So what does an A&R Manager do, exactly?
The A&R Manager oversees the recordings of all Mute artists: commissioning the remixes and finding engineers, producers and backing vocalists.
How did you become an A&R Coordinator?
I began as an A&R co-ordination assistant. After a year I became A&R Coordinator, then Daniel Miller promoted me to A&R Manager approximately 5 years ago.
What other labels have you worked for?
I am currently Label/General Manager for Nova Mute [Mute's dance label] and A&R Consultant for Mute. I started Nova Mute with Seth Hodder (Erasure's Artwork Coordinator) in 1994.
How does Mute differ from other record companies?
The artists are consulted on every decision relative to their release, from recording to artwork and every decision is a democratic one made between the artist and Mute/Daniel. This would never happen at a major record label. Also, if a band/act signs to a major label and they have no success within the first year then more than likely they will be dropped and their career is ruined. When Daniel signs an artist to Mute or I sign a new act to Nova Mute, they are signed with the intention of long term development - it can take a few years to make an artist internationally successful.
What are your personal favourite bands/musical genres?
Absolutely everything - except Swing & R&B!
Are there any new bands you would recommend?
Add N To (X), Salaryman and the new Terry Callier album.
What is the point of remixes?
Initially in the good old days(!) they were used to make a pop song dance floor-friendly if, for example, the radio version would not be suitable for a club. Today they are used as a marketing tool - a crap song is taken and given 10 different remixes to make it a hit or a track is completely rewritten by a remixer. Luckily Erasure and Depeche Mode would never accept a mix which was completely different from their original version.
How do you see the music scene developing in future?
Hopefully the majors will go back to releasing pop music rather than trying to buy credible bands for lots of money and then dropping them when they don't sell a million records. They should leave the smaller underground acts to us indie labels! Some remixers charge up to £30,000 for a mix - hopefully record companies will stop being prepared to pay that much for remixes.
Can a good remix rescue a bad band?
It has rescued some bands careers. Look at Everything But The Girl, for instance! The Cardigans - a boring Swedish band with nauseating girlie vocals but with a Todd Terry dance mix they got an international hit! Similarly with Tori Amos and the Armand Van Helden mix. But is does not always work - The Lightning Seeds had some Todd Terry mixes done but it did nothing.
What was the first Erasure release you worked on?
I started when The Innocents had just been released, I think.
What did you think of the approach Mute had taken to Erasure releases before then?
Before I joined, the remix input came from our lovely gay club promotions person, Fraser. He still works the records, bless him. I started in 1990 at the same time as Acid House and raves were emerging, so I was very lucky to get people like The Orb and The Beloved involved in mixes.
Erasure remixes seem to have moved away from the old-style 'extended' remixes to more dance/club-oriented mixes - why is this?
It is line with a natural progression with club music in general - that is how it has evolved in the last few years.
What has been the most successful part of your approach?
Crossing Erasure into another club scene, rather than just the pop/gay circuit. Erasure write great songs; everyone should hear them.
Are remixes included on single releases at the expense of original B-sides?
Erasure have always written good B-sides, but I do wish the Erasure fans would stop moaning about not enough B-sides and too many remixes! The CIN chart ruling is: if you have different tracks on a CD you can only have 25 mins of music, but if you have mixes of the same song, you can go up to 40 mins! Sometimes it's good to use up 39 mins 59 seconds with remixes!
Who are the remixes targeted towards - Erasure fans, dance music fans or DJs?
Everyone.
If a remix was particularly excellent is there any chance it would be used as the A-side instead of the original version of the song?
Never ever. Vince's mix is always the A-side.
What do you think Erasure's reputation for remixes amongst the record-buying public is?
Good I hope. Club promotion feedback is always good.
Do you think Erasure's reputation as an old eighties band is holding them back?
Well, Depeche Mode's last album did well!
How do you choose who should remix a certain track?
I listen to a remixer's showreel first and make sure they can supply a vocal mix and that they have good production qualities. A lot of these new DJ-type remixers are rubbish. They may be able to spin a few records but that doesn't mean they can write music
Why are 'dub' mixes which dismantle the original song used rather than the more traditional mixes?
More dub mixes are used by DJ's now than, say, 7 years ago. It's because of the way some clubs have changed. Not every club crowd wants to have a sing-along!
Do the band make suggestions or give any feedback?
Andy's feedback is very important. If he does not like a mix I will not use it. Vince never listens to the remixes!
How did Andy Bell himself come to remix 'Run To The Sun' and 'I Love Saturday'?
He had some great ideas and he loves clubbing.
If an old remixer has proved popular, would you consider using them again? Or is it more important to use cutting edge remixers?
Both, but as I have mentioned, a new cutting edge DJ may not be able to remix a vocal track. For example, the new big beat remixers would not be suitable for Erasure (I'll probably get proved wrong next year!)
Of the remixes commissioned, how do you choose which ones to actually release?
It's a democratic decision between Daniel, Andy Bell and me. If a mix is awful I won't even bother playing it to Andy or Daniel.
The 'Abba-esque' remixes were somewhat controversial. How did this release come about?
I can't remember, but it was great seeing MC Kinky on Top of the Pops performing Take A Chance On Me with Vince and Andy, holding her crotch in a suggestive manner! That EP went to number 1 I've got an Abba-esque gold disc at home.
The remixes by Erasure themselves rend to be the most popular - do you commission these mixes or are they Erasure's idea?
They are the most popular with the fans! If the boys want to do a remix it makes my life a lot easier - they can't reject it then!
How does the approach taken with Erasure differ from, say, Depeche Mode or Moby?
Moby has a very good management team, who have good ideas for remixers. The recent Depeche Mode album was different because Martin Gore had very good ideas regarding remixers and so did Tim Simenon, who was producing them at the time. Alan Wilder suggested the remixers for their previous albums. They still reject quite a few mixes, even though they choose the remixers!
How would you answer the following criticisms:
1) Remixes are, in general, a marketing rip-off.
Not always.
2) Erasure remixes have no appeal to Erasure's fans because they sound nothing like Erasure.
Erasure fans just want new songs!
3) People who only buy Erasure's singles for the remixes are unlikely to buy their albums.
That's OK, as long as it gives the band a good chart position so that they can be on Top Of The Pops/Radio 1, etc.
4) All remixes sound the same.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion!
Is there a reason why some remixes only get released in the US?
The US is a completely different market with different tastes. It does not matter which band it is, we generally have to do different mixes for the US and Germany.
What is your favourite Erasure remix?
Probably Moby's version of Chorus, because he raps some of Andy's vocal and I thought Andy would hate it, but he loved it. That's typical Moby - mischievous!
And your least favourite Erasure remix?
The Paul Dakeyne mix of Love To Hate You. We were really behind schedule for the release (as usual!) and I received the mix on a Sunday night at home. I listened to it and burst in tears - I hated it. I rang Andy, who was at Vince's old studio in Amsterdam, and played it to him down the phone and he said it was OK to use. We had to master the single the next day. If I'd had another week I would have got another mix done.
Have you considered getting another pop group (such as the Pet Shop Boys) to remix a track?
Yes. As for the Pet Shop Boys - ask Vince and Andy!
Will there ever be another Erasure remix album (a la 'The Two Ring Circus')?
Ask Daniel Miller (I don't think Vince would be into that).
After ABBA and Blondie - how long before Erasure cover Queen?
Good idea, but only as a B-side of a single. 'Killer Queen' - I can imagine Andy strutting to that one!
Janet - can I go now please? I'm tired!
Pepe Jansz, thank you.
Questions from Mike DePaz, Robert Gallop, Neil Hardie, Mark Harvey, Stephen Hendrie, David Power, Martin Rivers, Doug Stockstill, Paul Tupaczewski and Shaun Wall.