Tag: 1981

December 20, 2024

Material With Nona Hendryx / Cristina – It’s A Holiday / Things Fall Apart (UK 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

A Festive Throwback: Two Gems from the Original ZE Records Christmas Compilation.

This rare U.K. 12″ promo spotlights two standout tracks from the original 1981 release of A Christmas Record, the now-iconic holiday compilation by ZE Records. A unique blend of experimental and festive, the album became a cult classic, and these two tracks exemplify its groundbreaking style.

The first track, “It’s a Holiday” by Material featuring the soulful vocals of Nona Hendryx, was recorded during the same sessions that produced the band’s single “Bustin’ Out.” Nona, fresh off her years with Labelle and on the cusp of her 1980s solo career, became a favorite vocalist for Material’s mastermind, Bill Laswell. Her commanding presence on this track bridges the gap between funk, soul, and the avant-garde.

The second offering, “Things Fall Apart,” is a No Wave masterpiece by Cristina, an enigmatic artist known for her fusion of punk’s edge with disco’s infectious grooves. This track marked Cristina’s first collaboration with the innovative production duo Was (Not Was). Her trailblazing approach paved the way for artists like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, blending camp, self-awareness, and undeniable danceability in a way that was ahead of its time.

Both songs are presented here in their unaltered, original 1981 versions. Later reissues of A Christmas Record featured edited or altered takes, but this special promo preserves the brilliance of the original recordings in their purest form.

For fans of experimental holiday music, these tracks are must-listens—a perfect reminder of how ZE Records turned the Christmas album concept on its head, offering something truly bold and unforgettable.

SIDE A:
Material With Nona Hendryx – It’s A Holiday 7:12
Producer – Material

SIDE B:
Cristina – Things Fall Apart 4:34
Producer – The Was Bros*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Min

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: ZE Records – IPR 2052, Island Records – IPR 2052
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Disco

NOTES:
Pre-Release Limited Edition

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
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.

November 13, 2024

Quincy Jones Featuring Patti Austin – Razzamatazz (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

“Razzamatazz” is a lively, jazz-infused track by Quincy Jones, featuring the soulful vocals of Patti Austin. It’s from Jones’ 1981 album “The Dude”, a groundbreaking release that showcases his incredible versatility as a producer, composer, and arranger. The album itself is a genre-blending masterpiece, merging elements of jazz, R&B, funk, and pop, and “Razzamatazz” stands out as a prime example of this fusion.

The song’s upbeat tempo, vibrant brass section, and lively rhythm embody the playful energy of its title. Austin’s vocals add an infectious spark, perfectly complementing the lush instrumentation. “Razzamatazz” became one of the album’s hits, especially popular in the UK, where it reached the Top 20 on the singles chart, giving Quincy Jones a significant presence in pop and R&B.

“The Dude” was highly acclaimed, earning several Grammy Awards and becoming a commercial success. “Razzamatazz” helped to reinforce Jones’ reputation not just as a jazz musician but as a crossover artist capable of appealing to pop audiences worldwide. The song remains a classic example of early 80s jazz-pop, with its dynamic rhythm and colorful production still resonating with listeners.

+De-notes vinyl-only

SIDE A:
Razzamatazz (Special Extended Version)+ 4:55
Written-By – Rod Temperton

SIDE B:
Betcha’ Wouldn’t Hurt Me (Special Extended Version)+ 5:22
Written-By – Stephanie Andrews, Stevie Wonder

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records – SP-12040
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: Jun 6, 1981
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Jazz, Soul

CREDITS:

Producer – Quincy Jones
Vocals, Featuring – Patti Austin

NOTES:
Both tracks are special extended versions from the A&M album “The Dude”.
Patti Austin appears courtesy of Qwest Records.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

October 2, 2024

Kim Carnes – Draw Of The Cards (Special Long Version) (Germany 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

NEW 2024 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Originally posted November 10, 2011

“Draw of the Cards” is a 1981 single, the second released from Kim Carnes’s Platinum-plus Mistaken Identity album.

