Category: ABC

Various – Happy Christmas From The Stars (UK 7″ Flexi-disc)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

Custom Sleeve

Label

Happy Christmas From The Stars is a promotional-only flexi-disc single featuring many pop stars from the 80’s, released in the UK by Smash Hits / Levi’s / Lyntone during 1982.

The single contains spoken word Christmas messages by various musical artists, which was given away with 9-22 December 1982 issue of the British music magazine Smash Hits.

This was a promotional item by Levi’s, for ‘Accessory Kit 3’ with ‘Black Levi’ brand jeans. The idea for the single came from the Pet ShopBoys band member Neil Tennant, who was Smash Hits news editor in 1982 and Assistant Editor the following year.

Special note about this single: Since this single is a flexi-disc which are notoriously known for not being of the best quality. So the sound quality is not perfect. I have made every attempt to restore it as best I could. I did however leave some of the crackle from the disc. This I think leaves some of the charm of the original recording. I left the recording in it’s entirety including the black Levi’s segments. I also hope you like the custom sleeve.

Enjoy and Happy Christmas!

~ DjPaulT.

SIDE A:
Happy Christmas From The Stars (Part 1) 6:12

SIDE B:
Happy Christmas From The Stars (Part 2) 6:14

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Very Good
Sleeve: Near Mint (generic)

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Smash Hits! Magazine – none, Levi’s – none, Lyntone – LYN 12570, Lyntone – LYN 12571
Format: Flexi-disc, 7″, 33 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Non-Music
Style: Spoken Word
Credits: Concept By [Idea] – Neil Tennant
Featuring –  ABBA, ABC, Adam*, Bananarama, Bucks Fizz, Captain Sensible, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Fun Boy Three, Haircut One Hundred, Imagination,Jam, The, Madness, Mari Wilson, Musical Youth, Piranhas*, Police*, Steve Strange, Toyah, Ultravox
Producer – Trevor Dann
Recorded By – Mark Ellen

NOTES:
Smash Hits promotion for ‘Accessory Kit 3’ with ‘Black Levi’ brand jeans by Levi’s.

Find The 7″ Flexi-disc On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

ABC – The Look Of Love (Parts One, Two, Three & Four) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

BTG week of LOVE!

“The Look of Love” is a song recorded by ABC in 1981, included on their debut album, The Lexicon of Love.

Released as a single and as a 12″ remix, it went to number one on the Billboard Dance/Disco chart as well as the Canadian pop singles chart. It was their biggest hit in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 4, and was a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., peaking at number 18.

The single consists of four parts, referred to as “Parts One, Two, Three and Four”. Part One is the standard album version, Part Two is an instrumental version, Part Three is a vocal remix and Part Four is a short acoustic instrumental part of the song, containing strings and horns, as well as occasional harp plucks and xylophone. A different remix version by producer Trevor Horn appeared on the 1982 U.S. 12″.

The ’82 U.S. Extended Remix was not widely available after its initial release, but the track remained much in demand by club DJs and fans alike, and copies of the original 12″ version fetched high prices. When Neutron (the band’s UK label) discovered this, they issued a limited edition re-pressing of the Horn remix in 1985 (though they did not officially re-release the song).

SIDE A:
The Look Of Love (Part One) 3:28
The Look Of Love (Part Two) 3:44

SIDE B:
The Look Of Love (Part Three) 4:16
The Look Of Love (Part Four) 0:56

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1982 The Look Of Love U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #18
1982 The Look Of Love U.S. Billboard Hot dance Club Play #1
1982 The Look Of Love U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #32

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Neutron Records – NTX 103
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Arranged By [Strings] – Anne Dudley
Engineer – Gary Langan
Other [Sleeve Notes] – Martin Fry
Producer – Trevor Horn
Written By, Performer – ABC

NOTES:
Part One from the forthcoming long player “The Lexicon Of Love”
Mastered at Townhouse.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

ABC – How To Be A Zillionaire (Wall St. Mix) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“(How to Be a) Millionaire” is a song by the British band ABC. It was the first single taken from their 1985 album How to Be a…Zillionaire!.

The single peaked at a modest #49 on the UK Singles Chart, though it fared better in the US where it reached #20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.

The music video shows a cartoon Martin Fry and Mark White being overwhelmed by their luxury goods, which are continually growing in size. The other two band members make a brief appearance in cartoon form.

SIDE A:
How To Be A Zillionaire (Wall St. Mix) 7:33

SIDE B:
How To Be A Millionaire 3:31
How To Be A Millionaire (Accapella) 3:30

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 How To Be A Millionaire U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #20
1984 How To Be A Millionaire U.S. Billboard Dance Club Plays #4

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Neutron Records
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: Nov 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Arranged By – Mark White
Artwork By [Art] – ABC / Best Films / Design KB
Engineer – Martyn Webster
Performer – David*, Fiona*, Mark*, Martin*
Producer, Written-By – Mark White, Martin Fry

NOTES:
Mastered at the Town House Studios, London

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi