Tag: UK 12″

July 25, 2013

Howard Jones – What Is Love? (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“What Is Love?” was the 2nd single by musician Howard Jones. Released in November 1983, from the album Human’s Lib, it reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the singer’s highest chart placing to date. In the US it peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of 1984.

The song was originally entitled “Love?” on the demo tape which Howard Jones recorded in 1982, which itself was available at his gigs. Howard Jones also used the question mark motif around this time on posters advertising his gigs; posters which also hung behind him on stage at his early 1980s Marquee Club appearances and which read simply “Howard Jones?”.

The song was used in the 1984 film Supergirl.

SIDE A:
What Is Love? (Extended Version) 6:31
Producer – Rupert Hine

SIDE B:
It Just Doesn’t Matter 3:35
Engineer, Mixed By – Mark Lusardi*
Producer – Howard Jones

Hunt The Self (Recorded Live At The Marquee) 5:39
Engineer – Mark Lusardi*
Mixed By – Mike Roarty

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	What Is Love?	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#33
1984	What Is Love?	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#20

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: WEA ‎– HOW 2T, WEA ‎– 249570-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 26 Nov 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Lyrics By – Howard Jones, William Bryant
Music By – Howard Jones

NOTES:
Also available “HUMAN’S LIB”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Pro-Ject Speed Box S
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

July 23, 2013

Visage – Pleasure Boys (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Pleasure Boys” is a single by the British synth-pop group Visage, released on Polydor Records in October 1982.

Initially a non-album single, “Pleasure Boys” was included on the Fade to Grey – The Singles Collection compilation album in 1983. As well as the standard 7″ and 12″ formats, the single was also released as a limited edition 7″ picture disc. It was the first release by Visage after the departure of Midge Ure, who had left the group due to creative differences with Steve Strange and also to concentrate on his role in Ultravox. Possibly due to Ure’s absence, “Pleasure Boys” was the first Visage single to miss the UK Top 40 peaking at #44 after a string of five hits during the 1981-82 period.

The music video for “Pleasure Boys” was directed by Tim Pope. The black and white clip pictures Steve Strange recreating Marlon Brando’s look from his 1953 film The Wild One, riding a Harley-Davidson motorbike. The clip was included on band’s 1986 video release, Visage.

Although it makes no mention of the fact on either the sleeve or the label, this 12″ release was limited to only 800 copies.

SIDE A:
Pleasure Boys (Dance Mix) 6:58
Bass – Steve Barnacle
Mixed By – Visage
Mixed By [In Association With] – John Luongo
Written-By – B. Currie*, D. Formula*, R. Egan*, S. Barnacle*, S. Strange*

SIDE B:
The Anvil (Dance Mix) 6:14
Remix – Visage
Remix [In Association With] – John Luongo
Written-By – Visage

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor ‎– POSPX 523, Polydor ‎– 2141 659
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Electro, Synth-pop
Credits: Design [Sleeve] – Alwyn Clayden, Green Ink
Illustration – Mark Wardel
Mastered By – RAYS*
Other [Clothes] – PX
Other [Make-up] – Phyllis Cohen
Photography By – Robyn Beeche
Producer – Visage
Recorded By – John Luongo, Visage

NOTES:
A: Recorded and Mixed at Trident Studios
Special thanks: Steve Short, Flood and Craig Millner. A Morrison O’Donnell Production.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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

July 15, 2013

Queen – Back Chat (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Back Chat”, written by the bass guitarist John Deacon, is the track most influenced by black music on the 1982 Queen album Hot Space. Deacon (who differed from his band-mates, in that he was the only one raised on soul instead of rock and roll) had chosen a no-compromise method of eliminating any rock elements from his songs for Hot Space. This act of defiance caused friction amongst fellow band members, particularly Brian May, who fought to retain at least some rock sensibilities in their funk diversions. After heated debate, the band finally decided to include a guitar solo on “Back Chat”. It reached #40 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was performed on the Hot Space tour at a faster tempo, with a more rock-orientated arrangement. “Back Chat”, the title, is an English idiom referring to a “impertinent or impudent replies, especially to a superior”. In a Rolling Stone magazine album review, the critic John Milward described the musical style of the song as: “a hot rock-funk tune, with guitar tracks as slick as an icy dance floor.”

SIDE A:
Back Chat (Re-Mix) 6:54
Written-By – Deacon*

SIDE B:
Staying Power 4:12
Arranged By [Horns] – Arif Mardin
Written-By – Mercury*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI ‎– 12EMI 5325, EMI ‎– 12 EMI 5325
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 09 Aug 1982
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Funk
Credits: Producer – Mack (2), Queen

NOTES:
Taken from the album “HOT SPACE”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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

July 3, 2013

Breathe – Hands To Heaven (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

Although it was released as the first single from the group’s debut album All That Jazz, “Hands to Heaven” was not Breathe’s debut single; the group had recorded and released songs prior to signing an album deal with A&M Records. One of these songs, “Don’t Tell Me Lies”, reached #77 on the UK Singles Chart in 1986 before being included on Breathe’s debut album and subsequently being reissued.

“Hands to Heaven” was, however, Breathe’s breakthrough hit in both the UK as well as the United States. The ballad peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1988. In the US, it logged two weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same month (kept from the summit by “Roll with It” by Steve Winwood) and spent 16 weeks in the Top 40. “Hands to Heaven” also peaked at #2 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.

The song also reached #4 in Norway and #14 in Sweden.

This song was one of a number of singles, many by British and Australian bands, that helped to shape the smooth jazz radio format in the US in the mid to late 1980s. Other associated artists include Swing Out Sister, Johnny Hates Jazz, Icehouse and Sade.

SIDE A:
Hands To Heaven (Extended Heaven) 6:25
Producer – Bob Sergeant*
Remix – Chris Porter

SIDE B:
Hands To Heaven (Radio Mix) 4:18
Producer – Bob Sergeant*
Remix – Chris Porter

Life And Times (Instrumental) 4:46
Mixed By – John Madden*
Producer – Breathe (3)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	Hands To Heaven	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1988	Hands To Heaven	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#2

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Siren Records (8) ‎– SRNT 68
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Downtempo
Credits: Arranged By – Breathe (3)
Design – Arefin*
Photography By [Back] – Drew Carolan
Photography By [Front] – Eamon J McCabe*
Written-By – D.Glasper*, M.Lillington*

NOTES:
From the LP:
“ALL THAT JAZZ”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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