnerability becomes something celebratory rather than desperate.

A Treat for 12″ Collectors

For vinyl enthusiasts, the US 12″ single offers something particularly special. The two remixes featured on the B-side are exclusive to the American 12″ release, making it an essential pickup for serious King collectors. These extended versions stretch the groove beautifully, giving the brass and rhythm section more room to breathe while enhancing the track’s dancefloor appeal — a perfect example of how the 12-inch format could elevate an already strong pop single.

It’s details like these that make collecting so rewarding: alternate mixes, regional exclusives, and subtle production differences that tell their own story.

A Second Chance Well Earned

“Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” may not have exploded out of the gate, but its re-release success solidified King’s brief yet brilliant run in the mid-’80s spotlight. Alongside Love & Pride and the rest of Step In Time, it captures a moment when British pop was colorful, ambitious, and unapologetically stylish.

Sometimes all it takes is one big hit to make the world circle back — and realize what was there all along.

SIDE A:
Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (Heavy Times Mix) 7:49
Producer – Liam Henshall*

SIDE B:
Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (85 Reasons To Hold Hands Mix) 5:07
Producer – Richard James Burgess

Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (Dub Mix) 3:22
Producer – Richard James Burgess

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – King: *Won’t You Hold My Hand Now* (1984)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
UK Singles Chart	#24	1984
Australia (Kent Music Report)	#86	1984
Belgium (ultrapop)	#14	1984

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – 49 05286
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo, Pitman Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Photography By – Sheila Rock
Written-By – J. Lantsbery*, M. Roberts*, P. King*, T. Wall*

NOTES:
Also available King “Steps In Time” on Epic Records and Cassettes

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.

February 11, 2026

Heaven 17 – Penthouse And Pavement (UK 12″) (1981)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

On October 16, 1981, Heaven 17 released their fifth single, “Penthouse And Pavement,” the title track from their striking debut album of the same name. Though the single entered the UK Singles Chart on November 14, 1981 and reached a modest peak of #57, its transatlantic impact was far more significant in the clubs. In the United States, the track climbed to #19 on the Billboard Dance Chart, proving that Heaven 17’s sleek, politically charged funk resonated deeply on American dance floors.

Heaven 17 emerged from the ashes of The Human League when founding members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh split from the group in 1980. Determined to pursue a more musically ambitious and politically aware direction, they recruited vocalist Glenn Gregory, whose soulful delivery would become the perfect counterbalance to Ware and Marsh’s icy electronic architecture. The result was a sound that fused cutting-edge synth technology with the groove and sophistication of American R&B.

“Penthouse And Pavement” is perhaps the clearest early blueprint of that vision. Driven by a taut funk bassline and crisp electronic rhythms, the track pulses with confidence and style. The influence of American soul and funk is unmistakable, particularly in the call-and-response chorus featuring powerhouse backing vocalist Josie James — a formula the band would elevate to perfection two years later on their biggest hit, “Temptation.” Rhythm guitarist John Wilson adds a sharp, organic edge, helping bridge the gap between machine precision and human groove.

On the surface, “Penthouse And Pavement” feels like a sophisticated party anthem — all gloss, swagger, and late-night decadence. But beneath the polished exterior lies sharp social commentary. The lyrics explore class division and moral compromise, contrasting corporate luxury (“penthouse”) with street-level struggle (“pavement”). The song’s narrator wrestles with ambition and complicity, subtly critiquing the seductive pull of capitalism and the cost of climbing its ladder. This tension between desire and disillusionment would become a recurring theme in Heaven 17’s work, explored even more explicitly in 1983’s biting industrial critique, “Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry.”

What makes “Penthouse And Pavement” endure is that duality. It grooves hard enough to fill a dance floor, yet it demands you think while you move. It’s stylish but subversive. Slick but socially aware. In many ways, it encapsulates what made the Sheffield scene so vital in the early ’80s — electronic music with intelligence, purpose, and undeniable rhythm.

While it may not have been a massive UK chart success at the time, “Penthouse And Pavement” remains a cornerstone of the band’s catalog and a defining moment in early ’80s synth-funk — a track where politics met the dance floor and both walked away sharper for it.

SIDE A:
Penthouse And Pavement 6:58

SIDE B:
Penthouse And Pavement (Instrumental) 7:01

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Heaven 17: *Penthouse And Pavement* (1981)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#19	1981
UK Singles Chart	#59	1981

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – VS455-12
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Bilbo
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Electro, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Band [Heaven 17 Are], Synthesizer [Synthesisers], Piano – Martyn Ware
Band [Heaven 17 Are], Synthesizer [Synthsisers] – Ian Craig Marsh
Band [Heaven 17 Are], Vocals – Glenn Gregory
Composed By – Gregory*, Marsh*, Ware*
Engineer, Co-producer [Assistant To The Producers] – Peter Walsh
Guest [Guest Artiste], Bass Guitar, Synthesizer [Guitar Synthesisers] – John Wilson (2)
Guest [Guest Artiste], Vocals – Josie James
Lacquer Cut By – BilBo (3)
Producer [Produced By] – British Electric Foundation

NOTES:
B.E.F.
The Company that thinks for itself.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.

February 10, 2026

Then Jerico – Fault (The New York City Mixes) (UK 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Before Then Jerico became synonymous with glossy late-80s sophisti-pop and chart success, there was “Fault.” Released in 1985 as a stand-alone, non-album single, it’s one of those quietly fascinating moments where you can hear a band standing right on the edge of something bigger—but not quite there yet.

“Fault” arrived two years before their 1987 debut album First (The Sound of Music) and, despite impeccable credentials, it slipped through the cracks. The single failed to chart, making it a genuine Closet 80s artifact: overlooked at the time, but far more interesting in hindsight.

What immediately jumps out is the production team. Martin Rushent, fresh from redefining British pop with The Human League, Heaven 17, and Buzzcocks, gives “Fault” a taut, modern sheen. There’s a restrained elegance here—clean synth lines, controlled drama, and a sense of tension that never fully explodes. It’s not chasing the charts; it’s testing the water.

The remix comes courtesy of John Luongo, already establishing himself as a master of extended versions and club-ready polish. His touch adds space and momentum, subtly nudging “Fault” toward the dancefloor without sacrificing its introspective core. It’s less about peak-time payoff and more about atmosphere—very much of its moment.

Vocally, Mark Shaw sounds more guarded here than on later hits like “Big Area” or “Let Her Fall.” There’s a cool detachment in his delivery that suits the song’s emotional ambiguity. Lyrically, “Fault” circles themes of responsibility and fracture—personal accountability hinted at rather than spelled out—another sign that Then Jerico hadn’t yet leaned into the widescreen romanticism that would define their later work.

In retrospect, “Fault” feels like a bridge track: one foot in early-80s synth sophistication, the other stepping toward the polished pop-rock confidence that would finally break them through. It may not have charted, but it matters. Songs like this show how bands evolve—not overnight, but through these small, nearly forgotten releases that quietly shape what comes next.

For fans digging deeper than the hits, “Fault” is a reminder that the 1980s were full of near-misses and slow burns. Sometimes the most revealing tracks are the ones history almost forgot.

SIDE A:
Fault (Club Mix) 6:47
Mixed By – John Luongo

SIDE B:
Fault (7″) 3:34
Mixed By – John Luongo

The Big Sweep (Club Mix) 4:49
Mixed By – Philth Tennant, T.J.

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: London Records – LONX 63, London Records – 882 047-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Engineer – Neil O’Connor (2), Timm Baldwin
Keyboards – Ben Angwin
Lyrics By – Shaw*
Performer [Then Jerico] – Stainthorpe*, Shaw*, Taylor*, Wren*
Photography By – Roger Eaton
Producer – Martin Rushent
Sleeve – Shaw*
Written-By – Then Jerico

NOTES:
“The New York City Mixes”
Summer ’85

First pressing with an inner sleeve with lyrics and photo of the band.

“Fault” Mixed at Sigma Sound, N.Y.
Produced & Engineered at Genetic Sound, U.K.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.