Category: Duran Duran

September 21, 2021

Duran Duran – Meet El Presidente (The Presidential Suite) (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1987

“Meet El Presidente” is the 16th single from Duran Duran and the third single from the Notorious album.

According to a studio report in Star Hits magazine, one of the early drafts of this song was called “One of the Faithful.” A demo version by that name can be found on several bootlegs.

The album version of the song is considerably different from the single and video versions, and from all the remixes. The former’s original key and tempo are maintained, but mixes elements of the master to differing degrees for the single release, the main ones being a more emphatic, up-front mix for the percussion, brass, and backing vocal tracks, throughout the song.

“Meet El Presidente” was backed by the album track “Vertigo (Do The Demolition)”. This was the second single from Notorious to have an album track as a b-side.

“Meet El Presidente” peaked at #24 in the UK on April 25, 1987, in the United States the song reached #70 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart on May 2, 1987.

SIDE A:
Meet El Presidente (The Presidential Suite) 7:12
Edited By – Carlos Berrios, Omar Santana

Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat) 5:30
Edited By – Carlos Berrios, Omar Santana

SIDE B:
Meet El Presidente (45 Mix) 3:40
Edited By – Carlos Berrios, Omar Santana

Vertigo (Do The Demolition) 4:43
Engineer, Mixed By – Daniel Abraham

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1987	Meet El Presidente	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#70
1987	Meet El Presidente	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#40

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Capitol Records – V-15294
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Design – Frank Olinsky
Edited By – The Hit Squad (2) (tracks: A1 to B1)
Engineer – Eric Calvi (tracks: A1 to B1)
Keyboards [Additional] – Ed Terry (tracks: A1 to B1)
Percussion – Bashiri Johnson (tracks: A1 to B1)
Photography By [Cover Photo] – Matthew Rolston
Producer – Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers
Remix, Producer, Engineer – Mark S. Berry (tracks: A1 to B1)
Written-By – Taylor, Rhodes, LeBon

NOTES:
Additionally produced and remixed for MSB Records. Ltd.
Recorded in England.

Original version can be heard on the album, NOTORIOUS

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.

September 20, 2021

Duran Duran – Skin Trade (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1987

“Skin Trade” is the second single from Duran Duran’s Notorious album and the band’s 15th single in total. It was released in January 1987, reached #22 on the UK Singles Chart, and #39 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The music for “Skin Trade” was written long before Simon LeBon finally finished the lyrics. The title for the song was derived from the Dylan Thomas book Adventures in the Skin Trade which John Taylor had on him during the recording of the album. It was shortened to “Skin Trade” and LeBon eventually wrote the melody and lyrics for the track while spending an evening in Taylor’s Upper West Side Manhattan apartment. The lyrics reflect on how everyone is selling themselves, and “there’s a little hooker in each of us”.

The single was quite a departure for the band. Simon LeBon sang in falsetto, Le Bon admits he was channeling The Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger on their song “Emotional Rescue”. A horn section played a prominent role in the track, as played by The Borneo Horns. The band persevered with the single and many aspects of their future business took inspiration from “Skin Trade”. They called their publishing company Skin Trade Music Ltd. and the Notorious tour was called the “Strange Behaviour Tour” (a reference to that line of the song). Likewise, a 1987 remix EP and a 1999 double CD collection of remixes were also called Strange Behaviour.

Andy Taylor was no longer an official member of Duran Duran by that time, but he was credited as a session guitarist on this song, although apparently, he did not participate in the recordings. Meanwhile, the new guest musicians, Steve Ferrone and Warren Cuccurullo played the drums and lead guitars respectively. Nile Rodgers played some lines of the rhythm guitar.

In a retrospective review of the single, AllMusic journalist Donald A. Guarisco praised the song. He wrote: “The music lends contrast to the angry tone of the lyrics by creating a sultry, mellow melody that juxtaposes verses with a soft, hypnotic ebb and flow with an ever-ascending chorus that revs up the song’s inherent drama.”

The b-side to “Skin Trade” was the only original b-side released during the Notorious era. Entitled “We Need You”, it was written and recorded in 1986 while the band awaited the return of Andy Taylor for a recording session. It was the first recording to feature just the three remaining members of Duran Duran – Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Simon Le Bon.

Two further mixes of “Skin Trade” (S.O.S. Dub & Parisian Mix) were completed, but not released commercially during the “Skin Trade” release cycle. They appeared on a US 12″ promo and on a UK 12″ promo, backed with remixes of the next single “Meet El Presidente”. The “Parisian Mix” was also released on the promo-only Master Mixes EP.

SIDE A:
Skin Trade (Stretch Mix) 7:41
Mixed By – Daniel Abraham
Remix – Larry Levan

SIDE B:
Skin Trade (Album Version) 5:57
Mixed By – Daniel Abraham

We Need You 2:51

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1987	Skin Trade	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#39

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Capitol Records – V-15274
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Designed At – Manhattan Design
Engineer – Daniel Abraham
Producer – Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers (tracks: A, B1)
Written-By – Taylor, Rhodes, Le Bon*

NOTES:
Recorded in England.

…i love the smell of vinyl in the morning…

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

September 17, 2021

Duran Duran – Notorious (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1986

“Notorious” is the fourteenth single by the English new wave band Duran Duran. It was released internationally by EMI on 20 October 1986. “Notorious” was the first single issued from Duran Duran’s fourth album Notorious (1986), and the first released by Duran Duran as a 3-piece band after the departure of Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor. It was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number seven on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was a success in various other countries.

“Notorious” marked the debut of the new streamlined trio version of Duran Duran, as Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor had left the band by the time the album was released. In fact, the acrimonious nature of Andy Taylor’s departure was reflected in the song to a certain degree. According to songwriter Simon Le Bon, the lyric “Who really gives a damn for a flaky bandit” was a direct dig at the guitarist.

As a trio, the band had enlisted the help of Nile Rodgers to take over production duties. His funk influences can be heard throughout the single – for example, the tempo and the use of The Borneo Horns brass section. Rodgers also played the guitar on the single.

For the first time, the B-side to the 7″ single was not an original recording; “Winter Marches On” was an unaltered version of the Notorious album track. Before this, Duran Duran had always provided either completely original songs or previously unheard remixes on the B-side.

As a first for the band, “Notorious” was released as two separate 12″ singles. The first had a Nile Rodgers produced “Extended Mix” while the second featured a remix by The Latin Rascals.

SIDE A:
Notorious (Extended Mix) 5:15

SIDE B:
Notorious (45 Mix) 3:59
Winter Marches On 3:24

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	Notorious	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1986	Notorious	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#26

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Capitol Records – V-15264, Capitol Records – 12 DDN 45
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design – Frank Olinsky
Engineer [Engineered By], Mixed By – Daniel Abraham
Producer [Produced By] – Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers
Written-By – Taylor, Rhodes, Le Bon*

NOTES:
From the LP “NOTORIOUS”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

August 30, 2021

Duran Duran – My Own Way (Night Version) (UK 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

“My Own Way” is the fourth single by Duran Duran, originally released as a single on 16 November 1981.

The single was designed as a stop-gap release to capitalize on the Top 5 success of the band’s previous single, “Girls on Film”, but prior to the recording and release of the band’s second album Rio (which was recorded in the early months of 1982).

**This UK 12″ Promo contains the rare “Instrumental Night Version” of “My Own Way”, and is exclusive to this release. The track was officially released on mp3 as part of the remastered digital version of the album “RIO”. The track has never appeared officially on CD.

SIDE A:
My Own Way (Night Version) 6:35

SIDE B:
My Own Way (Short Version) 3:40
My Own Way (Instrumental Night Version)** 6:33

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – PSLP 348
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Promo, Blue Label
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave

CREDITS:
Producer, Engineer – Colin Thurston
Written-By – Duran Duran

NOTES:
UK 12″ promo issue has plain blue labels on both sides with exclusive “Instrumental Night Version”.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.