Category: Duran Duran

August 10, 2018

Duran Duran – New Moon On Monday (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“New Moon on Monday” is the tenth single by the English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 23 January 1984 in the United Kingdom.

The second single to be taken from the band’s third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983), the song was another success, reaching the top-ten on both the UK and US charts. On 11 February 1984, the single reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart and on 17 March, it reached number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, after entering on 14 January 1984 at number 56. It did not chart well in Australia and Scandinavia, territories where its predecessor, “Union of the Snake”, had been a big hit. This trend was reversed with the next single, “The Reflex”, which became a worldwide number-one hit.

In a retrospective review, “New Moon on Monday” was praised by Allmusic journalist Donald A. Guarisco, who wrote: “The music holds the unusual lyrics together by wedding effervescent verse melodies that bounce high and low to a triumphant-sounding chorus with a rousing feel.”

The music video for “New Moon on Monday” was filmed by director Brian Grant during the icy first week of January 1984, in the village of Noyers in France. It has a loosely sketched storyline in which the band appear as members of an underground rebellion called “La Luna” (the name is one of the few connections between the video’s content and the song lyrics), organizing a revolt against a modern (1980s-era computers are used) oppressive militaristic regime, apparently in France.

“We set out to make a little movie”, recalled Grant. “I’m not sure we succeeded.” He was not the first choice to shoot the video, as Russell Mulcahy, director of many of the band’s other videos, was unavailable.

Several versions of this video exist. The longest is a 17-minute “movie version” which includes an extended introduction before the song starts (including a scene of dialogue between Simon Le Bon and the story’s female lead, played by Patricia Barzyk, winner of the Miss France title in 1980; a brief snippet of “Union of the Snake” is also heard on a radio), and is set to an extended remix of the song. A shorter version, with a spoken French-dialogue intro, was originally submitted to MTV, who then later requested an even shorter version without the prologue.

Yet another version was produced for the Dancing on the Valentine video collection, showing blue-lit scenes of the band members in front of a full-moon backdrop. All but one of the versions were included as easter eggs on the 2004 DVD compilation Greatest.

Both Andy Taylor and Nick Rhodes say this is the band’s least favorite video. “Everybody … hates it, particularly the dreadful scene at the end where we all dance together”, Taylor wrote in his memoirs. “Even today, I cringe and leave the room if anyone plays [it].” He recalls that they were miserable since their Christmas holiday had been cut short to shoot the video, and spent most of the day on the dark and cold set drinking, to the point that he was “half cut” by the time the last scenes were shot. “It’s one of the few times I’ve seen Nick dance”.

“New Moon on Monday” was backed with a remix of the instrumental “Tiger Tiger” done by Ian Little. The original version of the instrumental was found on the Seven and the Ragged Tiger album. The release was rounded out by an extended version of the title track.

SIDE A:
New Moon On Monday (Remix) 6:04
Remix – Ian Little

SIDE B:
Tiger Tiger (Remix) 3:25
Remix – Ian LittleIan Little
Saxophone – Andy Hamilton (7)

New Moon On Monday 4:16

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	New Moon On Monday	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#10

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12 DURAN 1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 04 Feb 1984
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Arranged By, Written-By – Duran Duran
Photography By – Rebecca Blake (2)
Producer – Alex Sadkin, Duran Duran, Ian Little
Sleeve [Sleeve Produced By] – Assorted iMaGes

NOTES:
From the DURAN DURAN LP “SEVEN AND THE RAGGED TIGER”

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

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

February 21, 2018

Duran Duran – I Don’t Want Your Love (UK 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

Originally posted June 17, 2014

“I Don’t Want Your Love” is the seventeenth single from Duran Duran and the first single from the Big Thing album. It was released on September 1988. As with the album, the band’s name was rendered on the artwork as Duranduran.

“I Don’t Want Your Love” both debuted and peaked at number 14 in the UK, but did much better in the rest of Europe, especially in Italy where it spent six non-consecutive weeks at number 1, and was the best-selling single of 1988 in that country. It also did very well in the U.S., reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

In the UK a promo 12″ includes the dub mix of “I Don’t Want Your Love”, which was unreleased elsewhere until 1999’s Strange Behaviour remix collection (which strangely didn’t use the lead 12″ mix entitled “Big Mix”).

SIDE A:
I Don’t Want Your Love (Big Mix) 7:34

SIDE B:
I Don’t Want Your Love (Dub Mix) 7:36

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	I Don’t Want Your Love	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#4
1988	I Don’t Want Your Love	U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	#13
1988	I Don’t Want Your Love	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12 YOUR DJ 1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: House, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Daniel Abraham , Duran Duran , Jonathan Elias
Recorded By, Mixed By – Daniel Abraham
Written-By – Taylor* , Rhodes* , Le Bon*
Engineer [Mix] – Bob Rosa
Producer [Additional], Mixed By – Shep Pettibone

NOTES:
Recorded and mixed for White Falcon Productions.
Additionally produced and mixed for Mastermix Productions.
Mastered at Sterling.

From the Duranduran album “BIG THING”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

January 23, 2018

Duran Duran – Careless Memories (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981

“Careless Memories” is the second single by Duran Duran, released on 20 April 1981.

