BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
The UK music magazine Record Mirror was well-respected for its coverage of dance music. In the 1980s and up to its closure in 1991 it issued numerous 7″ EPs with rare and exclusive tracks, many by electronic artists. This solid 4 track EP was released on March 22, 1986.
Special thanks to the Free EP site and Wikipedia for the information.
SIDE A:
New Order – Sub-Culture (Exclusive Remix) 7:09
Producer, Written-By – New Order
Remix – John Robie
Remix [Uncredited] – Joseph Watt
A collector’s item for fans of one of the most collectable bands of their time. This is genuinely an exclusive remix which has never been officially released since. Sub-Culture began its life on New Order’s classic 1985 album ‘Low Life’. In 1986, the track was remixed by John Robie and released as a single. However, the mix was badly received and the single became a rare critical and commercial failure for the band, only hitting #63 in the UK chart. Factory graphic designer Peter Saville objected to the release of the remix of Sub-Culture to such an extent he refused to design a sleeve explaining why the single was only distributed in a plain black sleeve. As tends to be the norm with New Order releases, there has always been confusion over the source of this remix. The label credits Robie as being on remix duty again but it actually seems to be an edit of the first of several Razormaid remixes of the track. Razormaid being one of the largest DJ subscription remix services in the world, this became one of the very rare instances when such a remix was released outside the confines of their stringent subscription service. Despite being regarded as superior to the official Robie mixes, this EP is still the only legit place to find this.
Raymonde – Jennifer Wants (Exclusive Track) 2:06
Producer – Raymonde, Sexton
Written-By – Maker*, Huish*
Despite a huge Smiths connection – Raymonde frequently supported them and lead singer James Maker used to be their back up singer and dancer – the band only released on overlooked album in 1987, Babelogue. Although Raymonde never lived up to Record Mirror’s billing of them as one of the year’s most exciting newcomers, Maker made some money from his old mate nearly two decades on in 2004 when Morrissey not only covered Raymonde track No One Can Hold A Candle To You as a B side and live, but included the original version on his own compilation, the NME FreeEP ‘Songs To Save Your Life’ in 2004. “Jennifer Wants”, this track is absolutely exclusive to this EP so a must for all Morrissey fans.
SIDE B:
Hipsway – Bad Thing Longing (Preview From Their Forthcoming Album) 4:06
Producer – Hipsway, Paul Stavely O’Duffy*
Written-By – Skinner*, Travers*, McElhone*, Jones*
In between featuring in two hugely successful bands – Altered Images and Texas – guitarist Johnny Mcelhone formed Hipsway in 1984. The band’s eponymous debut album just missed out on a Top 40 place but single The Honeythief hit #17 in 1986. This track, at the time of this EP’s release an exclusive preview, was featured on their debut. Despite this early promise, the band folded in 1989.
Adventures, The – Walk Away Renee (Specially Recorded For Record Mirror) 3:16
Producer – Adventures, The
Written-By – Calilli*, Brown*, Sansoni*
The Adventures were an Irish folk rock band who briefly threatened to become one of the UK’s biggest bands. Backed by eventual Spice Girls guru Simon Fuller, he ensured The Adventures achieved plenty of airplay and music press attention. Despite a Top 20 hit in 1988 with Broken Land, it never really happened and The Adventures became one of the country’s best kept secrets instead. This faithful cover of The Left Banke’s Walk Away Renee, made famous by The Four Tops, was specially recorded for Record Mirror and remains exclusive to this release. Arguably, as the band had already released their album Theodore & Friends and its singles to little success, this was most likely an attempt by Fuller to keep them in the public eye in the absence of any new material.
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Record Mirror ?– rm 2
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 33 ? RPM, EP, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 22 Mar 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Leftfield, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Compiled By – Gill Smith
Cover – Graham Black (2)
NOTES:
Free with rm (Record Mirror, UK music magazine).
Not for resale.
Track A1 is an edit Of The Sarm West Remix (Razormaid).
Find the 7″ On DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
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: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removeal: 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
Amazing. I’ve been looking for a good quality version of this Subculture for a long time. When I first became a NO fan with Substance, I had only known of that version of Subculture with over-the-top backup singers. Then I realized there was a better album version and then I found a very low quality mp3 of this gem and fell in love with it and somehow wish this version existed on Substance.
I think it’s about time I donated to this fine blog!
@Phil M Yes, the New Order blog you’re mentioning was the New Order Recycle project, unfortunately the blog has been closed due to complaints of the record company and still back then when it was active, audio was only available in lossy format. Paul. thank you for the New Order rips, I still do have this vinyl from the Record Mirror and yes, it was/still is a rather lousy pressing so I do appreciate your efforts do present a good quality rip here. And like so many others looking fwd to see more of New Order which deserve better than… Read more »
Love this one – thanks for taking on the extra work – you are the best!
Hi, have the original series of EP’s, Record Mirror was a fantastic magazine (especially for the pages of UK / US / Indie / Soul charts). My copy of this isn’t the worst I’ve heard, merely quiet. A fantastic website (name forgotten) did awesome rips of every Factory-era New Order vinyl release so I’ve never needed to search for a better version – I think the website was forced to close, sadly. Anyways, after 30 years I’ve found out The Adventures were Northern Irish – I always thought they were Scottish, even though I was enough of a fan to… Read more »
Wow, great find, Paul!
I agree with Davos Via 45 (#13). You can scare small children with the 12″ mix, and then you can comfort them with the LP-version.
