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Do Not Erase - A Little Respect for Erasure

Ana Matronic assesses the often underrated contribution to British pop culture of Erasure, one of the UK's most accomplished composer-artist partnerships.

Erasure have been a fixture in British pop consciousness for fully 30 years, with an eye-popping tally of 35 consecutive UK top 40 singles and a 1988-94 run of five No. 1 albums in a row. The unbreakable team of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell celebrated the anniversary last autumn with yet another top ten entry, the Always compilation.

Now, Ana Matronic, a genuine and original Erasure fan, takes an unusual snapshot of their songwriting legacy. The Scissor Sisters member and Radio 2 regular tells us how, at just 12, her dad took her to see them supporting Duran Duran in Mountain View, California. Then, as an avid reader of Smash Hits, she bought the album The Circus and the 12-inch of 'Oh L'Amour,' after dancing to it at the Confetti Club in Portland, Oregon.

'Do Not Erase' assesses the often-underrated contribution to British pop culture of one of our most accomplished composer-artist partnerships, and is illustrated by rare and unheard archive interview material with the duo. It paints a vivid picture of how their relationship has grown since the day the unknown Bell answered an ad for singers placed in the music press by the publicity-averse Clarke, already a mainstay of the British synth-pop revolution as a co-founder of Depeche Mode and Yazoo.

The playlist includes early singles such as 'Who Needs Love Like That' and 'Oh L'Amour,' their breakthrough hit 'Sometimes' and anthems like 'A Little Respect,' 'Love To Hate You' and 'Always.' It comes up to date with 'Elevation,' one of the huge US club hits from their most recent, 16th studio album, 2014's 'The Violet Flame.'

Along the way, Vince recalls his pre-synth beginnings on the violin, while Andy talks about the grandfather who played washboard and spoons. They describe their first meetings, how their personal musical favourites include Aretha Franklin and Pink Floyd, the time they opened for David Bowie in Germany with hazardous consequences, and how they've survived every passing pop fad for 30 years and counting.

57 minutes

Last on

Thu 14 Jun 2018 21:00
大象传媒 Radio 2

Music Played

  • Erasure

    Love to Hate You

    • Awesome 2 - Various Artists.
    • EMI.

  • Erasure

    Dreaming Of Me

    • The Singles 81-85.
    • Mute.
    • 1.

  • Yazoo

    Don't Go

    • Electronic 80's (Various Artists).
    • EMM.

  • Erasure

    Who Needs Love (Like That)

    • Erasure:Pop!(The First 20 Hits).
    • Mute Records.

  • Erasure

    Heavenly Action

    • Wonderland.
    • Mute.
    • 5.

  • Erasure

    Oh L'Amour

    • Hits!The Very Best Of Erasure.
    • Mute Records.

  • Erasure

    Sometimes

    • Erasure - Pop!.
    • Mute Records.

  • Erasure

    Victim of Love

    • Erasure - Pop!.
    • Mute Records.

  • Yazoo

    Only You

    • Alison Moyet Singles.
    • Columbia.

  • Aretha Franklin

    I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)

    • Aretha Franklin - Queen Of Soul.
    • Atlantic.

  • Kirsty MacColl

    Titanic Days

    • Titanic Days.
    • ZIT.
    • 7.

  • Pink Floyd

    Brain Damage

    • The Dark Side Of The Moon.
    • EMI.
    • 9.

  • Erasure

    The Circus

    • Always 鈥� The Very Best Of Erasure.
    • Mute.
    • 5.

  • Erasure

    Chains Of Love (Live)

    • The Hits Album 8 (Various Artists).
    • Hits.

  • Erasure

    A Little Respect

    • Erasure - Pop!.
    • Mute Records.

  • Erasure

    Chorus

    • Always 鈥� The Very Best Of Erasure.
    • Mute.
    • 12.

  • Erasure

    Take A Chance On Me (feat. MC Kinky)

    • Abba-esque EP.
    • Mute.

  • Erasure

    Always

  • Erasure

    In My Arms

    • Hits 鈥� The Very Best of Erasure.
    • Mute.
    • 17.

  • Erasure

    Breathe

    • (CD Single).
    • Mute Records.

  • Erasure

    Elevation

    • The Violent Flame.
    • Mute.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 2 May 2016 20:00
    大象传媒 Radio 2
  • Thu 14 Jun 2018 21:00
    大象传媒 Radio 2