Tag: Steve Strange

Various – Happy Christmas From The Stars (UK 7″ Flexi-disc)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1982

Season’s Greetings!

I originally shared this post way back on December 22, 2012, but a good friend of the site suggested it was worth revisiting to kick off the Christmas season. After giving it some thought, I agreed—it’s a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit. While I didn’t create a new transfer for this one, there’s only so much you can do with a 44-year-old flexi-disc. That said, I’m excited to share it again and wish you all the best this holiday season and beyond!

“Happy Christmas From The Stars” is a promotional-only flexi-disc single featuring spoken-word holiday messages from various 80s pop stars. It was released in the UK in 1982 as a collaboration between Smash Hits, Levi’s, and Lyntone Records. The disc was included as a freebie with the December 9-22, 1982 issue of Smash Hits magazine.

This promotional item was tied to Levi’s “Accessory Kit 3” campaign for their black Levi jeans. Interestingly, the idea for the single came from Neil Tennant, who was then Smash Hits’ news editor and would go on to fame as a member of the Pet Shop Boys.

As with most flexi-discs, the audio quality isn’t stellar—they’re notorious for that. However, I’ve done my best to restore the recording while preserving some of the original crackle, which I believe adds to its charm. The full recording includes the Levi’s promo segments for a complete vintage experience.

Enjoy, and Happy Christmas!

—DjPaulT

SIDE A:
Happy Christmas From The Stars (Part 1) 6:12

SIDE B:
Happy Christmas From The Stars (Part 2) 6:14

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Very Good
Sleeve: Near Mint (generic)

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Smash Hits! Magazine – LYN 12570/1, Levi’s – LYN 12570/1
Format: Flexi-disc, 7″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Non-Music
Style: Spoken Word, Holiday

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Smash Hits promotion for ‘Accessory Kit 3’ with ‘Black Levi’ brand jeans by Levi’s.

Made in Britain by Lyntone London.

Buy the Flexi 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 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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!


Password: burningtheground

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



Visage – Mind Of A Toy (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

“Mind of a Toy” is the third single by the British pop group Visage, released on Polydor Records in March 1981. It was taken from the band’s eponymous debut album, following up their international hit “Fade to Grey”. The song reached #13 on the UK singles chart.

The music video for the single was directed by former 10cc members Godley & Creme, who had branched out into video production by that time. The theme of the video was Steve Strange’s idea, who decided on a Little Lord Fauntleroy look. In his autobiography, Blitzed!, Strange claimed that the video was banned by the BBC’s Top of the Pops as it was considered to be “frightening for children”, however it was actually screened on the show on 19 March 1981.

SIDE A:
Mind Of A Toy (Dance Mix) 5:15

SIDE B:
We Move (Dance Mix) 6:30
Frequency 7 (Dance Mix) 5:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor – POSPX 236
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: Mar 2, 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design –  Alwyn Clayden, Visage
Musician –  Billy Currie, Dave Formula, John McGeoch, Midge Ure, Rusty Egan, Steve Strange
Photography By –  Peter Ashworth
Photography By [Retouching] –  Alwyn Clayden
Producer – Midge Ure, Visage

NOTES:
Thanks to Vivien
A Morrison-O’Donnell Production

A: Remixed from the Polydor LP “Visage”

Made in England

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
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.



Visage – Fade To Grey (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1980

“Fade to Grey” is the second single by the British pioneers of the New Romantic movement Visage, released on Polydor Records in 1980.

The song was the band’s most successful single. It entered the singles charts in late 1980, peaking at no. 8 in the UK Singles Chart and reaching no. 1 in Germany and Switzerland. Steve Strange was on lead vocals; the French lyrics were spoken by Rusty Egan’s Belgian girlfriend Brigitte Arens.

The music video became one of the first video clips that Kevin Godley and Lol Creme directed before they became known for their works with the Police, Duran Duran, and Herbie Hancock.

The song features the same lyrics in two languages, English and French. The English lyrics are sung, whereas the French lyrics are spoken by a female voice. Steve Strange and Midge Ure both claimed to have been the one who came up with the idea for the French vocal in the track. On the finished track, the French vocal was performed by Brigitte Arens, a young student from Luxembourg who was Rusty Egan’s girlfriend at the time. On the album, the song is credited to Billy Currie, Chris Payne, and Midge Ure. In his 2002 autobiography, Strange said it was not fair to credit the song to Ure, Currie, and Payne only since his input was significant and he was “the focal point of the group”.

Currie and Payne worked on the instrumental part of the sound checks on Gary Numan’s 1979 tour. Cedric Sharpley, the drummer of Numan’s backing band, was also heavily involved. In those days it was called “Toot City”. While setting the track listing of the Visage album, Midge Ure suggested the use of the melody and wrote the song’s lyrics.

SIDE A:
Fade To Grey 6:15
Written-By – Currie*, Payne*, Ure*

SIDE B:
The Steps 3:15
Written-By – Currie*, Formula*, McGeoch*, Ure*, Egan*, Strange*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor ‎– 2141 318
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Germany
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Arranged By – Visage
Producer – Midge Ure, Visage

NOTES:
Made in West Germany

Find the 12″ on 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

Visage – The Damned Don’t Cry (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“The Damned Don’t Cry” is a song by the British pop group Visage, released as a single by Polydor Records in 1982.

It was the first single from Visage’s second album, The Anvil. “The Damned Don’t Cry” was a chart success, becoming Visage’s second highest-charting single in the UK (#11) and the band’s last international hit.

“The Damned Don’t Cry” was the second Visage video directed by Midge Ure. It was shot in Tenterden, Kent, at the Tenterden Town railway station and recreates the 1930s atmosphere and mood of the Orient Express. The clip was included on band’s 1986 video release, Visage. The model and singer Nick Kamen appears in this video.

SIDE A:
The Damned Don’t Cry (Dance Mix) 5:44
Producer – Midge Ure
Written-By – B. Currie*, D. Formula*, M. Ure*, R. Egan*, S. Strange*

SIDE B:
Motivation 3:46
Written-By – Visage

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor ‎– POSPX 390, Polydor ‎– 2141 488
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Backing Vocals – Lorraine (4), Perry*
Bass – Barry Adamson
Design – Grafica Industria, Peter Saville (2)
Musician – Billy Currie, Dave Formula, Midge Ure, Rusty Egan, Steve Strange
Photography By – Helmut Newton
Producer – Visage

NOTES:
Midge Ure & Billy Currie courtesy of Chrysalis Records.
Made In England.

Find the 12″ on 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: Sovtek 12AX7LPS Vacuum Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
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