Author: DjPaulT

July 9, 2025

Joyce “Fenderella” Irby – Mr. D.J. (US 12″) (1989)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

“Mr. D.J.” marked the solo breakout for Klymaxx founding member Joyce “Fenderella” Irby—bass player, songwriter, and all-around groove generator. Coming off her years of success with “I Miss You” and “Meeting in the Ladies Room,” Joyce hit the late ’80s club scene with this funk-driven jam featuring none other than the Original Human Beatbox, Doug E. Fresh.

Released in 1989 as the lead single from her debut solo LP Maximum Thrust, the track kicks off with Doug E.’s unmistakable vocal percussion before sliding into Joyce’s sweet and soulful plea for the DJ to keep her dancing. It’s an early example of R&B merging with hip-hop elements—before it became the mainstream formula.

The track was co-produced by Dallas Austin, who Joyce helped launch into the industry. He’d go on to produce hits for TLC, Boyz II Men, and Madonna—but this is where it all started.

“Mr. D.J.” hit #2 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart and cracked the Dance charts too. It’s infectious, smartly produced, and undeniably funky.

This 12″ mix stretches the groove for the dancefloor, extending Doug E.’s beatbox breakdowns and giving the instrumental room to breathe. If you love that New Jack swing/R&B/hip-hop crossover sound of ’88–’90, this one deserves a spot in your rotation.

SIDE A:
Mr. D.J. (Extended Version) 6:32
Featuring – Doug E. Fresh

SIDE B:
Mr. D.J. (Radio Edit) 4:07
Featuring – Doug E. Fresh

Mr. D.J. (Instrumental) 6:10

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	Mr. D.J.	U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles	#2
1989	Mr. D.J.	U.S. Billboard Dance Music / Club Play	#23

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Motown – MOT-4634
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Hip Hop, Funk / Soul
Style: Contemporary R&B

CREDITS:

Arranged By – Dallas Austin, Fenderella*
Executive Producer – Jheryl Busby, Joyce “Fenderella” Irby
Producer – Fenderella*
Remix – Timmy Regisford

NOTES:
Produced for Diva I Productions

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.

June 30, 2025

Thank You for an Incredible Pride Month — See You July 9!

As June comes to a close, I just want to take a moment to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this journey through music, memory, and celebration. This year’s Pride Month on Burning the Ground has been one of the most special yet — a vibrant mix of anthems, deep cuts, camp classics, and unexpected gems that have moved us, united us, and made us dance.

Together, we paid tribute to pioneers like Divine, Malcolm McLaren, Pete Burns, and k.d. lang… we turned the volume up on forgotten 12″ remixes, glittering club anthems, and powerful messages of love, identity, and freedom. Whether it was a synth-pop banger or a disco confession, each post was a small act of celebration and remembrance — for the voices we’ve lost, the lives we’ve lived, and the joy we continue to share.

Now, I’m signing off for a short vacation and will be taking a much-needed break until July 9. During this time, there won’t be any new posts, but feel free to explore the archives and revisit some favorites — there’s always something worth rediscovering.

To everyone who has commented, shared a memory, or simply stopped by to listen — thank you. Your presence here keeps the music alive.

Stay safe, stay proud, and I’ll see you back here in July with more vinyl treasures and sonic surprises.

With love and appreciation,
Paul (DJPaulT) 🏳️‍🌈🌴

June 27, 2025

Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu (Europe 12″) (1980)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Today’s Pride Month feature transports us straight to a fantasy realm of disco lights, roller skates, and synth-drenched euphoria—“Xanadu” by Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra, the unforgettable title track from the 1980 cult musical film Xanadu.

I’m spotlighting the European 12” single, which includes the album version of “Xanadu” backed with “Fool Country,” a track featured in the film but not included on the official soundtrack. As a special treat, I’ve also added a bonus remix: the “Re-Glittered Mix” by Steve Anderson of DMC fame—a Pride-ready version that’s pure sparkle and spectacle.

🪩 Chart Success
“Xanadu” became a massive international hit. In the UK, it soared to #1 on the Singles Chart—making it ELO’s only UK #1 hit. In the U.S., it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning both Olivia and ELO another top 10 pop smash. The song’s jubilant fusion of Jeff Lynne’s symphonic rock production with Olivia’s airy, crystalline vocals captured the hearts of both disco and pop fans alike.

🎶 Soundtrack Anniversary
Here’s something special: the Xanadu soundtrack turns 45 years old today! Released in the U.S. June 1980, the album has become a cult classic—featuring side A by Olivia Newton-John and side B by ELO. While the film itself polarized critics, the music became a beloved part of pop culture, especially within LGBTQ+ communities who embraced its theatricality, glam, and fantasy.

