Synthpop maestro Vince Clarke — he of Erasure, and former stints in Depeche Mode and Yazoo, of course — has been playing the occasional DJ set of late, and he’s got another one booked for June 22 at Velvet Underground in Toronto. And guess what? We’ve got a pair of general-admission tickets to give away to one lucky Slicing Up Eyeballs reader.
TO ENTER: Drop a comment at the bottom of this post naming your favorite musical thing Vince Clarke’s ever done (song, album, band) — and offer a few words as to why. If you’re viewing this on the Slicing Up Eyeballs app, please e-mail your entry to info@slicingupeyeballs.com.
RULES: We’ll take entries until 5 p.m. EDT Friday, June 14. After that point, we’ll select the winner at random and contact him or her via e-mail. One entry per person.
Vince’s music was the soundtrack to my high school/college years and many friendships and relationships, an integral part of the person I would become. Thank you.
There is no way you can limit the best of VC to one item, song, album. Quite frankly he is a god of electronic music. I love to listen to his explanation of song writing and the use of the many synths he employed. I am not a musician, but find it engaging just the same!
Vince and his various re-inventions have been the soundtrack of the movie, that is my Life.
Amen.
Forever love the synth because of my early memories of “I Before E Except After C”… thank you Vince!
Though Depeche Mode is my favorite thing he’s done, it’s not my favorite Vince thing (if that makes sense) – since their best work was after he left. I’d probably have to pick Erasure (as a body of work) – some of the best dance music ever (which is saying something).
Indeed, no way to limit to one. *but*, if one must, it’s Situation from Yazoo. It still works today. The synth sound and riff remain fantastic, and that combination of soulful human and soulful robot set a marker down that’s been further explored for decades now. Also, hugely popular, and impact counts!
Anything and Everything by Erasure is part of my favorite music! Vince Clarke is a musical genious!
Everything he has done has been so differen, but for me Erasure is my favorite. They helped me through some rough times in the early 90’s.
When I was working the Erasure concert in 1990 at Canada Wonderland he was so nice and even gave us tickets to enjoy the show. And I told him how much I loved the Speak & Spell CD. I still have my Erasure concert shirt. The show opened with him coming out on a swan in a pink tutu :) best memory ever
My favorite Vince Clark project/song is “Never Never” by The Assembly – Vince’s collaboration with Eric Radcliffe and Feargal Sharkey. Look it up on YouTube. You will like!
It’s hard to pick one thing… but Yazoo’s Situation definitely stands out as one the songs that defined the 80s sound for me.
Probably the song that sticks out the most for me is “I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead”. A classic representation of how Vince blends the best of pop melodies with a variety of true analog synth rhythms. A method he continues to use to this day. That said, it’s hard to get the timeless driving melody of Don’t Go out of your head, even 30 years after first hearing it! As a friend of mine once said (to that melody), “We’re gonna doot doot, doot doot, doo doot doot… and then we’ll doot doot, doot doot, doo DOOT DOOT!”
Best: happy, happy people.
Fingers and Thumbs (Cold Summer’s Day).
I’m barely 30 years old, which means I missed a good chunk of their work when it was new, but when I discovered Erasure and Vince Clarke’s mastery of all things electronic I had quite a backlog to go through. This means songs from Wonderland were just as new as song’s from Light At The End Of the World to me, yet the lead single from their 1995 S/T LP sticks out for me. The sweeping intro of synths, the crescendos leading up to the bombastic chorus with Andy belting out those notes, the haunting video… Everything about the song captivates me and still gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.
If I was at this show in Toronto (which I can’t afford tickets to, starving student here), I’d try to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Clarke for his years of amazing musical output and a level of creativity that always ignites a spark in me (especially when hearing songs like Fingers & Thumbs).
Vince introduced me to electronic music back in the 80s. From his groundbreaking music with Depeche Mode, to his soulful collaboration with Alison Moyet as Yaz, to his years of awesomeness with Andy Bell as Erasure, Vince always found new ways to assemble disparate noises into beautiful musical works. Vince is awesome.
My first concert ever was Erasure on their Wild! tour at Massey Hall in Toronto. It showed me that music was as much about the spectacle surrounding it as it was about the gorgeous sounds that Vince got out of all that electronic equipment.
I grew up in the era of Alternative New Wave and continue to love the music he has been involved with. A very strong influence in my love for music.
:-)
I have over 200 ERASURE cds (imports, singles, bootlegs…) over 100 12″ (imports, singles, rare promos). Met them 3 times. Seen every concert in Toronto from 1992 on. Tattooed on my ankle.
I would be independently wealthy if it wasn’t for them. Vince is a MUSICAL GOD!
It is so hard to pick just one track…but if I must…B3…no wait…WHEN DO I GET TO SING MY WAY from the Sparks…no wait…PRETENTIOUS. I CAN’T DECIDE! :)
I agree that it’s difficult to limit this to one thing Vince has done. If I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO, it would probably be Erasure’s work from 1988 to 1992. This is around the time I was coming out of the closet, and I took inspiration and strength from songs like “Chains of Love”, “A Little Respect”, “How Many Times”, and the entire “Chorus” album. Very rarely has there been, for me, such a perfect marriage of pop and techno as during this period. Finally got to see Erasure live when they played Toronto in autumn ’11: dream come true for me!
What’s not to love…3 of the most amazing bands from the 80s #1 Depeche Mode(of course) and a close 2nd for Erasure and Yazoo (loved Allison Moyet’s voice) This is the music I grew up in the 80s…I listened to my albums then cassettes religiously, though no religion involved…LOL I wouldn’t leave my bedroom at home.
Vince’s work on DM’s Speak and Spell. That album is just amazing.
“A Little Respect” is playing on Boom 97.3 as I’m viewing this page :)
Vince in all his ventures and the music he has produced has always been the axis, in my opinion, in which dance/electronic music rotates. It is timeless. I think his contribution ranks up there with the importance of the invention of the synthesizer itself. A true pioneer. I feel that his early days with DM and his formation of that outfit is most prolific. Second to me is his work with Yazoo. Groundbreaking.
Hard to pick just one. But if I had to narrow it down to just one, it would have to be “Only You” from his collaboration with Alison Moyet in Yazoo/Yaz. It is one of the most beautifully orchestrated love ballads EVER. He is without question a genius maestro when it comes to electronic music, certainly one of its pioneers. And I have loved his music since I was a pre-teen. My world would not be the same without his body of work. TY Vince! x
Yazoo – Only You
My favorite Vince Clarke moments: a tie between Depeche Mode “New Life” and Yazoo “In My Room.” I have followed his music ever since!