The Normal – T.V.O.D./Warm Leatherette (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1988

 

“T.V.O.D.”/”Warm Leatherette” is a 1978 single by The Normal a recording artist name used by English music producer Daniel Miller, a film editor at the time, who is best known as the founder of the record label Mute Records. “T.V.O.D.”/”Warm Leatherette” was also the first-ever release by Mute Records in November 1978.

In 1977, Miller had split up with his girlfriend. A friend suggested that he read a book the friend himself had just finished. The book was Crash (1973) by J.G. Ballard. He felt that Ballard’s writing took him five minutes into the future; the novel was to be a major influence in the music he would produce as The Normal. Miller was disillusioned by the fact you needed to learn three chords to be in a punk band, so he decided to purchase a synthesizer. His thinking was that you only needed to learn to press one key on a synthesizer. After buying a Korg 700s synthesizer from Macari’s music shop in London, Miller recorded and released a single under the name The Normal. This was “T.V.O.D.”/”Warm Leatherette”. Both tracks were minimalist electronic songs influenced by the Crash novel. He wanted the sound of the recordings to be visual, like driving along a highway between large buildings then going through a tunnel. The single was recorded in Daniel Miller’s house using a TEAC four-track tape recorder and the Korg mini700s synthesizer.

Songs by The Normal have been covered and performed by many notable artists such as Grace Jones, Sleep Chamber, Chicks on Speed/Hell on a split-7″, Giddle and Boyd Rice, and in 2006 by Trent Reznor with Jeordie White and Peter Murphy. “Warm Leatherette” was performed live by Duran Duran in November 2007 as part of an electro medley during their 2008 tour, in support of their album Red Carpet Massacre.

Both songs were re-issued in the 1980s on a 12″ single by Mute Records.

SIDE A:
T.V.O.D. 2:52

SIDE B:
Warm Leatherette 3:22

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mute ‎– 7 71400-0, Mute ‎– 12MUTE 001
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Minimal

CREDITS:
Design [Uncredited] – Simone Grant
Photography By –  Motor Industry Research Association
Plated By – MAX*
Written-By – Miller*

NOTES:
[Sleeve]
“….feel the steering wheel….”
“….stick the aerial into….”

Originally released in 1978.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
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


Password: burningtheground

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Muff Diver
Muff Diver
August 1, 2021 4:24 pm

I remember this track, Warm Leatherette! But how would anybody dance to this “tune”?

The thing I like about this track is that it stays in your mind, for days at a time. Not easily forgettable 🙂

Thank you, Paul.

Greg M.
Greg M.
June 12, 2021 12:21 am

Nice.
Always wondered where Grace got Warm Leatherette from.
Thanks Paul

Cindy
Cindy
June 11, 2021 7:45 am

Thanks for this Paul! Love the details in your story. I know both songs because 1) They played them constantly on Long Island’s WLIR in the 80’s, and 2) I’m a longtime Depeche Mode fan. 🙂

song and dance
song and dance
June 11, 2021 7:24 am

Fascinating. Mindboggling. Flabberghasting. Being a big depeche Mode fan, as you know, I´m blown away by the Daniel Miller story. Cool songs, too. The a-side I knew but “Warm Leatherette” is completely knew to me in its original. What a gem, Paul.
The weekend can come. Actually, mine has just started 20 minutes ago (2 pm over here).

Have a nice weekend, everybody. Stay healthy. My first Biontech shot is due on Tuesday coming.

Jeff
Jeff
Reply to  song and dance
June 11, 2021 9:22 am

Have a great weekend Song And Dance. Good luck with the shot too!

Jeff

Wayne
Wayne
June 11, 2021 7:03 am

Thanks Paul! I first heard Warm Leatherette featured on Dr. Demento’s radio show in the late ’70s. While totally unrelated, the songs reminds me of princess Diana’s gruesome death.

Stevo
Stevo
June 11, 2021 4:51 am

Thanks for this Paul, I’ve grabbed a copy even though I have the 7″ & cd single of it already, your rips are beyond comparison so I shall enjoy a re-listen of an old favourite.
An interesting note about Mute, almost identical to the other classic British Indie label Factory, is that they do not delete back catalogue music so my cd single & your 12″ are just further pressings rather than reissues

Bill
Bill
Reply to  Stevo
June 11, 2021 8:48 am

I have to ask because I do not know the answer.
“Never Say Never” was originally released under the 415 label; I never heard this version but I am told that the play time was over 6-minutes. When Columbia got the rights, they reissued the song, but took out the swearing.
Is the original 415 label EP release of “Never Say Never” available on CD?

Bill

eyevocal
eyevocal
Reply to  Bill
March 23, 2023 9:43 am

The song was included on the 2006 U.S. compilation CD Never Say Never: Hits, Rarities & Gems, along with some other 12″ mixes. The whole EP was included as bonus tracks on the 2006 Wounded Bird CD reissue of the Benefactor album. Both of these are out of print, so, best of luck. If you decide to try your luck with the band’s compilation appearances on Discogs, keep in mind that the just-under-six-minutes version is the 12″ one which someone stupidly thought it was a good idea to massively screw with the intro.

Arnaud
Arnaud
June 10, 2021 3:19 pm

The interesting fact here is that the single was done on cheap equipement. Where the Human League or Gary Numan used expensive modular synths.

Nathan Alan
Nathan Alan
June 10, 2021 12:23 pm

I can’t wait to listen Paul! I seem to remember Grace Jones repeating the phrase “Warm Leatherette” in a warm, commanding voice, but it was so long ago I can’t remember anything else about her cover of the song, if it was a B side on a 12” or an album or where I heard it? You don’t record anything unless it’s good so I am prepared to be impressed. I regret I have allowed myself to remain distracted from getting a copy of everything you publish, but I see the emails in my inbox and promise myself every day… Read more »

Bill
Bill
June 10, 2021 11:40 am

Are you a mind reader?
I needed to rip a new copy of “Ca Plane Pour Moi” today; song #1 on Rhino’s “New Wave Hits of the 80s Vol-1” CD. Song #2 on this CD is “Warm Leatherette”…

Jeff
Jeff
June 10, 2021 10:57 am

This is a cult classic Paul!! I’m so happy you’re posting this record on your site. I think it was so bizarrely cool that Daniel Miller was so influenced by the J.G. Ballard novel, “Crash” because it was such an interesting (and disturbing book)! People getting off by experiencing car crashes was twisted. I guess, another definition to, “auto-erotic.” I did enjoy the movie based on the novel by David Cronenberg, although I believe the film should be an animated one to bring this scary vision to life. Can you imagine it!?! And of course, Grace Jones’ version was exquisite… Read more »