Tag: Victor Flores

September 18, 2025

Wang Chung – Dance Hall days & Don’t Let Go (US 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

By 1984, Wang Chung had evolved from their early days as Huang Chung into one of the most distinctive new wave acts of the decade. With their second album Points on the Curve (1983), Jack Hues and Nick Feldman sharpened their blend of sleek synth-pop and angular guitar riffs into something both stylish and radio-friendly. Two standout tracks from this era—“Dance Hall Days” and “Don’t Let Go”—were paired on the U.S. 12″ single, giving fans extended remixes that perfectly captured the duo’s unique sound.

Dance Hall Days

Originally released as a single in 1982 in the UK, “Dance Hall Days” was re-recorded for Points on the Curve and became Wang Chung’s first big U.S. hit in 1984, climbing to #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s nostalgic, dreamlike lyrics—“Take your baby by the hand…”—float over a lush synth-pop arrangement that’s equal parts danceable and bittersweet. The 12″ version stretches the track into a more atmospheric experience, emphasizing its hypnotic groove and instrumental textures, making it a staple of mid-80s dance floors.

Don’t Let Go

On the flip side, “Don’t Let Go” provides a harder-hitting contrast. Released as the lead single from Points on the Curve, it reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a club favorite. Built around sharp guitar lines, punchy percussion, and urgent vocals, it showcases the edgier side of Wang Chung’s sound. The extended 12″ mix adds more space for the song’s rhythm section to shine, giving it a driving energy that worked perfectly in DJ sets.

The 12″ Release

The U.S. 12″ release (Geffen Records, 1984) paired these two tracks in their extended forms, providing fans with the definitive dancefloor experience. The mixes highlight the balance between Wang Chung’s reflective pop sensibilities and their club-ready energy. For collectors, this 12″ stands as an essential piece of the band’s catalog, bridging their underground beginnings with the mainstream success that would soon peak with hits like “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Let’s Go!”

SIDE A:
Dance Hall Days (Remix) 7:22
Edited By – Victor Flores

SIDE B:
Don’t Let Go (Remix) 7:14
Remix – John Luongo
Written-By – Feldman*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART PERFORMANCE
Song	Chart	Peak Position	Year
Dance Hall Days	US Billboard Hot 100	#16	1984
	US Billboard Mainstream Rock	#25	1984
	US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#1 (with remix)	1984
	UK Singles Chart	#21	1984
	Canada RPM Top Singles	#14	1984
	Australia Kent Music Report	#36	1984
Don’t Let Go	US Billboard Hot 100	#38	1984
	US Billboard Mainstream Rock	#24	1984
	US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#27	1984

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Geffen Records – 0-20194, Geffen Records – 9 20194-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Cover [Art] – Torchlight, London*
Producer, Recorded By – Chris Hughes, Ross Cullum
Written-By – Hues*

NOTES:
“Specially-Priced 2-Cut Maxi Single”

Original version available on the Geffen album
“Points On The Curve”

Made in U.S.A.
Printed in USA

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
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.

January 16, 2025

Glass Tiger – Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) (Germany 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive -1986

NEW 2025 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

I originally shared this record on July 17, 2017, but I’ve revisited it with a fresh, meticulously updated transfer for those who may have missed it. This time, I used upgraded audio gear that wasn’t available during the original transfer back in 2017.

Canadian rock band Glass Tiger made waves in January 1986 with the release of their hit single “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone),” the lead track from their debut album, The Thin Red Line. Featuring backing vocals by iconic rock singer Bryan Adams, the song became a chart-topping success, reaching number one in Canada and peaking at number two in the United States.

In 1985, Glass Tiger enlisted Jim Vallance to produce their debut album. At the time, Vallance was primarily known as a prolific songwriter, often collaborating with Bryan Adams, though he had also produced albums for Doug and the Slugs, CANO, and Adams himself. According to Glass Tiger’s lead vocalist Alan Frew, Vallance’s approach to production allowed the band to explore their creative sound while providing guidance when necessary. “It worked out great because we were all at the same stage of development,” Frew recalled. “He didn’t change the sound of the band at all. He let us experiment but wasn’t afraid to get heavy-handed when he had to.” Vallance collaborated with the band to compose “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone),” while Adams lent his distinct voice to the backing vocals.

The song’s creation was inspired by an ice-breaking moment during the band’s first meeting with Vallance. Frew shared: “On the very first day that we met Jim Vallance, he picked us up at the airport and, to break the ice, asked us what we were listening to. One of the answers was Tears for Fears. We went to his house and drank tea while listening to some tunes. ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ came on, and we really liked the shuffle beat. So we went into the studio and, based on that shuffle beat, we wrote ‘Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone).’ First day, first song.”

“Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” enjoyed tremendous commercial success. The track topped the Canadian Singles Chart in March 1986, spending two weeks at number one, and earned platinum certification from the Canadian Recording Industry Association by July. In the United States, the single entered the Billboard Hot 100 in July and peaked at number two in October, held back from the top spot by Janet Jackson’s “When I Think of You.” It spent an impressive 24 weeks on the chart, reaching number one on the Singles Sales chart, number six on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, number 17 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and number 30 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song also placed at number 34 on the Billboard Year-End singles chart of 1986. Internationally, it achieved top 15 status in Australia and charted in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

Frew attributed the song’s global appeal to the band’s ability to create strong, memorable melodies. “We aren’t rewriting musical history by any means,” he explained, “but our melody lines are strong and mature enough to appeal to the English-speaking world.” The song’s success was bolstered by “solid record company involvement” and culminated in winning the 1986 Juno Award for Single of the Year. It was also named the top Canadian single in the Rock Express magazine readers’ poll awards in 1987. A decade later, the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) recognized the track for being played more than 100,000 times on Canadian radio.

For fans of rare cuts, the “Death Mix” of “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” remains a vinyl-only treasure, absent from the deluxe CD reissue of The Thin Red Line. This exclusive version adds an intriguing layer to the legacy of a song that defined Glass Tiger’s debut and continues to resonate with audiences decades later.

SIDE A:
Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) (Extended Version) 6:31

SIDE B:
Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) (Death Mix) 5:51

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1986	Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#17
1986	Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#30

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Manhattan Records – 1C K 060 20 1330 6
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Germany
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Producer – Jim Vallance
Producer [Additional] – George Black, Victor Flores
Remix – Victor Flores
Written-By – Glass Tiger, Jim Vallance

NOTES:
Original version appears on the LP “THE THIN RED LINE”

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
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

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.

October 25, 2024

Deodato – S.O.S. Fire In The Sky (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1984

“S.O.S., Fire In The Sky” is a vibrant track from Deodato’s 1984 album Motion, released by Warner Bros. The song showcases a collaboration with vocalist Camille, with songwriting credits to Rick Suchow and Alan Palanker. Its energetic rhythm and captivating melody succeeded on the Billboard Dance Chart, where it stayed for 14 weeks, peaking in the Top 20 in 1985. Internationally, the song saw even greater success, entering the Top 10 on the pop charts in France and Holland, and securing the number one spot on the dance chart in Holland.

This track highlights Deodato’s versatility, blending his jazz-fusion style with pop and dance elements to create a memorable and chart-topping hit.

SIDE A:
S.O.S. Fire In The Sky (Special 12″ Disarmamix) 6:40
Edited By – Victor Flores
Written-By – Alan Palanker, Rick Suchow

SIDE B:
East Side Strut (LP Version) 5:37
Written-By – Eumir Deodato, Sergio Dias, Van Gibbs

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	S.O.S. Fire In The Sky	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play	#6

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 0-20287, Warner Bros. Records – 9 20287-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 45 RPM, Allied Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Disco

CREDITS:

Photography By – Carolyn Greyshock*
Producer – Eumir Deodato

NOTES:
A: Original Version available on the Warner Bros. album “Motion”
B: From the Warner Bros. album “Night Cruiser”

Made in U.S.A.
Printed in U.S.A.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

July 12, 2023

Starship – We Built This City (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1985

“We Built This City” is a 1985 song by American rock band Starship, the debut single from the album Knee Deep in the Hoopla. It was written by English musicians Martin Page and Bernie Taupin, who were both living in Los Angeles at the time and was originally intended as a lament against the closure of many of that city’s live music clubs.

The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside the United States, “We Built This City” topped the charts in Australia and Canada, peaked inside the top 10 of the charts in Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland, the top 20 on the charts in Belgium, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and the top 30 of the charts in Austria and the Netherlands.

The song has gained significant scorn, both for the inscrutability of its lyrics (notably the line “Marconi plays the mamba”), and for the contrast between the song’s anti-corporate message and its polished, “corporate rock” sound. It topped a 2011 Rolling Stone poll of worst songs of the 1980s by a wide margin, and the magazine’s Blender and GQ both called it the worst song of all time.

Billboard said that this “unusual rock ‘n’ roll anthem is as wise as it is rebellious.” Cash Box called it “an ear-catching tune” and described it as “dance rock with sharp hooks.”

“We Built This City” received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1986.

The song was engineered by producer Bill Bottrell, written by Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf, and arranged by Bottrell and Jasun Martz. The song was based on a demo by Page and Taupin with a darker feel and based on how clubs were dying in Los Angeles, leaving live performers without work. Wolf reworked the song’s arrangement with a more upbeat tone.

The song features Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick sharing lead vocals. MTV executive and former DJ Les Garland provided the DJ voiceover during the song’s bridge. Additionally, some radio stations, with the help of jingle company JAM Creative Productions, inserted their own opening lines to promote their stations.

SIDE A:
We Built This City (Special Club Mix) 7:00
Remix – Victor Flores
Written-By – Bernie Taupin, Dennis Lambert, Martin Page, Peter Wolf (3)

SIDE B:
We Built This City 4:51
Remix – Bill Bottrell

Private Room (Instrumental) 4:55
Written-By – Craig Chaquico, Mickey Thomas

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	We Built This City	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#1
1985	We Built This City	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#37

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA – FT 49930
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Executive-Producer – Dennis Lambert
Producer – Jeremy Smith (2), Peter Wolf (3)

NOTES:
From the New Starship Album
Manufactured in England.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.