Category: Bangles

August 28, 2025

Bangles – Following (UK 12″) (1987)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

When most people think of The Bangles, it’s their sparkling 80s pop hits that come to mind—Walk Like an Egyptian, Manic Monday, or In Your Room. But buried within their catalog is one of their most haunting and understated songs, Following, a stark ballad that stands apart from the rest of their repertoire.

Written and sung by bassist Michael Steele, Following was chosen as the band’s fifth single from their massively successful Different Light album and released in April 1987 across Europe. Uniquely, it became the only Bangles single to feature Steele on lead vocals.

Musically, Following is a world away from the shimmering harmonies and Paisley Underground jangle the band was known for. Stripped-down acoustic guitar, mournful cello, and Steele’s hushed, confessional delivery make it one of the most intimate recordings of their career. Its lyrical core—quiet devotion and quiet longing—gives the song a timeless quality, closer to the English folk stylings of Nick Drake than to mainstream 80s pop.

For its single release, Following was slightly edited, trimming most of the outro from the album version. The 7″ was backed with Dover Beach, a track from their 1984 debut All Over the Place. The 12″ single sweetened the deal with the “Bangles Hit Mix,” a megamix that stitched together the band’s earlier hits: Manic Monday, If She Knew What She Wants, Walk Like an Egyptian, Walking Down Your Street, and Going Down To Liverpool.

Unfortunately, no music video was filmed to support the release, and the group did little to promote the single. As a result, Following had only modest chart success, peaking at #55 in the UK and faring best in Ireland, where it reached #22. It failed to chart in other European territories. The song was never released as a single in the U.S., leaving it as something of a hidden treasure for fans who dug deeper than the radio hits.

Even so, Following remains a standout in The Bangles’ discography. It gave Michael Steele her one and only chance to take the spotlight on a single, and showed a darker, more contemplative side of the band that still resonates with listeners today. Haunting, fragile, and deeply personal, it’s one of those songs that lingers long after the last note fades.

SIDE A:
Following 3:00
Written-By – M. Steele*

Dover Beach 3:46
Written-By – S. Hoffs, V. Peerson

SIDE B:
Bangles Hits Mix 14:39
DJ Mix – Mark Chamberlain

B1.1 Manic Monday
Written-By – Christopher

B1.2 If She Knew What She Wants
Written-By – J. Shear*

B1.3 Walking Down Your Street
Written-By – D. Kahne, L. Gutierrez, S. Hoffs*

B1.4 Going Down To Liverpool
Written-By – K. Rew*

B1.5 Walk Like An Egyptian
Written-By – L. Sterberg*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: CBS – BANGS T2
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Partially Mixed, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Producer – David Kahne

NOTES:
Made in England.

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.

May 23, 2019

Bangles – In Your Room (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

“In Your Room” is a 1988 song by American rock group The Bangles, written by Susanna Hoffs, Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg. The song was released as the first single from the band’s third album, Everything. It reached the top five of the US singles chart, and also charted in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

According to songwriter Billy Steinberg, “In Your Room” was written in the same batch of songs as “Eternal Flame”. Steinberg recalled, “The Bangles” liked everything from Petula Clark to The Beatles and all the Sixties music they loved. So when we got together to write with Susanna it was right up our alley because of course Tom and I grew up in the sixties and that was what we loved. So we had that in common with Susanna”. He added that the song’s style was somewhat similar to “Mony Mony”, the 1968 hit single by Tommy James and the Shondells.

Released in October 1988, “In Your Room” entered the Billboard Hot 100 the following month and peaked at number five in January. It reached number four on the Singles Sales chart, number nine on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and number five on the Modern Rock chart. The song also peaked at number 11 in New Zealand, number 41 in Australia, and number 35 in the United Kingdom.

