Tag: Peter Dawkins

Pseudo Echo – Listening (Australia 7″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1983

In TIn my opinion “Listening” is one of the best New Wave songs to come out of the 80s a shame this band is so overlooked. The b-side “In Their Time” is an epic New Wave non-lp track.

“Listening” is the debut single from Australian pop group Pseudo Echo. The song was released in November 1983 as the lead single from their debut studio album, Autumnal Park (1984). The song peaked at number 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report. Following the international success of “Funky Town”, a remixed version of “Listening” was released in America in 1987 for the movie “North Shore” starring Nia Peeples.

Pseudo Echo was formed in Melbourne in 1982 and performed around Melbourne when music journalist Molly Meldrum attended one of their shows at Melbourne’s ‘Jump Club’. Meldrum was impressed, spoke highly of the group, and convinced them to perform on the music TV show Countdown where they performed a demo version of “Listening” on 28 June 1983. While it wasn’t unusual for Meldrum to speak in glowing terms about an up-and-coming artist, Pseudo Echo was the first unsigned artist to perform live on the show.

Meldrum’s introduction was: “We’re about to present a group, a local group, who have got no record contract. We saw them at a gig. I think they have loads of potential, so all you record companies out there, have a look at them, and the public, you judge for yourselves. We think they’re pretty good. A young group, they go under the name of Pseudo Echo. Here they are with “Listening”. Go boys!”

Shortly after, Pseudo Echo were signed by with EMI Music and producer Peter Dawkins (who had worked with Australian Crawl, Dragon) was at the helm at the studio to re-record “Listening”. The single made an immediate impact upon its release in November 1983.

SIDE A:
Listening 2:57

SIDE B:
In Their Time 5:42

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – EMI.1158, EMI – EMI-1158
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: Australia
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer – Dave Marett
Lacquer Cut By –DB*
Photography By – Cathy Hayton
Producer – Peter Dawkins
Written-By – B. CanhamT. Lugton

NOTES:
Recorded at Studios 301, Sydney, Australia.
An Australian Composition and Recording
Manufactured and distributed by EMI Music Group of Companies, Sydney, Australia and Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

Buy the 7″ 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
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

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Mi-Sex – Computer Games (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1980

A. Sticker

B. Side A

Mi-Sex (also spelt MiSex) was a New Zealand New Wave rock band active from 1978 to 1984. Led by Steve Gilpin as vocalist, they were best known for their singles “Computer Games” in 1979 and “People” in 1980.

In August 1978 the band headed to Sydney, where they quickly became a major live drawcard. They were soon signed to the Australian division of CBS Records by the label’s then A&R manager/House producer Peter Dawkins, himself an expatriate New Zealander who is best known for his productions with another former New Zealand group based in Australia, Dragon.

The band released their debut album “Graffiti Crimes” in July 1979 which coincided with their national tour as the support act for Talking Heads. The LP included their biggest hit, the synthesizer-driven “Computer Games”, a Burns/Stanton composition released in Australia on October 1, 1979 and in 1981 throughout Europe. The single went to #1 in Australia, made the top 5 in New Zealand, and also charted in 20 countries including Canada #2 and Argentina #9. In the US the song peaked at #61 on the Billboard Dance Chart.

“Computer Games” won the award for Best Australian Single at the 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards.

The music video was filmed on location at what was at the time Control Data Corporation’s North Sydney centre.

The “Special Version” of “Computer Games” is a slightly longer mix than what appears on the album clocking in at 4:41 instead of the 3:53 LP version.

SIDE A:
Computer Games (Special Version) 4:41

SIDE B:
Graffiti Crimes 3:50

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint (Stickered)

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1980 Computer Games U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #61

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic ‎– 48-50830
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
Credits: Producer – Peter Dawkins
Written-By – K. Stanton*, M. Burns* (tracks: A), S. Gilpin* (tracks: A)

NOTES:
Special Versions from the Epic Lp: “COMPUTER GAMES” JE 36349
Comes in stickered generic sleeve.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

C. Side B

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi