Category: Soft Cell

March 24, 2022

Soft Cell – What (Germany 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1982

“What” is a song written by H. B. Barnum, originally performed by Melinda Marx and released in 1965.

British synth-pop/new wave duo Soft Cell released a cover of the song in July 1982 as the only single from their remix EP Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing. It became their fifth UK top-ten chart hit, peaking at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

SIDE A:
What 6:10
Engineer – Don Wershba
Mixed By – Harvey Goldberg
Performer [Instruments] – Dave Ball
Vocals – Marc Almond
Written-By – H.B. Barnum

SIDE B:
So 8:48
Engineer – Bill Clarke
Producer, Performer, Written-By – Dave Ball

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Vertigo – 6400 674
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Germany
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve Design], Artwork [Hand Colouring] – Huw Feather

Photography By [Front Cover] – Eugine Adebari*

NOTES:
H.B. Barnum (as credited on the sleeve) is credited as H.P. Barnum on the label.
Dave Ball (as credited on the sleeve) is credited as David Ball on the label.

Track A recorded at The Camden Cell
Track B recorded in The Box, West Yorks

Front cover taken from the forthcoming “Non-Stop Exotic Video Show”
One nice pop song – from two nice people

Made in West Germany

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & 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

**24bit FLAC only available for seven days!

Password: burningtheground

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February 6, 2018

Soft Cell – Loving You, Hating Me (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Loving You, Hating Me” was the proposed third UK single from the album The Art of Falling Apart by English synth-pop duo Soft Cell. It was never actually released in the UK and only saw release as a single in the US. The “Special Mix” contained in this US 12″ promo is unique to this release and has not appeared on CD. The duration of this track is printed on the sleeve as 6:59 while the label lists 7:50. The label is correct.

“Loving You Hating Me” is a song about the battle of the sexes – a punch up rather than a full blown war! In a January 1983 interview with Soft Cell published in Melody Maker, Marc Almond explained: “Everybody has sadomasochistic tendencies, most people love to be hurt because of the drama and it’s pleasurable hurting somebody else because, afterward, you can feel really sorry for them”.

SIDE A:
Loving You, Hating Me (Special Mix) 7:50

SIDE B:
Heat 6:14
Loving You, Hating Me (LP Version) 4:20

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – Sire ‎– PRO-A-1096, Some Bizzare ‎– PRO-A-1096
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Mike Thorne, Soft Cell
Written-By – Ball*, Almond*

NOTES:
From The Sire album The Art Of Falling Apart
Made in the U.S.A.

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

January 25, 2018

Soft Cell – Bedsitter (Europe 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981

“Bedsitter” is a song by British synthpop duo Soft Cell, from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. Released as a single in October 1981, it reached no. 4 in the UK.

A song that explored the underbelly of the London club scene of the time, it has been described by critic Jon Savage as one of the greatest songs of the 1980s.

Early Morning Dance Side:
Bedsitter 7:52
Written-By – D. Ball*, M. Almond*

Late Night Listening Side:
Facility Girls 7:19
Written-By – Ball*, Almond*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Vertigo ‎– 6400 516, Vertigo ‎– 64 00 516
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Europe
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: New wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Artwork [Padded Cell] – Huw Feather
Other [Make Up] – Vivien P
Photography By – Peter Ashworth
Producer – Mike Thorne

NOTES:
German release under license from Some Bizarre.

Made in West Germany

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

October 25, 2017

Soft Cell – Martin/Hendrix Medley (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Martin”/”Hendrix Medley” was a 12 single” by British dup Soft Cell released in January 1983 included with initial copies of the band’s second album “The Art Of Falling Apart”.

“Martin”, inspired by George A. Romero’s 1978 cult gem about a teenage vampire on the loose in a Pittsburgh suburb. Producer Mike Thorne called the song “a monstrously over-the-top extravaganza”.

The flipside sees Marc and Dave do the unthinkable: tackle a medley of Jimi Hendrix covers. Which they do quite well making it their own. The medley includes “Hey Joe”, “Purple Haze” and “Voodoo Chile”.

SIDE A:
Martin 10:14
Written-By – Ball*, Almond*

SIDE B:
Hendrix Medley 10:23

Hey Joe
Written-By – William Roberts*

Purple Haze
Written-By – Jimi Hendrix

Voodoo Chile
Written-By – Jimi Hendrix

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 1-23769,Some Bizzare – 23769-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, EP
All Media, Limited Edition, Capitol Winchester Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Mike Thorne, Soft Cell

NOTES:
Bonus EP – “Limited Edition” with intial copies of “The Art Of Falling Apart”

Recorded at the Camden Cell Aug/Sept ’82.
Made in U.S.A.

Find the 12″ 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: Sovtek 12AX7LPS Vacuum Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

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