Tag: Julian Mendelsohn

Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield – What Have I Done To Deserve This? (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

“What Have I Done to Deserve This?” is a song by English synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys, featuring singer Dusty Springfield.

When released as a single in late 1987, it peaked at number 2 in the UK and also at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the fourth top ten hit for Pet Shop Boys as well as the biggest hit of Springfield’s career in the US. It was kept from the top spot by “Seasons Change” by Expose and “Father Figure” by their fellow British singer George Michael on that chart. The single made it to number 1 on the Irish singles chart, where it was Pet Shop Boys’ second number 1 hit in the space of just six weeks.

The song’s success helped revive Springfield’s career and led to a resurgence of interest in her music. Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield performed the song for the 1988 BRIT Awards. Following the duet the Pet Shop Boys wrote and produced the singles “Nothing Has Been Proved” and “In Private” for Springfield, both included on her 1990 album Reputation.

The music video was filmed in a music hall, featuring a female chorus line and male members of the pit orchestra. It made significant use of the theater drapes and stage curtains for dramatic effect. Like all of the singles taken from the Actually album, the song also appears on the film It Couldn’t Happen Here, where it is briefly played in instrumental form, without vocals.

In North America the 12″ single included alternate Shep Pettibone remixes with “Rent” and “I Want A Dog” as the b-side tracks.

SIDE A:
What Have I Done To Deserve This? (The Shep Pettibone Remix) 8:30
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix] – Bob Rosa
Producer – Stephen Hague
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Stephen Hague
Written-By – Allee Willis, Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant*

What Have I Done To Deserve This? (Dub Mix) 6:50
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix] – Bob Rosa
Producer – Stephen Hague
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Stephen Hague
Written-By – Allee Willis, Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant*

SIDE B:
Rent (The François Kevorkian Remix) 7:02
Keyboards [Fairlight] – Andy Richards
Producer, Engineer – Julian Mendelsohn
Remix – François Kevorkian, Michael Hutchinson
Written-By – Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe*

I Want A Dog 4:57
Engineer – David Jacob, Mike Nielson*
Producer – Pet Shop Boys
ysWritten-By – Neil Tennant Chris Lowe*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1988 What Have I Done To Deserve This? U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #2
1988 What Have I Done To Deserve This? U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary #14
1988 What Have I Done To Deserve This? U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI-Manhattan Records ‎– V-56080
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Composed By – Willis* (tracks: A1, A2), Tennant/Lowe*
Design [Sleeve] – Mark Farrow At (3)*, Pet Shop Boys
Photography By – Eric Watson (3)
Photography By [Dusty Springfield] – Val Wilmer*

NOTES:
Printed in the U.S.A

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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 
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

ABC – Ocean Blue (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“Ocean Blue” is a song by the English new wave band ABC that was released as the fourth single from their third studio album How to Be a … Zillionaire!

The song peaked at No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart; the song failed to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The single was the only single from the album not to chart on the Hot 100; their next single to chart there would be “When Smokey Sings” the following year.

The single version was re-recorded with drummer David Palmer after the release of the album, also referred to as the “Pacific Mix”.

SIDE A:
Ocean Blue (Atlantic Mix) 5:11
Arranged By [Strings] – Anne Dudley
Mixed By – Julian Mendelsohn

Tower Of London (Instrumental) 3:37
Mixed By – Julian Mendelsohn

SIDE B:
Be Near Me (Ecstasy Mix) 4:46
Mixed By – Martyn Webster

Ocean Blue (Pacific Mix) 3:37
Mixed By – Julian Mendelsohn

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Neutron Records ‎– NTX 110
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer – Martyn Webster
Photography By – David Levine (11)
Sleeve – Design KB*, Keith Breeden
Written-By, Producer – Martin Fry
Written-By, Producer, Arranged By – Mark White

NOTES:
From the LP “How to Be a … Zillionaire!”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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 
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

Level 42 – To Be With You Again (A.D.S.C. Mix) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

a-front

“To Be With You Again” is a 1987 single by British band Level 42, from their album Running in the Family. The song was written by Mark King and Boon Gould.

“To Be With You Again” is the third Running in the Family single, released at the peak of their career. The single was preceded by two other UK Top 10 singles for the band: “Lessons In Love” (#3) and “Running in the Family” (#6). The song also gained popularity in the Netherlands, peaking at #6 in the Dutch Top 40. In the Uk the single peaked at #10.

SIDE A:
To Be With You Again (A.D.S.C. Mix) 6:03
Producer – Level 42, Wally Badarou
Producer [Assistant], Engineer, Mixed By – Julian Mendelsohn
Producer [Assistant], Engineer, Mixed By [Thanks To] – Spike Drake*
Remix – David ‘O’ Ogrin*
Written-By – R. Gould*, M. King*

SIDE B:
To Be With You Again (Dub) 5:49
Producer – Level 42, Wally Badarou
Producer [Assistant], Engineer, Mixed By – Julian Mendelsohn
Producer [Assistant], Engineer, Mixed By [Thanks To] – Spike Drake*
Remix – David ‘O’ Ogrin*
Written-By – R. Gould*, M. King*

Micro Kid (Live) 4:07
Engineer – Julian Mendelsohn
Producer – Level 42
Written-By – A. Willis*, B. Taylor*, M. King*, P. Gould*, W. Badarou*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor ‎– POSPA 855
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Artwork By [Sleeve] – Green Ink

NOTES:
From the Level 42 LP “RUNNING IN THE FAMILY”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

b-back

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

Bronski Beat – Why? (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

A. Front

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

B. Back

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