Tag: Promo

October 16, 2026

Tim Curry – I Do The Rock (Specially Edited Selections From “Fearless”) (US 12″ Promo) (1979)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

I thought I would throw everyone another curveball today! We have lost so many great artists this year, and there are still quite a few I haven’t had the opportunity to pay tribute to here at Burning the Ground. Today, I want to shine the spotlight on one of the most unforgettable entertainers of our time, the legendary Tim Curry, who passed away on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80.

CHART PERFORMANCE (1979–1980)

Chart	Peak Position	Weeks
Austria (Ö3 Top 40)	#9	6
West Germany (Official Singles Chart)	#26	14
US Cash Box Top 100	#85	3
US Billboard Hot 100	#91	3

For many of us, Tim Curry will forever be remembered as the outrageous Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Others may remember his memorable performances in “Annie” (1982), “Clue” (1985), “Legend” (1985), or his terrifying portrayal of Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s “It.” But beyond his remarkable acting career, Curry was also a gifted singer with a powerful voice, a wicked sense of humor, and a theatrical style that made him unlike anyone else.

While his acting career often overshadowed his musical endeavors, Curry released three solo albums for A&M Records: “Read My Lips” (1978), “Fearless” (1979), and “Simplicity” (1981). Each album gave him an opportunity to explore a different side of his musical personality, blending rock, pop, and theatrical flair with his unmistakable vocal delivery.

In 1979, Curry released his second album, “Fearless,” produced by Dick Wagner and Michael Kamen. The album became his most commercially successful, reaching No. 53 on the Billboard 200. Its standout single, “I Do The Rock,” became his biggest U.S. chart hit, peaking at No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Co-written by Curry and Michael Kamen, “I Do The Rock” is a wonderfully eccentric slice of late-’70s rock filled with sharp humor, clever wordplay, and a dizzying collection of pop culture references. From John Travolta and Farrah Fawcett to Albert Einstein and Friedrich Nietzsche, Curry name-drops his way through the song with the kind of sarcastic wit and theatrical delivery that only he could pull off. Backed by a driving rock arrangement, the song is equal parts satire, attitude, and pure Tim Curry.

Although “I Do The Rock” barely cracked the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 91, and fared only slightly better on the Cash Box Top 100 at No. 85, the record found a much more enthusiastic audience overseas. In 1980, the single climbed all the way to No. 9 in Austria, spending six weeks on the chart. It also reached No. 26 in West Germany, where it enjoyed an impressive 14-week chart run. Not bad for a record that received relatively little attention on American radio!

It’s interesting that European audiences seemed to connect with Curry’s unusual brand of rock more than listeners here in the States. Perhaps his theatrical personality and offbeat sense of humor were simply better appreciated across the Atlantic. Whatever the reason, “I Do The Rock” remains one of those wonderfully strange records that could only have come from an artist like Tim Curry.

For today’s post, I am featuring the 1979 U.S. promotional 12″ single released by A&M Records (SP-17093), titled “Specially Edited Selections From Fearless.” In addition to “I Do The Rock,” the record includes “Paradise Garage (Edited Remix)” and “Charge It (Edit).” This promotional pressing is an interesting piece of Curry’s recording history and a nice collectible for fans who appreciate the more obscure corners of his discography.

While “I Do The Rock” may not have set the American charts on fire, it certainly demonstrated that Curry’s talents extended far beyond the stage and screen. His recordings captured the same fearless personality that made his acting performances so memorable. Whether he was playing a flamboyant mad scientist, a sinister clown, or delivering a tongue-in-cheek rock song, Curry always knew how to command an audience.

With Halloween just around the corner, it also seems especially fitting to remember the man who gave us not one, but two of pop culture’s most unforgettable characters, Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise. Few performers could make us laugh, sing along, and scare the daylights out of us quite like Tim Curry.

His passing is another heartbreaking loss in a year that has already taken far too many beloved entertainers. Thankfully, he leaves behind an incredible collection of films, television appearances, stage performances, and recordings that will continue entertaining generations to come.

Rest in peace, Tim Curry (1946–2026). Thank you for the music, the movies, the laughter, and all those wonderfully strange characters that made you one of a kind. You will be greatly missed.

I hope everyone enjoys today’s unexpected selection. If you’ve only known Tim Curry from his acting career, give this one a spin. You might just discover another side of this remarkable entertainer!

SIDE A:
A1. I Do The Rock 4:45
Written-By – Michael Kamen

SIDE B:
B1. Paradise Garage (Edited Remix) 4:00
Written-By – Bob Babbitt, Charles Collins, Dick Wagner

B2. Charge It (Edit) 3:58
Written-By – Dick Wagner

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records – SP-17093
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Rock
Style: Classic Rock

CREDITS:

Mastered By – RL*
Producer – Dick Wagner, Michael Kamen
Written-By – Tim Curry
Mastered At – Masterdisk
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria

NOTES:

Promotion Not For Sale

From the A&M Album “FEARLESS”

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

PLEASE READ

There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other

**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!

Password: burningtheground

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October 7, 2026

Bigod 20 / TGT (The Genetic Terrorists) – Industrial Assault (US 12″ Promo) (1989)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Razormaid Digital Mixes by Art Maharg and Joseph Watt
A DJPaulT Custom 12″ Single.

Spooky Season Spins kicks off today with something a little different.

October does not always have to mean ghosts, vampires, and horror movie themes. Sometimes the right atmosphere comes from something colder, harsher, and far more mechanical. For this installment, we are heading straight into the factory with a custom 12″ that I have titled Industrial Assault.

This two-track single brings together Bigod 20 and TGT (The Genetic Terrorists), with both selections originally appearing on Razormaid Chapter R-25.

Opening Side A is Bigod 20 with “America,” re-edited by Razormaid co-founder Art Maharg.

Bigod 20 was part of the German Electronic Body Music and Industrial scene, and “America” has exactly the kind of atmosphere I wanted for an October post. It is dark, repetitive, confrontational, and driven by electronics that feel more like machinery than traditional instrumentation.

Maharg’s Razormaid treatment pushes that feeling even further. The track moves with a relentless pulse, using repetition and carefully placed edits to make the whole thing feel increasingly tense.

There may not be a monster hiding in the shadows here, but the track still feels threatening.

For Spooky Season Spins, that counts.

Flip the record over, and things become even more brutal.
“Machine Gun” by TGT, or The Genetic Terrorists, was re-edited for Razormaid by Joseph Watt.

The title gives you a pretty good indication of what is coming. Hard electronic percussion, samples, repetition, and a cold mechanical rhythm dominate the track.

Watt’s edit has that classic Razormaid DJ sensibility. Rather than simply stretching the original recording, the arrangement uses its strongest rhythmic elements to keep the track moving. It is sparse in places, aggressive in others, and never particularly interested in making the listener comfortable.

That is exactly why it works here.

Both “America” and “Machine Gun” were taken from Razormaid Chapter R-25, which also gives this custom single a nice connection. Side A represents Art Maharg, while Side B represents Joseph Watt, bringing both Razormaid co-founders together on one very Industrial piece of vinyl.
So for this edition of Spooky Season Spins, forget the haunted houses and graveyards for a moment.

Welcome to the factory.

Cold steel. Concrete. Smoke stacks. Machines running somewhere in the darkness.

SIDE A:
Bigod 20 – America 6:31
Edited By [Re-edited] – Art Maharg

SIDE B:
Genetic Terrorists* – Machine Gun 5:14
Edited By [Re-edited] – Joseph Watt

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Razormaid Records – RM-LP-r25
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: EBM, Industrial

CREDITS:
Custom Sleeve Artwork [Design] – DjPaulT

NOTES:
For Promotional Use Only

Both tracks taken from: Razormaid Chapter r-25

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

PLEASE READ

There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other

**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal.

I appreciate your help.

September 26, 2026

Naked Eyes – Always Something There To Remind Me (US 12″ Promo) (1982)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Yesterday I posted the UK 12″ of “Always Something There To Remind Me,” featuring the 5:43 “American Remix” by John “Jellybean” Benitez. Today we’re staying with Naked Eyes for a companion release that helps complete the story of this classic single and its sometimes confusing assortment of mixes.

Today’s record is the U.S. promotional 12″ issued by EMI America, catalog numbers SPRO-9891 and SPRO-9892.

Unlike yesterday’s Jellybean remix, this promo contains the earlier extended version produced and mixed by Tony Mansfield.

The A-side is simply titled “Long Version” and runs 6:13.