Carnes said that the idea for the song came from when she went with her husband and co-writer Dave Ellingson and her producer Val Garay to visit her guitarist in the hospital. Carnes said she said “something about his illness being all in the draw of the cards.” Carnes continued “We wrote some lines that went with that theme, the later Bill [Cuomo] brought his Prophet synthesizer over, played a line he had, and we pulled out the lyrics to finish the song.”

The single reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1981, failing to match the chart success of its predecessor, “Bette Davis Eyes”, which reached #1.

The music video was directed by Australian Russell Mulcahy, who had also directed the video for “Bette Davis Eyes.” Wuench says the video “has some weird carnival activities and one long tongue by some creature of the underworld.” Mulcahy has directed music videos for artists such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and more.

The “Special Long Version” sometimes called “Extended Version” was only released on 12″ single for the European market.

+Denotes vinyl-only

SIDE A:
Draw Of The Cards (Special Long Version)+ 6:51
Written-By – B. Como, V. Garay

SIDE B:
Break The Rules Tonite (Out Of School) 3:16
Written-By – W. Waldman*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1981	Draw Of The Cards	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#28

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI America – 1C 052-86 400 YZ
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Producer, Recorded By – Val Garay
Written-By – D. Ellingson*, K. Carnes*

NOTES:
Taken from the album “Mistaken Identity”
Printed in Germany
Made in Germany

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (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 16, 2024

ABBA – The Visitors (US 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

“The Visitors” (working title “Den första”, meaning “The First”), also known as “The Visitors (Crackin’ Up)”, is a 1981 song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It is the title track from the band’s studio album of the same name, and was released as the fourth and final single in April 1982. The lead vocal was performed by Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

The official stated theme is a protest against the persecution of political dissidents in the Soviet Union at the time, as ABBA seemed to put political issues into their lyrics in the final days of the group. Björn Ulvaeus has stated that at the time of release he preferred that the song should have a sense of mystery so did not explain the exact meaning.

In 1982, the album The Visitors was banned in the Soviet Union, possibly due to the band allowing a video of “When All Is Said and Done” to be shown in the United States Information Agency television special, Let Poland Be Poland, along with a spoken message from Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, broadcast via satellite around the world on 31 January 1982. The show, which also featured Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Orson Welles, Henry Fonda, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and US President Ronald Reagan, was a public protest against the then-recent imposition of martial law in Poland.

However, ABBA’s segment was not included in the broadcast. The official reason given was time constraints. However, in a Rapport interview, Björn Ulvaeus mentioned that their message referenced human rights issues in several countries, including El Salvador and Chile. This has led to speculation that political considerations might have influenced the decision to exclude the segment, although this remains unconfirmed.

“The Visitors” was released as the album’s second (and final) single in the US instead of “Head over Heels,” which remained as the B-side.

The single peaked just outside the Top 60 at No. 63 on the singles chart in the U.S., and a double A-sided “The Visitors/When All Is Said and Done” 12″ single reached No. 8 on the Billboard dance chart. AllMusic reviewer Bruce Eder retrospectively described the song as “a topical song about Soviet dissidents that also manages to be very catchy.” Even though the song did not have any success in some countries, “The Visitors” was No. 1 in Costa Rica.

++ The “Short Version” included on this U.S. 12″ Promo is a vinyl-only exclusive, and has not appeared on CD. The edit that appeared on “More ABBA Gold” was modeled after the original “Short Version” taking the “Long Version” and editing it down therefore not the original edit that appears here.

SIDE A:
The Visitors (Long Version) 5:45

SIDE B:
The Visitors (Short Version) 4:22 ++

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	The Visitors	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#63
1982	The Visitors	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#8

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – DMD 329
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, Disco

CREDITS:

Engineer – Michael B. Tretow
Lacquer Cut By – GP*
Written-By, Arranged By, Producer – Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus*

NOTES:
From the Atlantic LP “THE VISITORS”

Promotional Copy Not For sale

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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 making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.