Burning The Ground Exclusive 1986
“West End Girls” was the first Pet Shop Boys song released on a label, and is arguably the song most commonly associated with the band.
The original version of the song was released in 1984 produced by famed Hi-NRG mogul Bobby Orlando, the single was released on his Bobcat Records label. It was not a huge hit in the Boys’ home country, but it did fairly well in the States and in Italy. Under the Bobby O umbrella, ‘West End Girls’ was remixed and repackaged several times, saturating the world’s record stores with multiple formats of this single.
In 1986 after the band signed with Parlophone Records the song was remixed, and titled “Remix ’86” this was to capitolize off of the re-recorded hit version that had been released in 1985.
SIDE A:
West End Girls (Remix ’86) 5:03
Arranged By, Performer [Played By] – Elvine*
Producer – B. Orlando*
Recorded By [Remix] – Franke*
Remix – Tess (2)
Written-By – Tennant – Lowe*
SIDE B:
Theme For The Pet Shop Boys (Part 1/Remix ’86) 5:04
Arranged By, Performer [Played By] – Elvine*, Hurricanes*
Remix –Tess (2)
Written-By – Elvine*, Tess (2)
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: ZYX Records – 5391, ZYX Records – ZYX 5391
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Germany
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Lacquer Cut By – SST Brüggemann GmbH
NOTES:
Remixed at Hurrican Studio Munich
℗ 1986
Find the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
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)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC only available for seven days!
Password: burningtheground
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Hello, Paul! I’m more than a week late but thanks all the same 🙂
Wonderful Mix! Sorry I’m late to the party!
So many memories in this one. Thanks, Paul!
I remember buying this, my best friend had just gotten his drivers license and we went into the city to buy records, There was a store that was essentially a house that had been converted into a record store, that specialized in imports. I was excited to find a new mix of this song, but almost as soon as the needle hit the record, the excitement was replaced with the semi horror I felt when I heard this re-tread of the Bobby O Version. and who can forget that opener, “Pet Shop Boys, Pet Shop Boys Badabadubadumbumbum….” To me it… Read more »
We had a record store here in Tulsa that was the same way a house transformed into a record store that specialized in imports. it was called Starship Records & Tapes great memories shopping there. I love these kinds of stories you guys share with us. Thanks for making me smile too Joey 🙂
I love that the remixers here were trying to (unsuccessfully) emulate DEPECHE MODE’s Master & Servant (the “it’s a lot” intro). This remix may sound quirky now, but I bet people in the 80s Discos went nuts over it!
Thank you for another fantastic RARE share!
You’re welcome 🙂
Many thanks. This version is quite strange and yes, quite awful, too. This is a great example of the early years of the PSB and a valuable memorabilia. Again, thanks a lot.
You’re welcome, Volt 🙂
You Paul astounds me with what you have and then post!! Thanks so much for another cool find!
I love how you posted this after yesterday’s debut of the awesome Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys collaboration for “Purple Zone” of which I hope will become a HUGE hit all over the world. And thank you Paul for bringing it to my attention in the first place. It’s a real masterpiece!!!
Jeff
You know me Jeff I like to strike while the iron is hot 🙂 I love the new PSB/Soft Cell collab. Too bad the 12″ vinyl and CD single will not be releasedd until November.
I thought the PSB/Soft Cell collab was surprisingly good! It’s a catchy song that would have definitely charted in the 80s!! I also just listened to the new Men Without Hats album and it’s another surprisingly good record!
Hi paul, as much as like the pet shop boys, i’ve never liked this song, not even the remixes. although there was a electro techno version remixed by sasha much later on that i was ok with. its tempo is a little too slow, and i don’t like the talk rap that he does. but of course i love ‘opportunities’ which you have already posted several mixes of. i wonder, they released this 3 times before it became a huge hit, if they would have kept going with opportunities (which they also re-released), would they have become such a big… Read more »
They are indeed official mixes Bobby Orlando and company kept releasing mixes of the song all the way into the early 90s until a legal dispute with PSB was cleared up. PSB has never really embraced their pre-fame Orlando era still they are fun mixes.
FANTASTIC FIND!!! I can never get enough versions of this track … and I love that you pointed out WHY there are soooo many different versions of that song. I’m glad to finally add this version in superb quality to my collection thanks to you!
Keep up the great work!
You’re welcome, Martika 🙂
For some strange reasons, I like very much this remix.
It’s actually awful, but the “Pet shop boys, Pet shop boys” jingle at the beginning is funny and make me thing of a kind of radio station extract0.
Far far from the very artistic and smart care and way PSB have recorded each of their singles.
As quirky as it is I really like this version too 🙂