Tag: 1984

June 14, 2016

Bronski Beat – Why? (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

I am so saddened by what took place in Orlando over the weekend another senseless massacre at the hands of a gun. We are all Orlando, it could have been any one of us just out enjoying a night of music and dancing. It doesn’t matter what you believe or who you choose to spend your life with Love is Love. I chose to post this record because it is still relevant today. When will we wake up and stop the violence? #orlando

“Why?” is a single by British synthpop trio Bronski Beat and appeared on their 1984 album The Age of Consent.

The song, recorded at RPM Studios, NYC and mixed at Townhouse Studio, London, pursued an energetic musical formula, while the lyrics focused more centrally on anti-gay prejudice. The song opens with a questioning vocal by frontman and vocalist Jimmy Somerville and the shattering of breaking glass. It was the trio’s second Top 10 success in the UK, peaking at No. 6, also reaching the top 10 throughout Europe and in Australia and is today considered a popular gay anthem.

The drawing for the single cover, of a man with his head in his hands, was drawn for the band by Glasgow artist Robert McAulay, who was associated with the band at the time.

SIDE A:
Why? (Extended Mix) 7:45
Engineer [Mixing Engineer] – Julian Mendelsohn

SIDE B:
Cadillac Car (Long Version) 7:34
Engineer [Mixing Engineer] – Harvey Goldberg
Guitar – Steve*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Why?	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#27
1984	Why?	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#20

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Forbidden Fruit ‎– BITEX 2
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve] – Robert McAulay
Engineer [Recording Engineer] – Dominick Maita
Keyboards – Steve*
Keyboards, Programmed By – Laz*
Mastered By – Aaron Chakraverty*
Music By – Bronski Beat
Producer [Produced By] – Mike Thorne
Vocals, Lyrics By – Jimmy*
Written-By – Somerville*, Steinbachek*, Bronski*

NOTES:
Why?: Dedicated To The Memory Of Drew Griffiths

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

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

May 6, 2016

Chaka Khan I Feel For You (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“I Feel for You” is a song written by Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album, one of two songs on that album (along with “I Wanna Be Your Lover”) written as demos for Patrice Rushen, though neither appeared on any Rushen album. The most successful and well known version was recorded by female R&B singer Chaka Khan, appearing on her 1984 album, I Feel for You. Prince, as songwriter, won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

Khan’s version featured an all-star supporting cast, with rapping from Melle Mel Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, guitar, drum programming, bass guitar, keyboards and arrangement by Reggie Griffin, bass synthesizer and programming by The System’s David Frank and chromatic harmonica playing by Stevie Wonder. The song also uses vocal samples from Wonder’s “Fingertips”. The repetition of Khan’s name by Melle Mel at the beginning of the song was originally a mistake made by producer Arif Mardin ), who then decided to keep it.

This version of the song became a million-selling smash in the U.S. and UK, and it helped to relaunch Khan’s career. The song hit No. 1 on the Cash Box singles chart and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November-December 1984. The song remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 26 weeks and became one of Billboard’s five biggest pop songs of the year for 1985. The single reached No. 1 on both the U.S. dance and R&B charts in late 1984, remaining atop both for three weeks each. In addition, the song also reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. While touring with Prince in 1998 in support of her collaborative album, Come 2 My House, Khan and Prince performed “I Feel for You” as a duet.

The Pointer Sisters recorded the song in 1982, two years before Khan’s version was a hit, on their album So Excited!.

Rebbie Jackson recorded it for her 1984 debut album Centipede.

