Tag: 12″

February 17, 2026

The Belle Stars – Iko Iko (US 12″) (1989)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration
NEW 2026 Bonus Tracks

Original post date: October 17, 2012

With Fat Tuesday in full swing, there’s no better time to revisit the joyous pulse of “Iko Iko.” Rooted in the Mardi Gras Indian traditions of New Orleans, the song has traveled across decades and continents — and The Belle Stars’ vibrant version remains one of its most recognizable incarnations.

Originally released in 1982, their take on the New Orleans classic reached #35 on the UK Singles Chart, introducing the chant-driven anthem to a new wave audience. Bright percussion, tight harmonies, and an infectious groove gave the track a polished yet celebratory feel that stood apart from much of the synth-heavy pop of the era.

The Rain Man Revival

In 1988 The song found an even larger audience when it appeared in the opening scene of Rain Man, starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. The high-profile placement brought “Iko Iko” back into the spotlight, leading to a remix and re-release tied to the film’s momentum.

The renewed push paid off:

#7 in Australia

#14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (1989)

#7 on the US Dance Chart

For many American listeners, this cinematic moment was their introduction to the song — proof of how a well-placed soundtrack feature could reignite a single years after its original release.

A Timeless Mardi Gras Anthem

Long before its pop and Hollywood success, “Iko Iko” was popularized in 1965 by The Dixie Cups, whose spontaneous, percussion-driven recording helped cement the chant in mainstream culture. The Belle Stars carried that celebratory spirit forward, preserving its call-and-response energy while giving it a crisp, early-’80s sheen.

It’s a song built for days like today — colorful, communal, and rhythm-driven. Whether you’re celebrating on Bourbon Street or simply marking Fat Tuesday from home, “Iko Iko” captures the heartbeat of Carnival.

A Brand-New 2026 Transfer

Today’s feature is a brand-new 2026 meticulous audio transfer, carefully restored to bring out every layer of percussion and vocal harmony with clarity and warmth. The result is a dynamic, punchy presentation that lets the groove breathe while preserving the character of the original pressing.

To make this edition even more special, I’ve included two NEW bonus tracks sourced from the legendary remix services Disconet and Rhythm Stick — both vinyl-only DJ mixes that expand the song’s dancefloor energy. These extended interpretations showcase how club culture embraced the track, stretching its celebratory rhythm into deeper, more percussive territory.

It’s a fitting way to honor a song that has thrived in so many settings: street parades, radio charts, movie theaters, and nightclubs.

On this Fat Tuesday, turn it up loud. Let the chant roll. And celebrate the enduring magic of “Iko Iko.”

SIDE A:
ko Iko (12″ Mix) 4:51
Iko Iko (7″ Mix) 3:21

SIDE B:
Iko Iko (Bonus Beats) 3:16

BONUS TRACKS:
Iko Iko (The Vancouver Feet Beat Remix) 5:28
Remix – Mario S. David
Taken From – Rhythm Stick 1-4

Iko Iko (Rain Man Mix) 5:34
Edited By – Dennis Muyet
Taken From – Disconet Volume 11 Program 6

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – The Belle Stars: *Iko Iko* (1989)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#7	1989
US Billboard Hot 100	#14	1989
Australia (ARIA)	#7	1989
Canada (RPM)	#42	1989
New Zealand Recoded Music NZ)	#5	1989
UK Singles	#98	1989

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Capitol Records – V-15475
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, PopStyle: Synth-pop, Cajun, African, New Wave

CREDITS:

Engineer – Paul Brown
Executive-Producer – Barry Levinson, Mark Johnson (22)
Producer – Brian Tench
Remix, Producer [Additional Production], Edited By – Boris Granich, Christer Modig
Written By – Hawkins-Jones-Hawkins-Jones-Johnson-Jones-Thomas

NOTES:
(Original version appears on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack LP “Rain Man.”

Additional Production and Edit for Powermix Productions.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
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 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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

February 12, 2026

King – Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (Heavy Times Mix) (US 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Before Love & Pride became a defining pop moment of 1985, King were already refining their bright, brassy brand of new wave soul. One of the key stepping stones in that ascent was “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now,” the third single lifted from their debut LP Steps In Time.

Originally released in 1984, the single failed to ignite immediately, reaching only #112 on the UK Singles Chart. At that point, King were still carving out their identity in a crowded mid-’80s pop landscape. Stylish? Absolutely. Catchy? Undeniably. But they hadn’t yet broken through.

Everything changed with the explosive success of “Love & Pride.” After that breakthrough hit stormed the charts, “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” was re-released in March 1985 and finally connected with a wider audience, climbing to #24 on the UK Singles Chart. It was proof that sometimes the public just needs a nudge — or a hit — to look back and discover what they missed.

Brass, Bounce, and Romantic Urgency

Musically, the track is quintessential King. Paul King’s distinctive vocal delivery balances urgency and vulnerability, while the band propels the song forward with punchy brass stabs, tight rhythm guitar, and polished keyboard textures. The production straddles late new romantic flair and the emerging sophisti-pop sheen that would define much of 1985’s radio sound.

At its core, the song is simple and relatable — a plea for reassurance, connection, and emotional grounding. Wrapped in vibrant instrumentation, that vulnerability becomes something celebratory rather than desperate.

A Treat for 12″ Collectors

For vinyl enthusiasts, the US 12″ single offers something particularly special. The two remixes featured on the B-side are exclusive to the American 12″ release, making it an essential pickup for serious King collectors. These extended versions stretch the groove beautifully, giving the brass and rhythm section more room to breathe while enhancing the track’s dancefloor appeal — a perfect example of how the 12-inch format could elevate an already strong pop single.

It’s details like these that make collecting so rewarding: alternate mixes, regional exclusives, and subtle production differences that tell their own story.

A Second Chance Well Earned

“Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” may not have exploded out of the gate, but its re-release success solidified King’s brief yet brilliant run in the mid-’80s spotlight. Alongside Love & Pride and the rest of Step In Time, it captures a moment when British pop was colorful, ambitious, and unapologetically stylish.

Sometimes all it takes is one big hit to make the world circle back — and realize what was there all along.

SIDE A:
Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (Heavy Times Mix) 7:49
Producer – Liam Henshall*

SIDE B:
Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (85 Reasons To Hold Hands Mix) 5:07
Producer – Richard James Burgess

Won’t You Hold My Hand Now (Dub Mix) 3:22
Producer – Richard James Burgess

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – King: *Won’t You Hold My Hand Now* (1984)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
UK Singles Chart	#24	1984
Australia (Kent Music Report)	#86	1984
Belgium (ultrapop)	#14	1984

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – 49 05286
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo, Pitman Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Photography By – Sheila Rock
Written-By – J. Lantsbery*, M. Roberts*, P. King*, T. Wall*

NOTES:
Also available King “Steps In Time” on Epic Records and Cassettes

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

February 11, 2026

Heaven 17 – Penthouse And Pavement (UK 12″) (1981)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

On October 16, 1981, Heaven 17 released their fifth single, “Penthouse And Pavement,” the title track from their striking debut album of the same name. Though the single entered the UK Singles Chart on November 14, 1981 and reached a modest peak of #57, its transatlantic impact was far more significant in the clubs. In the United States, the track climbed to #19 on the Billboard Dance Chart, proving that Heaven 17’s sleek, politically charged funk resonated deeply on American dance floors.

Heaven 17 emerged from the ashes of The Human League when founding members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh split from the group in 1980. Determined to pursue a more musically ambitious and politically aware direction, they recruited vocalist Glenn Gregory, whose soulful delivery would become the perfect counterbalance to Ware and Marsh’s icy electronic architecture. The result was a sound that fused cutting-edge synth technology with the groove and sophistication of American R&B.

“Penthouse And Pavement” is perhaps the clearest early blueprint of that vision. Driven by a taut funk bassline and crisp electronic rhythms, the track pulses with confidence and style. The influence of American soul and funk is unmistakable, particularly in the call-and-response chorus featuring powerhouse backing vocalist Josie James — a formula the band would elevate to perfection two years later on their biggest hit, “Temptation.” Rhythm guitarist John Wilson adds a sharp, organic edge, helping bridge the gap between machine precision and human groove.

On the surface, “Penthouse And Pavement” feels like a sophisticated party anthem — all gloss, swagger, and late-night decadence. But beneath the polished exterior lies sharp social commentary. The lyrics explore class division and moral compromise, contrasting corporate luxury (“penthouse”) with street-level struggle (“pavement”). The song’s narrator wrestles with ambition and complicity, subtly critiquing the seductive pull of capitalism and the cost of climbing its ladder. This tension between desire and disillusionment would become a recurring theme in Heaven 17’s work, explored even more explicitly in 1983’s biting industrial critique, “Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry.”

