Tag: Junior Vasquez

Pet Shop Boys – Heart (Remix) (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1988

NEW 2023 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Originally posted October 14, 2013

“Heart” is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). It was released as the album’s fourth and final single on 21 March 1988. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in April 1988, becoming the duo’s fourth and final chart-topper to date in the United Kingdom. The group had initially written the song for Madonna, though they never asked her to record it, instead keeping it for themselves.

Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, “Heart” was the fourth and final single from the duo’s second studio album, Actually. A new mix different to the album version was released as a single in March 1988, ascending to the top of the charts to become the duo’s fourth—and, to date, last—UK number-one single. It was also successful across Europe.

The genesis of the song goes back to the sessions for the duo’s first album Please in early 1986 with Shep Pettibone. Originally, the duo had planned to offer it to Hi-NRG singer Hazell Dean or—more notoriously—Madonna, but they ultimately kept it for themselves. The duo’s version of the song was intended to be used in the Steven Spielberg-produced film Innerspace, but the dance sequence it was intended for was at the wrong tempo for the song. The song was originally called “Heartbeat”, but was changed after Culture Club drummer Jon Moss announced the formation of a group named Heartbeat UK.

The lyrics are more traditional than most Pet Shop Boys songs, being a straightforward declaration of love—a characteristic common in many pop songs. On the commentary of the Pet Shop Boys’ live video album Cubism, Tennant reveals that the “oh – ah – oh’oh ah” refrain which repeats throughout the song features the vocals of himself, Pavarotti, and Wendy Smith (of Prefab Sprout).

According to Tennant, they were inspired by the song I Like You by Phyllis Nelson, which was produced by Shep Pettibone, who did a remix of Heart.

The song was re-recorded for Actually with producer Andy Richards and was mixed by Julian Mendelsohn. The single remix is an edit of the Richards’ version with the use of wah-wah guitar, giving the song more of a 1970s sound.

Despite topping the UK chart for three weeks and being a worldwide success, the duo themselves tend to dismiss it, with Lowe stating in 2001: “It just shows that chart positions aren’t the be-all and end-all. ‘Heart’ isn’t in the same league as ‘Being Boring’.” However, many fans regard the song highly and Pet Shop Boys like it enough to have performed the song on their 1989 tour, the Fundamental world tour in 2006 and 2007, and their Pandemonium tour in 2009–2010.

When included in the retrospective PopArt: The Hits collection, the album version of the track was used for the UK release rather than the hit single mix, the reason for this is unknown. The single mix was included in the US release.

Directed by Jack Bond, director of the band’s 1987 film It Couldn’t Happen Here, the music video for “Heart” is based on the 1922 film Nosferatu. The video opens with Tennant and his bride (played by model Danijela Čolić Prižmić) being driven to a castle with Lowe as his chauffeur. As he goes to bed with his bride, the vampire, played by Ian McKellen, spies on them. Later, he seduces the bride and bites her. Finally, Lowe drives Nosferatu and his bride away, leaving Tennant to stare bitterly after them from a castle window. The video was shot in Mokrice Castle, Slovenia, then one of the Yugoslavia republics.

The “Heart” Remix is the second of two 12″ releases in the UK. The 12″ Remix, and Dub Mix were omitted from the Actually Further Listening 1987–1988 (bonus disc) released in 2001 and again in 2018.

SIDE A:
Heart (12″ Remix) 8:57
Engineer – Tony Phillips
Guitar – J.J. Belle
Producer – Andy RichardsPet Shop Boys
Remix – Julian Mendelsohn
Written-By – Tennant/Lowe*

SIDE B:
Heart (Dub Mix) 5:16
Edited By –  Junior Vasquez
Engineer – Dave Meegan
Keyboards [Additional] – Adrien Cook
Producer – Pet Shop Boys, Shep Pettibone
Remix – Shep Pettibone
Written-By – Tennant/Lowe*

I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too) 4:53
Engineer – Mark Stent
Guitar – Steve Lipson*
Producer – Pet Shop Boys
Programmed By [Fairlight], Organ [Hammond] – Blue Weaver
Vocals [Additional] – Dee LewisShirley Lewis
Written-By – Lowe/Tennant*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Parlophone ‎– 12RX 6177
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: Apr 4, 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Dee Lewis courtesy of Phonogram
Manufactured in the U.K.

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 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.



Madonna – Causing A Commotion (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1987

A. Front

NEW 2022 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!
Originally posted July 29, 2014

“Causing a Commotion” is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the second single from the soundtrack album Who’s That Girl on August 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, the song was inspired by Madonna’s relationship with then husband Sean Penn, and his abusive and violent nature. Containing a dance-oriented, up-tempo groove, the song begins with the chorus and is accompanied by a four-note descending bassline and staccato chords in the verse.

Since its release, the song has received mixed reviews by critics. It became a top-ten hit in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and topped the Billboard U.S. dance chart. Madonna performed the song on the Who’s That Girl World Tour – which was transmitted via satellite to the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards – and the Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990. The performances were included in the home video release of the tours.

Of note the song was not included on the 2022 Madonna compilation “Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones”.

