Category: The Human League

The Human League – I Need Your Loving (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1986

Vinyl-only*

“I Need Your Loving” is a song by English synth-pop band The Human League, released as the second single from their fifth studio album, Crash (1986). The song was written by Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, David Eiland, Langston Richey, Danny Williams and Herman Davis (a.k.a. Randy Ran).

Like many other tracks from the album, “I Need Your Loving” was aimed towards the US market, where the first single from Crash, “Human”, had reached number one. The single was recorded at the Flyte Time studios in Minneapolis under the production of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis while the Human League had been in residence from February until April 1986. In the UK it was promoted with a cheaply and badly filmed music video and it became the band’s worst showing in the UK charts ever, only reaching number 72. Critics savaged the song at the time and the band has largely disowned it.

In the United States, the song reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on January 24, 1987, after spending eleven weeks on the survey. “I Need Your Loving” also peaked at number 52 on the Billboard R&B chart.

*Tracks A2, B1 and B2 are vinyl-only.

SIDE A:
I Need Your Loving (Extended Version) 7:18
I Need Your Loving (Acapella Version)* 3:46

SIDE B:
I Need Your Loving (Dub Version)* 6:43
I Need Your Loving (Instrumental Version)* 3:46

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1987 I Need Your Loving U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #44
1987 I Need Your Loving U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles #52

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – VS900-12
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Produced for Flyte Time Productions, Inc.
From the LP “CRASH”

Manufactured in the U.K.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
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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The Human League – Fascination! (US Mini-LP)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Fascination!” is an EP released by British synthpop band The Human League in May 1983. The EP was issued as a stop-gap release in between the albums Dare (1981) and Hysteria (1984). Released in the US, it was made available in Europe as an import.

The original vinyl release of Fascination! contained six tracks, including two versions of their single “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” as well as “Mirror Man”, both of which were hits in the UK and the U.S.

Also included is “Hard Times”, which was originally the B-side of their 1981 hit “Love Action” and also appears on the band’s 1982 remix album Love and Dancing.

The featured version of “I Love You Too Much” is an earlier version of the song that would later be released on the band’s Hysteria album in 1984.

The Fascination! reached #38 in Canada and #22 on the US Billboard Hot 200 albums and EP chart.

SIDE A:
(Keep Feeling) Fascination-Extended 4:57
Remix – Chris Thomas

Mirror Man 3:48
Written-By –Burden*

Hard Times 4:52
Written-By – Wright*

SIDE B:
I Love You Too Much 3:18
Written-By –  Burden*, Wright*

You Remind Me Of Gold 3:26

(Keep Feeling) Fascination-Improvisation 6:12

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1983 Fascination! U.S. Billboard Hot 200 #22

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records ‎– SP-12501
Format: Vinyl, LP, 33 ⅓ RPM, Mini-Album, B – Electrosound Pressing
Country: US
Released: May 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer –  Martin Rushent, The Human League
Written-By – Callis* (tracks: A1 to B1, B3), Oakey* (tracks: A1 to A3, B2, B3)

NOTES:
This version has a black sleeve. It was also released with a light grey-colored sleeve.

“B” on the bottom of labels (next to A&M logo) denotes an Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc. pressing.

Find the Mini-LP at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
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.

The Human League – Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love) (Canada 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981

“Love Action (I Believe in Love)” is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League, released as a single in the UK in July 1981. It became the band’s first Top 10 success, peaking at number three in the UK Singles Chart.

The song was written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and keyboard player Ian Burden. It features a lead vocal by Oakey, female backing vocals by Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall, and analog synthesizers by Jo Callis, Philip Adrian Wright, and Ian Burden. Drum machines, sequencing, and programming were provided by producer Martin Rushent and his then engineer and programmer David M. Allen. One of the most notable synths sounds on the recording makes use of the pitch-to-voltage converter and envelope shaper on the Roland System 700 modular synth. Jo Callis’ guitar strumming was fed into the synth and used to shape and trigger the sounds, producing an unusual choppy, strumming synth patch.

“Love Action (I Believe in Love)” was the second of three songs from the Dare album to be released in advance of the album itself in 1981. It was released as a double A-side single with the non-album track “Hard Times”. In the US, “Love Action (I Believe in Love)”/”Hard Times” made the dance charts twice: in 1981, the tracks first peaked at number thirty-seven, and one year later, re-entered the dance chart and peaked at number fifty-seven.

The release of the single was widely advertised in the music press in early August 1981 with prominence given also to the B-side “Hard Times” as well as the A-side, and to the fact that a “limited” 12″ single would also be made available as “Hard Times/Love Action” in “Disco Mix and Odd Mix” although these names were not used for the actual release. The single was designated ‘Red’ on the Human League’s short-lived self-imposed labeling system of ‘Blue’ for pop songs and ‘Red’ for dance tracks.

The single made number 3 in the UK charts and placed The Human League at the forefront of media attention. It also renewed Virgin Records’ faith in the band and guaranteed the release of the album that was to become Dare, just four months later.

The song was ranked at number 5 among the top ten “Tracks of the Year” for 1981 by NME.

SIDE A:
Hard Times/Love Action (I Believe In Love) 10:10

SIDE B:
Hard Times/Love Action (I Believe In Love) (Instrumental) 11:04

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1981 Hard Times/Love Action (I Believe In Love) U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #37

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin ‎– VSX-1134, Virgin ‎– VSX 1134
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Limited Edition
Country: Canada
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Coordinator, Layout – Ken*
Design [Cover], Photography By – Adrian*, Philip*
Lacquer Cut By – Al*
Producer – Martin Rushent, The Human League

NOTES:
Made in Canada.

Artistic subtitle/descriptor for this release is “Red” as indicated on jacket and labels.

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

The Human League – Empire State Human (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1980

“Empire State Human” is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. The song was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware, and Ian Craig Marsh. It was co-produced by The Human League and Colin Thurston and recorded at Monumental Studios in Sheffield.

The song was the third single to be released by the original line-up of the Human League, and the first and only single from the band’s 1979 debut album Reproduction. Upon its first release in October 1979, the single failed to chart. However, it was re-released in June 1980 and fared slightly better, reaching number 62 in the UK Singles Chart. For the re-release, Virgin Records included a free copy of the single “Only After Dark” with the first 15,000 copies as a sweetener.

Lyrically, “Empire State Human” is a song about becoming powerful using the analogy of size, with Oakey declaring that he wants to be “tall” a total of 60 times in 3 minutes. The uncut magazine drew a comparison with Oakey’s own personal ambition:

“ “I wanna be tall, tall, tall, as big as a wall, wall, wall”. Oakey’s Nietzschian pop fantasy reflected his own burgeoning full-on pop ambitions… ”

The B-side, “Introducing”, is an instrumental produced by The Human League. Oakey sang on the original recording but the vocals were not used on the released version.

The open-shirted man on the cover artwork is band member Ian Craig Marsh’s father.

SIDE A:
Empire State Human 3:11
Producer – Colin Thurston, The Human League

SIDE B:
Introducing 3:14
Producer –The Human League

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin ‎– VS 351-12
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Reissue
Country: UK
Released: Jun 1980
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Other [Clothes] – Colley
Written-By – Marsh*, Ware*, Oakey*

NOTES:
Reissue as 12″ with the same tracks as the original 7″ VS 294 (released 12 October 1979)

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: Schiit Mani
Soundcard: ESI Juli@ XTe Audio Interface
Monitiring: 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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.