Howard Jones – What Is Love? (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“What Is Love?” was the 2nd single by musician Howard Jones. Released in November 1983, from the album Human’s Lib, it reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the singer’s highest chart placing to date. In the US it peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of 1984.

The song was originally entitled “Love?” on the demo tape which Howard Jones recorded in 1982, which itself was available at his gigs. Howard Jones also used the question mark motif around this time on posters advertising his gigs; posters which also hung behind him on stage at his early 1980s Marquee Club appearances and which read simply “Howard Jones?”.

The song was used in the 1984 film Supergirl.

SIDE A:
What Is Love? (Extended Version) 6:31
Producer – Rupert Hine

SIDE B:
It Just Doesn’t Matter 3:35
Engineer, Mixed By – Mark Lusardi*
Producer – Howard Jones

Hunt The Self (Recorded Live At The Marquee) 5:39
Engineer – Mark Lusardi*
Mixed By – Mike Roarty

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	What Is Love?	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#33
1984	What Is Love?	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#20

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: WEA ‎– HOW 2T, WEA ‎– 249570-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 26 Nov 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Lyrics By – Howard Jones, William Bryant
Music By – Howard Jones

NOTES:
Also available “HUMAN’S LIB”

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 24, 2013

Red Rockers – China (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

Red Rockers were a New Wave band from New Orleans, Louisiana, active from 1979 to 1985. They are best known for their 1983 hit single “China”.

“China” was originally one of the ten songs on Red Rockers’ second full-length album, Good as Gold. The single was released by the joint label Columbia/415. Released in 1983 “China” became the breakout single for the band. Although the song did not reach the Billboard Top Ten, it had an enduring lifespan. The song’s popularity was enhanced by its colorful music video, which was a regular selection on MTV during its early years. The video was filmed in New Orleans, the band’s hometown.

“China” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 6, 1983 and spent ten weeks on the survey peaking at #53.

In spite of – or perhaps because of – its amorphous qualities, the song remains an accessible touchstone for American pop cultural references to China more than a quarter of a century after its release.

SIDE A:
China 3:57

SIDE B:
China (Dance Mix) 5:59
Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today) 4:15

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	China	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#53

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– 44-03629, 415 Records ‎– 44-03629
Format: Vinyl, 12″, EP, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
Credits: Producer – David Kahne

NOTES:
Special Version from the Columbia Lp: “GOOD AS GOLD”

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 23, 2013

Visage – Pleasure Boys (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Pleasure Boys” is a single by the British synth-pop group Visage, released on Polydor Records in October 1982.

Initially a non-album single, “Pleasure Boys” was included on the Fade to Grey – The Singles Collection compilation album in 1983. As well as the standard 7″ and 12″ formats, the single was also released as a limited edition 7″ picture disc. It was the first release by Visage after the departure of Midge Ure, who had left the group due to creative differences with Steve Strange and also to concentrate on his role in Ultravox. Possibly due to Ure’s absence, “Pleasure Boys” was the first Visage single to miss the UK Top 40 peaking at #44 after a string of five hits during the 1981-82 period.

The music video for “Pleasure Boys” was directed by Tim Pope. The black and white clip pictures Steve Strange recreating Marlon Brando’s look from his 1953 film The Wild One, riding a Harley-Davidson motorbike. The clip was included on band’s 1986 video release, Visage.

Although it makes no mention of the fact on either the sleeve or the label, this 12″ release was limited to only 800 copies.

SIDE A:
Pleasure Boys (Dance Mix) 6:58
Bass – Steve Barnacle
Mixed By – Visage
Mixed By [In Association With] – John Luongo
Written-By – B. Currie*, D. Formula*, R. Egan*, S. Barnacle*, S. Strange*

SIDE B:
The Anvil (Dance Mix) 6:14
Remix – Visage
Remix [In Association With] – John Luongo
Written-By – Visage

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor ‎– POSPX 523, Polydor ‎– 2141 659
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Electro, Synth-pop
Credits: Design [Sleeve] – Alwyn Clayden, Green Ink
Illustration – Mark Wardel
Mastered By – RAYS*
Other [Clothes] – PX
Other [Make-up] – Phyllis Cohen
Photography By – Robyn Beeche
Producer – Visage
Recorded By – John Luongo, Visage

NOTES:
A: Recorded and Mixed at Trident Studios
Special thanks: Steve Short, Flood and Craig Millner. A Morrison O’Donnell Production.

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 19, 2013

Wings – Goodnight Tonight (German 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

DISCO FRIDAY!

“Goodnight Tonight” is a single by the band Wings notable for its disco-inflected sound and spirited flamenco guitar break. It peaked at number five in both the United Kingdom and United States during 1979. The track did not appear on Wings’ then-current album Back to the Egg (from which sessions this song was recorded); it was later included on the 1987 McCartney compilation, All the Best!. The 7″ version was released as a bonus track on the 1993 reissue of McCartney II.

“Goodnight Tonight” began as an instrumental backing track McCartney had recorded in 1978. Needing a single for Wings to accompany the Back to the Egg album, McCartney took out the track and brought it into the studio, where the full Wings line-up completed it. Since the track was over seven minutes long, an edited version was used as the single, with the full version available as a 12-inch single. A music video was made for the song, showing Wings performing in 1930s costumes; stills from the video were used on the single’s sleeve. In the US, the single was the first released under McCartney’s new deal with Columbia Records. In the UK, it was McCartney’s first post-Beatle release on Parlophone.

“Goodnight Tonight” was an international hit, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as the UK Singles Chart. John Lennon, McCartney’s former songwriting partner, later commented that he did not care for the song, but enjoyed McCartney’s bass guitar on the single. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies.

SIDE A:
Goodnight Tonight (Special Disco Mix) 7:17

SIDE B:
Daytime Nightime Suffering 3:22

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	Goodnight Tonight	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#5
1979	Goodnight Tonight	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#30

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI Electrola ‎– 1C 052-62579 YZ, Parlophone ‎– 1C 052-62579 YZ
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1979
Genre: Funk / Soul, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Disco
Credits: Producer – Chris Thomas, Paul McCartney
Written-By – Paul McCartney

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