The Cure – Pictures Of You (Limited Edition) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1990

“Pictures of You” is the fourth and final single from the British rock band The Cure’s 1989 album Disintegration. The single dubuted on the UK singles chart on March 31, 1990 and peaked at #24. In the US the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 21, 1990 peaking at #7 the single also charted on the US Dance and Modern Rock tracks charts respectively.

Many of lead singer Robert Smith’s compositions are inspired by literature. “Pictures Of You” was based on an essay by Myra Poleo called The Dark Power of Ritual Pictures. Smith says that after reading it, he destroyed his old personal photos and many of his home videos in an effort to wipe away his past. He came to regret the decision a few days later.

Rolling Stone magazine placed “Pictures Of You” 278th on their 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

**The live tracks on the b-side are one continuous track totaling 10:05 on subsequent CD single versions the songs are split into two seperate tracks. I have left them as they were presented on the vinyl release.

SIDE A:
Pictures Of You (Extended Re-mix) 8:07
Producer – Allen*
Producer, Remix – Smith*
Remix – Parry*, Saunders*

SIDE B:
Last Dance (Live) 10:05
Engineer – Smudger (2)
Mixed By – New*, Smith*
Producer – Cure, The

Fascination Street (Live)
Engineer – Smudger (2)
Mixed By – New*, Smith*
Producer – Cure, The

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1990	Pictures Of You	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#7
1990	Pictures Of You	U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs	#19
1990	Pictures Of You	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	#24

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Fiction Records ?– FIXPB 34, Fiction Records ?– 877 081-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM, Limited Edition, Numbered, Translucent Green
Country: UK
Released: 31 Mar 1990
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave

CREDITS:
Artwork – Green Ink, Smith*
Written-By – Williams*, Tolhurst*, Thompson*, Smith*, O’Donnell*, Gallup*

NOTES:
Limited numbered edition #0052
Pressed on Green Vinyl.
From the LP: “DISINTEGRATION”

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EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
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 Removeal: ClickRepair (DeClick Level 3)
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 15, 2014

Queen – Friends Will Be Friends (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Friends Will Be Friends” is a song performed by Queen and written by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, included on the album A Kind of Magic. It was the band’s 30th single in the UK upon its release on 9 June 1986, reaching number 14 in the UK.

“Friends Will Be Friends” was performed live on The Magic Tour. It is remarkable that it was the first and only song that was sung at the end of concerts between “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” since the News of the World Tour in 1977.

SIDE A:
Friends Will Be Friends (Extended Version) 6:19
Producer – Mack (2)
Written-By – Mercury*, Deacon*

SIDE B:
Friends Will Be Friends (7″ Version) 4:09
Producer – Mack (2)
Written-By – Mercury*, Deacon*

Seven Seas Of Rhye 2:49
Producer – Roy Thomas Baker
Written-By – Mercury*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12QUEEN 8
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Classic Rock

CREDITS:
Design [Cover Design] – Richard Gray (2)
Photography By – Peter Hince
Producer – Queen

NOTES:
Track B1 is taken from the album “A Kind Of Magic”.
Track B2 is taken from the album “Queen II”

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

July 14, 2014

Dead Or Alive – Mighty Mix (UK 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

Re-Rip Newly Remastered!

Originally I posted this one on June 29, 2011. 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 new rip with my newer Ortofon Super 30 stylus. This 12? is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!

“Mighty Mix” is a 1984 UK promo only 12″ released by new wave band Dead Or Alive.

Not quite as rare as the Japanese only “Flip Out” mix but still a rather scarce Dead Or Alive item.
Released only in the UK as a 12″ promo “Mighty Mix” is a megamix featuring tracks taken from Dead Or Alive’s debut LP “Sophisticated Boom Boom”, the “Mighty Mix (Part 1)” did appear as the b-side to You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) in several countries but was labeled as “Mighty Mix (Part 2)”.

SIDE A:
Mighty Mix (Part 1) 7:48
A. 1 Wish You Were Here
A. 2 What I Want
A. 3 Do It
A. 4 Misty Circles

SIDE B:
Mighty Mix (Part 2) 8:08
B. 1 Keep That Body Strong
B. 2 Sit On It
B. 3 You Make Me Wanna
B. 4 That’s The Way (I Like It)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – XPR 1257
Format: Vinyl, 12″, White Label, Promo, Mixed, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG, Synth-pop

NOTES:
Mixed At – Utopia Studios

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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

July 11, 2014

Rick James – Super Freak (France 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981

DISCO FRIDAY!

“Super Freak” is a 1981 hit single produced and performed by Rick James. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James’ album Street Songs and became one of James’ signature songs. It features background vocals from Motown labelmates The Temptations, in which the bass singer is James’ uncle Melvin Franklin, and Canadian singer Taborah Johnson. “Freak” is a slang term for, as described in the song’s lyrics, “…a very kinky girl / The kind you don’t take home to mother”. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #477 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The song was a big hit for James in 1981, charting on the pop, R&B and dance charts in the U.S. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song peaked at #16 in the fall of 1981 and spent 10 weeks in the top 40. Together with two other singles from Street Songs, “Give It to Me Baby” and “Ghetto Life”, it spent three weeks at #1 on the American dance charts earlier that year.

SIDE A:
Super Freak (Vocal) 7:07

SIDE B:
Super Freak (Instrumental 3:34

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1981	Super Freak	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#16
1981	Super Freak	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles	#3
1981	Super Freak	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Motown ‎– 310926, Vogue ‎– 310926
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition
Country: France
Released: 1981
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Funk, Disco

CREDITS:
Photography – X.
Producer, Arranged By – Rick James
Written-By – Alonzo Miller, Rick James

NOTES:
Special versions from the Motown LP: “STREET SONGS”
Made in France by Disques Vogue P.I.P

Find the 12″ On DISCOGS

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