This is the Tony Mansfield extended mix of “Always Something There To Remind Me,” the version that has sometimes been referred to over the years as the original UK 12″ mix. It predates Jellybean’s later remix and takes a different approach to extending the song.

Rather than radically rebuilding the track, Mansfield expands his original production and gives the arrangement more room to breathe. The familiar electronic textures, percussion, keyboards, and those unmistakable chimes are all given additional space without losing the character of the original recording.

For me, that is part of what makes this version so appealing. It sounds like an extended version from the era when a 12″ mix did not necessarily have to completely reinvent a song. Sometimes you simply wanted more of the record you already loved.

And at 6:13, that is exactly what you get.

The flip side contains the appropriately titled “Short Version,” running 3:40. With both versions on the same promotional disc, American radio programmers and DJs could choose between the longer mix and the more compact version depending on what they needed.

This promo also clears up another part of the mix confusion discussed in yesterday’s post.

SPRO-9891 contains the 6:13 “Long Version,” which is the Tony Mansfield mix.

A later U.S. promotional 12″, SPRO-9924, contains the approximately 5:41 “Remixed Version” by John “Jellybean” Benitez. That Jellybean remix was later issued in the UK as the “American Remix,” which is the 5:43 version I posted yesterday.

So if you’re trying to keep all of this straight, the easiest way is by running time:

The 6:13 “Long Version” is the Tony Mansfield mix.

The approximately 5:41 to 5:43 “Remixed Version” or “American Remix” is the John “Jellybean” Benitez mix.

Simple enough once you know what you’re looking for. Getting there is another story.

The confusion has not been helped by various compilations and reissues over the years assigning the wrong mix names or credits. That is one reason I wanted to post these two records together. Hearing them directly from the original vinyl makes the differences much easier to identify.

It also gives us another opportunity to celebrate the work of producer Tony Mansfield.

Mansfield was an important part of the early Naked Eyes sound. His production helped give “Always Something There To Remind Me” that combination of polished pop, electronics, and drama that still jumps out of the speakers more than forty years later.

Of course, at the center of it all is Pete Byrne’s vocal.

Following the sad news of Byrne’s passing on September 14, listening to these records has taken on added meaning. Yesterday’s post was dedicated to his memory, and I wanted to continue that tribute today with another important piece of the Naked Eyes catalog.

It is remarkable how a recording can instantly transport you back to a certain time. For many of us, “Always Something There To Remind Me” is permanently tied to 1983, MTV, radio, and that wave of British synth-pop that seemed to arrive almost overnight.

And with both the Tony Mansfield and Jellybean mixes now represented here on Burning The Ground, we can finally hear two very different extended interpretations of the record from the original vinyl.

Which one do you prefer?

The Tony Mansfield 6:13 “Long Version,” or Jellybean’s punchier 5:43 “American Remix”?

For me, there is room for both.

Rest in peace, Pete Byrne.

SIDE A:
Always Something There To Remind Me (Long Version) 6:16

SIDE B:
Always Something There To Remind Me (Short Version) 3:41

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI America – SPRO-9891, EMI America – SPRO-9892
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Mixed By – Tony Mansfield
Producer – Tony Mansfield
Written-By – B. Bacharach-H. David*

NOTES:
Recorded in England.

Promo
Not For Sale

(from the LP “Naked Eyes” ST-17089)

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

PLEASE READ

There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other

**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal.

I appreciate your help.

August 13, 2026

Suzi Quatro – Rock Hard (US 12″ Promo) (1980)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Yesterday we were playing with some very weird science.

Today we are going back to where the streets were dirty, the music was loud, and Times Square actually looked like Times Square.

For our next Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition selection, we travel all the way back to 1980 for Suzi Quatro and “Rock Hard,” from the original motion picture soundtrack to Times Square.

Directed by Allan Moyle, Times Square stars Trini Alvarado and Robin Johnson as two teenage girls from very different backgrounds who run away together and find their own form of rebellion on the streets of New York City. Tim Curry co-stars as radio DJ Johnny LaGuardia. The film opened in October 1980 and was shot on location around New York, including the wonderfully grimy Times Square that existed long before the neighborhood was cleaned up and transformed.

And then there is that soundtrack.

What a soundtrack.

