Erasure • Features • Ask Erasure
Vince Clarke (Jan 2004)
01) What was your initial reaction when you were invited to play on New Years Eve 2003? (Simon Carter)
Vince: Shock and Awe and then I warmed up to the idea.
02) As a man who is clearly a synth addict with a particular affinity for analogue/vintage synthesizers, I am curious to know if you are just as fascinated in the "software synth" developments of recent years? If so, what are your favourites and will they feature on the next Erasure album? (Harry Hormbrey)
Vince: I have recently gotten 'in to' software synths and I'm very excited about the new sounds that can be created. The next Erasure album will heavily feature this new technology. I am currently working with stuff like Absynth, Reactor and Oddity.
03) Do you drive? If so, what [car] is it? But if you don't drive, what would be your dream car? (Lee Greveson)
Vince: I do drive, but whilst in USA, I am relying on the cool NYC transport system. My dream car would be the Batmobile.
04) Which are your favourite Depeche mode songs (excluding those on Speak and Spell) (Roger Gripengren)
Vince: 'Personal Jesus' is a cool toon.
05) Tell us your most favourite, cheesiest, chrimbo cracker joke in the world… and don't start it I Say I Say! (Ros Thomas)
Vince: A horse goes into a bar and orders a drink.
Barman.."Why the long face?".
06) Which rap of yours is better… the one featured in Erasure's "Rapture" or Family Fantastic's "Doin' This Thing"? How much lyrical control did you have with the Family Fantastic rap? (Scott Mueller)
Vince: Their both pretty awful..sorry. (the FF rap was written by me..sorry again.)
07) What was the first synthesizer you got? (Marcus)
Vince: It was a Kawai Monophonic 100fs. (I think)
08) Could you please give us the complete set list for the [Edinburgh Hogmanay] show? I am so curious about what we have missed. (Jens Hoehner)
Vince: It never happened, but here it is…
Blue Savannah
Ship Of Fools
Chains Of Love
Breath Of Life
Oh L' amour
Love To Hate You
Victim Of Love
Stop!
A Little Respect
Chorus
Sometimes
Solsbury Hill
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin
Come Up & See Me
09) Why didn't "The Other Side of Love" appear on the Yazoo best of? In my opinion it was a hit single and should deserve to be on that album, or not? (Thomas Lilja)
Vince: Best defer to Mute Records.
10) Please could you tell me what is your favourite song on the [Other People's Songs] album? (Phillip Bass)
Vince: "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime"
11) Do you still get the same excitement from writing and producing a good tune as you did all those years ago when you were starting out? (Andy Hagerty)
Vince: There is nothing to compare to the satisfaction of writing a new song.