Pet Shop Boys – Left To My Own Devices (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

“Left to My Own Devices” is a song recorded by Pet Shop Boys, released as the second single from their third studio album, Introspective.

The single fared better than the album’s lead single, “Domino Dancing”, charting three positions higher in the UK Singles Chart, at Number 4. It became the first track that Pet Shop Boys recorded with an orchestra, arranged by Richard Niles. Since its release, it has become a staple of Pet Shop Boys live performances.

In the U.S. the single only managed to rech #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. “Left To My Own Devices” was a bigger hit in U.S. dance clubs peaking at #8 on the Billboard Dance Chart.

SIDE A:
Left To My Own Devices (The Disco Mix) 11:28
Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor – Richard Niles
Remix – Robin Hancock, Stephen Lipson, Trevor Horn
Vocals [Additional] – Bruce Woolley, Sally Bradshaw

SIDE B:
Left To My Own Devices 4:46
Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor – Richard Niles
Vocals [Additional] – Bruce Woolley

The Sound Of The Atom Splitting 3:29
Engineer [Assistant] – Renny Hill
Written-By – Lipson*, Tennant/Lowe*, Horn*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	Left To My Own Devices	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#84
1988	Left To My Own Devices	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#8
1988	Left To My Own Devices	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#25

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI-Manhattan Records ‎– V-56121, EMI USA ‎– V-56121
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Arranged By, Producer – Stephen Lipson, Trevor Horn
Design – Mark Farrow, Pet Shop Boys
Engineer –Stephen Lipson
Engineer [Assistant] – Danton Supple
Photography By – Michael Roberts (6)
Written-By – Tennant and Lowe* (tracks: A, B1)

NOTES:
Mark Farrow at Three Associates
Printed 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: 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 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

December 21, 2017

The Pretenders – 2000 Miles (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“2000 Miles” is a song by English-American rock band The Pretenders that was released in 1983 as the preceding single to their 1984 album, Learning to Crawl. It was most popular in the UK, where it peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1983. In the US, it was released as the B-side of both the 7-inch single and 12-inch single remix of the band’s hit, “Middle of the Road”.

Considered a Christmas song, it has been released on various Christmas compilation albums. While most people believe the title to refer to the distance between two long-distance lovers who miss each other over the holidays, it is actually meant to be for James Honeyman-Scott, the group’s original guitar player, who died the year before the song was released.

The official video features Hynde dressed as a member of the Salvation Army in a snowy location.

SIDE A:
2000 Miles 3:38
Written By – C. Hynde*

SIDE B:
Fast Or Slow (The Law’s The Law) 3:14
Acoustic Guitar – Billy Bremner
Bass – Andrew Bodnar
Written-By – M. Chambers*

Money (Live) 4:49
Keyboards – Chris Thomas
Written By – Berry Gordy, William Bradford*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Real Records (2) ‎– ARE 20T
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Alternative Rock

CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve] – Peter Barrett (3)
Mastered By – Tim Young
Photography By – Bay Hippisley
Producer – Chris Thomas

NOTES:
B2 Recorded at US Festival May 1983 by Westwood One.

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

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

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