Burning The Ground Exclusive
Yesterday we were playing with some very weird science.
Today we are going back to where the streets were dirty, the music was loud, and Times Square actually looked like Times Square.
For our next Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition selection, we travel all the way back to 1980 for Suzi Quatro and “Rock Hard,” from the original motion picture soundtrack to Times Square.
Directed by Allan Moyle, Times Square stars Trini Alvarado and Robin Johnson as two teenage girls from very different backgrounds who run away together and find their own form of rebellion on the streets of New York City. Tim Curry co-stars as radio DJ Johnny LaGuardia. The film opened in October 1980 and was shot on location around New York, including the wonderfully grimy Times Square that existed long before the neighborhood was cleaned up and transformed.
And then there is that soundtrack.
What a soundtrack.
The double LP reads like somebody raided one of the coolest record stores in 1980. The Pretenders, Roxy Music, Gary Numan, Talking Heads, Joe Jackson, XTC, the Ramones, The Cure, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Garland Jeffreys, and more all appear alongside music recorded specifically for the film.
And right there at the beginning of Side One is Suzi Quatro.
“Rock Hard.”
In fact, “Rock Hard” is identified in the film as a favorite record of Nicky and Pamela, which makes it more than just another song dropped onto the soundtrack. It actually belongs to their world.
Written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, “Rock Hard” was also the title track from Suzi’s 1980 studio album of the same name.
The song marked a return to the tough, guitar-driven sound that had made Suzi such a distinctive presence during the 1970s.
And she sounds fantastic.
The guitars grind.
The drums pound.
Suzi attacks the vocal like she has something to prove.
This is not background music.
This is Suzi Quatro reminding everybody why she was one of rock’s original tough ladies.
Mike Chapman produced the track, continuing a partnership that had already produced some of Suzi’s biggest records. The backing-vocal lineup is interesting too, with Michael Des Barres among the singers adding muscle behind Suzi’s lead.
Yes, that Michael Des Barres.
Actor, singer, later frontman for The Power Station, and apparently available in 1980 when somebody needed a little extra shouting behind Suzi Quatro.
I love these credits.
“Rock Hard” did considerably better in some countries than it did in Suzi’s native United States. The single reached No. 5 in South Africa, No. 9 in Australia, No. 19 in Zimbabwe, No. 26 in West Germany, No. 46 in the Netherlands, and No. 68 on the UK Singles Chart.
In the United States, however, Dreamland Records took a different approach.
And that brings us to the record I am featuring today.
My copy is the US promotional 12-inch labeled:
AOR SPECIAL
For anyone who remembers FM rock radio, those three letters tell the story.
AOR stood for Album-Oriented Rock, and this 12-inch was sent to American rock radio programmers in an attempt to get “Rock Hard” into rotation. Contemporary trade coverage shows the song receiving AOR airplay and being added by stations including KBPI, WABX, KLOL, WBAB, KZEL, and WSHE.
But if you are waiting for me to tell you about the Extended Version…
There isn’t one.
The Special Dance Mix?
Nope.
The Dub?
Keep dreaming.
This promo contains “Rock Hard” on one side.
Then you flip the record over…
and you get “Rock Hard” again.
That is dedication.
No remix. No alternate vocal. No bonus beats. No seven-minute breakdown designed for a club at two in the morning.
Just Suzi.
Rocking hard.
Twice.
And honestly, I love records like this.
The 12-inch single was not always about remixes. Sometimes it existed because a record company wanted radio stations to have a promotional copy of one particular track, and an AOR 12-inch like this is a little snapshot of how rock records were promoted in 1980.
It also makes an interesting addition to this series because Times Square itself was so closely tied to music.
The soundtrack was heavily promoted as a showcase for contemporary rock, punk, and new wave, and it eventually reached number 37 on the Billboard album chart.
The film may never have become the blockbuster its producers hoped for, but the soundtrack developed a life of its own.
And more than four decades later, that collection of records still captures a moment when punk, new wave, hard rock, and mainstream pop were all crashing into one another.
Suzi Quatro belonged right in the middle of it.
So no extended mix today.
No dub.
Not even a bonus beat.
Sometimes you do not need any of that.
Sometimes you just need to…
Rock Hard.
