Tag: 1985

February 25, 2026

Book Of Love – I Touch Roses (US 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date: November 18, 2015

In 1985, American synth-pop quartet Book of Love released what would become their signature song — the luminous and emotionally charged “I Touch Roses.” Issued as the band’s second single, the track solidified their place in the mid-’80s alternative dance scene and helped secure their future with Sire Records.

“I Touch Roses” would later appear on the group’s eponymous debut album, Book of Love, released in 1986. But its initial impact came a year earlier, when the single quietly bloomed in clubs across the country.

From Underground Buzz to Dancefloor Staple

Written by Theodore “Ted” Ottaviano, the song perfectly captured the band’s ethereal aesthetic — romantic, slightly mysterious, and driven by shimmering sequencers. Following the modest success of their debut single “Boy,” “I Touch Roses” followed a similar upward trajectory, but this time the response was stronger.

Although the track did not break into the Billboard Hot 100, it made a significant impact where it mattered most for a synth-driven act in 1985 — the dancefloor. “I Touch Roses” climbed into the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at No. 8. In an era dominated by high-energy Hi-NRG and post-disco productions, its dreamy minimalism stood apart.

The single’s B-side, “Lost Souls,” offered fans another glimpse into the band’s atmospheric world. A remixed version of “Lost Souls” would also appear on the debut album, reinforcing the cohesive sonic identity the group was developing. The 7″ version included on the US 12″ is the original version of the song before being remixed by Mark Kamins.

No Grand Plan — Just Momentum

Looking back in 2009, Ted Ottaviano reflected on how organically the song’s success unfolded:

“We didn’t know it at the time, but thankfully, with ‘I Touch Roses’, it was not preordained that Sire was developing us at the time. There was no grand scheme. It was more à la carte. But then people started picking up on ‘Roses,’ and then the album happened.”

That “à la carte” momentum proved pivotal. The growing club response to “I Touch Roses” convinced Sire that Book of Love warranted a full-length album. What began as a promising single became the foundation for a career-defining debut.

The Sound of Vulnerable Synth-Pop

Musically, “I Touch Roses” thrives on restraint. The production is airy and uncluttered — gentle drum programming, cascading keyboard lines, and Susan Ottaviano’s breathy, intimate vocal delivery. There’s a fragility to it that contrasts beautifully with the mechanical precision of the electronics.

It’s that emotional vulnerability that continues to resonate. While many mid-’80s dance tracks chased bombast, “I Touch Roses” created atmosphere. It felt personal, almost secretive — the kind of record discovered late at night on college radio or under mirror balls in alternative clubs.

Four decades later, the song remains a cornerstone of American synth-pop history. It didn’t need a Hot 100 placement to endure. The dancefloor embraced it, and listeners never let it go.

For many of us, when those opening notes begin, “I Touch Roses” still feels like stepping back into a beautifully preserved moment — when underground club culture, romantic minimalism, and pure synth emotion intersected perfectly.

A 2026 Revival

I originally shared this 12″ back in November 2015, but over the years my gear has improved, and my experience in the art of vinyl transferring has grown. Now, in 2026, I’m proud to present this record with a Brand NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration — giving I Touch Roses the attention to detail it truly deserves. Every shimmer, every echo, and every whispered note has been preserved and enhanced, so the track shines like never before.

Whether you’re rediscovering it after all these years or hearing it for the first time, this version captures the ethereal magic of Book of Love in its full glory — just as it should be heard on the dancefloor or through your favorite headphones.

SIDE A:
I Touch Roses (Long Stemmed Version) 5:43

SIDE B:
I Touch Roses 3:24

Lost Souls (7″ Version) 4:13

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
SleeveL Near Mint

Chart Performance – Book Of Love: *I Touch Roses* (1985)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#8	1985

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-20381, I Square Records – 0-20381, Sire – 9 20381-0 A, I Square Records – 9 20381-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Art Direction – Zoë Brotman
Costume Designer [Clothes] – Jeffrey Costello (2)
Cover [Cover Art] – Herbert Lee
Engineer – Steve Peck
Hair, Make-Up – Jill Sunshine
Keyboards – Lauren Roselli, Ted Ottaviano
Lead Vocals – Susan Ottaviano
Management – Steven Mulroney
Mastered By – Herb Powers*
Percussion – Jade Lee
Photography By – David La Chapelle*
Producer – Ivan Ivan
Programmed By, Arranged By, Instruments – Book Of Love
Written-By – Theodore Ottaviano*

NOTES:
Recorded and mixed at Unique Recording, NYC
Mastered at Frankford Wayne, NYC.

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.

February 10, 2026

Then Jerico – Fault (The New York City Mixes) (UK 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Before Then Jerico became synonymous with glossy late-80s sophisti-pop and chart success, there was “Fault.” Released in 1985 as a stand-alone, non-album single, it’s one of those quietly fascinating moments where you can hear a band standing right on the edge of something bigger—but not quite there yet.

“Fault” arrived two years before their 1987 debut album First (The Sound of Music) and, despite impeccable credentials, it slipped through the cracks. The single failed to chart, making it a genuine Closet 80s artifact: overlooked at the time, but far more interesting in hindsight.

What immediately jumps out is the production team. Martin Rushent, fresh from redefining British pop with The Human League, Heaven 17, and Buzzcocks, gives “Fault” a taut, modern sheen. There’s a restrained elegance here—clean synth lines, controlled drama, and a sense of tension that never fully explodes. It’s not chasing the charts; it’s testing the water.

The remix comes courtesy of John Luongo, already establishing himself as a master of extended versions and club-ready polish. His touch adds space and momentum, subtly nudging “Fault” toward the dancefloor without sacrificing its introspective core. It’s less about peak-time payoff and more about atmosphere—very much of its moment.

Vocally, Mark Shaw sounds more guarded here than on later hits like “Big Area” or “Let Her Fall.” There’s a cool detachment in his delivery that suits the song’s emotional ambiguity. Lyrically, “Fault” circles themes of responsibility and fracture—personal accountability hinted at rather than spelled out—another sign that Then Jerico hadn’t yet leaned into the widescreen romanticism that would define their later work.

In retrospect, “Fault” feels like a bridge track: one foot in early-80s synth sophistication, the other stepping toward the polished pop-rock confidence that would finally break them through. It may not have charted, but it matters. Songs like this show how bands evolve—not overnight, but through these small, nearly forgotten releases that quietly shape what comes next.

For fans digging deeper than the hits, “Fault” is a reminder that the 1980s were full of near-misses and slow burns. Sometimes the most revealing tracks are the ones history almost forgot.

SIDE A:
Fault (Club Mix) 6:47
Mixed By – John Luongo

SIDE B:
Fault (7″) 3:34
Mixed By – John Luongo

The Big Sweep (Club Mix) 4:49
Mixed By – Philth Tennant, T.J.

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: London Records – LONX 63, London Records – 882 047-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Engineer – Neil O’Connor (2), Timm Baldwin
Keyboards – Ben Angwin
Lyrics By – Shaw*
Performer [Then Jerico] – Stainthorpe*, Shaw*, Taylor*, Wren*
Photography By – Roger Eaton
Producer – Martin Rushent
Sleeve – Shaw*
Written-By – Then Jerico

NOTES:
“The New York City Mixes”
Summer ’85

First pressing with an inner sleeve with lyrics and photo of the band.

“Fault” Mixed at Sigma Sound, N.Y.
Produced & Engineered at Genetic Sound, U.K.

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.

January 28, 2026

Pat Benatar – Invincible (Theme From The Legend Of Billie Jean) (Extended Remix) (US 12”) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Previously posted April 14, 2015

Released on June 24, 1985, “Invincible” is the Grammy-nominated lead single from Pat Benatar’s sixth studio album, Seven the Hard Way. Written by Holly Knight and Simon Climie—with Knight also having co-written Benatar’s earlier breakthrough anthem “Love Is a Battlefield”—the song was created as a defining statement, not just a hit.

The track also served as the theme song for the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean, a cult favorite whose narrative of defiance, justice, and self-determination mirrors the song’s core message. That alignment wasn’t accidental. Invincible doesn’t simply accompany rebellion—it embodies it.

From its opening pulse, the record announces itself with authority. Synth-driven but grounded by Neil Giraldo’s unmistakable guitar work, the production balances mid-’80s pop precision with rock muscle. It’s bold, forward-moving, and unafraid of its own power. This is empowerment framed as momentum.

Lyrically, the song rejects passivity outright. Benatar’s vocal delivery is direct and uncompromising, cutting cleanly through the arrangement. There’s no irony here, no distance between the message and the performance. Invincible doesn’t suggest strength—it demands it.

Commercially, the song became one of Benatar’s defining hits, reaching #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning heavy rotation on MTV. In an era crowded with strong female voices, Benatar stood apart by leaning fully into conviction rather than spectacle. The song became Benatar’s fourth and final American top ten hit.

This presentation features a brand-new 2026 transfer with a meticulous new audio restoration, preserving the punch of the original mix while revealing added depth, clarity, and low-end weight. It’s a reminder of just how big—and how intentional—this record was meant to sound.

While Invincible wasn’t designed as a club track in the traditional sense, it shares DNA with the 12″ era’s emphasis on scale and physicality: big drums, big hooks, and a sound meant to move people—whether in an arena, on a car radio, or on a dancefloor where genre lines blurred.

Nearly forty years on, Invincible remains exactly what it claims to be. Not nostalgic. Not softened by time. It’s a song about standing up for what you believe and using your voice—especially when silence feels like the easiest option. In times like these, when our voices need to be heard louder than ever, Invincible still refuses to back down.

Pat Benatar didn’t just sing about being invincible—she made it sound achievable.

SIDE A:
Invincible (Theme From The Legend Of Billie Jean) (Extended Version) 5:31

SIDE B:
Invincible (Theme From The Legend Of Billie Jean) (Instrumental) 4:25

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Pat Benatar: **Invincible** (Theme From The Legend Of Billie Jean) (1985)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Hot 100	#10	1985
US Billboard Mainstream Rock	#4	1985
UK Singles (OCC)	#53	1985
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	#6	1985
Australia (Kent Music Report)	#23	1985
Belgium (Ultratop50 Flanders)	#9	1985
West Germany (GfK)	#31	1985

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Chrysalis – 4V9 42878
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Engineer – “Tokes”*
Management – Rick Newman
Producer – Mike Chapman
Remix – John “Tokes” Potoker*
Written-By – H. Knight*, S. Climie*

NOTES:
Theme from the film “THE LEGEND OF BILLIE JEAN”
From the LP “SEVEN THE HARD WAY”

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.

November 18, 2025

Arcadia – So Red the Rose (1985–2025): A 40th Anniversary Retrospective

A 40th Anniversary Tribute

Forty years ago, in November 1985, three members of Duran Duran stepped sideways into a lush, art-driven dreamscape and created one of the most daring projects of the decade. Arcadia’s So Red the Rose wasn’t just a side-project — it was a manifesto. A stylish, romantic, avant-pop statement that embraced everything bold, beautiful, and experimental about the mid-80s.

Where Duran Duran were conquering arenas and MTV, Arcadia — Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor — leaned into a darker, more atmospheric world. So Red the Rose shimmered with shadow and elegance, wrapped in high fashion, surrealist imagery, and a sonic palette as rich as its crimson title. If Duran Duran were the soundtrack to neon nightlife, Arcadia was the soundtrack to a midnight art gallery.

The Sound of a Band Breaking Rules

Produced with Alex Sadkin and featuring an extraordinary lineup of guests — Grace Jones, Sting, David Gilmour, Herbie Hancock, and Nile Rodgers — the album felt like a fever dream brought to life. Its textures drifted through ambient pop, art rock, post-punk drama, and gilded synth atmospheres.

“Election Day,” the album’s biggest hit, was a swirling, mysterious epic anchored by Grace Jones’ unforgettable spoken-word performance. “Goodbye Is Forever,” “The Flame,” and the towering “The Promise” showcased the trio’s ambition, pushing the boundaries of what mainstream pop could be in 1985.

And then there was “Lady Ice,” “El Diablo,” and “Missing” — cinematic, moody, gorgeously produced deep cuts that revealed just how committed Arcadia were to crafting a complete world.

Visuals as Bold as the Music

Arcadia didn’t just make an album — they created a universe. Sleek black-and-white photography, painted masks, couture glamour, the long-form Arcadia Video collection… everything was meticulously curated. It was Art with a capital A, as if Duran Duran’s New Romantic roots had blossomed into a baroque bloom.

Even the videos felt like museum pieces — stylish, symbolic, and dreamlike. In 1985, nobody else in pop was doing anything quite like Arcadia.

Four decades later, So Red the Rose stands as one of the essential cult classics of the 80s. It remains a testament to artistic freedom at the height of commercial success — the sound of musicians choosing to explore their imagination rather than repeat themselves.

Many fans consider it the “true” third Duran Duran album in spirit, a spiritual sibling to Rio in its glamour and to Seven and the Ragged Tiger in its mystery. It’s an album that rewards deep listening, late-night headphones, and anyone who loves the lush, dramatic side of the decade.

In 2025, So Red the Rose still feels like a rare gem: elegant, strange, hypnotic, timeless.

Happy 40th Anniversary to Arcadia’s masterpiece — the album that painted the 80s a deeper shade of red.

-DjPaulT (Burning The Ground)