What makes “Penthouse And Pavement” endure is that duality. It grooves hard enough to fill a dance floor, yet it demands you think while you move. It’s stylish but subversive. Slick but socially aware. In many ways, it encapsulates what made the Sheffield scene so vital in the early ’80s — electronic music with intelligence, purpose, and undeniable rhythm.

While it may not have been a massive UK chart success at the time, “Penthouse And Pavement” remains a cornerstone of the band’s catalog and a defining moment in early ’80s synth-funk — a track where politics met the dance floor and both walked away sharper for it.

SIDE A:
Penthouse And Pavement 6:58

SIDE B:
Penthouse And Pavement (Instrumental) 7:01

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Heaven 17: *Penthouse And Pavement* (1981)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#19	1981
UK Singles Chart	#59	1981

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – VS455-12
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Bilbo
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Electro, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Band [Heaven 17 Are], Synthesizer [Synthesisers], Piano – Martyn Ware
Band [Heaven 17 Are], Synthesizer [Synthsisers] – Ian Craig Marsh
Band [Heaven 17 Are], Vocals – Glenn Gregory
Composed By – Gregory*, Marsh*, Ware*
Engineer, Co-producer [Assistant To The Producers] – Peter Walsh
Guest [Guest Artiste], Bass Guitar, Synthesizer [Guitar Synthesisers] – John Wilson (2)
Guest [Guest Artiste], Vocals – Josie James
Lacquer Cut By – BilBo (3)
Producer [Produced By] – British Electric Foundation

NOTES:
B.E.F.
The Company that thinks for itself.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

February 10, 2026

Then Jerico – Fault (The New York City Mixes) (UK 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Before Then Jerico became synonymous with glossy late-80s sophisti-pop and chart success, there was “Fault.” Released in 1985 as a stand-alone, non-album single, it’s one of those quietly fascinating moments where you can hear a band standing right on the edge of something bigger—but not quite there yet.

“Fault” arrived two years before their 1987 debut album First (The Sound of Music) and, despite impeccable credentials, it slipped through the cracks. The single failed to chart, making it a genuine Closet 80s artifact: overlooked at the time, but far more interesting in hindsight.

What immediately jumps out is the production team. Martin Rushent, fresh from redefining British pop with The Human League, Heaven 17, and Buzzcocks, gives “Fault” a taut, modern sheen. There’s a restrained elegance here—clean synth lines, controlled drama, and a sense of tension that never fully explodes. It’s not chasing the charts; it’s testing the water.

The remix comes courtesy of John Luongo, already establishing himself as a master of extended versions and club-ready polish. His touch adds space and momentum, subtly nudging “Fault” toward the dancefloor without sacrificing its introspective core. It’s less about peak-time payoff and more about atmosphere—very much of its moment.

Vocally, Mark Shaw sounds more guarded here than on later hits like “Big Area” or “Let Her Fall.” There’s a cool detachment in his delivery that suits the song’s emotional ambiguity. Lyrically, “Fault” circles themes of responsibility and fracture—personal accountability hinted at rather than spelled out—another sign that Then Jerico hadn’t yet leaned into the widescreen romanticism that would define their later work.

In retrospect, “Fault” feels like a bridge track: one foot in early-80s synth sophistication, the other stepping toward the polished pop-rock confidence that would finally break them through. It may not have charted, but it matters. Songs like this show how bands evolve—not overnight, but through these small, nearly forgotten releases that quietly shape what comes next.

For fans digging deeper than the hits, “Fault” is a reminder that the 1980s were full of near-misses and slow burns. Sometimes the most revealing tracks are the ones history almost forgot.

SIDE A:
Fault (Club Mix) 6:47
Mixed By – John Luongo

SIDE B:
Fault (7″) 3:34
Mixed By – John Luongo

The Big Sweep (Club Mix) 4:49
Mixed By – Philth Tennant, T.J.

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: London Records – LONX 63, London Records – 882 047-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Engineer – Neil O’Connor (2), Timm Baldwin
Keyboards – Ben Angwin
Lyrics By – Shaw*
Performer [Then Jerico] – Stainthorpe*, Shaw*, Taylor*, Wren*
Photography By – Roger Eaton
Producer – Martin Rushent
Sleeve – Shaw*
Written-By – Then Jerico

NOTES:
“The New York City Mixes”
Summer ’85

First pressing with an inner sleeve with lyrics and photo of the band.

“Fault” Mixed at Sigma Sound, N.Y.
Produced & Engineered at Genetic Sound, U.K.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.