Category: Holly Johnson

December 20, 2017

Band Aid – Band Aid Special (Japan LP)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

Probably my biggest undertaking to date since I usually do not transfer full albums. I have been working on this off and on over the last rew days and I think it turned out nicely. The Japan pressings always sound very good. I realize this album was released on CD however I prefer vinyl and for those of you who share that love I really hope you enjoy this collection.

Happy, Merry Christmas! -DjPaulT

“Band Aid Special” is a 1985 album compiled by Mercury Records in Japan, released on March 31, 1985 a few months after the release of the single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. This compilation contains all three mixes of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”that were originally released on 12” single. The rest of the album was filled artists that were involved with the recording of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, along with other artists to fill out the album.

The album was re-issued in December 1985 under the title “Rock ‘Now” 12 Hits!”.

Band Aid is a charity supergroup featuring mainly British and Irish musicians and recording artists.was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for anti-famine efforts in Ethiopia by releasing the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” for the Christmas market that year. On 25 November 1984, the song was recorded at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, and was released in the UK four days later. The single surpassed the hopes of the producers to become the Christmas number one on that release. The 12″ version was mixed by Trevor Horn.

SIDE A:
Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (12″ Mix) 6:13
Engineer – Trevor Horn
Producer – Midge Ure, Trevor Horn
Remix – Trevor Horn
Written-By – Geldof*, Ure*

Big Country – In A Big Country 3:52
Producer – Steve Lillywhite
Written-By – Big Country

Marilyn – Calling Your Name 4:04
Producer – Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley
Written-By – Marilyn, Caplin*

Status Quo – Marguerita Time 3:27
Producer – Quo*
Written-By – Frost*, Rossi*

The Boomtown Rats – Tonight 3:53
Producer – The Boomtown Rats
Written-By – Bob Geldof

Genesis – That’s All 4:23
Producer – Genesis, Hugh Padgham
Written-By – Genesis

SIDE B:
Band Aid– Do They Know It’s Christmas? 3:53
Engineer – Steve Lipsom*
Producer – Midge Ure, Trevor Horn
Written-By – Geldof*, Ure*

BBon Jovi – Runaway 3:51
Producer – Lance Quinn, Tony Bongiovi
Written-By – G. Karak*, J. Bon Jovi*

Elton John – Sad Songs (Say So Much) 4:48
Producer – Chris Thomas
Written-By – Elton John & Bernie Taupin

ABC – The Look Of Love 3:29
Producer – Trevor Horn
Written-By – ABC

Tears For Fears – Mothers Talk 3:54
Backing Vocals – Stevie Lange
Producer – Chris Hughes
Written-By – Ian Stanley

Band Aid – Feed The World 4:16
Engineer – Steve Lipsom*
Producer – Midge Ure, Trevor Horn
Written-By – Geldof*, Ure*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
OBI: Near Mint
Insert: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury – 25PP-161
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Japan
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave, Pop Rock, Synth-pop

NOTES:
Among super hits of prominent names included on this special compilation album are songs by The Boomtown Rats, Big Country, Genesis, Status Quo, and Marilyn who participated in the Band Aid project.

℗ 1985 Phonogram International, B.V.
Manufactured and Distributed by Nippon Phonogram Co., Ltd.
Made in Japan

Find the LP on 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

July 14, 2016

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax (U.S. Mix) (Europe 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Relax” is the debut single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in the United Kingdom by ZTT Records in 1983. The song was later included on the album Welcome to the Pleasuredome (1984).

Although fairly inauspicious upon initial release, “Relax” finally reached number one on the UK singles chart on 24 January 1984, ultimately becoming one of the most controversial and most commercially successful records of the decade. The single eventually sold a reported 2 million copies in the UK alone, making it the seventh best-selling single in the UK Singles Chart’s history. Following the release of the group’s second single, “Two Tribes”, “Relax” rallied from a declining UK chart position during June 1984 to climb back up the UK charts and re-attain number-two spot behind “Two Tribes” at number one, representing simultaneous chart success by a single act, unprecedented since the early 1960s.

Upon release in the United States in late 1984, “Relax” repeated its slow UK progress, reaching number 67 upon initial release, but eventually reaching number 10 in March 1985.

The song won Best British Single at the 1985 Brit Awards.

On all of the original 12-inch releases, the B-side featured a cover of “Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey”, followed by a brief dialogue involving Rutherford attempting to sign on, and an a cappella version of the title track’s chorus, segueing into an instrumental version of “Relax”, known as “From Soft to Hard”.

SIDE A:
Relax (U.S. Mix) 7:24
Producer – Trevor Horn
Written-By – Johnson*, O’Toole*, Gill*

SIDE B:
Ferry Cross The Mersey 4:07
Written-By – Marsden*

Relax (From Soft To Hard) 4:34
Producer – Trevor Horn
Written-By – Johnson*, O’Toole*, Gill*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Relax	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#10
1984	Relax	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#20
1984	Relax	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#26

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Island Records ‎– 601 096, Island Records ‎– 601 096-213
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Misprint
Country: Europe
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Bass – Mark O’Toole
Drum – Peter Gill
Guitar – Brian Nash
Illustration [Cover Illustration], Photography By – Anne Yvonne Gilbert
Photography By [Group] – John Stoddart (2)
Sleeve – XLZTT
Vocals [One Voice] – Holly Johnson
Vocals [Two Voice] – Paul Rutherford

NOTES:
The A-side label is misprinted Sex Mix (8:20) but the A-side actually plays the U.S. Mix (7:25).

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

July 1, 2016

Holly Johnson – Americanos (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

Originally posted January 19, 2011

Happy Independence Day weekend USA!

“Americanos” is a song by former Frankie Goes to Hollywood singer Holly Johnson, released as the second single from his 1989 debut album Blast. The song was written by Holly Johnson and was recorded at Studio Guillaume Tell, Townhouse, London and Battery, London. The song also appeared on the soundtrack for the film “Cookie”.

“Americanos” peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart, #36 on the US Dance Music Club Play Singles chart, as well as topping the Australian charts peaking at the #1 spot.

SIDE A:
Americanos (Extended Version) 6:47Edited By – Tuta Aquino
Engineer [Remix] – Daniel Abraham
Programmed By [Additional Keyboard Programming] – Eric Kupper
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Justin Strauss

SIDE B:
Americanos (P.W.L. Extended Version) 5:10
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Phil Harding & Ian Curnow

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	Americanos	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#36

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: UNI Records ‎– UNI 8013
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Andy Richards , Steve Lovell
Producer [Additional Production] – Dan Hartman
Written-By – Holly Johnson

NOTES:
Original version appears on the Holly Johnson album “BLAST”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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