Category: Depeche Mode

December 5, 2013

Yazoo – Situation (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Situation” is a 1982 single by the British synthpop band, Yazoo. The song was originally released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo’s debut single, “Only You”, which went to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. Released as a single in North America, the song peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, and hit the top 40 in Canada, peaking at number 31. In late summer 1982 it became Yazoo’s first song to top the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, remaining at number one on this chart for four weeks. It also crossed over to the R&B chart, peaking at number 31.

The song features a memorable synthesizer hook by Vince Clarke (similar to the work he had done with his previous band, Depeche Mode), combined with the vocals by Alison Moyet (including her laughter, which has since been sampled in countless other songs, including the international novelty dance hit “Macarena”).

SIDE A:
Situation 5:40

SIDE B:
Situation (Dub Version) 5:45

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	Situation	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#73
1982	Situation	U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	#31
1982	Situation	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 0-29950
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Design [Sleeve] – Rocking Rick Lego
Engineer – http://www.discogs.com/artist/John+Potoker
Mastered By – Herb Powers Jr.
Producer – Daniel Miller, Eric Radcliffe, Vince Clarke
Remix [Remixed By] – François Kevorkian
Written-By – Moyet*, Clarke*

nOTES:
From the Sire LP:
“Upstairs At Eric’s”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
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: ClickRepair (DeClick Level 3)
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

September 17, 2012

Depeche Mode – It’s Called A Heart (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“It’s Called A Heart” is a single by Depeche Mode released on September 16, 1985. It was included as one of two new songs on the compilation The Singles (81-85) the same year, along with “Shake the Disease”. It reached number 18 in the UK singles chart. In America the album was titled Catching Up With Depeche Mode.

Martin Gore and Alan Wilder have often been quoted as saying “It’s Called a Heart” is their least favourite single ever recorded by Depeche Mode, and is not particularly well-liked by many fans either. On the documentary included on the remastered edition of Black Celebration, it is revealed that the band wanted to release “Fly on the Windscreen” as a single, but the Mute Records publicist nixed that idea, as the song starts with the word “death”.

The “Emotion Remix” and “Emotion Dub” mixes of “It’s Called A Heart” were done by Joseph Watt, who is one of the remixers of the Razormaid remix service. These mixes, however, are not the actual Razormaid mix of the track. These remixes of are exclusive to this 12 inch single, and to the digital collection “The Complete Depeche Mode”, from iTunes. They have not appeared on any official CD release.

The “Deportation Mix” of “Flexible” is practically identical to the “Pre-Deportation Mix”, but for some unknown reason, it doesn’t fade out. The “Pre-Deportation Mix” has a fade ending, but this mix just goes until it stops cold. The effect is similar to a tape machine running out of tape – it just stops. This mix has never appeared on an official CD release.

SIDE A:
It’s Called A Heart (Emotion Remix) 6:48
Engineer – David Heilmann
Remix, Engineer – Joseph Watt

It’s Called A Heart (Emotion Dub) 5:33
Engineer – David Heilmann
Remix, Engineer – Joseph Watt

SIDE B:
Flexible (Deportation Mix) 4:38
Producer – Gareth Jones

It’s Called A Heart (Single Version) 3:48

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-20402, Mute – 0-20402
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Design – T + CP*
Illustration [Illustrations] – Tamara Capellaro
Producer – Daniel Miller, Depeche Mode
Written-By – M.L. Gore*

NOTES:
Sticker on shrink wrap says “Special Collector’s Edition – New Remixes”.
Original versions available on the Sire album “Catching Up With Depeche Mode”.

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

July 2, 2012

Depeche Mode – Depeche (Megamix) Behind The Mix! (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

Released in 1989 this is one of the earlier ON-USound releases. There are two Depeche Mode Megamixes featured here. The mixes are mainly of Depeche Mode’s early work and tracks from “Music For The Masses”.

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group’s original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andy Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter 1980–81). Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album, Speak & Spell, and was replaced by Alan Wilder (keyboards, drums, occasional songwriter) with Gore taking over songwriting. Wilder left the band in 1995; Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher have since continued as a trio.

Depeche Mode have had 48 songs in the UK Singles Chart and twelve top 10 albums in the UK charts, two of which debuted at #1. According to EMI, Depeche Mode have sold over 100 million albums and singles worldwide, making them the most successful electronic band in music history. Q magazine calls Depeche Mode “The most popular electronic band the world has ever known” and included the band in the list of the “50 Bands That Changed The World!”.

In 2010 Depeche Mode were ranked No. 98 on VH1’s list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

*Please Note: This is not an officially released single therefore the vinyl mastering may not be perfect. However I have made every attempt to restore this rare 12″.

SIDE A:
Depeche (Megamix) Behind The Mix! 10:08
Everything Counts
Shake The Disease
Leave In Silence
Blasphemous Rumours
Strangelove
People Are People
Behind The Wheel
Get The Balance Right
Just Can’t Get Enough

SIDE B:
Depeche (Megamix) Strange Mix! 13:16
Strangelove
Just Can’t Get Enough
Get The Balance Right
(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me
Master And Servant
People Are People
Sacred

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

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: ON-USound – XX 03
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Unofficial Release, 33 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

NOTES:
Track duration is incorrect on label.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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