Max Headroom – Merry Christmas Santa Claus (You’re A Lovely Guy) (US 7″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

Max Headroom is a fictional British artificial intelligence (AI), known for his wit and stuttering, distorted, electronically sampled voice. It was introduced in early 1984. The character was created by George Stone, Annabel Jankel, and Rocky Morton in the mid-1980s, and portrayed by Matt Frewer as “The World’s first computer-generated TV host” although the computer-generated appearance was achieved with prosthetic make up, as the computer technology of the time was not sufficiently advanced to achieve the desired effect. Preparing the look for filming involved a four-and-a-half hour session in make-up, which Matt Frewer described as “a very painful, torturous and disgusting enterprise”.

In 1986 Max was also featured on a single titled “Merry Christmas Santa Claus (You’re a Lovely Guy)” released by Chrysalis Records. The music video featured Max inside a TV screen playing piano surrounded by a choir.

SIDE A:
Merry Christmas Santa Claus (You’re A Lovely Guy) 4:00

SIDE B:
Gimme Shades 2:35

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Chrysalis ‎– VS4 44000
Format: Vinyl, 7″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Novelty
Credits: Photography – Tim Roney
Producer – Keith Strachan
Written By – P. Owen/D. Hansen
Written-By – David Hansen, Paul Owen (4)

Find The 7″ On DISCOGS

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

December 9, 2013

Madonna – Express Yourself (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

R E Q U E S T

“Express Yourself” is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer. It was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was included on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990), and Celebration (2009). “Express Yourself” was the first song that Madonna and producer Stephen Bray collaborated on for Like a Prayer. Written and produced by them, the song was a tribute to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The main inspiration behind the song is female empowerment, urging women never to go for second-best and to always express their inner feelings.

“Express Yourself” is an upbeat dance-pop song that features instrumentation from brass, hand claps and drum beats, while the chorus is backed by the sound of saxophone and percussion. The lyrics talk about rejecting material pleasures and only accepting the best for oneself; subtexts are employed throughout the song. “Express Yourself” received positive reviews from critics, who applauded the gender equality message of the song and complimented the song for being a hymn to freedom and encouragement to women and all oppressed minorities. The song was also a commercial success, reaching the top of the charts in Canada, Italy and Switzerland and the top five in other nations. It also became Madonna’s sixth number-one hit on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.

*As a bonus I have added the 7″ Remix taken from the US 7″ single.

SIDE A:
Express Yourself (Non-Stop Express Mix) 7:58
Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:50

SIDE B:
Express Yourself (Local Mix) 6:20

The Look Of Love (LP Version) 4:03
Producer, Written-By – atrick Leonard

BONUS TRACK:
Express Yourself (7″ Remix) 4:34

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	Express Yourself	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1989	Express Yourself	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	#12
1989	Express Yourself	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 0-21225
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Design – Jeri Heiden
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Bob Rosa (tracks: A1 to B1)
Photography By – Herb Ritts
Producer, Written-By – Madonna, Stephen Bray (tracks: A1 to B1)
Programmed By – Fred McFarlane (tracks: A1 to B1)
Remix, Producer [Additional Production], Edited By – Shep Pettibone (tracks: A1 to B1)
Typography [Lettering] – Kama Logan

NOTES:
“Express Yourself” from the Sire LP:
“LIKE A PRAYER”

“The Look Of Love” from the soundtrack LP:
“WHO’s THAT GIRL”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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

December 5, 2013

Yazoo – Situation (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Situation” is a 1982 single by the British synthpop band, Yazoo. The song was originally released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo’s debut single, “Only You”, which went to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. Released as a single in North America, the song peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, and hit the top 40 in Canada, peaking at number 31. In late summer 1982 it became Yazoo’s first song to top the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, remaining at number one on this chart for four weeks. It also crossed over to the R&B chart, peaking at number 31.

The song features a memorable synthesizer hook by Vince Clarke (similar to the work he had done with his previous band, Depeche Mode), combined with the vocals by Alison Moyet (including her laughter, which has since been sampled in countless other songs, including the international novelty dance hit “Macarena”).

SIDE A:
Situation 5:40

SIDE B:
Situation (Dub Version) 5:45

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	Situation	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#73
1982	Situation	U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	#31
1982	Situation	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 0-29950
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Design [Sleeve] – Rocking Rick Lego
Engineer – http://www.discogs.com/artist/John+Potoker
Mastered By – Herb Powers Jr.
Producer – Daniel Miller, Eric Radcliffe, Vince Clarke
Remix [Remixed By] – François Kevorkian
Written-By – Moyet*, Clarke*

nOTES:
From the Sire LP:
“Upstairs At Eric’s”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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

December 4, 2013

Erasure – She Won’t Be Home (Lonely Christmas) (US 7″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

“She Won’t Be Home (Lonely Christmas)” is a US only promotional single released by by British synthpop duo Erasure, released in 1988. Both tracks were taken from the duo’s 1988 Christmas EP “Cracker Internationl”.

The single was shipped with a red promo insert inside the sleeve presenting the single to DJs.

In November 2013 Erasure released their first full length Christmas album titled “Snow Globe” on Mute records.

SIDE A:
She Won’t Be Home (Lonely Christmas) 3:26
Mixed By – Phil Legg
Written-By – Clarke/Bell

SIDE B:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 3:12
Arranged By – Erasure
Mixed By – Mark Saunders

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– PRO-S-3409
Format: Vinyl, 7″, Single, Promo, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Engineer – Alan Moulder
Engineer [Assistant] – Cameron Jenkins, Jock Loveband
Producer – Erasure

NOTES:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years from all your friends at Sire & Reprise.
DJ Only Not For Sale

Find The 7″ On DISCOGS

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