SIDE A:
Causing A Commotion (Silver Screen Mix) 6:40
Causing A Commotion (Dub) 7:09

SIDE B:
Causing A Commotion (Movie House Mix) 9:45
Jimmy, Jimmy (LP Version) 3:57

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1987 Causing A Commotion U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #2
1987 Causing A Commotion U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #37
1987 Causing A Commotion U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 0-20762, Sire ‎– 9 20762-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer [Produced By] – Madonna, Stephen Bray
Written-By – Madonna, S. Bray*
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Mix Engineer] – Steve Peck
Producer [Additional Production By], Mixed By [Mix By] – Shep Pettibone

NOTES:
From the Warner Bros. Motion Picture “WHO’S THAT GIRL”
“JIMMY, JIMMY” from the Sire LP: “TRUE BLUE”
Made in USA

Find the 12″ On DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

B. Back

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.

Nick Kamen – Nobody Else (Special Arthur Baker Dub Mix) (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1987

“Nobody Else” was the second single released in the US and the third in the UK from Nick Kamen’s self-titled debut album. Even with several remixes by Jellybean and Arthur Baker, the single failed to chart in the US. The single did chart internationally peaking at #47 in the UK, #19 in Ireland, and #97 in Italy.

The b-side track “Any Day Now” was written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard in 1962. It has been recorded by numerous artists over the years, including notable versions by Chuck Jackson in 1962, Alan Price in 1965, Elvis Presley in 1969, and Ronnie Milsap in 1982. In 1987 Kamen recorded it for his debut album.

SIDE A:
Nobody Else (Special Arthur Baker Dub Mix) 7:28

SIDE B:
Nobody Else (Arthur Baker Dance Mix) 7:25
Any Day Now 3:49

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
Poster: Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: WEA ‎– YZ 122TW, WEA ‎– (248365-0)
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Limited Edition, PRS
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Edited By – Junior Vasquez
Producer – Stewart Levine
Producer [Additional], Remix – Arthur Baker

NOTES:
“Special limited edition – includes free poster”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL 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


Password: burningtheground

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

Madonna – Like A Prayer (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

Originally posted August 16, 2013

“Like a Prayer” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her fourth studio album of the same name. Sire Records released it as the album’s lead single on March 3, 1989. Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the track heralded an artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience. Thematically the song speaks about a passionate young girl in love with God, who becomes the only male figure in her life.

“Like a Prayer” was acclaimed by critics and was a worldwide success. It was Madonna’s seventh number-one single on the United States’ Billboard Hot 100 and topped the singles charts in many other countries, including Australia, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Rolling Stone listed “Like a Prayer” among The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The music video, directed by Mary Lambert, portrays Madonna witnessing a young white woman being killed by a group of white men. While a black man is arrested for the murder, Madonna hides in a church for safety, seeking strength to go forth as a witness. The clip depicts a church and Catholic symbols such as stigmata. It also features the Ku Klux Klan’s burning crosses and a dream about kissing a black saint. The Vatican condemned the video, while family and religious groups protested against its broadcast. They boycotted products by soft drink manufacturer Pepsi, who had used the song in their commercial. The company canceled their sponsorship contract with Madonna but allowed her to retain the fee.

It was long thought that the album version contained no Prince input, and only some of the remixes contain Prince’s guitar playing, however in a 2014 interview Patrick Leonard, the song’s producer revealed it’s actually Prince on guitar at the very beginning of the song before the door slams.

The 12-inch containing the versions with a bit more of Prince’s uncredited guitar input was released three weeks prior to the album’s release on Like A Prayer, the album’s first single. The ‘Dub Beats’ version, remixed by Bill Bottrell, also contains a sample of the studio version of Bob George, five years before its official release.

In the United States a promotional 12″ single was released to club and radio disc jockeys to help promote the song. This promotional 12″ contained three exclusive Dub Mixes.

EAST SIDE:
Like A Prayer (12″ Dance Mix) 7:50
Edited By – Junior VasquezShep Pettibone
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] –  Dave Way
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Michael Hutchinson
Producer [Additional Production], Remix –Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Programming] – Fred McFarlane

Like A Prayer (Instra Dub) 6:10
Edited By – Junior VasquezShep Pettibone
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] –  Dave Way
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Michael Hutchinson
Producer [Additional Production], Remix –Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Programming] – Fred McFarlane

Like A Prayer (Bass Dub) 5:47
Edited By – Junior VasquezShep Pettibone
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] –  Dave Way
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Michael Hutchinson
Producer [Additional Production], Remix –Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Programming] – Fred McFarlane

WEST SIDE:
Like A Prayer (12″ Club Version) 6:35
Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Robert Salcedo*
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Bill Bottrell

Like A Prayer (Dub Beats) 4:40
Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Robert Salcedo*
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Bill Bottrell

Like A Prayer (7″ Remix/Edit) 5:41
Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Robert Salcedo*
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Bill Bottrell

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1989 Like A Prayer U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #1
1989 Like A Prayer U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary #3
1989 Like A Prayer U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #1
1989 Like A Prayer U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles #20
1989 Like A Prayer U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Year-End #25
1989 Like A Prayer U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play Year-End #10

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– PRO-A-3472
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix – △24341
Producer [Produced By], Written-By – MadonnaPatrick Leonard
Produced For – Mastermix Productions

NOTES:
Additional Production and Remix for Mastermix Productions.
From the Sire album LIKE A PRAYER.

Promotional Copy. Not For Sale.
Made in U.S.A.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
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


Password: burningtheground

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