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Interview
by SashaS
21-1-2005
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| Erasure: 'Nightbird' flies out on Monday |
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Advent of a nightbird
Andy Bell explains latest Erasure activities
Erasure’s ‘Nigthbird’ is the duo’s first studio album since 2000’s ‘Loveboat’ that was followed by compilation ‘Hits!’ and ‘Other People’s Songs’, their disc of covers, both issued during 2003. Vince Clarke and Andy Bell are back with a brand new set of songs combining familiar songwriting approach with a tad of ‘modern’ retro-electronica that is promisingly revitalized in London clubs.
“After doing a cover-versions album,” Andy Bell declares unprompted, “which is always seen as a cope-out, it is refreshing to do new songs. I have to say I did feel very phoney doing the songs live because they were not ours. It felt like cheating our fans and you can’t sing them in half-hearted way… It’s not like own songs, cover-versions… It’s not like I’m Dusty Springfield.”
“I especially had a problem with the songs that weren’t my choice; I loved singing ‘Come Up and See Me’, that was quite fantastic and very energetic but ‘Solsbury Hill’, I couldn’t take it…”
After such a venture - that started out as Andy Bell’s solo project until Vince muscled in and took over - the band decided on a fresh method, in particular because “we were getting complacent with our songwriting”, Bell admits at one point.
“We decided to clean up our act…” Bell continues his confessional. “Vince had a drink problem, I had a drug one… It was all dark, gloomy music… So, this one feels like a breath of fresh air especially because young people are doing this electro-beat that is still underground. It makes me feel like part of an anti-establishment and it makes me feel quite warm inside.”
Neo-rev
Erasure were formed in London two decades ago when former Depeche Mode founder and creative force behind Yazoo and Assembly hooked up with a former choirboy who answered a ‘singer-wanted’ ad in the now-defunct Melody Maker weekly. ‘Nightbird’ proves that these two have the energy, enthusiasm and wish to keep doing it regardless of…
“I like seeing the new energy,” Bell perks up, “electro-clubs like Cashpoint; then Goldfrapp, she inspired us a lot and there’s not been anyone like her since Debbie Harry… For me, to go out and hear all these magic machines, it’s magical circle closure… Then, we love Client and are taking them with us on tour.”
Single ‘Breathe’ came on two CDs and the limited edition one included exclusive new software, Digimpro, that allowed listeners to remix [ruin?] the track on own PCs. Why give buyers even more power?
“Well, it’s Mute’s cutting-edge technology,” he sighs over the label’s tactics, “and they asked us if we thought whether they should be able to keep their remixes?! ‘Of course they should,’ we said, ‘because it would be pointless otherwise.’ I don’t think you give people too much power by providing them with tools to learn, I still do remixes and don’t know how to do it.”
Veracity refocus
Gap between release of ‘Nightbird’ and tour in March is in part caused by Bell’s medical issues.
“I need to get in shape, I had two hip replacement last year, so I’m bionic… I wore off my sockets due to… I don’t know whether it is coke, whether working in high-heel shoes or… I don’t think I’ll be dancing onstage as much as I used to do.”
Perhaps pop-culture in general can do with less of it?
“It’s almost gone below the gutter,” Bell agrees, “and it is all in the drains now. The reason I like the new electro-trend is because it is underground and not being overblown by radio and other hyping… We are destroying our world, leaders of the world are dropping their standards and we simply follow their example.”
“Brain-washing is global,” Bell warns, “it’s all corporate controlled and there is no freedom of choice. Standards have dropped so much that surrealism has come into the effect, because we are in chaos, in a turmoil. I feel there is huge backlash against America and I hear it from every corner.”
“Still I’m optimistic about the future of the world although I can see that American karma, as well as British, is dying big time.”
Before we part Andy Bell tells me about his belief in the re-birth of spirituality whilst lighting up next ciggy.
Tour dates:
22 January - DJ at G-A-Y, London, UK
24 February - Waterfront Hall, Belfast
25 February - Vicar Street, Dublin
26 February - Vicar Street, Dublin
28 February – Usher Hall, Edinburgh
01 March – Academy, Glasgow
03 March – City Hall, Newcastle
05 March – Hammersmith Apollo, London
07 March – Royal Concert, Nottingham
09 March – Apollo, Manchester
10 March – Octagon, Sheffield
11 March – Guildhall, Preston
13 March – Guildhall, Portsmouth
14 March – Colston Hall, Bristol
16 March – Civic, Wolverhampton
18 March – UEA, Norwich
20 March – St Davids, Cardiff
21 March – City Hall, Hull
24 March - 01 April 2005 = Euro dates
14 April – 27 May = US dates
SashaS
21-1-2005
Erasure’s album ‘Nightbird’ is released 24 January 2004 by Mute
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