Tag: 1979

April 20, 2018

Japan – Life In Tokyo (UK 12″ Ltd. Edition)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

“Life in Tokyo” is a song by the British band Japan. A collaboration with disco producer Giorgio Moroder, who also co-wrote the song with David Sylvian, it marked a change of direction from the bands previous sound. Originally released as a single in 1979, it was reissued twice before it finally became a hit on The UK Singles Chart in 1982.

The song was written by Giorgio Moroder and band vocalist David Sylvian. The musical style is in line with Moroder’s electronic disco style as already employed on albums by Donna Summer, Munich Machine and on his own From Here to Eternity in 1977. Moroder’s trademark arpeggiated synthesiser can be heard throughout the track.

SIDE A:
Life In Tokyo Part I (Disco Version) 7:09

SIDE B:
Life In Tokyo Part II (Single Version) 3:32

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Ariola Hansa ‎– AHAD 540
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Limited Edition, Red
Country: UK
Released: 12 Apr 1979
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop, Disco

CREDITS:
Producer [Produced By] – Giorgio Moroder
Written-By – D. Sylvian*, G. Moroder*

NOTES:
Made in England

12″ Vinyl Single pressed on Red Vinyl and supplied in ‘Camera’ sleeve with the notes: ‘Limited Edition 12″ Single, Extended Version’.

Find the 12″ at 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: Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
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

October 9, 2017

Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

REQUEST

“Rapper’s Delight” is a hip-hop song released in September 1979 by The Sugarhill Gang, and produced by ex-Mickey and Sylvia member Sylvia Robinson.

While it was not the first single to include rapping, it is generally considered to be the song that introduced hip hop music to audiences in the United States and around the world (and the very first full-length rap song, which featured rapping parts throughout the entire song, unlike the first single). The song is ranked number 251 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and number 2 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs. It is also included in NPR’s list of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. It was preserved into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2011. Songs on the National Recording Registry are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

The song also notably includes musical parts from Chic’s “Good Times”, resulting in band members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards suing Sugar Hill Records over copyright; a settlement reached allowed the two to receive songwriter credits.

The song was recorded in a single take. There are three versions of the original version of the song: 14:35 (12″ long version), 6:30 (12″ short version), and 3:55 (7″ shortened single version).

In the U.S. the song reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally “Rappers Delight” hit #1 Netherlands, #1 Canada and #3 U.K. while also making the top five inseveral other European countries.

SIDE A:
Rapper’s Delight (Long Version) 14:35

SIDE B:
Rapper’s Delight (Short Version) 6:35

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	Rapper’s Delight	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#36

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Metronome ‎– 0930.002
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Special Disco-Version
Country: Germany
Released: 1979
Genre: Hip Hop, Funk / Soul
Style: Disco

CREDITS:
Producer – Sylvia Inc.*
Written-By – G. O’Brien*, H. Jackson*, M. Wright*, S. Robinson*

NOTES:
[Front cover]
Super Disco Sound Single 30 cm
Special Disco-Version

[Back cover]
Music taken form [sic] “Good Times” by CHIC

Made In Germany

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

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

May 5, 2017

The Men A.K.A. The Human League – I Don’t Depend On You (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

“I Don’t Depend on You” is a disco-influenced song by the British synthpop group The Human League released under the pseudonym The Men. It was released as a single in the UK in February 1979, but failed to chart. It was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh; was produced by Colin Thurston and featured guest backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike (who later worked with Pink Floyd ).

After hastily signing the Human League in 1978 it became apparent to Virgin Records that the band were not very profitable, with none of their releases under Fast Records making any impact on the charts. Virgin began putting pressure on the group to justify their large advance signing fee. Pressure was put on Ware, Oakey and Marsh to abandon their no traditional instruments rule and use conventional instruments in an attempt to be more commercial and sell more records. Ware reluctantly agreed but insisted that any material recorded this way should be released under a pseudonym to ensure that it wasn’t confused with the pure electronic sound of The Human League. “I Don’t Depend on You” was the only product of this compromise with Virgin. It was recorded with the addition of session musicians and was released under the name The Men. The song also features the synth riff from debut single Being Boiled towards the end of the track. Afterwards the band were able to record tracks in their original style for Virgin. Before any further conventional style records could be recorded, the original Human League had split; Oakey then took the new reformed band down a different commercial and pop route.

Later, it would be commented on that in recording “I Don’t Depend on You” – two years prior to the arrival of schoolgirl vocalists Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall – Oakey, Ware and Marsh had already produced a Human League Mk 2-style track complete with commercial pop sound: Oakey’s vocal with female backing (with Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike providing the backing vocals).

The B-side, titled “Cruel”, is simply a remix of “I Don’t Depend on You” without Oakey’s vocals. “I Don’t Depend on You” received little promotion or airplay and did not chart. Re-releases on albums now credit the track as The Human League aka ‘The Men’.

SIDE A:
I Don’t Depend On You 4:31

SIDE B:
Cruel (Instrumental) 4:41

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – VS 26912
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1979
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop, Disco, Funk

CREDITS:
Management – Tunenoise Ltd*
Photography By – Mackertich*
Producer – Colin Thurston, The Men
Written-By – Marsh*, Ware*, Oakey*

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron 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
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

December 22, 2015

Kurtis Blow – Christmas Rappin’ (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

“Christmas Rappin’ “ is a 1979 single by American rapper and producer Kurtis Blow. “Christmas Rappin’ ” was the first Hip-Hop song released on a major label. Kurtis recorded this with the help of producers Robert Ford and J.B. Moore. They took it to Mercury Records, who signed Kurtis to a 2-single deal, under the condition that If both singles were successful, he would get an album deal. This was the first single, and it did very well. The second single was “The Breaks,” and it became the first rap song to be certified as a gold record, selling over 500,000 copies. Kurtis got the album deal and became the first rapper signed to a major label. Every Christmas, “Christmas Rappin” ” would sell more copies. After 8 years, it went gold.

SIDE A:
Christmas Rappin’ 8:11

SIDE B:
Christmas Rappin’ (Do It Yourself Version – Instrumental) 7:54

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury ‎– MDS-4009
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Hip Hop, Funk / Soul
Style: Disco

CREDITS:
Producer – J.B. Moore, Robert Ford Jr.
Written-By – D. Miller*, J. Moore*, K. Walker*, L. Smith*, R. Ford*

NOTES:
Produced For Prep/Street Productions

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

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi