Category: Howard Jones

Howard Jones – What Is Love? (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

A. Front

“What Is Love?” was the 2nd single by musician Howard Jones. Released in November 1983, from the album Human’s Lib, it reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the singer’s highest chart placing to date. In the US it peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of 1984.

The song was originally entitled “Love?” on the demo tape which Howard Jones recorded in 1982, which itself was available at his gigs. Howard Jones also used the question mark motif around this time on posters advertising his gigs; posters which also hung behind him on stage at his early 1980s Marquee Club appearances and which read simply “Howard Jones?”.

The song was used in the 1984 film Supergirl.

SIDE A:
What Is Love? (Extended Version) 6:31
Producer – Rupert Hine

SIDE B:
It Just Doesn’t Matter 3:35
Engineer, Mixed By – Mark Lusardi*
Producer – Howard Jones

Hunt The Self (Recorded Live At The Marquee) 5:39
Engineer – Mark Lusardi*
Mixed By – Mike Roarty

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 What Is Love? U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #33
1984 What Is Love? U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks #20

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: WEA ‎– HOW 2T, WEA ‎– 249570-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 26 Nov 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Lyrics By – Howard Jones, William Bryant
Music By – Howard Jones

NOTES:
Also available “HUMAN’S LIB”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Pro-Ject Speed Box S
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

Howard Jones – Things Can Only Get Better (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

A. Front

Re-Rip Remaster

Originally I posted this one back in May of 2010. But for those who may have missed it, or if you are a new reader just discovering BTG. I decided to give this one a fresh new rip with my newer Ortofon 30 stylus. The 12″ is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!

“Things Can Only Get Better” was released as the first single from Howard Jones’ 1985 album Dream Into Action, reaching #6 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Curiously, the song also crossed over to the R&B charts in America, peaking at #54 (a rarity for a white artist at the time).

A typically upbeat Jones composition, it was one of two songs from the album to feature all-female singing group Afrodiziak on backing vocals. John Leland from Spin magazine wrote that “It mines the best of the Anglo soul movement: a clean slap-bass line, precise horns and synths, and some well-paced and inviting singing”.

The cover of the 12″ single featured a photograph of Jones, in profile, sitting in a high bar stool. This image was used in silhouette for the 7″ artwork, the single being issued in several alternative sleeves with different colour backgrounds.

“New Song (New Version)” is the same version that appears on the 12″ Album except that it has an earlier fade.

SIDE A:
Things Can Only Get Better (LP Version) 4:05

What Is Love? (New Extended Version) 6:33
Lyrics By – Howard Jones, William Bryant
Music By – Howard Jones

SIDE B:
Things Can Only Get Better (Extended Version) 7:25
New Song (New Version) 4:51

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #5
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #28
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #10
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles #54
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #21

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Elektra ‎– 0-66915
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 RPM, Yellow Sleeve
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Producer – Rupert Hine
Recorded By, Mixed By – Stephen W. Tayler
Written-By – Howard Jones (tracks: A1, B1, B2)

NOTES:
Picture sleeve available in 3 other colours.
white, pink and orange.
Produced for Gestalt.
Mastered at Sterling.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

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

Howard Jones – Like To Get To Know You Well (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Like to Get to Know You Well” is a single by musician Howard Jones released in the second half of 1984, which was subsequently included on his twelve inch remix album The 12″ Album. The single climbed to number four on the UK Singles Chart. The sleeve carried the motto “Dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympic Games”. The extended version, subtitled “International Remix”, featured Jones singing in English, German and French.

The song was included as a bonus track on the singer’s second studio album, Dream Into Action.

“Like to Get to Know You Well” was featured in the 1985 movie Better Off Dead starring John Cusack.

Two different videos were made. The first featured Jones walking around the streets of London greeting members of the public, accompanied by his bandmates of the time. When the single was released in the US, a new animated video was produced for that market.

This is the second pressing with the slightly different sleeve.
The line of incorrectly translated Japanese text is taken out and the mix title appears at the bottom instead.

SIDE A:
Like To Get To Know You Well (International Remix) 7:42
Engineer – Stephen W. Tayler
Producer – Rupert Hine

SIDE B:
Bounce Right Back (Cause And Effect Remix) 7:26
Producer – Howard Jones
Recorded By – Bryan Evans
Remix – Stephen W. Tayler

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Like To Get To Know You Well U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #49

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: WEA – HOW 5(T)
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Music By, Lyrics By – Howard Jones
Recorded At – Farmyard Studios
Mixed At – Farmyard Studios

NOTES:
Recorded & mixed at Farmyard Studios, England.
Track A produced for Gestalt.

“Dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympic Games”

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

Howard Jones – Pearl In The Shell (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

REQUEST

This 12″ is the UK release which includes an eight minute version of “Total Conditioning” that does not appear on any Howard Jones CD release, including the 12″ Collection compilation which only contains a 6:58 version making this 12″ a true HoJo collectible. I posted the US 12″ Promo back in April of 2010 and it includes the Remix Version of “Pearl In The Shell” you can get it here.

“Pearl in the Shell” is the fourth and final single released by musician Howard Jones from the album Human’s Lib. Released in May 1984, the song reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart. It features a saxophone solo by Davey Payne of Ian Dury’s band The Blockheads.

“Total Conditioning” is an extended version of the song “Conditioning” also taken from Human’s Lib the mix feature a medley  at the end of the track of all ten songs from Humans Lib as well as Always Asking Questions.

SIDE A:
Pearl In The Shell 3:55
Saxophone [Uncredited] – Davey Payne, Stephen W. Tayler
Saxophone [Uncredited] – Davey Payne, Stephen W. Tayler
Producer – Rupert Hine
Lyrics By – Howard Jones
Engineer – Stephen W. Tayler

Law Of The Jungle 3:16
Lyrics By – Howard Jones
Engineer – Mike Roarty

SIDE B:
Total Conditioning 8:01
Producer, Remix – Rupert Hine
Lyrics By – William Bryant
Engineer – Stephen W. Tayler

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Pearl In The Shell U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Did Not Chart

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label:WEA Records Ltd., WEA
Catalog#: HOW 4T, 249370-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 26 May 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Music By – Howard Jones
Photography – Mike Prior

NOTES:
Taken from the album ‘Human’s Lib’
A2 – Recorded in Howard’s Front Room, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
Cover photo courtesy of No1.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 20
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