Rose McDowall – Don’t Fear The Reaper (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

“Don’t Fear The Reaper” is a song originally recorded by American band Blue Oyster Cult in 1976.

Rose McDowall from the Scottish female new wave duo Strawberry Switchblade covered the song in 1988. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” was her first aborted solo release following the break up of Strawberry Switchblade. Originally rush-released in 1988 by a collaborator and without her consent, Reaper quickly vanished and has become a highly sought after item.

Track B1 is wrongly called “Crystal Days” instead of “Crystal Nights”.

SIDE A:
Don’t Fear The Reaper (Extended Version) 3:31

SIDE B:
Crystal Days 3:09
Written-By – Rose McDowall

Don’t Fear The Reaper (Instrumental) 3:02

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Rio Digital ‎– 12RDS3
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, New Wave

CREDITS:
Executive-Producer – Brian Adams, Van Kaiser
Photography By [Uncredited] – Mike Morton (3)
Producer – Ray Hedges
Written-By – Blue Oyster Cult*

NOTES:
“Rose McDowall is the former lead singer of the highly successful “Strawberry Switchblade”.

Recorded Padded Cell Colnbrook Slough Berks 1988

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp:
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube:
Sovtek 12AX7LPS Vacuum Tube
Soundcard:
ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
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)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

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Grant
Grant
October 29, 2017 9:44 am

Thanks for this Paul!

tmb
tmb
October 28, 2017 1:34 am

WOW One exciting rare choice – keep up the great Halloween work 🙂 THANXXXXX FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO

John
John
October 27, 2017 8:42 am

Another great post to celebrate Halloween, around this time I find Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells (Exorcist Theme)to be very creepy, Ozzy Osbourne’s No More Tears is cool for this time of year, The Sisters Of Mercy’s Dominion, Ray Parker Jr – Ghostbusters, Siouxsie and the Banshees – Cities in Dust, the list goes on and on. Always watch either a Chucky film (love them all), Salem’s Lot with David Soul or the first Halloween film with Jamie Lee Curtis, when the new IT is out on Blu-Ray, that will be a definite choice. Loved Strawberry Switchblad, so it was great… Read more »

Dirk
Dirk
October 27, 2017 6:21 am

I am sorry, I do not get the halloween-vibe. Celebration of death and horror, is it?
But a month, isn’t that very long? Isn’t that getting in the way of celebrating life and love? Even without the candy-part, it’s not making me smile. Strange, no?

George Price
George Price
Reply to  Dirk
October 28, 2017 2:12 pm

Dirk,that’s what February 14th is for. Y’know,Valentine’s and the like (and of course,candy. lol)

dirk
dirk
Reply to  George Price
October 29, 2017 2:24 am

Can’t begin to imagine the look on faces, when the present for the beloved, is a homegrown oversized pumpkin, for a change. How to carry that to the cinema’s. 🙂

Yog
Yog
October 27, 2017 2:26 am

Nice song , I hear many influences of Madonna on this production.

May I request Pepsi & Shirlie – Someday maxi for all the George Michael produced remixes ?

Its going to be a year now 🙁

Jermajesty
Jermajesty
October 26, 2017 6:15 pm

BTW Paul, have you ever heard Straberry Seitvhblade’s cover of the Velvet’s Sunday Morning? I swear to god it’s the sweeetest thing ever recorded.

Jermajesty
Jermajesty
October 26, 2017 6:14 pm

OMG Paul, this is my first visit to BTG this week, and I’m slapped round the face with Sisters, Cell, and now one half os Switchblade – I didn’t even know this existed!! Thank you so much.

I’m having a vacation in Glasgow next week – you’ve inspired me to research, eek out and visit some old Strawberry Switchblade haunts!

Jermajesty
Jermajesty
Reply to  Jermajesty
October 26, 2017 9:31 pm

OMG OMG Paul – I’ve just found out Rose McDowell is doing a gig whilst I’m in Glasgow! Am definitely gonna be going to that. Thank you for being the catalyst to what will hopefully be a great night out. 🙂

Richard the Big Bunny
October 26, 2017 5:11 pm

NEEDS MORE COWBELL !!!

George Price
George Price
Reply to  Richard the Big Bunny
October 28, 2017 2:09 pm

Well,someone had to say it!

OMAR
OMAR
October 26, 2017 11:48 am

Thanks Paul. I would love some Strawberry Switchblade 12″ mixes if you have any?

Jeff
Jeff
October 26, 2017 11:40 am

Incredible Paul!! I never knew this even existed, but that’s what makes stopping by daily a must for anyone interested in music from the 1980’s. I love the original version from Blue Oyster Cult, however, I’ve always looked for an alternative spin for making Halloween music compilations. I can’t thank you enough for keeping a watchful eye and ear out for the unexpected and the surprising. Paul, I am loving this week for these spooky gems of music. It’s so much better than candy!! No cavities and no calories too. I can now burn the calories by dancing to this… Read more »

Jeff
Jeff
Reply to  DjPaulT
October 26, 2017 4:49 pm

Paul, I really like this record. As a fan of flamenco music myself, I thought the guitar in the piece was excellent. It gave it an almost Mexican Day of the Dead feel. I can say that I actually prefer this version to the original. I really like female vocalists and this one really made me take notice. Thanks for dusting this one off and giving it a spin so we can all enjoy it. I love how you are presenting “new music” in a way because there is so much I haven’t heard before and I LOVE being introduced… Read more »