SIDE A:
Rock Hard (Intro: :17) 3:21
SIDE B:
Rock Hard (Intro: :17) 3:21
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart (1980) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 9 |
| Germany | 26 |
| Netherlands | 46 |
| South Africa | 5 |
| UK Singles Chart | 68 |
| Zimbabwe | 19 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Dreamland Records, Inc. – DPR – 1204, Dreamland Records, Inc. – DPR – 1204 AS
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Rock
Style: Hard Rock
CREDITS:
- Producer – Mike Chapman
- Written-By – M. Chapman – N. Chinn*
NOTES:
Came in die-cut sleeve with hype sticker:
From the original motion picture
soundtrack “Times Square”
Labels read: Suzi Quatro AOR Special
Promotion Copy – Not For Sale
Manufactured By – RSO Records, Inc.
Marketed By – RSO Records, Inc.
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (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
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This certainly lives up to its name! What a slice of AOR power pop gold!! This is certainly up my alley and I’m just getting to this as I was out of town this week. To Joey’s point about the AOR mix being the album version, I think it’s important to note just because it’s not technically a “remix” doesn’t mean it doesn’t sound better on a dedicated 12 inch piece of vinyl. Even though the engineers didn’t go into the masters and remix any of the tracks, the standalone 7 and 12 inch pressings are known to have the… Read more »
Hey Retro Hound,
I loved that you chimed in concerning this record! I immediately thought of you when Paul posted the song! It’s been a long time favorite of mine along with the soundtrack it’s from!
I always miss you when you don’t show up with a reaction. I’m just thrilled that when you do, it really means something. You’re a great man buddy with exceptional tastes! You’re always open to hearing new things, and I love that you’re this rock fan who loves the rock remix and 12-inch versions!!
Please have a fantastic week, Retro Hound!!
Jeff
Thanks so much Jeff!! Your comments always put a smile on my face. I hate to miss reactions to Paul’s posts, especially when it’s up my alley, but life gets busy.
This really is a great community isn’t it? People from all walks of life here to celebrate the music from the era of the 12 inch single. We’re so fortunate to have Paul in our lives, and I feel the same way about you buddy. This community wouldn’t be the same without you. Have a great week and we’ll see you when the next record is spinning!
I remember KLOL very well! It’s back, I think as an online station, after going off air a few years ago and becoming a Spanish/Latin Music station a few years back.
Thank you so much, George! I love hearing from someone who actually remembers KLOL during its rock-radio days. Seeing stations like KLOL listed in those old AOR reports really brings the history of a promo like this Suzi Quatro 12-inch to life. These records were being sent directly to stations in hopes that a DJ or programmer would put the needle down and give the song a chance. It is fascinating how many legendary rock stations changed formats or disappeared over the years. At least the memories, and thankfully a lot of the music they played, are still with us.… Read more »
Anytime!
I’ve never seen this film — but it has an insanely good soundtrack! Not only packed with some classics & hits, but also some brilliant one-offs like HELP ME by Marcy Levy (Marcella Detroit / Shakespears Sister) & Robin Gibb (The BeeGees). It’s criminal that this soundtrack was never remastered & released on CD.
Thank you so much, Richard! I agree, Times Square is one of those soundtracks where the track listing almost feels too good to be true. “Help Me” by Marcy Levy and Robin Gibb is a perfect example. There are so many interesting one-offs mixed in with the better-known names that the soundtrack becomes a real snapshot of that moment in rock, punk, and new wave. It is frustrating that such an adventurous soundtrack has never received the kind of deluxe CD treatment it deserves. With the right remastering and some thoughtful liner notes, this could make a fantastic archival release.… Read more »
a DJ XREY factoid: Marcy Levy was the uncredited voice on Eric Clapton’s hit “Promises” around 1978 or so. Since she was such an integral part of the song I made sure the cartridge we played had her name listed with Clapton’s. In later years we’ve seen how either he or Robert Stigwood have treated women, as evidenced in the revelation that Rita Coolidge wrote the ending coda of Derek & The Dominos “Layla”, and how Robert Stigwood blew her off when she brought it to his attention that her schizophrenic ex-boyfriend, famous session drummer who later murdered his mother,… Read more »
ALL THE DRAMA & THE SEXISMS! 😮
I think the AOR (Album Oriented Rock) title was probably a bad choice when it often got confused with Adult Contemporary, when with music Adult was/is often synonymous with Boring, or just as bad MOR (middle of the road)… That said, I had some AOR 12″ singles, one that springs to mind is Tears For Fears “Change” which had a “special AOR mix” on it that was (drum roll please…) the ALBUM version… These otherwise seemingly superfluous 12″ releases with album cuts were great in the sense that the song will likely never sound better anywhere else on vinyl: fresh… Read more »
Hey Joey,
Astute observations concerning this record and soundtrack! Folks like you make, Paul’s posts even more special. I also liked your humor when it came to the, A.O.R. lable! The example of the Tears For Fears 12-inch really cracked me up!