The band’s debut single “Planet Earth” had been a Top 20 hit, so it was regarded as a major setback when “Careless Memories” stalled at No. 37 in the UK charts, particularly as it was to herald the June release of the debut album Duran Duran.

It has since come to light that the decision to release the single was not the bands but EMI’s. After its failure, executives decided to let Duran Duran choose their own single releases. The band’s first selection was “Girls on Film” and it duly became their first Top 5 hit in the UK.

The song “Khanada” (pronounced “keh-NAY-duh”) was included as the B-side to the single. It is reported to have been written for fashion designer Jane Kahn who owned, with partner Patti Bell, the Hurst Street shop Kahn & Bell where Duran Duran (and numerous other clubgoers of the day) shopped for clothes.

“Careless Memories” is one of three original-era singles that didn’t include a remix of the title track (although the fade-out on the 12″ is slightly longer), the other two being “Save A Prayer” and “A View to a Kill”. To compensate for this, EMI issued a bonus B-side on the 12″, a faithful cover of David Bowie’s “Fame”. However, the “Careless Memories” 12″ version fades out at 3:44 seconds, the 7″ version three seconds earlier at 3:41. The 7″ version is included in the “Singles Box Set 1981-1985” but runs to 3:44 as it includes three seconds of silence after the fade out. The album version has a cold end.

SIDE A:
Careless Memories 3:46
Written-By – Duran Duran

SIDE B:
Fame 3:18
Written-By – Alomar*, Bowie*, Lennon*

Khanada 3:27
Written-By – Duran Duran

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12EMI 5168, EMI ‎– 12 EMI 5168
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Photography By – Peter Ashworth
Producer – Colin Thurston

NOTES:
B2 styled with diacritics as “KHĀ̑NĀDĂ” on back sleeve and labels.

Assorted Images ®

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

January 2, 2018

Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know? (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Is There Something I Should Know?” is the eighth single by British band Duran Duran, released on 19 March 1983.

The song was released as a stand-alone single and became the band’s first UK number one record. It debuted in the number one position on the UK Singles Chart on 26 March 1983. The single also had great success in America, where it was released in late May: it reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 6 August 1983 and sold more than a million copies.

“Is There Something I Should Know?” was recorded in London, with producer Ian Little in December 1982. Although generally regarded as a stand-alone single, it was added to the 1983 US re-issue of the band’s 1981 debut album, Duran Duran. The first album on which the song featured in the UK was the inaugural Now That’s What I Call Music compilation at the end of the year.

The singles from the Duran Duran album did not receive much airplay in the United States on the album’s first release; both the band and the New Romantic fashion style were unknown, and very few British bands were able to break into American radio at that time. However, by the end of 1982, the band’s Rio album was rapidly climbing the American charts, fueled by saturation airplay of various Duran Duran videos on MTV. The band and their label, Capitol/EMI, decided to re-release the debut album in the United States with the inclusion of this newly recorded single.

Because of the time limitations of vinyl records, the inclusion of “Is There Something I Should Know?” required the omission of the album track “To The Shore” on the reissue. “To The Shore” was reinstated on later compact disc pressings.

“Is There Something I Should Know?” was the song Duran Duran used to open their 1983/84 Seven and the Ragged Tiger album tour shows with and also Duran Duran’s charity concert at Aston Villa football ground 1983.

In a retrospective review of the song, Allmusic journalist Donald A. Guarisco wrote that the lyrics “deal with a difficult romantic relationship in rather obtuse terms.” Guarisco highlighted what he described as “odd turns of phrase” in the lyrics, such as: “and fiery demons all dance when you walk through that door/Don’t say your easy on me ’cause you’re about as easy as a nuclear war.”

Although Guarisco questioned the lyrics, he praised the melody in the song. He wrote: “The melody of ‘Is There Something I Should Know?’ is one of Duran Duran’s catchiest, matching twisty verse melodies full of ear-catching hooks with a harmonized chorus.

The B-side to “Is There Something I Should Know?” in Europe is the instrumental “Faith in this Colour”. An “Alternate Slow Mix” of “Faith in this Colour” was used on the 7″ single, some pressings of which included brief unauthorized sound samples from the movie Star Wars — these were promptly withdrawn when copyright concerns were raised, although on the “Alternate Slow Mix” from the singles box set, the scene, in which Obi-Wan leaves to disable the tractor beam, can clearly be heard in the last minute. Duran Duran has not confirmed this, though.

The mainly instrumental “Monster Mix” of “Is There Something I Should Know?” was completed by producers Ian Little and Alex Sadkin.

In the US, the song “Careless Memories” is the B-side of “Is There Something I Should Know?”.

SIDE A:
Is There Something I Should Know? (Monster Mix) 6:42
Remix – Alex Sadkin, Ian Little

SIDE B:
Is There Something I Should Know? (Short Mix) 4:09

Faith In This Colour 4:06

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	Is There Something I Should Know?	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#4
1983	Is There Something I Should Know?	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#3
1983	Is There Something I Should Know?	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	#34

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI Electrola – 1C K062-65 106 Z
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Pop, Rock
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Ian Little
Producer, Written-By – Duran Duran

NOTES:
Watch out for ‘Duran Duran’ the video album containing the complete history since Planet Earth and more…

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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