Tag: 1983

December 19, 2025

The Weather Girls – Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas) (US 12″ Promo) (1983)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date: December 13, 2013

“Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas)” is a holiday song recorded by The Weather Girls for their 1983 album Success. Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer wrote the song. It mixes a Christmas theme with a disco-driven sound that fits the group’s early 1980s dance output.

The track had a quiet release. It was issued in the US and the UK as a promotional single and did not chart. This was the case even though a music video was filmed. As a result, the song remained hard to find and easy to miss during its original run.

The Weather Girls began as Two Tons o’ Fun and featured Izora Armstead and Martha Wash. Both singers brought gospel power and strong presence to the dance floor. The duo scored several dance hits, with their biggest success coming in 1982.

That peak arrived with “It’s Raining Men,” a song that became a defining moment in dance music. “Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas)” followed soon after and shows the same mix of humor and confidence, set against a festive backdrop.

For this holiday season, I have given this disco banger a meticulous new audio transfer. It brings new clarity to a track that has long deserved a closer listen.

SIDE A:
Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas) (Vocal) 6:30

SIDE B:
Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas) (Instrumental) 6:14

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – AS 1790
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Hi NRG, Disco

CREDITS:

Executive-Producer – Charles Koppelman
Producer – Paul Jabara
Written-By – P. Jabara*, P. Schaffer*

NOTES:
Demonstration Not For Sale
Taken From The Columbia/Entertainment Co. LP “Success” BEC 38997

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.

October 29, 2025

Fad Gadget – For Whom The Bells Toll (UK 12″) (1983)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

As October draws to a close and the nights grow longer, it feels like the perfect time to turn to one of the darker corners of early electronic music. Today’s Spooky Season Spin comes from one of synthpop’s most eccentric and influential pioneers — Fad Gadget — and his haunting single “For Whom the Bells Toll.”

Released in 1983 as the eighth single by Frank Tovey under his Fad Gadget moniker, the track appears on his third album Under The Flag (Mute Records). By this time, Tovey had refined his sound from the raw, experimental edges of his early singles into something more structured yet equally unsettling — a perfect fit for the eerie pulse of Halloween week.

The 12-inch single features “For Whom The Bells Toll (III)” on the A-side and “Love Parasite (II)” on the flip — both featuring backing vocals by Alison Moyet, who was also on the Mute label at the time as one half of Yazoo. Moyet’s soulful voice adds a surprisingly human element to Fad Gadget’s dystopian electronics, giving both tracks a unique emotional depth beneath the cold, metallic textures.

The A-side runs for approximately 8:19 before spiraling into a locked groove, creating a hypnotic, endless toll that feels almost ritualistic — as if the record itself refuses to stop ringing. On digital reissues, however, the versions differ slightly: “For Whom The Bells Toll III” cuts off abruptly at 8:03, while “Love Parasite II” fades out early at 6:32.

Adding to the mystique, it’s been reported that the original master tape for this 12-inch extended version (III) was lost by the record company, meaning that the vinyl copies circulating today may be the only remaining source of this haunting mix.

So as those Halloween bells toll, dim the lights, cue up the 12-inch, and let this one echo through your speakers — a haunting reminder that the ghosts of synthpop’s past are never too far away.

Of note:
I manually faded out the locked groove on Side A, extending the track to 9:21. The vinyl noise during the locked groove portion is intentional, as it preserves the record’s original atmosphere.

SIDE A:
For Whom The Bells Toll III 9:21

SIDE B:
Love Parasite II 6:53

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mute – 12 MUTE 026
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Special Cut
Country: UK
Released: Jan 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Photography By – Anton Corbijn
Typography – Jill Tipping
Written-By – Gadget*

NOTES:
Distribution – Rough Trade and Spartan

Track A has a continuous locked groove at the end.

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.

September 10, 2025

Classix Nouveaux – Forever And A Day (UK 12″) (1983)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

By the early 1980s, Classix Nouveaux had firmly carved out their place in the New Wave and post-punk landscape. Formed in London in 1979 from the ashes of X-Ray Spex, the band — fronted by the charismatic Sal Solo — quickly became known for their striking visual style, theatrical performances, and polished, synth-driven sound.

One of the gems in their catalog is “Forever and a Day,” a single released in 1983 from their third studio album Secret. By this point, Classix Nouveaux had refined their sound, moving away from the rawer edges of their early work toward a sleeker, more atmospheric approach.