AllMusic writer Matthew Greenwald praised the band’s rhythm section for the song’s chorus and bridge sections, and noted that the song’s lyrics were ideal for Hoffs’ “kittenish sexuality”. Rolling Stone writer Jim Freek said “In Your Room” was perhaps the band’s best song to be released after their debut album.

In the United States and Canada exclusive remixes were released on 12″ vinyl.

Track B2 actually plays a 7″ Instrumental Version, not the 12″ Instrumental as stated on labels.

SIDE A:
In Your Room (12″ Extended Version) 5:14
In Your Room (7″ Remix) 3:25

SIDE B:
In Your Room (7″ Single Version) 3:28
In Your Room (7″ Instrumental) 3:23

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	In Your Room	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#5
1988	In Your Room	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#5

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– 44 08170
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Edited By – Tuta Aquino
Mixed By – Frank Filipetti (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Producer – Davitt Sigerson
Producer [Additional Production], Mixed By – Daniel Abraham
Programmed By [Additional Keyboard Programming] – Fred McFarlane
Written-By – B. Steinberg*, S. Hoffs*, T. Kelly*

NOTES:
Special Version From The Columbia LP: “EVERYTHING”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Schiit Mani
Soundcard: ESI Juli@ XTe Audio Interface
Monitiring: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
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)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

July 18, 2018

Bangles – Walk Like An Egyptian (Ozymandias Remix) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXLUSIVE 1990

In 1990, “Walk Like an Egyptian” was re-issued as a single in the UK to promote the Bangles’ Greatest Hits album. It featured new remixes for the song called Ozymandias Remix. It charted at number 73 in the UK.

The b-side “Acapella Mix” is the same mix that appeared on the 1987 12″ release mixed by Steve Beltran.

SIDE A:
Walk Like An Egyptian (Ozymandias 12″ Remix) 7:31
Remix – Paul Schroeder

SIDE S:
Walk Like An Egyptian (Ozymandias 7″ Mix) 3:43
Remix – Paul Schroeder

Walk Like An Egyptian (Acapella Mix)* 2:48
Remix – Steve Beltran

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: CBS – BANGS Q8
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1990
Genre: Electronic
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Design – Tomcat (7)
Producer – David Kahne
Written-By – L. Sternberg*

NOTES:
Special versions from the LP “GREATEST HITS” also available on VIDEO

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

July 17, 2018

Bangles – Walk Like An Egyptian (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Walk Like an Egyptian” is a song made famous by American band The Bangles. It was released in 1986 as the third single from the album Different Light. It was a million-selling single and became Billboard’s number-one song of 1987.

“Walk Like an Egyptian” was released as the third single from Different Light. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1986. The song reached a peak of number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1986 and reached number one in the US on December 20, staying at the top of the Hot 100 for four weeks, carrying it over into January 1987. The song is the first song by an all-female group playing their own instruments to top the Billboard singles chart. The success of the song and “Manic Monday” propelled Different Light to number two on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the group’s most successful album.

“Walk Like an Egyptian” was one of the songs which were claimed to have been banned by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Snopes in researching this found that the list was simply suggestions regarding songs to be sensitive in regards to when playing. It was also included in a “list of records to be avoided” drawn up by the BBC during the Gulf War.

SIDE A:
Walk Like An Egyptian (Extended Dance Mix) 5:49

SIDE B:
Walk Like An Egyptian (Dub Mix) 5:19
Walk Like An Egyptian (A Capella Mix) 2:48

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1987	Walk Like An Egyptian	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#3
1987	Walk Like An Egyptian	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#46
1987	Walk Like An Egyptian	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play Maxi-Singles Sales	#15
1987	Walk Like An Egyptian	U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1987 Year End	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– 44-05935, Columbia ‎– 44 05935
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Art Direction – Lane/Donald
Engineer – Keith Cohen
Mastered By – Wally*
Producer – David Kahne
Remix – Steve Beltran
Written-By – L. Sternberg*

NOTES:
Special Version From The Columbia Lp: “Different Light”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi