Tag: 1983

Hilary – Kinetic (US 12″ Mini LP)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Kinetic” is the debut and only release by Hilary Blake, known professionally as Hilary, a singer-songwriter/performer from Los Angeles. She was born in 1950 and died in July 2007.

Blake sang with madrigal groups at Shakespeare festivals in England and studied acting with Agnes Moorehead at age 11.

In 1978 she matched free verse poetry with synthesizers and drum machines to produce her signature sound.

In 1982 she met up with producer Steve Hague and pressed 1000 copies of 12″ vinyl “Kinetic b/w “I Live” for Sirus Records. Kinetic was voted “Screamer of Week” by listeners of Long Island radio station WLIR on January 2, 1983. and received modest airplay on her hometown station KROQ-FM. Kinectic was also played in New York dance clubs. I Live was played on college radio stations.

Later in the year, Blake released a 4-song EP entitled Kinetic for Backstreet Records which was also produced by Hague. The song Kinetic was about her hopes that awareness of changing cellular structure would help the human species to survive. Drop Your Pants was Blake’s attempt to show how “ridiculous” the fear of sex in the United States was. On August 4 it became her second song to be named “Screamer of the Week” by WLIR listeners. This song was also mentioned in an edition of The Guide to Getting it On by Paul Joannides.

I Live was a song about “the ordinary – living in the house of your own making” which Blake found to be profound. Goose Step reflected Blake’s fear that the Nazi Party would reemerge. She was buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

SIDE A:
Kinetic (Extended Remix Version) 5:14
Drop Your Pants 3:31

SIDE B:
I Live 4:27
Goose Step Two Step 3:41

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Backstreet Records ‎– BSR-36004
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Mini-Album, Pinckneyville Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Cover [Detail From “Woodpecker Blues” By] – Michael McCall (2)
Design – Tommy Steele (2)
Engineer – Stephen Hague
Lyrics By – Hilary (3), Stephen Hague (tracks: A1)
Photography By [Photo] – Eugene Pinkowski
Producer – Hilary (3), Stephen Hague
Written-By – Hilary (3), Stephen Hague (tracks: A1 to B1)

NOTES:
Mini LP 4 Songs Special price

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Madonna – Holiday (US 7″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Holiday” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her eponymous debut album Madonna (1983). Sire Records released it as the album’s third single on September 7, 1983.

Written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens of Pure Energy, the track was offered to Madonna by her producer John “Jellybean” Benitez when she was looking for a potential hit track to include in her debut album. After accepting the song, she and Benitez worked on it and altered its composition by the addition of a piano solo performed by their friend, Fred Zarr.

“Holiday” features instrumentation from guitars, electronic handclaps, a cowbell, and a synthesized string arrangement, while its lyrics speak about the universal sentiment of taking a holiday. Universally acclaimed by critics, the song became Madonna’s first mainstream hit single in the United States, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became her first top-ten single in several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

SIDE A:
Holiday (Edit) 4:05
Producer –John “Jellybean” Benitez
Written-By – Curtis Hudson, Lisa Stevens

SIDE B:
I Know It 3:44
Producer – Reggie Lucas
Written-By – Madonna

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1983 Holiday U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #16
1983 Holiday U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #25
1983 Holiday U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 7-29478
Format: Vinyl, 7″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

NOTES:
From the Sire Album “MADONNA”

Find the 7″ 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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Barbara Mason – Another Man (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Another Man” is a 1983 single by American soul singer Barbara Mason who scored several R&B and pop hits in the 1960s and 1970s, best known for her self-written 1965 hit song Yes, I’m Ready”. In 1984 Mason had a comeback hit with “Another Man” released on West End Records peaking at #68 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart on February 18, 1984 spending seven weeks on the survey, the song was also a club hit spending eight weeks on the U.S. Dance Chart peaking at #33. In the U.K. “Another Man” reached #45.

SIDE A:
Another Man (Vocal) 6:56
Another Man (Short Version) 3:46

SIDE B:
Another Man (Instrumental) 5:46
Another Man (Rap) 4:46

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Another Man U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles #68
1984 Another Man U.S. Billboard Dance Music/Club Play #33

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Labe;: West End Records ‎– WES 22164, Society Hill Records ‎– WES 22164
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Electro, Soul

CREDITS:
Engineer – Dirk Devlin
Mastered By – Ray Janos
Producer, Arranged By, Mixed By, Written-By – Butch Ingram

NOTES:
Produced, arranged and mixed for Family Productions.

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: 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)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Icicle Works – Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

NEW 2019 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Originally posted October 8, 2012

“(Whisper to a Scream) Birds Fly “, given the reversed title “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)” in some markets, is a song by the British band The Icicle Works. It was released in 1983 as the first single from the band’s 1984 debut eponymous album The Icicle Works. The song was written by Ian McNabb, the band’s lead singer, and produced by Hugh Jones.

The recording initially was released as a single in Britain in June 1983 as “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” on the Situation Two label. This initial release hit #2 on the UK independent charts and scraped the lower reaches of the overall UK national charts at #89.

After The Icicle Works’ next UK single “Love Is a Wonderful Colour” hit #15 on the UK charts in late 1983 and early 1984, Beggars Banquet Records re-released “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” on March 1984 with a new cover and B-side. This re-release climbed to #52 in the UK.

The group’s U.S. label Arista Records refused to release the record unless some changes were made. The track was remixed slightly in order to remove a brief spoken-word overdub on the opening bars of music. (The woman performing this intro was identified only as “Mariella” on the original Situation Two single sleeve.) Also, the song title was reversed, becoming “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)”. Finally, Arista shortened the band’s name to Icicle Works. With changes, the song reached #37 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #34 on Cashbox’s singles chart in the summer of 1984. The song also reached #18 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and #15 on Radio & Records Album Oriented Rock chart.

SIDE A:
Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) (European Version) 5;21
Remix – Hugh Jones

SIDE B:
Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) (Extended Club Remix) 5:27
Engineer [Assistant] – Rick Kerr
Engineer [Remix] – Jack Nuber
Remix – Steve Thompson

Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) (Single Version) 3:49

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #37
1984 Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks #18
1984 Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play #13

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Arista ‎– ADP-9187
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave

CREDITS:
Producer – Hugh Jones
Written-By – McNabb*

NOTES:
Promo that comes in a white generic die-cut sleeve with a black info sticker on it.
From the debut album “ICICLE WORKS”

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: 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)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.