BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
Today is World AIDS Day an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988. I thought it fitting to feature one of the many artists who were taken from us in the 1980’s by this horrible disease.
“Someone Like You” is a 1986 dance single by Sylvester. The song was written by Len Barry and McKinley Horton. It was produced by Ken Kessie and Morey Goldstein. The single was Sylvester’s second and last entry to reach number one on the dance charts, where it stayed for one week. “Someone like You”, also went to number nineteen on the soul chart, and was Sylvester’s highest chart entry, since 1978.
An activist who campaigned against the spread of HIV/AIDS, Sylvester died from complications arising from the virus in 1988, leaving all future royalties from his work to San Francisco-based HIV/AIDS charities.
The single sleeve was designed by artist Keith Harring who was an American artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s by expressing concepts of birth, death, sexuality, and war.
Haring’s work was often heavily political and his imagery has become a widely recognized visual language of the 20th century.
The theme of AIDS permeates Haring’s late work, most likely because it had a heavy influence on his personal life. Midway through Haring’s journals there is mention of the disease claiming his friends’ lives, and later passages show Haring worrying increasingly about his own HIV status.
Haring died on February 16, 1990 of AIDS-related complications.
WEST SIDE:
Someone Like You (Remix) 6:15
Mixed By – Ken Kessie, Marty Blecman
Someone Like You (Joseph Watt Remix) 5:40
Engineer – Joseph Watt
Remix – Joseph Watt
EAST SIDE:
Someone Like You (Larry Levan Remix) 6:01
Engineer – Robert Kaster
Mixed By – Larry Levan
Someone Like You (Larry Levan Dub Remix) 6:36
Engineer – Robert Kaster
Mixed By – Larry Levan
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Someone Like You | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #1 |
| 1986 | Someone Like You | U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles | #19 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 0-20548
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Disco
CREDITS:
Executive Producer – Marty Blecman, Sylvester
Illustration – Keith Haring
Producer – Ken Kessie, Morey Goldstein
Recorded By [Originally] – Ken Kessie
Written-By – Len Barry, McKinley Horton
NOTES:
Original version available on Sylvester’s album “MUTUAL ATTRACTION” on Warner Bros. Records.
Find the 12″ on DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: 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)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Genial una obra maestra
Genial una obra maestra
Thanks for the upload! I just looked in my Billboard books and looks like you have a small error in the chart info: Someone Like You reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart. I don’t see it on the Billboard Hot 100.
Oh Paul, just a fantastic record by one of the greatest artists of all time. We’ve lost so many greats to this horrible virus. I remember when I heard back in the early 1980’s how Patrick Cowley died, it really affected me. Thank you for posting this important single with the great Keith Haring art work. His style is so iconic to the time. Once, when I was home from college, I worked in the theatre department of the local community college where a dance exhibition was held. It featured music by Yoko Ono and costumes designed by Mr. Haring.… Read more »
What a great story Jeff that would have been really great if you could have met him. So many great legends now gone. 🙂
Sadly so many great artists lost to AIDS, Freddie Mercury always strikes to my mind first.
Also HIV awareness seems pretty low at the moment, apparently 14 million people don’t even know they are HIV positive! Similar thing with prejudice and hate against people with HIV or AIDS.
I’m just glad, while DJing for many years, I didn’t stick it in any pussy that was on offer and most of the time used a rubber!
Awareness is down. I think people think there are drugs for it so they are not as safe. Hopefully Trump will not destroy all of the work that has been done.
I always find it odd that — given how often I heard Sylvester in discos — he only had two #1 hits on the dance charts. As always, thank you so much for the thought you put behind your posts.
That is pretty odd I feel the same way seems like he had more #1 dance singles. Sylvester was always a go artist that would pack the dance floor 🙂
Ah Sylvester… This is just a sobering moment. We still have lot of work to do when it comes to HIV and AIDS prevention. At the same time, it is also good to look back at all our heroes and idols who lost their lives because of the disease.
Thank you for this post Dj PaulT.
You’re welcome musicdivaSF. We still have a long way to go.
Link below is not related to world AIDS Day or Sylvester, however, I think it should be mentioned on your www:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3981588/House-music-star-Colonel-Abrams-dies-aged-67-living-streets-suffering-diabetes.html
Very sad that this had to happen to him.
Just watched a re-run of Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, The Roots played Trapped 🙁
Nice tribute and also one of my favorite Sylvester cuts! Thanks.
Thank you so much Tony that was a very thoughtful comment 🙂
Paul you are a very kind person, you are incredible and so NICE!
You so awesome! Thank you for the musical education. I never knew of this track by Sylvester.
YouTube’d it to check it out and wow. Incredible voice. I never knew…
Downloading as I type. And the fact that there are Larry Levan remixes on the B-side has certainly got my attention now. Really looking forward to hearing those. Thank you Paul.
You’re welcome Time Operator. Thank you for your comment 🙂
Thanks Paul!
Great choice for this day.
Please re-rip “Do you wanna funk”.☺
You’re welcome BE.D12” see what I can do.
Thanks again for yet another very good artist here. Indeed AIDS took away a lot of artists esp in the New York disco scene if I am correctly informed (by e.g. the great book the history of the DJ), not only singers like Patrick Cowley and Sylvester but many DJ’s too. Steve Algozino is one of many pioneers that come to mind, the founder of Hot Tracks and responsible for one of the very best ever disco tracks (in my opinion): Voyage – Souvenirs (Steve Algozino’s Hot Tracks Remix) (also in pitched up version). I have heard or read that… Read more »
You’re welcome Martijn that is a great book. I agree so many DJ’s were also lost in the 80s so much talent. I never met Steve Algozino but was very familiar with Hot Tracks since it was based at one time in my home town Tulsa.
Where is Hot Tracks based now?
Indeed the DJ book was fantastic – all the funny details still come to mind, e.g. about how the “entrance exam” of Studio 54 came along in the disco world “to fuck things up” (the atmosphere of freedom and fun for all etc), and how the writers referred to “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” of the Boys Town Gang as that “terrible cover” haha.