SIDE A:
I Feel For You (Remix) 7:12
Arranged By – Arif Mardin, Reggie Griffin
Edited By [Special Edits] – Arif Mardin
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Michael O’Reilly
Written-By – Prince

SIDE B:
I Feel For You (Edit) 4:03
Arranged By – Arif Mardin, Reggie Griffin
Edited By [Special Edits] – Arif Mardin
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Michael O’Reilly
Written-By – Prince

Chinatown 4:34
Arranged By – Philippe Saisse
Lyrics By – Chaka Khan, Rhoda Roberts
Music By – Philippe Saisse

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	I Feel For You	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#3
1984	For Youe Jean	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles	#1
1984	I Feel For You	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Bros. Records ‎– W 9209 T
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Funk / Soul

CREDITS:
Producer – Arif Mardin
Recorded By, Mixed By – Lew Hahn

NOTES:
Produced for Deniz Productions.
From the forthcoming Warner Bros. album “I Feel For You”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

April 26, 2016

Sheila E. – The Glamourous Life (8 Minute Version) (UK 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

Originally posted August 11, 2011

“The Glamorous Life” is a song written by Prince in 1984 and first recorded by singer/percussionist Sheila E. The dance song has lyrics which reflect a cynicism for the decadence and materialism of the song’s protagonist, referred to in the third person, who “wants to lead a glamorous life”, although she is aware that “without love, it ain’t much”.

“The Glamorous Life” was originally intended to be recorded by the short-lived replacement act for Vanity 6, girl group Apollonia 6. Prince allegedly had several tracks lined up for the trio to record for their 1984 debut album (and by some accounts, their follow up album as well), but abandoned the idea when he learned that lead singer Apollonia Kotero had no desire to stay in the group beyond her contractual obligations as designed for her movie role in Purple Rain.

Prince decided to give the song to Sheila E. who was fresh off her duet on Prince’s “Erotic City”. “The Glamorous Life” would be recorded by Sheila E. and go on to launch her solo career.

“The Glamorous Life” was the title track and closing song on Sheila E.’s debut solo album, and reached number 7 on the U.S. pop charts, as well as number 1 on the U.S. dance charts, and earned a Grammy Award nomination. Internationally the song reached number 2 on the Dutch Top 40 and number 76 on the U.K. Singles Chart.

Sheila E.’s live performances of the song became memorable events, most notably for her percussion solo towards the end of the song. Depending on the occasion, she would either spin around several times while drumming without missing a beat during the rigorous solo, place one highly elevated foot on a snare while standing on the other leg mid-solo, or perform with glow-in-the-dark drumsticks. While the solo featured in the song helped to bolster Sheila E.’s fame, all subsequent versions of this song have no drum solo.

SIDE A:
The Glamorous Life (8 Minute Version) 9:02

SIDE B:
The Glamorous Life (Part II) 3:15

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	The Glamorous Life	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#7
1984	The Glamorous Life	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#1
1984	The Glamorous Life	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles	#9

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Music UK Ltd. ‎– SAM 196
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Funk

CREDITS:
Co-producer – Jamie Starr
Directed By – Starr * Company, The
Producer, Directed By – Sheila E.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

April 7, 2016

Machinations – No Say In It (Australia 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

RWQUEST

“No Say In It” is a song by Australian synth-pop band Machinations. The song was lifted from the bands second full length album Big Music. “No Say In It” reached #14 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in September 1984.

“No Say In It (Mendelsohn’s Played Mix)” is exclusive to the Australian release. As a bonus track I included “5 Minutes Black” which was included as the b-side of the US and Canada releases of “No Say In It”.

SIDE A:
No Say In It (Machinations Cut Mix) 8:23
Remix – Guy Gray, Machinations

SIDE B:
No Say In It (Mendelsohn’s Played Mix) 7:10
Remix – Julian Mendelsohn

5 Minutes Black 3:32
Engineer – Alan Wright

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Very Good Plus

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: White Label Records ‎– X 13169
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Limited Edition, 45 RPM
Country: Australia
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer – Guy Gray
Producer – Julian D. Mendelsohn*
Written-By – Machinations

NOTES:
Written on release: “Produced by a small cuddly Australian called Julian D. Mendelsohn.”

Recorded at Studios 301, Sydney, Australia.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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