🌈 A Legendary Mardi Gras Performance
Another magical Pride moment: In 2008, Olivia performed “Xanadu” live at Sydney’s Mardi Gras, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the event. Wearing a dazzling disco sequin kimono, she took the stage at 4AM at the Royal Hall Of Industries before a crowd of over 18,000 fans—serving vocals, glam, and sheer joy. The remix she performed to? Yes, the very same Steve Anderson Re-Glittered Mix included here. The audience, as you’d expect, went wild.

Why “Xanadu” for Pride Month?
Because it’s joyful. It’s camp. It’s fantasy. And it’s a radiant reminder that escapism, glamour, and individuality are powerful tools of self-expression. Olivia Newton-John has always been a beloved icon in the LGBTQ+ community, and Xanadu is one of the glittering jewels in her crown.

This track is an open invitation to dream—to step out of the gray and into the neon. And during Pride, what could be more fitting?

🎶 “Now that I’m here, now that you’re near… in Xanadu.” 🎶

SIDE A:
Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu 3:30
Producer – Jeff Lynne
Written-By – Lynne*

SIDE B:
Olivia Newton-John – Fool Country 2:28
Producer – John Farrar
Written-By – Farrar*

BONUS REMIX:
Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu (Re-Glittered Mix) 10:30
Remix – Steve Anderson And His Merry Mirrorball Men*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1980	Xanadu	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#8
1980	Xanadu	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#2

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Jet Records – JET 12.185, Jet Records – 12.185
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Maxi-Single, Stereo
Country: Europe
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop, Disco

NOTES:
Made in Holland

Side A Taken from the soundtrack album “Xanadu”

Bonus Remix taken from DMC Hit Mixes 195

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for 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.

June 26, 2025

Divine – I’m So Beautiful (Germany 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

“Out, out tonight — feel like going out in the night…”

Today’s Pride Month feature cranks the glitter to eleven with a high-energy, high-attitude anthem from one of the most iconic figures in drag and queer music history: Divine. Released in 1984, “I’m So Beautiful” is more than a Hi-NRG dancefloor stomper—it’s a declaration of radical self-love, delivered with all the camp, charisma, and defiance only Divine could muster.

Produced by Mike Stock and Matt Aitken before their rise as part of the Stock Aitken Waterman powerhouse, the track is pure mid-‘80s disco magic. Pulsing synths, fierce basslines, and Divine’s unmistakable, commanding vocals all collide to form a club anthem that oozes confidence from every beat.

✨ Lyrically Loud and Proud
From the moment Divine struts onto the track, she sets the tone:

“Out, out tonight / Feel like going out in the night
I’m gonna walk the street, walk the street
I wanna feel the heat, feel the heat
There ain’t nobody better than me / Can’t you see? Look at me!”

It’s a celebration of showing up, showing off, and not giving a damn what anyone thinks. It’s about seizing the spotlight, whether you’re dancing in a club or just walking down the street like it’s your runway.

And the chorus? It’s an eternal mood:

“I’m so beautiful / You’ve gotta believe that I am beautiful
I’m so beautiful, can’t you see? Look at me!”

This isn’t just camp. It’s empowerment. It’s freedom. It’s a disco-soaked act of self-affirmation at a time when drag queens and queer people were rarely seen—let alone celebrated.

👑 A Pride Anthem for the Ages
Divine was never just a performer—she was a force. A pioneer of gender rebellion, a star of John Waters’ underground cinema, and a drag icon who brought punk edge to disco elegance. “I’m So Beautiful” exemplifies everything that made her a legend: humor, heart, and a refusal to play by anyone else’s rules.

This song is a mirrorball manifesto, telling every outsider, every queer kid, every fabulous misfit: You are beautiful. Own it. Live it. Shine.

💖 So Turn It Up…
“Everybody’s welcome to this point of view / We’re all beautiful, can’t you see?”

Happy Pride, and remember: beauty isn’t just in the eye of the beholder—it’s in the boldness to be exactly who you are.

SIDE A:
I’m So Beautiful (Mix) 7:55
Mixed By – Barry Evangeli
Written-By – M. Stock/M. Aitken*

SIDE B:
I’m So Beautiful (Divine Mix) 4:42
Written-By – M. Stock/M. Aitken*

Show Me Around 3:20
Written-By – The Toy Shop

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Proto (2) – 120·07·117, Bellaphon – 120·07·117
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Stereo
Country: Germany
Released: Oct 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG

CREDITS:

Artwork [Hair, Make-up] – Van Smith
Directed By – Matt Aitken, Mike Stock
Lacquer Cut By – SST (8)
Management – Bernard Jay Management Inc., New York*
Photography By [Photos] – Greg Gorman
Producer – Barry Evangeli, Pete Waterman

NOTES:
Manufactured and Distributed by Bellaphon Germany

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for 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.