Tag: US

May 22, 2017

Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“Miami Vice Theme” was created and performed by Jan Hammer as the theme to the television series Miami Vice. It was first presented as part of the television broadcast of the show in September 1984 and released as a single in 1985, peaking at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the last instrumental to top the Hot 100 until 2013, when “Harlem Shake” by Baauer reached number one. It also peaked at number 5 in the UK, and number 4 in Canada. In 1986, it won Grammy Awards for “Best Instrumental Composition” and “Best Pop Instrumental Performance.” This song, along with Glenn Frey’s number-two hit “You Belong to the City”, put the Miami Vice soundtrack on the top of the US album chart for 11 weeks in 1985, making it the most successful TV soundtrack of all time until 2006 when Disney Channel’s High School Musical beat its record.

It’s a mystery the US 12″ credits François Kevorkian and Ron St. Germain as remixer while the UK 12″ credits Louil Silas Jr.. The “Extended Remix” seems to be the same mix that appears on the UK release. So who actually remixed the track?

SIDE A:
Miami Vice Theme (Extended Remix) 6:52
Remix – François Kevorkian, Ron St. Germain

SIDE B:
Miami Vice Theme (Remix) 4:32
Remix – François Kevorkian, Ron St. Germain

Miami Vice Theme (Original) 1:00

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	Miami Vice Theme	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#1
1985	Miami Vice Theme	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#16
1985	Miami Vice Theme	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	#21
1985	Miami Vice Theme	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#7
1985	Miami Vice Theme	U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	#29
1985	Miami Vice Theme	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles	#10

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– MCA-23575
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer, Arranged By – Jan Hammer
Written-By – J. Hammer*

NOTES:
Original version appears on the MCA LP, MCA-6150, “Music From The Television Series ‘Miami Vice'”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron 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
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

April 18, 2017

M|A|R|R|S – Pump Up The Volume (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

“Pump Up the Volume” is the only single by British recording act M|A|R|R|S. Recorded and released in 1987, it was a number-one hit in many countries and is regarded as a significant milestone in the development of British acid house music and music sampling. The song derives its title directly from a lyrical sample from “I Know You Got Soul”, a hit single by labelmates Eric B. & Rakim, released months prior in that same year.

The single was the product of an uneasy collaboration between electronic group Colourbox and alternative rock band A R Kane, two groups signed to the independent label 4AD. The link-up was suggested by label founder Ivo Watts-Russell after the two groups had independently sounded him out about the possibility of releasing a commercially oriented dance record, inspired by the American house music that was starting to make an impact on the UK chart. When the M|A|R|R|S project was first released early in 1987, the popularity of the style of the song had already started to grow.

SIDE A:
Pump Up The Volume 7:10
Rap [Additional Rapping] – Emix*

Pump Up The Volume (Bonus Beat) 4:45

SIDE B:
Pump Up The Volume (Instrumental) 5:06
Engineer – Steve Osborne
Engineer [Assistant] – Julian Adair

Anitina (First Time I See She Dance) 4:22
Drums – Colourbox
Mixed By – Ivo*, John Fryer
Music By – A.R. Kane

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	Pump Up The Volume	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#13
1988	Pump Up The Volume	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs & Tracks	#8
1988	Pump Up The Volume	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: 4th & Broadway ‎– BWAY 452
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Hip Hop
Style: House, Instrumental, Acid House, Leftfield

CREDITS:
Art Direction, Design – Vaughan Oliver
Engineer – Lincoln Fong (tracks: A1 to B1)
Guitar – A. R. Kane* (tracks: A1 to B1)
Mastered By – Herbie Jr :^)*
Music By – Martyn Young (tracks: A1 to B1), Steve Young* (tracks: A1 to B1)
Photography By, Artwork [Set Construction] – Panni Charrington
Producer – M. Young*
Sampler [Samples] – John Fryer (tracks: A1 to B1)
Scratches [Scratching] – C.J. Mackintosh* (tracks: A1 to B1)
Scratches, Performer [Drop Ins] – Dave Dorrell (tracks: A1 to B1)

NOTES:
The “Mars Needs Women” vocal sample comes from the movie, “Mars Needs Women” (1967).

A Colourbox / A.R. Kane Collaboration

Recorded at Blackwing.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

April 14, 2017

Josie Cotton – Johnny Are You Queer? (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

“Johnny Are You Queer?” is a 1980s pop song that was written by Bobby and Larson Paine. The song was first performed live by the Go-Go’s and was later performed by Josie Cotton, who released the song as a single in 1981 and 1982, and as part of her 1982 album Convertible Music. The song was also featured on the Valley Girl soundtrack.

The song was the subject of controversy upon its release. Cotton was accused by multiple conservative groups as promoting homosexuality and one network claimed that “there was no Josie Cotton and that she was actually a gay man who was trying to convert unsuspecting straight men into a homosexual lifestyle.” The Village Voice and The Advocate were both highly critical of “Johnny, Are You Queer?” and The Advocate demonized the work in an article entitled “Josie, Are You A Bitch?”

Years later AllMusic reviewed the song and noted that “In retrospect, the song sounds rather tame, and throughout, the joke is on the petulant girl, not Johnny: “he’s not interested in her that way, so clearly he must not like girls” is (deliberately) a laughably arrogant premise.”

Cotton has stated that since the song’s release she has been contacted by several people who thanked her for the song, as it helped them come to terms with their own homosexuality.

In 1982, the song reached #38 on the U.S. Billboard Club Play Singles chart.

SIDE A:
Johnny Are You Queer? 2:46

SIDE B:
(Let’s Do) The Blackout 2:57

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	Johnny Are You Queer?	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#38

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Elektra ‎– AS-11538
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Power Pop

CREDITS:
Bass, Guitar – Bobby Paine
Drums – Richard Adelman
Drums [Additional] – Don Heffington
Engineer – Geza X, Glenn Feit, Ray Blair
Piano – Jimmy Ehinger
Producer, Written-By – Bobby Paine, Larson Paine
Synthesizer – J.B. Frank*

NOTES:
“Johnny Are You Queer?” from the LP “Convertible Music”.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

April 13, 2017

Sparks – All You Ever Think About Is Sex (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“All You Ever Think About Is Sex” was the second single released from the album In Outer Space by American rock band Sparks. The single was remixed for it’s single release but failed to chart. The b-side is a remixed version of the album track; “Dance Godammit”.

SIDE A:
All You Ever Think About Is Sex (12″ Club Version) 5:06

SIDE B:
Dance Godammit (12″ Club Version) 4:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic ‎– 0-86990
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Art Direction – Larry Vigon
Engineer – Dan Lacksman
Management [Personal] – Joseph Fleury
Photography By – Jim Shea
Producer, Written-By – Ron Mael, Russell Mael
Remix – Brian Reeves

NOTES:
Produced for Giorgio Moroder Enterprises Ltd.
Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York.
Printed in U.S.A.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi