Thank you for this background, Jami! Yazoo and Erasure were the ultimate soundtrack of my high school experience, especially on the dreaded school bus, which picked me up first and dropped me off last. I was on there for 2 hours a day, eyes closed, daydreaming to the drum machine in the songs on my Walkman while I tried to ignore the horrible boys who bullied me. (I mean, they called me Cher -- there are much worse things -- but they didn't do it to be complimentary. It's because I have a big nose and dark hair.) I still listen to both bands quite a lot -- according to last.fm, Erasure is my 9th most-listened-to band, and Yazoo is #141 (mostly because Erasure has way more songs than Yazoo). I briefly listened to a podcast about songwriting and loved the episode with Vince & Andy. They are amazing. What else... oh, my favorite song by Erasure is "Drama!" and my favorite album is The Innocents. I am positive that "A Little Respect" was the first Erasure song I ever knew, and I was eager to know every song they ever made.
Thank you for sharing this Heather! I drowned out those same bullies with my Walkman. At least we got obsessively curated music taste out the experience, am I right? I love all three bands Vince pioneered but I have to say, Yaz was always my favorite of the three. The catalog is small but mighty. I am just mesmerized by Alison Moyet's voice. I tend to lean in an R&B direction and she managed to make synth-pop sound so towering. The Innocents is such an amazing Erasure album.
Alison Moyet's voice is amazing, and so interesting. I think I am going to listen to Upstairs at Eric's right now. One thing that's kind of funny is that I spilled a little bottle of hairspray in my backpack when I was 14, and it got all over my Walkman. There was no damage other than a bit of stickiness, but it smelled like hairspray forever after. So now whenever I hear a song by Yaz, Erasure, 10,000 Maniacs, or R.E.M. from that era, I have an olfactory hallucination of that hairspray.
I wonder if Sony knows how many lives were saved--or at least made a little more bearable-- by the Walkman? Even now, I can remember wearing mine almost like a shield.
Great piece. I definitely was a huge Vince Clarke fan from the beginning. I had no idea that he and Alison Moyet were never friends. That's wild. You don't mention this, but Vince Clarke released a solo album, Songs of Silence, last year that is fantastic. It almost made my top 10! It's in the ambient direction, but with a darker element, with a lived-in quality, where you can feel his entire life in the songs. Check it out if you haven't.
Thanks Steve! I thought there might be folx who prefer to listen over reading so I thought I'd try it out. I've updated my last three stories to include voiceovers. The Bessie Smith article where I talk about my own life (which I don't often do) felt particularly cool to do. I really appreciate your support of the radio show!
Teaming with Andy Bell only enhanced Vince Clarke's already excellent songwriting. Bless them both and all of the tunes, starting with "A Little Respect."
Am I the only one genuinely surprised that "Who Needs Love Like that" "only" has 5 million plays on Spotify? A Little Respect is way up there, but I thought for sure it would be in the Top 5 or 10?
I was totally surprised! But I suppose it was eclipsed by other hits in real life as well. This album didn’t fare well at first. It’s such a great track.
I was introduced to Erasure by college friends and have fun memories of dancing to their music in the dorm hallway. I never knew about their gay-straight partnership, but wow, how transformative for those days.
Thank you for this background, Jami! Yazoo and Erasure were the ultimate soundtrack of my high school experience, especially on the dreaded school bus, which picked me up first and dropped me off last. I was on there for 2 hours a day, eyes closed, daydreaming to the drum machine in the songs on my Walkman while I tried to ignore the horrible boys who bullied me. (I mean, they called me Cher -- there are much worse things -- but they didn't do it to be complimentary. It's because I have a big nose and dark hair.) I still listen to both bands quite a lot -- according to last.fm, Erasure is my 9th most-listened-to band, and Yazoo is #141 (mostly because Erasure has way more songs than Yazoo). I briefly listened to a podcast about songwriting and loved the episode with Vince & Andy. They are amazing. What else... oh, my favorite song by Erasure is "Drama!" and my favorite album is The Innocents. I am positive that "A Little Respect" was the first Erasure song I ever knew, and I was eager to know every song they ever made.
Thank you for sharing this Heather! I drowned out those same bullies with my Walkman. At least we got obsessively curated music taste out the experience, am I right? I love all three bands Vince pioneered but I have to say, Yaz was always my favorite of the three. The catalog is small but mighty. I am just mesmerized by Alison Moyet's voice. I tend to lean in an R&B direction and she managed to make synth-pop sound so towering. The Innocents is such an amazing Erasure album.
Alison Moyet's voice is amazing, and so interesting. I think I am going to listen to Upstairs at Eric's right now. One thing that's kind of funny is that I spilled a little bottle of hairspray in my backpack when I was 14, and it got all over my Walkman. There was no damage other than a bit of stickiness, but it smelled like hairspray forever after. So now whenever I hear a song by Yaz, Erasure, 10,000 Maniacs, or R.E.M. from that era, I have an olfactory hallucination of that hairspray.
Honestly, shouldn't every Walkman smell like Aqua Net? That's peak Gen X marketing, lol.
I wonder if Sony knows how many lives were saved--or at least made a little more bearable-- by the Walkman? Even now, I can remember wearing mine almost like a shield.
Can smell the Aqua Net too. lol.
I love Yazoo and Erasure. Thanks for this
God, me too. Such great music.
Great piece. I definitely was a huge Vince Clarke fan from the beginning. I had no idea that he and Alison Moyet were never friends. That's wild. You don't mention this, but Vince Clarke released a solo album, Songs of Silence, last year that is fantastic. It almost made my top 10! It's in the ambient direction, but with a darker element, with a lived-in quality, where you can feel his entire life in the songs. Check it out if you haven't.
Oh, I meant to say that I love the voice over and music intro/outro! And of course your radio show, which I always listen to....
Thanks Steve! I thought there might be folx who prefer to listen over reading so I thought I'd try it out. I've updated my last three stories to include voiceovers. The Bessie Smith article where I talk about my own life (which I don't often do) felt particularly cool to do. I really appreciate your support of the radio show!
A breathtaking tribute to enduring pioneers.
Teaming with Andy Bell only enhanced Vince Clarke's already excellent songwriting. Bless them both and all of the tunes, starting with "A Little Respect."
Gave me chills to hear that packed soccer stadium (of mostly men) sing the song together 🧡
It totally made me tear up watching that.
Am I the only one genuinely surprised that "Who Needs Love Like that" "only" has 5 million plays on Spotify? A Little Respect is way up there, but I thought for sure it would be in the Top 5 or 10?
I was totally surprised! But I suppose it was eclipsed by other hits in real life as well. This album didn’t fare well at first. It’s such a great track.
Loved the audio! I also read along.
I was introduced to Erasure by college friends and have fun memories of dancing to their music in the dorm hallway. I never knew about their gay-straight partnership, but wow, how transformative for those days.