Erasure
Keyboard player and arranger Vince Clarke (b. 3 July 1961) had already enjoyed success as a member of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and the Assembly when he decided to undertake a new project in 1985. The plan was to record an album with 10 different singers, but after auditioning vocalist Andy Bell, the duo Erasure was formed. Erasure broke into the UK chart in 1986 with Sometimes which reached number 2, and was followed by It Doesn't Have To Be Me in 1987. The following month their second album, CIRCUS, reached the UK Top 10 and since then their popularity has rapidly grown. Memorable and infectious hits such as Sometimes, Victim Of Love, The Circus, Ship Of Fools, A Little Respect, CRACKERS INTERNATIONAL (EP), Drama!, Blue Savannah, Chorus, Love To Hate You and Breath Of Life have established them as serious rivals to the Pet Shop Boys as the world's leading vocal/synthesizer duo. Erasure's appeal lies in the unlikely pairing of the flamboyant Bell and the low-profile keyboards wizard and songwriter Clarke. Their stage-show is a spectacular event, whilst the overtly gay Bell's taste in clothes is brilliantly outrageous. Their singles and album sales continue to increase with successive releases and THE INNOCENTS, WILD! and CHORUS have all reached number 1 in the UK. An excellent pastiche of Abba in 1992, resulted in the ABBA-ESQUE EP reaching number 1 in the UK. It is also worth stressing that they have achieved their extraordinary success working through an independent label, Mute Records.