The double LP reads like somebody raided one of the coolest record stores in 1980. The Pretenders, Roxy Music, Gary Numan, Talking Heads, Joe Jackson, XTC, the Ramones, The Cure, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Garland Jeffreys, and more all appear alongside music recorded specifically for the film.

And right there at the beginning of Side One is Suzi Quatro.

“Rock Hard.”

In fact, “Rock Hard” is identified in the film as a favorite record of Nicky and Pamela, which makes it more than just another song dropped onto the soundtrack. It actually belongs to their world.

Written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, “Rock Hard” was also the title track from Suzi’s 1980 studio album of the same name.

The song marked a return to the tough, guitar-driven sound that had made Suzi such a distinctive presence during the 1970s.

And she sounds fantastic.

The guitars grind.

The drums pound.

Suzi attacks the vocal like she has something to prove.

This is not background music.

This is Suzi Quatro reminding everybody why she was one of rock’s original tough ladies.

Mike Chapman produced the track, continuing a partnership that had already produced some of Suzi’s biggest records. The backing-vocal lineup is interesting too, with Michael Des Barres among the singers adding muscle behind Suzi’s lead.

Yes, that Michael Des Barres.

Actor, singer, later frontman for The Power Station, and apparently available in 1980 when somebody needed a little extra shouting behind Suzi Quatro.

I love these credits.

“Rock Hard” did considerably better in some countries than it did in Suzi’s native United States. The single reached No. 5 in South Africa, No. 9 in Australia, No. 19 in Zimbabwe, No. 26 in West Germany, No. 46 in the Netherlands, and No. 68 on the UK Singles Chart.

In the United States, however, Dreamland Records took a different approach.

And that brings us to the record I am featuring today.

My copy is the US promotional 12-inch labeled:

AOR SPECIAL

For anyone who remembers FM rock radio, those three letters tell the story.

AOR stood for Album-Oriented Rock, and this 12-inch was sent to American rock radio programmers in an attempt to get “Rock Hard” into rotation. Contemporary trade coverage shows the song receiving AOR airplay and being added by stations including KBPI, WABX, KLOL, WBAB, KZEL, and WSHE.

But if you are waiting for me to tell you about the Extended Version…

There isn’t one.

The Special Dance Mix?

Nope.

The Dub?

Keep dreaming.

This promo contains “Rock Hard” on one side.

Then you flip the record over…

and you get “Rock Hard” again.

That is dedication.

No remix. No alternate vocal. No bonus beats. No seven-minute breakdown designed for a club at two in the morning.

Just Suzi.

Rocking hard.

Twice.

And honestly, I love records like this.

The 12-inch single was not always about remixes. Sometimes it existed because a record company wanted radio stations to have a promotional copy of one particular track, and an AOR 12-inch like this is a little snapshot of how rock records were promoted in 1980.

It also makes an interesting addition to this series because Times Square itself was so closely tied to music.

The soundtrack was heavily promoted as a showcase for contemporary rock, punk, and new wave, and it eventually reached number 37 on the Billboard album chart.

The film may never have become the blockbuster its producers hoped for, but the soundtrack developed a life of its own.

And more than four decades later, that collection of records still captures a moment when punk, new wave, hard rock, and mainstream pop were all crashing into one another.

Suzi Quatro belonged right in the middle of it.

So no extended mix today.

No dub.

Not even a bonus beat.

Sometimes you do not need any of that.

Sometimes you just need to…

Rock Hard.

SIDE A:
Rock Hard (Intro: :17) 3:21

SIDE B:
Rock Hard (Intro: :17) 3:21

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart (1980)	Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	9
Germany	26
Netherlands	46
South Africa	5
UK Singles Chart	68
Zimbabwe	19

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Dreamland Records, Inc. – DPR – 1204, Dreamland Records, Inc. – DPR – 1204 AS
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Rock
Style: Hard Rock

CREDITS:

Producer – Mike Chapman
Written-By – M. Chapman – N. Chinn*

NOTES:
Came in die-cut sleeve with hype sticker:
From the original motion picture
soundtrack “Times Square”
Labels read: Suzi Quatro AOR Special
Promotion Copy – Not For Sale

Manufactured By – RSO Records, Inc.
Marketed By – RSO Records, Inc.

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

PLEASE READ

There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other

**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal.

I appreciate your help.