Tag: Nik Kershaw

Elton John & Millie Jackson – Act Of War (US 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1985

NEW 2021 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Restoration!

Originally posted November 23, 2011

“Act Of War” is a duet from Elton John and soul singer Millie Jackson, written by Elton with lyricist Bernie Taupin, and released as a single in July 1985. Originally “Act Of War” was released only as a one-off single, but later it was added to Elton’s “Ice on Fire” CD, having been recorded the same year. The song also features guitar by Nik Kershaw. “Act Of War” was a top 40 hit in the UK reaching #32 but failed to chart in the US. The song’s music video was directed by Russell Mulcahy.

SIDE A:
Act Of War (Part 3) (Extended Version) 8:33

SIDE B:
Act Of War (Part 4) (Instrumental) 5:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Geffen Records – 0-20347
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Bass – Bass – Deon Estus
Drums – Mel Gaynor
Engineer – Stuart Epps
Guitar – Davey Johnstone, Fred Mandel, Nik Kershaw
Piano – Elton John
Producer – Gus Dudgeon
Written-By – Bernie Taupin, Elton John

NOTES:
Sleeve states “Extended Remix”

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.

Nik Kershaw – I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Extended Dance Mix) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“I Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is a song written and performed by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was his first single, released in 1983 to little success, but was re-released in 1984 and became his highest-charting hit, peaking at no. 2 in the UK. The song was included on Kershaw’s debut album Human Racing.

“I Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” first charted in November 1983, though despite spending 8 weeks in the UK Top 100, only reached number 47.

Released on September 16, 1983, this 12″ includes the rare first release of the song remixed by Mickey Modern and Phil Harding.

SIDE A:
I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Extended Dance Mix) 6:00
Mixed By – Mickey Modern, Phil Harding

SIDE B:
Dark Glasses 4:17

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– MCAT 816
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Peter Collins
Written-By –Nik Kershaw

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

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

Nik Kershaw – Wouldn’t It Be Good (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

NEW 2020 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Originally posted May 11, 2010

“Wouldn’t It Be Good” is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was released one month prior to his debut studio album Human Racing. The release was Kershaw’s second single and features the non-album track “Monkey Business” as the B-side.

“Wouldn’t It Be Good” was the second single from Kershaw’s debut solo album Human Racing and turned out to be among his more popular single releases. It spent three weeks at #4 in the UK charts and became a hit throughout Europe, as well as a top 10 hit in Canada and Australia. Kershaw is also most closely associated with this song in the U.S., where it narrowly missed going Top 40. Kershaw performed this song at Live Aid in London’s Wembley Stadium in July 1985.

Kershaw’s first single from this album had failed to be a major hit, and it was on the strength of this recording’s success that the earlier single, “I Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”, was promoted for a re-release. This time the single went all the way to #2 in the UK, becoming his highest-charting single there to date but not the most known.

SIDE A:
Wouldn’t It Be Good (Special Extended Mix) 6:40

SIDE B:
Monkey Business 3:28

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Wouldn’t It Be Good U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #46

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– 259 605-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Europe
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Photography By – Iain McKell
Producer – Peter Collins
Written-By – Nik Kershaw

NOTES:
Taken from the album “Human Racing”

Made in Germany by WEA Musik GmbH

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: 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 USED:
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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

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

Elton John – Nikita (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“Nikita” is a song by English singer Elton John set in the Cold War from his 1985 album Ice on Fire. Released late in the year, the song was successful in many countries and was a top ten hit in almost all of them.

In the song, Elton John describes his crush on a person called Nikita, an East German border guard whom he cannot meet because he is not allowed into the country. It features George Michael on backing vocals with Nik Kershaw on electric guitar and is notable for a distinctive synthesizer solo. The song charted at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, and at number 7 in the US.

SIDE A:
Nikita (LP Version) 5:42

SIDE B:
Nikita (U.K. Edit) 4:54

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 Nikita U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #7
1985 Nikita U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #3

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Geffen Records ‎– PRO-A-2440
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Pop
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Backing Vocals – Davey Johnstone, Elton*, George Michael
Electric Guitar – Nik Kershaw
Engineer – Stuart Epps
Producer – Gus Dudgeon
Written-By – Elton John / Taupin*

NOTES:
From the LP “ICE ON FIRE”
In custom promo sleeve.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
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