Tag: Duran Duran

April 22, 2025

Duran Duran – The Wild Boys (Japan 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2025 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

Original post date: December 22, 2016

In late 1984, Duran Duran unleashed “The Wild Boys,” a pounding, futuristic anthem that marked a darker turn for the band and became one of their most iconic singles of the era. The track was conceived as part of a proposed film project based on the William S. Burroughs novel The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead, with the idea pushed by director Russell Mulcahy (who had helmed many of the band’s most lavish videos). While the film never came to fruition, the song and its accompanying video pushed boundaries—and budgets—at the time.

Produced by the legendary Nile Rodgers, “Wild Boys” was the only studio track on the band’s live album Arena and perfectly fused the band’s pop sensibility with Rodgers’ cutting-edge production and dancefloor sensibilities. The result was a sonic assault of heavy synths, aggressive guitar stabs, tribal drums, and Simon Le Bon’s defiant vocal delivery.

The Extended Mix takes the drama up several notches, building the tension with a long, cinematic intro that recalls the dystopian atmosphere of the video. The breakdowns and effects-laden passages give the song more room to breathe and further highlight Rodgers’ intricate production.

Chart-wise, “Wild Boys” was a smash. It reached #2 in both the US and UK, blocked from the top in the US by Hall & Oates’ “Out of Touch.” It also gave Duran Duran their first #1 in Germany and South Africa, proving the band’s international staying power as they transitioned from New Romantic heartthrobs into global pop powerhouses.

Fun fact: Simon Le Bon nearly drowned during the filming of the video, which featured the band tied to a windmill and submerged in a water tank. It’s a miracle the band made it out intact—both literally and figuratively.

The B-side, “(I’m Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement (Live),” was recorded during the band’s 5 March 1984 show at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. This is the same concert where the video for “The Reflex” was filmed—capturing the band at the height of their early-’80s hysteria with screaming fans and high-voltage energy. The live track offers a grittier, rawer take on the Seven and the Ragged Tiger album cut, giving fans a peek into the band’s powerful live presence during their Sing Blue Silver tour.

“Wild Boys” remains a touchstone of mid-80s maximalism: all attitude, danger, and style. It’s the sound of a band pushing their limits—and taking us along for the ride.

SIDE A:
The Wild Boys (Wilder Than Wild Boys) (Extended Mix) 8:00
Producer – Nile Rodgers

SIDE B:
The Wild Boys (45) 4:18
Producer – Nile Rodgers

(I’m Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement (1984) 4:10
Engineer [Live Recording] – George Tutko
Engineer, Mixed By – Jason Corsaro

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
OBI Strip: Near Mint
Insert: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	The Wild Boys	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1984	The Wild Boys	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play	#27

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– S14-102
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Japan
Released: Nov 21, 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Engineer – Jason Corsaro
Photography By [Front] – Francesco Scavullo
Producer, Arranged By, Written-By – Duran Duran
Sleeve [Sleeve Producer] – Assorted Images

NOTES:
From the LP “ARENA”

Track B2 was recorded live on tour 1984.
Mastered at Masterdisk.

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

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.

March 31, 2025

Duran Duran – All She Wants Is (US 12″ Promo) (1988)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

By 1988, Duran Duran had moved well beyond their early-’80s new wave roots. Their album Big Thing signaled a shift toward a more experimental, club-oriented sound, and All She Wants Is, one of its standout singles, exemplified this transformation.

Released as the second single from Big Thing, All She Wants Is was one of the band’s most unconventional and daring tracks. Stripping away the glossy pop sheen of their earlier hits, the song embraced a darker, industrial-infused groove inspired by the house and dance music trends of the late ’80s. Produced by Duran Duran alongside Jonathan Elias and Daniel Abraham, it featured pulsing beats, distorted vocals, and an eerie, hypnotic atmosphere that set it apart from anything they had done before.

Despite its departure from their signature sound, All She Wants Is proved successful. It reached #9 on the UK Singles Chart and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., reaffirming the band’s ability to evolve while still making compelling music. On the U.S. Billboard Dance chart, it soared to #1, thanks in part to Shep Pettibone’s remixes, which amplified its club appeal. The song’s hypnotic rhythm and haunting chorus made it a favorite on dance floors, while its surreal music video—directed by Dean Chamberlain—added to its mystique with stop-motion animation and eerie lighting effects.

Beyond its chart performance, All She Wants Is showcased Duran Duran’s willingness to push creative boundaries—a trait that has helped them stay relevant for decades. Even today, the track remains a striking entry in their discography, a bold electronic departure that still captures the essence of what made Duran Duran one of the most exciting bands of their era.

For fans of late-’80s dance music and darker, edgier pop, All She Wants Is remains a fascinating listen—proof that Duran Duran was far more than just their early MTV-era hits. The track was ahead of its time and still sounds fresh today.

Official Remixes

The U.S. 12″ promo featured five remixes by Shep Pettibone, including the exclusive Euro House Dub II, which remains a vinyl-only track. Below is a breakdown of the various official remixes, with mix titles varying slightly by country:

45 Version / 7″ Version – Slight early fades of the album version, varying by release but only a few seconds shorter.
Euro House Mix / Euro Dub Mix – The same vocal house remix.
Euro House Dub I / House Dub – Identical instrumental house remixes.
Euro House Dub II – Exclusive to the U.S. promo 12″.
U.S. Master Mix – An electro/freestyle-inspired vocal remix.
U.S. Master Dub / Latino Dub – Identical instrumental remixes.

*Vinyl-only exclusive

SIDE A:
All She Wants Is (U.S. Master Mix) 7:21
All She Wants Is (U.S. Master Dub) 6:45

SIDE B:
All She Wants Is (Euro House Mix) 7:35
All She Wants Is (Euro House Dub I) 7:09
All She Wants Is (Euro House Dub II)* 5:44

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	All She Wants Is	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#22
1988	All She Wants Is	U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	#24
1988	All She Wants Is	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Capitol Records – SPRO-79482, Capitol Records – SPRO-79483
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo, Gold sleeve
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: House, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Composed By – Taylor*, Rhodes*, Lebon*
Edited By – Chep Nunez*
Engineer [Remix] – Goh Hotoda
Producer – Daniel Abraham, Duran Duran, Jonathan Elias
Remix – Shep Pettibone

NOTES:
Issued in plain white, silver or gold generic die-cut jacket with info sticker.

Mix titles on sticker vary slightly from what is on the labels; the tracklist here is a combination of the two.

Info on sticker:
New Mixes by Shep Pettibone
Promotional use only. Not for sale.

Info on labels:
Remixed by Shep Pettibone for MasterMix Productions.
(Original version appears on the LP “Big Thing” C1-90958)

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.

November 26, 2024

Various – Happy Christmas From The Stars (UK 7″ Flexi-disc)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1982

Season’s Greetings!

I originally shared this post way back on December 22, 2012, but a good friend of the site suggested it was worth revisiting to kick off the Christmas season. After giving it some thought, I agreed—it’s a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit. While I didn’t create a new transfer for this one, there’s only so much you can do with a 44-year-old flexi-disc. That said, I’m excited to share it again and wish you all the best this holiday season and beyond!

“Happy Christmas From The Stars” is a promotional-only flexi-disc single featuring spoken-word holiday messages from various 80s pop stars. It was released in the UK in 1982 as a collaboration between Smash Hits, Levi’s, and Lyntone Records. The disc was included as a freebie with the December 9-22, 1982 issue of Smash Hits magazine.

This promotional item was tied to Levi’s “Accessory Kit 3” campaign for their black Levi jeans. Interestingly, the idea for the single came from Neil Tennant, who was then Smash Hits’ news editor and would go on to fame as a member of the Pet Shop Boys.

As with most flexi-discs, the audio quality isn’t stellar—they’re notorious for that. However, I’ve done my best to restore the recording while preserving some of the original crackle, which I believe adds to its charm. The full recording includes the Levi’s promo segments for a complete vintage experience.

Enjoy, and Happy Christmas!

—DjPaulT

SIDE A:
Happy Christmas From The Stars (Part 1) 6:12

SIDE B:
Happy Christmas From The Stars (Part 2) 6:14

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Very Good
Sleeve: Near Mint (generic)

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Smash Hits! Magazine – LYN 12570/1, Levi’s – LYN 12570/1
Format: Flexi-disc, 7″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Non-Music
Style: Spoken Word, Holiday

CREDITS:

Concept By [Idea] – Neil Tennant
Featuring – ABBA, ABC, Adam*, Bananarama, Bucks Fizz, Captain Sensible, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Fun Boy Three, Haircut One Hundred, Imagination, Madness, Mari Wilson, Musical Youth, Steve Strange, The Jam, Piranhas*, Police*, Toyah, Ultravox
Producer – Trevor Dann
Recorded By – Mark Ellen

NOTES:
Smash Hits promotion for ‘Accessory Kit 3’ with ‘Black Levi’ brand jeans by Levi’s.

Made in Britain by Lyntone London.

Buy the Flexi 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.

November 11, 2022

Andy Taylor – When The Rain Comes Down (US 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1986

“When The Rain Comes Down” is the second single by former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor, released from the Miami Vice 2: Soundtrack by MCA Records in August 1986.

Co-written, co-produced and performed by Andy Taylor, the song features in the Miami Vice TV series during the episode called “Stone’s War”. The episode was aired on 3 October 1986.

The single was co-produced by Sex Pistols’ guitarist Steve Jones, who also worked on other Taylor projects including “Take It Easy”.

Andy Taylor appeared in the second series of Miami Vice (1985/86) in an episode called Whatever Works. In the episode he performed the song “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” with The Power Station, during a bar scene with Don Johnson.

In the same year Johnson introduced The Power Station at Live Aid, on 13 July 1985.

++ The “Long Version” is exclusive to the USA 12″ Promo.

SIDE A:
When The Rain Comes Down (Long Version) 5:04

SIDE B:
When The Rain Comes Down (Short Version) 3:52

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – L33-17196
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Co-producer – George Tutko
Mastered By – Brian Gardner
Mixed By – Jeff Hendrickson
Producer – Andy Taylor, Steve Jones (2)
Written-By – A. Taylor, S. Jones

NOTES:
From the television series soundtrack “Miami Vice II”

PROMOTION COPY
NOT FOR SALE

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
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 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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

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