Thanks, Joey! It’s great having you here with us!!
Jeff
Thank you so much, Joey! Your “special AOR mix” of “Change” being the album version made me laugh. That really does sum up some of these promos perfectly. But you also nailed why I still love them. Even when there is nothing exclusive about the actual mix, having one song spread across a 12-inch and cut specifically for radio can make for a terrific-sounding piece of vinyl. Sometimes the collectible value is not in a remix at all, but in the presentation and the way the record was intended to hit over the air. And Times Square really does have… Read more »
Joey, originally A.O.R. stood for “album-oriented radio” for stations who were programmed by insultants like Burkhart-Abrams and many others who successfully formatted stations that were previously called “underground”. As the weed-smoking hippies who played whatever they wanted in underground radio, this perception didn’t play well to potential advertisers. AOR helped many early FM properties become extremely valuable when they could attract the 18-34 demos highly desired by Madison Avenue agencies. “Underground” stations rarely had any ratings, and without that sales tool, your station is doomed. The “AOR” acronym gradually morphed into “album-oriented ROCK” over the years, and is generally associated… Read more »
Never heard of it! Can’t wait to hear it though with that write up!
Also, singles like this are very cool because allowing one track to inhabit one side of a 12” record often resulted in a stellar listening experience with plenty of space between the grooves!
Can’t wait to… rock hard!
Thank you so much, ING! I’m glad the write-up has you curious about this one.
And I agree about these 12-inch promos. Even without a remix, giving one track an entire side can make the record feel much more substantial and collectible than a standard album cut. Sometimes the appeal is simply hearing that one song given plenty of room to shine.
This Suzi promo is a perfect example. No extended mix, no dub, no bonus beats. Just “Rock Hard” doing exactly what the title promises.
Hope you enjoy it, and yes… prepare to rock hard!
Thank you, Paul. I don’t know what’s going on this week, but you’ve once again uploaded a song I haven’t heard in ages—or rather, one that’s missing from my collection. I’m curious to see what’s in store for the weekend, given the variety of genres we’ve covered this week. And your write-up is delightful, as always. By now, I’m torn between Jeff’s comments and your write-up. A pleasure as always—thanks to you both.
Hey Toxicaudio, Thank you very much. I really appreciate your kind words. It’s nice you read the comments, because sometimes I believe I can be a bit too much. I’m sure I get a lot of eye rolls now and then or feelings of, “what’s wrong with this guy!?!” I know I can be quite lewd and explicit, so I do hope I don’t offend anyone. I just adore what Paul does here, and the music blows me away in almost this primal and sexual way! (A music fetish?) Also, this community here is so amazing! You Toxicaudio, JP, Retro… Read more »
Jeff, don’t change a thing. Just being yourself is a gift to us all. Yes, you are often a tad “bawdy”, never lewd. Mae West was the queen of the double entendre without being lewd, crude or socially unacceptable. We love you just the way you are! Too many snowflakes let the smallest of things offend them. Let THEM get a life rarther than you try to please them. When I saw the email subject with “Rock Hard”, I immediately thought of you: “here we go again, I’ll have to peel Jeff off the ceiling and put him in a… Read more »
Gee, DJ Xrey, thank you so much! What you wrote is most touching and I am really humbled. You are a great person and it’s a joy whenever you show up in the comments. I love that you and so many here on BTG are kindred spirits. It makes me feel so happy!
Have a great day and week!!