A Shift in Sound

“Forever and a Day” captures the essence of this evolution. Built on shimmering synth textures, driving bass lines, and Sal Solo’s dramatic, soaring vocals, the track balances melancholy with romantic optimism. The production feels cinematic, reflecting the broader trend in early-to-mid ’80s New Wave toward lush, layered arrangements.

While the band never quite broke through on the same scale as contemporaries like Ultravox or Duran Duran, tracks like “Forever and a Day” show they had all the right ingredients — powerful hooks, emotional depth, and undeniable style.

Release & Reception

Issued as a single in 1983, “Forever and a Day” wasn’t a major chart hit, but it cemented Classix Nouveaux’s reputation as cult favorites in the New Wave scene. In some territories — particularly across Europe and in markets like Poland, where the band enjoyed a surprising level of popularity — the song gained significant airplay.

The single was accompanied by a 12″ release, which offered an extended version remixed ny Phil Thornalley (Johnny Hates Jazz, The Cure) aimed at dancefloors and club DJs. This longer version gave the band’s synth arrangements more room to breathe, making “Forever and a Day” a perfect fit for the era’s club culture.

Legacy

Though Classix Nouveaux disbanded shortly after the release of Secret, songs like “Forever and a Day” have stood the test of time, rediscovered by collectors and fans of the 12″ remix format. The track remains a shining example of how New Wave blended electronic experimentation with pop sensibility — dramatic, stylish, and achingly heartfelt.

For many fans, “Forever and a Day” is more than just a single — it’s a reminder of the fleeting brilliance of a band that deserved a bigger spotlight.

SIDE A:
Forever And A Day (Extended Version) 6:46
Mixed By – Phil Thornalley
Strings – Ann Dudley
Written-By – Mik Sweeny, Sal Solo

SIDE B:
Switch (Full Length Version) 6:41
Written-By – B.P. Hurding, Mik Sweeny*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Liberty – 12BP 419
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave

CREDITS:

Producer – Alex Sadkin
Sleeve – Edward Bell

NOTES:
Rear sleeve: Lyrics reproduced by kind permission of Chappell Music Ltd.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for 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.

August 5, 2025

SSQ – Big Electronic Beat (US 12″) (1983)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2025 TRANSFER
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date May 25, 2011

“Jimmy go down to Music Town… Buys a synthesizer… He can speak computer language now!”

SSQ brings the machines to life in this high-voltage synth-pop gem from 1983.

“Big Electronic Beat” was the second single released from SSQ’s debut album Playback, issued on Enigma Records in 1983. Following the underground success of “Synthicide,” this follow-up dialed deeper into electro-funk territory with pounding analog drums, a relentless sequencer groove, and Stacey Swain’s futuristic vocals.

The track also made its way onto the soundtrack of the raunchy 1984 teen comedy Hardbodies, further cementing its status as a time-capsule classic of the early synth-pop scene.

🔊 The Sound
The Extended Version featured on this 12″ runs 4:16, pushing the tempo and the tech to the forefront. From the moment the synth line kicks in, it’s clear this is dancefloor fuel—complete with machine-gun drum fills, synthetic claps, and catchy, robotic refrains of “Big electronic, big electronic, beat!”

The lyrics are peak ‘80s cyber-fantasy: a kid named Jimmy buys a synthesizer and suddenly becomes fluent in “computer language.” It’s part satire, part celebration, and entirely a product of the era’s growing fascination with personal tech and electronic expression.

🧠 SSQ: The Band Behind the Beat
SSQ was the brainchild of producer/guitarist Jon St. James, who assembled a team of synthesists including Karl Moet, Rich West, John Van Tongeren, and Skip Hahn—with rising frontwoman Stacey Swain delivering lead vocals.

Playback, their only album as SSQ, remains a cult favorite in synth-pop circles. While “Synthicide” got the most attention, “Big Electronic Beat” was arguably the group’s most club-ready offering. Despite not charting, its inclusion on Hardbodies gave it a second life among VHS-era fans and ‘80s soundtrack collectors.

SIDE A:
Big Electronic Beat (Extended) 4:16

SIDE B:
Big Electronic Beat (Sans Instruments) 1:03
Big Electronic Beat (Sans Vocal) 3:39

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Enigma (4) – ENIGMA 8
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Art Direction – Henry Marquez
Illustration – Douglas Bevins
Producer – Jon St. James
Vocals [Uncredited] – Stacey Swain
Written-By – John Van Tongeren, Jon St. James

NOTES:
From the LP and Cassette “PLAYBACK”

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for 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.