Vince and Andy, good afternoon, how are you doing?
Both: Hello, good afternoon. Fine thank you!
How different is the music world now compared to when you had success with that song "Sometimes"?
Andy: I don't know if it's really that different. I mean I think people are still making music at home and stuff, and there are different ways of promoting your music through MySpace and things like that. I think what's changed is… 'cause there is so many celebrity obsessive magazines and I think the public is more interested in gossip and stuff like that, I'm not sure…
Than the music?
Andy: Yeah, yeah
Let me jump straight to that for both of you. You've both had big changes in your personal lives. How important is that to be a successful song writer - that you have gone through highs and lows to be able to write songs?
Vince: I think the state of your mind is reflected in the music that you write, and both myself and Andy are in quite good head spaces right now. I've just had a baby, Andy is doing other stuff… We're both at peace with each other and that comes across in the music.
And do you write from personal experiences?
Andy: Oh I think you have to. Everything is in there and you just can't keep making stuff up all the time - you just write from personal experience and people relate to it hopefully.
Vince this will be scary for you, does this mean that all of your friends think that all of your songs are written about them?
Vince: My wife thinks that!
You're treading very carefully!
Vince: Yes I am!
You're trying to recall all the titles and all the lyrics!
Vince: Yeah! She can't hear this as she is back in the States so we're okay!
Andy, do you find that everybody you know starts thinking "this will end up in a song"?
Andy: No… I don't think so, no. People do think songs are written about them though, by different people. But I just don't say anything!
Hey, lets talk about the new album, you started writing the very early procedure of this, was by e-mail?
Vince: Well we started exchanging e-mails very early last year, and then myself and Andy got together in America, rented a room with a guitar and a tape recorder and wrote songs in about the space of four weeks.
And Andy, this was a converted house in Maine - can you convert any house into a studio now?
Andy: Yeah pretty much so, you can now. Even the acoustics doesn't matter now as you've got these little shields that you wrap around the mike stands now, so you can make it virtually anywhere now.
Are more people now getting into recording albums themselves? You can record almost anything in a bedroom now. Sure it's not going to sound as good as the stuff that you guys do, but I guess in the eighties there were fewer people who were self writing and recording and in some cases producing.
Vince: Oh yes, it's definitely changed. But actually you can, even on a limited budget you can make a really great sounding record, it doesn't necessarily have to be in an expensive studio so a lot more people are making music.
When you are writing a song, what do you try… What is it that makes a good song? Just a small question I know! Is it the lyrics? Is it the stuff you talk about, the way you connect with people, or is it as basic as good production and a good hook? What makes a good song?
Andy: I think it's all those things… There has to be a hook in there, is has to be something that is quite familiar, but at the same time a bit unusual, not like you've always done, bringing something new to it. And as we said with the lyrics, coming down personal experiences and stuff, and putting that in there and putting your heart on your sleeve. And when you are making the music, that it sounds really polished and good quality, not scrappy.
And how well can you spot that now? Can you spot songs that you record that are going to work for us, the public, the buyers?. Or do you spot different things that we spot?
Vince: Well for this record we wrote more songs that what we needed. We could choose what we felt was the strongest songs, and for us that was the most important thing.
We're going to see you back on tour again, and have I got this right, it's a tour that starts in Oxford, the New Theatre in Oxford?
Andy: Yeah, that's in the UK
But you're on tour worldwide before that?
Andy: Yeah.
What's it like before you do the first night on the tour? Because I guess once you're on the run of it, it's a regular thing every night…
Andy: …well
What's it like before the first one?
Andy: Terrifying!
Andy: Me and Vince get quite hysterical before the first show. You understand the phrase climbing the walls!
You've been performers - song writers for years! You must be used to it by now!
Andy: But it's always the same thing though, people say it's like riding a bike… Just the very first night it's just so… You're not sick or anything, you just kinda of… The butterflies and stuff are so bad you get hysterical. Me and Vince just get in fits of laugher before you get on.
Does that go the moment the lights go on and you're on stage?
Vince: I think it goes when the lights go off and your off stage!
And you're still standing!
Vince: Yeah!
Well we can't wait to see you, the tour when you come to Oxford in September. The new album is "Light At The End Of The World" The new single from it is "I Could Fall In Love With You". Guys it great to have you with us, Vince Clarke and Andy Bell from Erasure many thanks for joining us.
Both: Thank you very much!
That was fantastic, thank you very much for your time, appreciate it
Both: Thanks!
Thanks a lot, cheers!