Jeff
Thank you so much, Toxicaudio! I’m starting to think this week has turned into a test of just how many forgotten records I can pull out of the vault. I’m especially glad “Rock Hard” filled another gap in your collection. One of the things I have enjoyed most about this week is how completely different the records have been from one another. That is exactly what makes soundtrack digging so much fun. And I’m very happy you are enjoying the write-ups. As for choosing between mine and Jeff’s comments, I think I’ll wisely stay out of that competition! There are… Read more »
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I first saw this record come across my screen! Paul, the “Times Square” soundtrack was a revelation for me. I was too young to see the movie, but I was able to buy the soundtrack at the record store. It was my gateway introduction to New Wave/Punk/Alternative music. It was because of this soundtrack I got to hear – FIRST – The Cure, The Talking Heads, XTC, The Ramones, and Lou Reed. This music changed me because I was first addicted to AM Pop radio, but this was waaay different. This music… Read more »
Thank you so much, Jeff! I love hearing stories like this because they show exactly what a great soundtrack could do. One album could suddenly open the door to an entirely different musical world. Going from AM pop radio to The Cure, Talking Heads, XTC, the Ramones, and Lou Reed must have felt like somebody changed the rules overnight. Times Square really was an extraordinary gateway record for anyone ready to wander beyond the mainstream. And yes, Suzi Quatro already had that built-in recognition from Happy Days, which probably made “Rock Hard” feel like a familiar face standing in the… Read more »
I can’t help but to conflate Suzi Quatro with the character she played on Happy Days, Leather Tuscadero. They were smart enough to get a gal with some legit rock chops to play the part.
Thank you so much, WadeK! I think a lot of people still make that connection. Suzi was such a natural fit for Leather Tuscadero because she was not pretending to be a rock singer. She already had the attitude, the voice, and the experience. That casting gave the character an authenticity that would have been hard to fake, and it probably introduced Suzi to a whole new audience who may not have known her records yet. “Rock Hard” is a nice reminder that there was a lot more to Suzi than the Happy Days connection. She really could deliver the… Read more »
Hilarious write up… and I’m over here waiting to hear about the extended version, the special dance mix, and the dub! Those actually would have been interesting, particularly a dance mix.
Fun song from a packed soundtrack, adult oriented rock indeed. My only disappointment is that I can’t listen to the B side 😉
I think yesterday’s single is a little more my speed but I still had a blast listening to this one again just now, thank you Paul!
Thank you so much, JP! I knew somebody would be sitting there waiting for the Extended Version, Dance Mix, and Dub after the run we have had lately. And yes, the B-side is the ultimate tease. Flip it over and… congratulations, you get “Rock Hard” again! At least Dreamland was consistent. I agree that a dance mix could have been really interesting, especially with Mike Chapman’s production. But I also have a soft spot for these old AOR promos. There is something wonderfully straightforward about giving one track an entire side of a 12-inch and telling radio, “Here. Play this.”… Read more »
Thank you, Paul. You can’t go wrong with Chapman/Chinn. They always deliver a great poppy rock song! I love your positive spin on the lack of remixes or bonus tracks on this 12″ … lol … but it seems like a waste of vinyl. They could have easily slapped a couple of extra tracks from the soundtrack or Suzi’s back catalog.
Thank you so much, Axel F80! I agree, Chapman and Chinn really knew how to build a big, catchy rock record, and “Rock Hard” has their fingerprints all over it. And yes, from a collector’s point of view, putting the same song on both sides does feel like a missed opportunity. A soundtrack cut or another Suzi track would certainly have made the 12-inch more exciting. But I suppose the radio department was not thinking about us collectors forty-six years later. Their mission was probably much simpler: make sure the DJ could flip the record over and still play “Rock… Read more »
First, just because they released a 12” promo of a song doesn’t automatically mean it needs a bunch of disco/dance mixes, especially Suzi Quatro, one of the “ladies of the ’80s”. BWAH HA HA HA. That’s as humorous as calling Joan Jett Wendy O. Williams, or Grace Jones “a lady”. Dance remixes would offend her fan base, and why would the label want to spend money commissioning a remix for a punk song?. The real reason they frequently press the same song in stereo on both sides of a promo is in the event one side gets “cue-burned” or otherwise… Read more »