Still, always interesting to hear something “new” from a band I’ve followed for 34 years. Thanks for all the work.
Wow, you really did some great work here. Probably the best this little record has ever sounded. The exclusive Raymonde track sounds very clean as well: as an obscure note, while they like a smiths knock off, that isn’t far off, as James Maker, lead singer, was for a short time an early member of The Smiths.
Paul!!!! You, my friend, are a sonic sorcerer! A musical Moses parting those vinyl walls and finding treasure there, buried deep and then excavating them and polishing them up to a new brilliance. All the work you do is to be celebrated. You are just so kind doing these things for us and I’m more than tickled. Although I prefer John Robie’s mental mix of “Sub-Culture” I do enjoy this one too. Joseph Watt really does an excellent job on his remixes and I proudly own (just about) all of Razormaid!’s library of remixes. I really like how this mix… Read more »
Very interesting post Paul! Excited to hear these tracks! 🙂 Thank you!
I bow my head and thank you Paul.
Even like you said regarding the 33rpm and 7″ format I consider this one of my best records fpr the New Order and mostly the excellent The Adventures track. Many thanks and I really mean that Thanks! Magnus U
Thanks Paul, for ripping this. I went straight for the New Order-one. A Must Have. As you mentioned the most superior mix. Maybe it was objected to, because of the vocals and their key, to my humble opinion. The official ones were more heavy on layers and ‘extrovert’. This one is more introvert? I prefer this one, sounding close to the ear and yet still have big beats to stamp around the floors, cool gitars providing the indi-vibe, so new wavers could dance with disco-friends back then..
Also was astonished about the sound quality from a 7″ and how did they managed to put more than 9 min of music on one side? It’s running on 33 LOL! On the other hand I must say that I’m not specially impressed with this remix of Sub-culture. The John Robbie Remix Edit which is on Substance is acceptable, the full John Robbie Remix which is on the 12″ sucks big time, for me the original version is the best by far! Of course the 12″ of Sub-culture is already here http://burningtheground.net/2013/11/new-order-sub-culture-us-12/ I hope Paul doesn’t attend a rehab clinic… Read more »
Hi Paul,
thanks for ripping this rare gem in top quality! I found the 7″ by accident in my local second hand store for a very low price quite some years ago. Later on I realized that especially the ADVENTURES and NEW ORDER tracks are exclusive to this EP.
Best wishes
1980-F
Wow thanks Paul, I loved Record Mirror (bought it for almost 20 years), I was quite put out when it disappeared..
Now I missed this release, so thanks for the rip! 🙂
Wow thanks for this, your history lessons are the reasons i come here i learn so much about who did what when and with whom! i hope you find time to dive into “Missing Persons” one day! keep up the fantastic work. – Djrtb909
…also i noticed this is a totally different vocal from the other releases, the hook is said in a different meter. ~:o)
Very interesting… Many thanks! 🙂
You’re welcome Diego 🙂
Hi Paul.I’m a great fan of the Shep Pettibone remixes and I’ve been waiting for the Bizarre Love Triangle remix! you’ve got it?
hoping it is in the near future.
thanks.
Yes I believe I do BE.D12″ see what I can do 🙂
Great job Paul. I have all the Razormaid stuff and this rip to me is better sonicly than the Sarm West Mix even from Razormaid CD. This mix is just a little shorter edit of that one but I think Joeseph Watt tinkered around with the EQ on the various releases with Sarm West Mix (as on a lot of Razormaid releases) …and not for the better.
Here’s hoping a re-rip of True Faith is in the cards for the near future 🙂
Thank you Thomas I appreciate your feedback. I will see what I can do about “True Faith” 🙂
What a rare treat! I bet you cranked up the sound quality like no one can.
Thanks for this New Order week.
Have a nice weekend.
You’re welcome Stefano hope you have a nice weekend too 🙂
Ahh the Record Mirror: You are a brave man ripping this one. My 7″ of this was definitely lo-fi, with a nice patch of fuzz, although the mix of New Order is a great mix. A vinyl pressing more suitable for a punk rock record than the likes of New Order. Just a step away from a flexidisc really. Will be interesting to hear the hifi sounds you magically extract from vinyl. Perhaps a flexipop! series in the future?
I agree Joey this record had it’s share of fuzz as well especial the Hipsway track. I never had many flexi’s so I doubt a flexi run will be coming soo lol 🙂
Awww Paul, thanks so much for working your magic on this, I can’t wait to hear the result.
What made it so difficult, was it the 33 1/3 speed, or the crackles?
Hopr you like it Jermajesty 🙂 It wasn’t really the speed mainly just crackle and surface noise. Just more work than on a usual 7″ or 12″. It’s all good though it turned out nicely and a nice warm weekend is here 🙂
A fine job indeed, Paul.
Hi Paul. I mentioned this 7″ when you posted the Subculture 12″ 18 months ago. Great that you’ve managed to get your hands on a copy. I said at the time that “the pressing quality wasn’t great (it’s a freebie at 33.3rpm, after all) so it’ll need an extra layer of your magic to get it to posting level” – and I’m sure that’s exactly what you’ve given us! Thanks for posting.
You were right Jonathan this record was a beast to rip. I think it turnrd out well considering the pressing. Enjoy!
Thanks Paul for the rarities. Like the Adventurers track. I have their cd Theordore & Friends which is excellent .
By far the rarest track on this set is the New Order exclusive.
Awesome. I have this 7″. Many thanks for this.
You’re welcome Neil 🙂