Burning The Ground Exclusive
Today’s post is dedicated to the memory of Pete Byrne, lead vocalist and co-founder of Naked Eyes, who passed away peacefully in Los Angeles on September 14, 2026, after a brief illness. He was 74. News of his passing was announced this week.
For anyone who came of age during the early days of MTV, Byrne’s voice is instantly recognizable. Along with keyboardist Rob Fisher, he created some of the most memorable British synth-pop to cross the Atlantic during the early ’80s.
Naked Eyes formed in Bath, England, with Byrne and Fisher emerging from the earlier band Neon. As Naked Eyes, the pair signed with EMI and began working with producer Tony Mansfield. Their debut album, Burning Bridges, arrived in the UK in 1983 and was released in a slightly altered form in the United States simply as Naked Eyes.
Their breakthrough was a dramatic electronic remake of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition “Always Something There To Remind Me.”
The song already had a long history by the time Naked Eyes recorded it. Lou Johnson first released it in 1964, while Sandie Shaw took her version all the way to No. 1 in the UK later that year. Naked Eyes took the familiar song and rebuilt it for the synthesizer generation, surrounding Byrne’s vocal with programmed rhythms, keyboards, and Tony Mansfield’s polished production.
While Naked Eyes never became a major chart act in their native country, America was another story. “Always Something There To Remind Me” climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, followed by another major U.S. hit, “Promises, Promises,” which reached No. 11.
Ironically, the record that helped define the early-’80s British synth-pop sound was much less successful in Britain. After being re-promoted following its American success, “Always Something There To Remind Me” entered the UK Singles Chart in July 1983 and peaked at No. 59.
Today’s record is the UK 12″ on EMI, catalog number 12EMI 5334, backed with the non-LP track “Pit Stop.”
And this is where things get interesting.
The A-side is the “American Remix,” and my copy runs exactly 5:43. This is the John “Jellybean” Benitez remix, though the history of the various mixes has become surprisingly muddled over the years.
The original extended version of “Always Something There To Remind Me,” mixed as part of Tony Mansfield’s original production, runs approximately 6:13. It was issued in the United States on the promotional 12″ SPRO-9891 as the “Long Version.”
A second U.S. promotional 12″, SPRO-9924, contained a newer “Remixed Version” by John “Jellybean” Benitez. That version runs approximately 5:41 and, unlike the earlier mix, begins with drums. The Jellybean mix was subsequently issued in the UK as the “American Remix.” My UK pressing runs 5:43, putting it squarely in this Jellybean remix family.
If that sounds confusing, it gets worse.
Over the years, reissues and compilations have sometimes mixed up the credits. The One Way/EMI collection Everything And More reportedly included the Jellybean mix while identifying it as the Tony Mansfield 12″ mix. Other discographies have also attributed the UK “American Remix” to Mansfield. The more recent Chrysalis edition of the debut album identifies the approximately 5:40 version as the “Jellybean Extended Remix.”
So, for collectors keeping score:
The approximately 6:13 version is the earlier Tony Mansfield long version.
The approximately 5:41 to 5:43 version beginning with drums is the John “Jellybean” Benitez remix.
Sometimes the grooves tell the story better than the liner notes.
The B-side, “Pit Stop,” was written by Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher and produced by Tony Mansfield. It was not included on the original UK Burning Bridges LP, making it another reason this 12″ is worth having.
Sadly, both halves of the original Naked Eyes partnership are now gone. Rob Fisher died in 1999. Pete Byrne continued making music and eventually revived Naked Eyes, performing the songs for audiences who had never forgotten them.
There is something especially poignant about listening to “Always Something There To Remind Me” following Pete Byrne’s passing. A song written decades before Naked Eyes recorded it became forever linked to his voice, and its words about memory and the things we can never quite leave behind seem particularly appropriate today.
Pete Byrne helped give the early ’80s a distinctive voice. Thankfully, the records remain.
Rest in peace, Pete Byrne.
SIDE A:
Always Something There To Remind Me (American Remix) 5:43
Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez
Written-By – Bacharach & David*
SIDE B:
Pit Stop 3:30
Written-By – Byrne, Fisher
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart (1983) | Peak Position |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 7 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 9 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 2 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts) | 59 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 31 |
| US Billboard Dance/Disco | 37 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 7 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – 12EMI 5334
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Producer – Tony Mansfield
NOTES:
Taken from the LP and Cassette “Burning Bridges”
Manufactured in the UK by EMI Records Limited.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: 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
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