BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1980
Barbie and the Kens were a short lived 1980s new wave music project of Bobby Orlando, with one minor college radio hit, “Just a Gigolo”, which peaked on the Billboard Club Play charts at No. 45 in 1981.The song is still in rotation on retro radio stations.
The group released one mini LP on 7″ vinyl format in the US.
Tracks B1 and B2 are mixed together on the record no gaps between the two tracks.
SIDE A:
Pay My Bills 2:26
Uptown Downtown Cruising 3:26
SIDE B:
Just A Gigolo 4:12
I’m Not Your Stepping Stone 3:08
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: “O” Records – OR 811
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Mini-Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave
CREDITS:
Artwork [Packaging], Creative Director – Hal Wilson
Backing Vocals [Back Up Voices] – Carol Ross (2), Harriet Vidal
Drums – Mod Top Ken
Executive-Producer – “Bobby Orlando”*
Guitar [Spy] – Swing Kat Ken
Other [Clothes] – “O”
Other [Hair, Make Up] – Roni
Other [Scenery] – Joyce
Photography By – Jon Rynski
Producer, Synthesizer – Klaus Voegel
Vocals – Barbi Doll
Voice [Plastic Macho] – Bachleor Ken
NOTES:
Produced for “O” Records and Visuals.
Find the 7″ On DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
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: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removeal: 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
Hey Paul – I’d seriously never heard of this, but it’s really fun! I can see why you posted it near all the B-52s stuff. Can also hear a bit of OMD and New Order in the music structure.
Really cool – thanks. 🙂
I remember when this record was mentioned a while back and now here it is! So cool 😎
Thanks!
OMG, I always loved Just A Gigolo, recorded it off the radio onto a cassette. But I never even knew there was a mini-EP! Christmas in March!
Thanks Paul. This is some really obscure Bobby O new wave mutant disco coolness, tongue firmly in cheek, a bit like Cristina. Never heard of this one before. “Pay My Bills” ha ha, that one made me laugh. Cool sleeve too, reminds me a bit of Olivia Newton-John. Totally Rad!
Thanks for another rare item Paul.
Another one that slipped through the radar for me
Thanks again Paul 🙂
You’re welcome Junior 🙂
thanks paul, so very much
You’re welcome Harry 🙂
Thanks Paul. I think Bobby O was a genius.
of course he was…
Agreed 🙂
Paul, again you have created a special moment in my life. To me, songs like these and The B-52’s are the epitome of what New Wave is. I just love music like this. So different and strange and very danceable. And, that cover version of The Monkees’ “Not Your Steppin Stone” is quite the trip! I love the inclusion of The Lemon Pipers’ “Green Tambourine” too within the song. You make these songs rise up like Phoenixes from the ashes of oblivion Paul. Absolutely stellar stuff.
Jeff
Thank you Jeff I really love this record and I am so happy that it is being embraced by you and all the other BTG fans. Hugs 🙂
I’ve never heard the A-Side songs before…but I definitely love “Just A Gigolo”. I hope 12″ version of that songs follows soon. I really love the 007 samples that they could add back then.
J you’ll have to stay tuned 🙂
Reminds me of Lene Lovich & Toyah…
I like it! (Don’t ever recall hearing this)
Thanks for the rip Paul.. 🙂
You’re welcome Ex 15 🙂
That 4th track has to be the most… peculiar cover version of a Monkees’ song I’ve ever heard…
Didn’t even ralize it was a cover version 🙂
Well, it certainly doesn’t sound much like the original version, that’s for sure. 🙂
And,they threw in a little “Green Tambourine” as well!
Holy crap Paul, this is making me go out of my mind!!! There was NO truly listenable copy of this EP available online anywhere before now. I even think I may have mentioned that here a while back. And Jeff is right once again to mention that the restored artwork for all your posts are spectacular. I am truly grateful!
You did mention this one a while back Mothloop and I have had it in my mind ever since to post it. I really am a sleeve buyer if it has a cool sleeve I will probably buy it 🙂
Aww… you made my day!
Paul, I love Bobby Orlando as a producer. He really had a way of exploiting sounds and trends. This is an obvious nod to The B-52’s but other songs he produced captured “essences” of other bands too. Very cool of you for making this song a reality for all those who don’t know it. You’re ALWAYS AMAZING!!!
Jeff
Thank you Jeff I appreciate your comment very much 🙂
At my local (New Orleans) disco, “Just a Gigolo” was always a kick-off to a New Wave set. It was always immediately followed by the b-52’s “My Own Private Idaho,” then “Rock Lobster.” Booby O. always had some sort of trick that got his stuff played as a “bridge” to other popular songs. I thin it’ was Divine’s “Love Reaction” that is more or less a reproduction of New Order’s “Blue Monday” and almost all The Flirts’ songs worked that way, too.
Thank you VanceMan for pointing out the Divine record. Bobby “O” really could bridge other sounds of other records to his own. I thought it was great what he did with the New Order “Blue Monday” production. Also, kind of a “cult record” in my book and one of my faves, is The Beat Box Boys with their “Einstein” and “Yum Yum (Eat Em Up)” records. This was Bobby “O”‘s answer to Art Of Noise and their hit Beat Box. Cool stuff and wonderfully happy memories.
Jeff
AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! Paul, I’m about to BURST!!!! This is so cool of you to present to us this single!! I love the cover art. I only know the song, but I’ve never seen a representation of the single. This is –BESIDES GETTING THE BEST POSSIBLE SOUND– one of the reasons I LOVE and WORSHIP YOU is because you are so diligent on getting beautiful sleeve scans. I’m truly elated and STIMULATED!!! You are so unbelievably PHENOMENAL for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monumental THANKS!!
Jeff
Jeff, I’d give anything to see a sassy gal wearing that sweater dress. What a cover!
I agree about that cover Mothloop! Very great! And Paul just gets right into those grooves and “mines” some serious sonic gold from them. The man can’t be celebrated enough in my own honest opinion.
Jeff
Definitely a great cover shot!