Tag: Closet 80S!

May 7, 2025

Vicious Pink – Take Me Now (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released in January 1986, “Take Me Now” marked the final single from the provocative Leeds-based synth-pop duo Vicious Pink. Comprised of Josephine Warden and Brian Moss, the pair had built a cult following throughout the early ’80s with their bold, sensual lyrics and pulsing electronic beats. “Take Me Now” carried forward their signature style but with a more polished, mainstream-friendly sound, reflecting the shifting landscape of mid-’80s synth-pop.

The track was written by John David, a songwriter best known for his work with artists like Status Quo and Cliff Richard. It was produced by Gary Moberley, an Australian keyboardist and producer whose sleek, radio-ready touch gave the song a glossy sheen, contrasting with the rawer edge of the duo’s earlier tracks like “Cccan’t You See” or “Fetish.”

“Take Me Now” layers icy synth textures with Warden’s sultry vocals, conveying urgency and desire with the kind of restraint that made Vicious Pink so intriguing. The song didn’t chart significantly, but it remains a hidden gem of the era—an elegant swan song that closed the Vicious Pink chapter on a sophisticated note.

The 12″ single, released on Parlophone, featured an extended version along with two additional tracks: the hidden gem “I Confess” and “Always Hoping”, both of which showcase the production’s crystalline quality and dancefloor potential. Despite its under-the-radar status, “Take Me Now” has aged remarkably well, offering a glimpse into a band that was always a little ahead of its time—darkly stylish, fiercely independent, and unapologetically provocative.

SIDE A:
Take Me Now (Extended Version) 6:21
Producer – Gary Moberley
Written-By –John David

SIDE B:
I Confess 3:57
Engineer – Martin Webster
Producer – Tony Mansfield
Remix – Gary Moberley
Written-By – Moss, Warden*

Always Hoping 3:55
Producer – Tony Mansfield
Written-By – Moss, Warden

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Parlophone – 12PINK 3, Parlophone – 12 PINK 3
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: Jan 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Design – Shoot That Tiger!
Other [Hair] – Donna At Vincent Lonnro
Photography By – Johnny Rozsa

NOTES:
Manufactured in the UK

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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-Ject 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.

May 5, 2025

The Lucy Show – New Message (US 12″) (1987)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Following the brooding and atmospheric textures of their critically acclaimed 1985 debut …undone, British band The Lucy Show took a bold sonic turn with their second—and final—album, Mania, released in 1986. With this album, the band shifted toward a more polished, upbeat, and commercially accessible sound, embracing jangly guitars, brighter melodies, and a cleaner production style. The lead single from this release was the energetic and hook-laden “New Message.”

“New Message” immediately signaled a departure from the band’s earlier gothic-tinged introspection. Clocking in with punchy guitars, melodic bass lines, and a propulsive rhythm, the song channels a style more in line with contemporaries like The Psychedelic Furs, The Church, or even early R.E.M., while still retaining The Lucy Show’s lyrical depth and emotional intensity.

Lyrically, the song touches on themes of miscommunication, modern detachment, and longing—topics that resonate even more strongly in today’s digital age. Mark Bandola’s vocals are more assertive here, riding atop a dense but shimmering wave of guitar-driven production.

Despite positive reviews and a growing cult following, Mania and its singles, including “New Message,” didn’t break through to mainstream success—partly due to label troubles with Big Time Records, which went under shortly after the album’s release. Sadly, this led to the band’s premature disbandment.

Over time, however, Mania has earned a well-deserved reputation as a lost classic of the ’80s alternative scene, with “New Message” standing out as a highlight—a vibrant track that captures the tension between artistic evolution and commercial appeal.

SIDE A:
New Message (Solo Trumpet Mix) 4:56

SIDE B:
New Message (Instrumental) 3:29
New Message (New Version) 3:29
Invitation 2:39

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Big Time – 6043-1-BD
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Synth-pop, Indie Rock

CREDITS:

Mixed By – Gordon Milne, The Lucy Show
Producer – David Ruffy, Mark Bandola, Rob Vandeven
Written-By – Mark Bandola, The Lucy Show

NOTES:
Recorded at Red Bus Studios, London 2/87

Original version from the Big Time LP “MANIA”

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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-Ject 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

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.

April 21, 2025

Double Entente – Sleeping Dogs Lie (US 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

I’m taking a short break from my Shep Pettibone run to fill a few requests. The first is another rare gem to add to my “Closet 80s” series—a track that never got its due but still shines in all the right ways.

“Sleeping Dogs Lie” by the short-lived duo Double Entente. Released in 1984, this atmospheric track was crafted by Chuck Fuller and Elyse Schiller, a synth-pop pairing that only released two singles before fading into obscurity.

The record was produced by none other than Randy “King” Jackson, the Grammy-winning musician and producer—long before his days as a judge on American Idol. Jackson’s touch is evident in the track’s sleek, polished sound: brooding synth layers, a pulsing electronic beat, and a cool, detached vocal performance that creates a haunting sense of emotional distance.

While Double Entente didn’t stay together long enough to release a full album, “Sleeping Dogs Lie” remains a standout—a moody, intelligent slice of early electronic pop that wouldn’t feel out of place alongside the likes of Yazoo, The The, or early Berlin.

SIDE A:
Sleeping Dogs Lie (Long Version) 6:16

SIDE B:
Sleeping Dogs Lie (Short Version) 4:46

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Sleeping Dogs Lie	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play	#4

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 44-05113
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop, Electro, Soul

CREDITS:

Engineer – Maureen Droney
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – Maureen Droney, Randy “King” Jackson*
Producer – Randy “King” Jackson*
Written-By – C. Fuller*, E. Schiller*

NOTES:
Recorded at THE AUTOMATT, San Francisco, CA

Printed in U.S.A.

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

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 15, 2025

Blancmange – What’s Your Problem? (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive -1985

“What’s Your Problem?” is a song by the English synth-pop duo Blancmange, released on 27 August 1985 as the lead single from their third studio album Believe You Me. Written by Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe and produced by Stewart Levine, the song captures Blancmange’s signature blend of synth-driven melodies and witty lyrics.

Upon its release, “What’s Your Problem?” achieved moderate chart success, peaking at No. 40 in the UK Singles Chart and climbing to No. 30 in Ireland. A music video accompanied the single, gaining heavy rotation on the European music TV channel Music Box, further solidifying its presence during the mid-’80s synth-pop wave.

The 12″ Single Details:

One of the highlights of the 12″ release of “What’s Your Problem?” is its extended mix, offering fans a longer and more immersive version of the track. Interestingly, this extended mix is not explicitly mentioned on the sleeve or label, making it a subtle yet noteworthy feature for collectors and fans alike.

“What’s Your Problem?” is an extended mix but this is not mentioned on the release.

“Side Two” is an extended version of “22339” from the “Believe You Me” album.

“Living On The Ceiling” is the original 12″ version.

The inclusion of “Living On The Ceiling” on this 12″ single adds an extra layer of appeal, giving listeners a chance to enjoy one of Blancmange’s most beloved tracks in its original extended form.

Legacy

“What’s Your Problem?” may not have achieved the same level of success as some of Blancmange’s earlier hits, but it remains a memorable piece of their discography. The track showcases the duo’s knack for crafting catchy synth-pop tunes while exploring themes with a touch of humor and irony. For fans of ’80s synth-pop, the 12″ release of “What’s Your Problem?” is a must-have, thanks to its unique extended versions and its nod to the band’s earlier success with “Living On The Ceiling.”

SIDE A:
What’s Your Problem? 6:58
Producer –Stewart Levine

SIDE B:
Side Two 7:35
Producer –John Owen Williams*, Neil Arthur

Living On The Ceiling 5:37
Producer – Mike Howlett
Remix – Dennis Weinrich, John Owen Williams

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: London Records – BLANX 9, London Records – 882 073-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: Aug 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Artwork [Sleeve Conjured Up At] – Assorted Images
Written-By – Arthur*, Luscombe*

NOTES:
‘Living On The Ceiling’ not mentioned on back cover.

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.