Yazoo were an English synth-pop duo from Basildon, Essex, consisting of former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke (keyboards) and Alison Moyet (vocals). The duo formed in late 1981 after Clarke responded to an advertisement Moyet placed in a British music magazine.
Vincent John Martin, known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously the main songwriter for several groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and the Assembly. In Erasure, he is known for his deadpan and low-key onstage demeanour, often remaining motionless over his keyboard, in sharp contrast to lead vocalist Andy Bell's animated and hyperactive frontman antics.
Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, Fad Gadget, Goldfrapp, Grinderman, Inspiral Carpets, Moby, New Order, Laibach, Nitzer Ebb, Yann Tiersen, Wire, Yeasayer, Fever Ray, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Yazoo, and M83.
Speak & Spell is the debut studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 5 October 1981, or possibly 29 October 1981, by Mute Records. It was the band's only album to feature Vince Clarke, and is much lighter in tone than their subsequent releases.
The Assembly were a British synth-pop project formed in 1983 in Basildon, England, by Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe.
Eric Charles Radcliffe is an English recording engineer and producer who worked with new wave and synthpop bands in the early 1980s in Basildon, England. He later became owner of Blackwing Studios.
Upstairs at Eric's is the debut studio album by English synth-pop duo Yazoo. It was released on 20 August 1982 by Mute Records. It was produced by the band and E.C. Radcliffe, with assistance from Mute label boss Daniel Miller on some of the tracks. Named after producer Radcliffe's Blackwing Studios where the album was recorded, Upstairs at Eric's was preceded by two UK top-three singles, the ballad "Only You" and the more uptempo "Don't Go". The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments in excess of 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.
You and Me Both is the second and final studio album by English synth-pop duo Yazoo, released on 4 July 1983 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and in North America by Sire Records. The album's title was an ironic reference to the fact that the duo had grown estranged from each other and recorded much of the album separately; they announced their split a few weeks before the album's release.
"Only You" is a song by English synth-pop duo Yazoo. It was written by member Vince Clarke, while he was still with Depeche Mode, but recorded in 1982 after he formed Yazoo with Alison Moyet. It was released as Yazoo's first single on 15 March 1982 in the United Kingdom, taken from their first album, Upstairs at Eric's (1982), and became an instant success on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two on 16 May 1982. It would also reach the top 10 in neighbouring Ireland as well as Australia. In the US, "Only You" was released as the band's second single in November 1982 and charted at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also made the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
Robert Marlow was an English synth-pop singer, songwriter and musician.
"Breath of Life" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released as the fourth and final single from their fifth studio album, Chorus (1991), in March 1992. It was written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell with additional input from Pat O'Brien. An uptempo synth-pop song, its dance music elements were strongly accentuated for the club remixes. For the single release, it was remixed slightly, including a shortened intro. In the United States, it was the third single released from the album.
"Always" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure. The ballad was released on 11 April 1994 as the first single from their sixth studio album, I Say I Say I Say (1994). Written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it was produced by Martyn Ware. Mute Records issued the single in the United Kingdom, and Elektra Records released it in the United States.
Daniel Otto Joachim Miller is a British music producer and founder of Mute Records.
"Waterfront" is a song by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, the first single–released in November 1983–taken from their (then-to-come) sixth studio album, Sparkle in the Rain.
"Nobody's Diary" is a song recorded by British synth-pop band Yazoo. It was released in May 1983 as the first and only single from their second and last album, You and Me Both (1983). The song was written by Alison Moyet and produced by Yazoo, Eric Radcliffe and Daniel Miller. "Nobody's Diary" peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart.
Blackwing Studios was an English recording studio, most notable for early Depeche Mode and Yazoo recordings in the early 1980s.
Reset Records was a British record company founded in 1983 by Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe.
"Ode to Boy" is a song by English synth-pop duo Yazoo. Originally the B-side to their 1982 hit "The Other Side of Love", it was later included on their second and final studio album You and Me Both in 1983. Whereas Yazoo's version is a sparse atmospheric track with synths and percussion, vocalist Alison Moyet later recorded her own version of the song in an uptempo indie-rock style for her 1994 album Essex.
"One Day" is a song by British musician Vince Clarke and Scottish singer Paul Quinn, released as a one-off collaboration single in 1985. The song was written by Clarke, Jamie Morgan and Cameron McVey, and produced by Flood with assistance from Daniel Miller. "One Day" reached No. 99 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 7 on the UK Independent Singles Chart. A music video was filmed to promote the single.
"Mr Blue" is a song by English synth-pop duo Yazoo, which was released in 1983 on their second and final studio album You and Me Both. The song, written by Vince Clarke, was notably covered by Dutch singer René Klijn in 1993.
