Erasure • Features • Ask Erasure
Andy Bell (Mar 2004)
01) As it is your special birthday coming up soon what delights have you got in store for celebrating your big day? You could come up to Birmingham and I will show you a great time! (Charlotte Lokier)
Andy: Thanks for the invite but I'm gonna have a small party in London's West End with 50 or so of my friends & colleagues, I will get very very drunk & will probably have to be carried home.
02) Since doing TV presenting work that you have done (i.e. ‘A Camp Christmas’) have you ever considered doing it again? If not then what has stopped you, other than sheer nerves? (Shazza B)
Andy: Funnily enough I was just thinking about that & would love to do more stuff. It's just that at the moment the TV seems to be full of Vox Pop I shagged a celebrity get me out of here kind of things! When the time is right you'll see my friendly face again.
03) Did you guys have a favourite toy during childhood? I'm nearly 30 and still love these toys called Shogun Warriors! (Chris Sanders)
Andy: I was quite fond of the Air Soccer game that you get in arcades. Also these kind of Ladybirds on wheels that you had to rev up & try & knock your opponents space out. Also had a Mr Parlanchin ventriloquist doll that was very spooky so I pulled of his ginger wig & used to wear it my self. I could never say "Gottle of Gear" I also like plastic casting where you could embed a sea-horse & wear it as jewellery.
04) Andy, what are your favourite Erasure and non-Erasure songs to sing a cappella and why? And do you still plan on doing a solo album in the future? (Linda)
Andy: Still planning on the solo working on it right now in fact with a little help from my friends. Fave E songs vary from time to time fresh stuff is always very appealing. Tracks from albums include Hideaway, Siren Song, Home & Tenderest Moments which we've done a fab acoustic version of. Non E song would include anything old country like The Banks of the Ohio & standards like Autumn Leaves, lots of Bacarach tunes.
05) What brought you guys to the states to record the latest album? (Al Dominguez)
Andy: It's Vince's home now for a few years, had a great experience recording the acoustic album in Brooklyn so wanted to go back & it's a great excuse for a trip to New York which I love.
06) Most of my favourite Erasure songs were not released as singles. What are your favourite songs that were never singles? (Juliet Pellin)
Andy: Joan, Home, Siren Song, Bluesaway, The Long Goodbye.
07) If you EVER get spare minutes to yourselves, do you ever visit your fan sites? Or Erasure forums, or have you ever gone onto the forums and posted a forum under a pseudonym?? (Shazza B)
Andy: Nope I have a look sometimes to see what's going on but always chicken out the minute I step into a chat room.
08) I don’t want to be too demanding, but what can Erasure fans expect after the new album is launched - are any other projects in the pipeline? (Darren Blunkett)
Andy: Acoustic album then maybe some solo dance stuff apart from going on tour with Vince, phew!
09) What do you think of the Gay Marriages taking place in the US? (Jeff)
Andy: I think it's fantastic anybody should be allowed to get married it part of your civil liberty, can imagine some of the awkward divorce settlements though.
10) Andy, what’s your most meaningful (to you) track you ever recorded and why, and do you have a 'comfort' food? What do you enjoy doing best to unwind and relax when you get a moment to yourself? (Kate Hutson)
Andy: I would have to say Home, I don't know why but it always sends a shiver up my spine, A Little Respect is always fun to sing live. Comfort food I would have to say a mug of Horlicks or Hot Chocolate & Goldfish (the cheesy snack)
11) What was your musical background before Erasure was formed? (Swetlana Velazquez)
Andy: I was in a band called The Void for about six months (a four piece) then left to form a duo with the bassist & a great song writer called Pierre Cope whom I have no idea of his whereabouts. We cut 1000 singles as a band called Dinger but must have written about 20 demos with Pierre I played them to Daniel Miller but had no response at all, oh well!
12) I was wondering exactly how large your vocal range is, in octaves? (Jonathan Lopez)
Andy: About three & a half octaves I guess.