Queen – Back Chat (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Back Chat”, written by the bass guitarist John Deacon, is the track most influenced by black music on the 1982 Queen album Hot Space. Deacon (who differed from his band-mates, in that he was the only one raised on soul instead of rock and roll) had chosen a no-compromise method of eliminating any rock elements from his songs for Hot Space. This act of defiance caused friction amongst fellow band members, particularly Brian May, who fought to retain at least some rock sensibilities in their funk diversions. After heated debate, the band finally decided to include a guitar solo on “Back Chat”. It reached #40 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was performed on the Hot Space tour at a faster tempo, with a more rock-orientated arrangement. “Back Chat”, the title, is an English idiom referring to a “impertinent or impudent replies, especially to a superior”. In a Rolling Stone magazine album review, the critic John Milward described the musical style of the song as: “a hot rock-funk tune, with guitar tracks as slick as an icy dance floor.”

SIDE A:
Back Chat (Re-Mix) 6:54
Written-By – Deacon*

SIDE B:
Staying Power 4:12
Arranged By [Horns] – Arif Mardin
Written-By – Mercury*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12EMI 5325, EMI ‎– 12 EMI 5325
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 09 Aug 1982
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Funk
Credits: Producer – Mack (2), Queen

NOTES:
Taken from the album “HOT SPACE”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Pro-Ject Speed Box S
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

July 3, 2013

Breathe – Hands To Heaven (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

Although it was released as the first single from the group’s debut album All That Jazz, “Hands to Heaven” was not Breathe’s debut single; the group had recorded and released songs prior to signing an album deal with A&M Records. One of these songs, “Don’t Tell Me Lies”, reached #77 on the UK Singles Chart in 1986 before being included on Breathe’s debut album and subsequently being reissued.

“Hands to Heaven” was, however, Breathe’s breakthrough hit in both the UK as well as the United States. The ballad peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1988. In the US, it logged two weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same month (kept from the summit by “Roll with It” by Steve Winwood) and spent 16 weeks in the Top 40. “Hands to Heaven” also peaked at #2 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.

The song also reached #4 in Norway and #14 in Sweden.

This song was one of a number of singles, many by British and Australian bands, that helped to shape the smooth jazz radio format in the US in the mid to late 1980s. Other associated artists include Swing Out Sister, Johnny Hates Jazz, Icehouse and Sade.

SIDE A:
Hands To Heaven (Extended Heaven) 6:25
Producer – Bob Sergeant*
Remix – Chris Porter

SIDE B:
Hands To Heaven (Radio Mix) 4:18
Producer – Bob Sergeant*
Remix – Chris Porter

Life And Times (Instrumental) 4:46
Mixed By – John Madden*
Producer – Breathe (3)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	Hands To Heaven	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1988	Hands To Heaven	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#2

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Siren Records (8) ‎– SRNT 68
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Downtempo
Credits: Arranged By – Breathe (3)
Design – Arefin*
Photography By [Back] – Drew Carolan
Photography By [Front] – Eamon J McCabe*
Written-By – D.Glasper*, M.Lillington*

NOTES:
From the LP:
“ALL THAT JAZZ”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

July 2, 2013

Steve Winwood – Valerie (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

“Valerie” is a song written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings and originally recorded by Winwood for his third solo album Talking Back to the Night, in 1982.

The song deals with a man reminiscing about a lost love he hopes to find again someday. Will Jennings reportedly wrote the lyrics while thinking about Valerie Carter, singer songwriter, whose career was declining because of drugs. On its original release, the single reached number 51 on the UK Singles Chart and number 70 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

In 1987, a remix by Tom Lord-Alge was included on Winwood’s compilation album Chronicles. The remixed version of “Valerie” was released as a single and climbed to number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 in late December 1987, and also reached number 19 in the UK. Both versions also reached #13 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Eric Prydz sampled the song in 2004 for a house music track and presented it to Winwood. Winwood was so impressed with what Prydz had done, he re-recorded the vocals to better fit the track. The 2004 remix was released under the title “Call on Me”.

SIDE A:
Valerie 4:08
Producer – Steve Winwood, Tom Lord Alge*
Remix – Tom Lord Alge*

Talking Back To The Night (Instrumental Version) 4:15
Producer – Steve Winwood, Tom Lord Alge*
Remix – Tom Lord Alge*

SIDE B:
The Finer Things (12″ Remix) 8:30
Mixed By – Tom Lord Alge*
Producer –Russ Titelman, Steve Winwood

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1987	Valerie	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#9
1987	Valerie	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#13
1987	Valerie	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#2

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Island Records ‎– 12 IS 336
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Written-By – Steve Winwood, Will Jennings

NOTES:
Track A1 & A2 Remixed at Sixteenth Avenue Sound, Nashville.
‘Valerie’ is taken from the forthcoming compilation ‘CHRONICLES’.
Available on Compact Disc, Album & Cassette.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

July 1, 2013

This Way Up – Louise (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

“Louise” was a 1987 single released by British band This Way Up formed by Culture Club guitarist/keyboardist Roy Hay. The band released one album titled Feeling Good About It in Europe and Japan. “Louise” was the third single lifted from the album but the single failed to chart. The single featured vocals by Robinson Reid.

SIDE A:
Louise (Extended Version) 7:11

SIDE B:
Louise (Remix) 3:59
Shake Baby Shake 3:27

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFOEMATION:
Label: Virgin ‎– VST 1033
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Design – Assorted Images
Engineer – Peter Henderson
Photography – Mike Owen, Simon Fowler
Producer – Roy Hay
Remix – Michael H. Brouer
Vocals – Robinson Reid

NOTES:
Original version appears on the LP:
“FEELING GOOD ABOUT IT”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi