Category: Bronski Beat

Eartha Kitt & Bronski Beat – Cha Cha Heels (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1989

Pioneering gay band Bronski Beat meets gay Icon Eartha Kitt who has precisely the qualities that make for a true Gay Icon: A history of anguish, abandonment, and alienation, mixed with a campy and sexually audacious stage act along with the necessary elements of artifice and aggrandizement. Plus, there is that unique, sultry purr of a voice. Kitt appeared at many LGBTQ fundraisers and she spent a great deal of her time dedicating herself to working with the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and other HIV/AIDS charities. Her 1989 single Cha-Cha Heels, recorded with Bronski Beat, was thumping away at the dance clubs during the worst years of the plague and the club kids and the older clones fell in love with Kitt.

In 1989, Jonathan Hellyer became Bronski Beat’s lead singer, and the band extensively toured the U.S. and Europe with backup vocalist Annie Conway. They achieved one minor hit with the song “Cha Cha Heels”, a one-off collaboration sung by American actress and singer Eartha Kitt, which peaked at 32 in the UK. The song was originally written for movie and recording star Divine, who was unable to record the song before his death in 1988.

SIDE A:
Cha Cha Heels (12 Inch Version) 6:40
Effects [Additional Wacky Bits] – Danny Hyde
Engineer – Danny HydeGraham Bonnett
Engineer [Assisted By] – Peter LorimerRob Miller (4)
Keyboards – Rod GammonsSteve BronskiWilli Mowat
Mixed By – Graham BonnettRod Gammons
Programmed By [Atari / C-Lab Programming] – Rod Gammons
Programmed By [MMT8 Programming] – Steve Bronski
Programmed By [Yamaha QXI Programming] – Larry Steinbachek
Vocals – Eartha KittJonathan Hillyer

Written-By – Larry SteinbachekSteve Bronski

Cha Cha Heels (Radio Mix) 3:48
Effects [Additional Wacky Bits] – Danny Hyde
Engineer – Danny HydeGraham Bonnett
Engineer [Assisted By] – Peter LorimerRob Miller (4)
Keyboards – Rod GammonsSteve BronskiWilli Mowat
Mixed By – Graham BonnettRod Gammons
Programmed By [Atari / C-Lab Programming] – Rod Gammons
Programmed By [MMT8 Programming] – Steve Bronski
Programmed By [Yamaha QXI Programming] – Larry Steinbachek
Vocals – Eartha KittJonathan Hillyer

Written-By – Larry SteinbachekSteve Bronski

SIDE B:
My Discarded Men 3:39
Arranged By – Rod Gammons
Backing Vocals, Whistling – Jonathan Hillyer
Double Bass – Peter

Engineer – Peter Lorimer
Finger Snaps – Peter*Peter LorimerSteve Bronski
Mixed By – Peter LorimerRod Gammons
Trombone – Peter Lorimer
Vocals – Eartha Kitt
Written-By – Eartha KittRod GammonsSteve Bronski

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Arista – 612331, Arista – 612 331
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
“Cha Cha Heels”: Recorded and Re-mixed digitally at Berwick Street Studios, London.

A Starcoast Production

Manufactured in England

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
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 3.0 (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

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Bronski Beat – Hit That Perfect Beat (Canada 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1985

In Memory Of Steve Bronski 1960-2021

“Hit That Perfect Beat” is a single from the British synthpop trio Bronski Beat and appeared on their 1986 album Truthdare Doubledare. It became a popular dance hit and reached number three in the UK charts in January 1986 and reached the top ten in many European countries and across the world.

SIDE A:
Hit That Perfect Beat (Extended Version) 6:24

SIDE B:
Hit That Perfect Beat (Instant Mix) 8:26
Remix – Ian Levine

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: London Records – LDSX 226
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Canada
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Band [Bronski Beat] – John JønLarry SteinbachekSteve Bronski
Design [Sleeve Design] – Peter Barrett (3)
Engineer – Brian PugsleySimon Bohannon
Photography By [Photographs] – Peter Ashworth
Producer, Mixed By –  Adam Williams
Written-By – SteinbachekBronski

NOTES:
Produced and mixed at Mayfair
Recorded at Berry Street Studios (Brian Pugsley) and Livingstone Studios (Simon Bohannon)

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
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 3.0 (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


Password: burningtheground

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

Steve Bronski 1960-2021

Steve Bronski, keyboardist and co-founding member of the trailblazing British synth-pop trio Bronski Beat, has died, at age 61.

Bronski, AKA Steven Forrest, formed the band alongside Jimmy Somerville and Larry Steinbachek in 1983. All three members of the band were out as gay and sought to counter what they perceived as the inoffensive nature of the era’s gay performers by embracing explicitly political themes in their music. America’s Spin magazine described them as “perhaps the first real gay group in the history of pop”.

RIP Steve.

#stevebronski #bronskibeat

Bronski Beat – Hit That Perfect Beat (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

A. Front

“Hit That Perfect Beat” is a single from the British synthpop trio Bronski Beat and appeared on their 1986 album Truthdare Doubledare. It became a popular dance hit and reached number three in the UK charts in November 1985 and reached the top ten in many European countries and across the world. The video for the song featured frontman and vocalist John Foster alongside the other two band members playing at a Liverpool club called “The State” as well as scenes from in and around Stanley Dock. The song also appeared in the British film and soundtracl “Letter To Brezhnev”.

In the US “Hit That Perfect Beat” debuted on the Billboard dance chart on March 15, 1986 peaking at #7 spending ten weeks on the survey.

SIDE A:
Hit That Perfect Beat (Remix) 8:26
Remix – Ian Levine

SIDE B:
Hit That Perfect Beat (Original Mix) 6:25

Hit That Perfect Beat (Dub) 7:10
Remix – Ian Levine

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1986 Hit That Perfect Beat U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #7

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– MCA-23605, London Records ‎– MCA-23605
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Adam Williams
Written-By – Jøn*, Steinbachek*, Bronski*

NOTES:
From the Motion Picture Soundtrack Album ‘Letter To Brezhnev’.
FORBIDDEN FRUIT-“THE BYTE GOES ON”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

B. Back

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 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