Editing Erasure (duo) (section)

==History== 
{{improvereferences|section|date=March 2024}}
===Origins===
As a teenager, [[Vince Clarke]] was inspired to make [[electronic music]] after hearing [[Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]] synth band [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]] (OMD).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.electronicsound.co.uk/features/long-reads/vince-clarke-game-of-drones/|title=Vince Clarke: Game of Drones|last=Ilic|first=Vel|date=14 September 2023|website=Electronic Sound|access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prsformusic.com/m-magazine/features/interview-vince-clarke|title=Vince Clarke|last=Nichols|first=Paul|date=27 December 2016|publisher=[[PRS for Music]]|access-date=24 August 2024}}</ref> He was a founding member of [[Depeche Mode]] and the sole writer of their first three singles, including the breakthrough top 10 single "[[Just Can't Get Enough (Depeche Mode song)|Just Can't Get Enough]]".<ref name=RS>{{cite magazine|title=Depeche Mode: Biography|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/depeche-mode/biography|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Just Can't Get Enough|url=http://archives.depechemode.com/lyrics/justcantgetenough.html|website=Depeche Mode Archive: Lyrics|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref> After leaving the band in late 1981, Clarke forged a similarly notable career with the duo [[Yazoo (band)|Yazoo]] (known as ''Yaz'' in the United States).

After two successful studio albums in as many years (1982–1983), he split with Yazoo partner [[Alison Moyet]] and formed the short-lived project [[the Assembly]] with producer [[Eric Radcliffe]]. The project spawned a UK number-four single, "[[Never Never (The Assembly song)|Never Never]]", featuring [[Feargal Sharkey]] on lead vocals. After more than a year out of the spotlight Clarke placed an advertisement in ''[[Melody Maker]]'' looking for a vocalist for a new musical project. [[Peterborough]]-born [[Andy Bell (singer)|Andy Bell]] phoned and got a call back a few days later. Bell practiced for the audition listening to Alison Moyet and [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/10/05/interview-andy-bell-on-erasures-new-album-and-new-life|title=Interview Andy Bell on Erasure's new album|publisher= pinknews|date=5 October 2011|author=Watts, Laurence|access-date= 2 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Chiu|first=David|date=2020-08-16|title=Erasure's Andy Bell on the synthpop duo's uplifting new LP 'The Neon'|url=https://www.newsweek.com/erasures-andy-bell-synthpop-duos-uplifting-new-lp-neon-1524028|access-date=2020-12-24|website=Newsweek|language=en}}</ref> It went well, and he was chosen. Around the same time Clark released another single with vocalist [[Paul Quinn (singer)|Paul Quinn]], "[[One Day (Vince Clarke and Paul Quinn song)|One Day]]". It flopped, leading Clarke to form Erasure. Clarke had been Bell's hero.<ref name="simpson">{{Citation |last=Simpson |first=Dave |date=30 July 2014 |title=Andy Bell: 'I'd had enough of being bullied' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jul/30/andy-bell-erasure-hiv-cocaine-interview |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

Erasure's influences include OMD, [[Kraftwerk]], [[Gloria Gaynor]] and [[ABBA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/must-read/interview-erasures-andy-bell-talks-janet-christie-about-his-new-album-vince-clarke-life-and-lockdown-2942317|title=Erasure's Andy Bell talks to Janet Christie about his new album with Vince Clarke, life and lockdown|last=Christie|first=Janet|date=15 August 2020|website=[[The Scotsman]]|access-date=10 April 2021}}</ref>

===First recordings and international success: 1985–1994===
[[Image:Erasure-andy-vince-wolfgangs-np.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Andy Bell and Vince Clarke in 1986]]
Erasure's first three singles were commercial failures in the UK, although the third, "[[Oh l'amour]]", charted well in Australia, South Africa and a few European countries (especially in France, where it still remains Erasure's only hit to date, and Germany where it was a Top 16 success). Their debut studio album, ''[[Wonderland (Erasure album)|Wonderland]]'', was mostly recorded in 1985 and released in June 1986. Although it only made the UK top 75, it made a sizeable mark in Germany, making the top 20.

It was the release of their fourth single, "[[Sometimes (Erasure song)|Sometimes]]", which finally received recognition in the UK in late 1986. The song peaked at number 2 in the UK and Germany and spent many weeks in the UK top 40, marking the beginning of a long string of major hits for the duo. The single's parent album, ''[[The Circus (Erasure album)|The Circus]]'', was released in March 1987 and reached number 6 and turned platinum in the UK with three additional hit singles: "[[It Doesn't Have To Be]]", "[[Victim of Love (Erasure song)|Victim of Love]]", and "[[The Circus (song)|The Circus]]". The album remained on the charts for over a year.

Erasure's third studio album, ''[[The Innocents (Erasure album)|The Innocents]]'', was released in April 1988. Preceded by the top 10 single "[[Ship of Fools (Erasure song)|Ship of Fools]]", the album hit number one in the UK on its initial release and returned to the summit a year later, eventually going double platinum. It also turned platinum in the U.S., generating two top 20 hits in "[[Chains of Love (Erasure song)|Chains of Love]]" and "[[A Little Respect]]". 
[[Image:Erasure_logo.webp|200px|thumb|right|Erasure's logo in 1991, 1992 and 2009]]
''The Innocents'' was the first of five consecutive number one albums for Erasure in the UK, including the greatest hits compilation ''[[Pop! The First 20 Hits]]''.
In November 1988, the ''[[Crackers International]]'' EP, hit number 2 in the UK. The albums ''[[Wild!]]'' (1989) and ''[[Chorus (Erasure album)|Chorus]]'' (1991) both contained four top 20 singles and were major sellers.

''[[Crackers International]]'' was bettered in 1992 by another EP, ''[[Abba-esque]]'', (covering 4 [[ABBA]] hits), which became Erasure's first (and to-date only) number one on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name=MTV>{{cite web|last1=Erlewine|first1=Stephen Thomas|title=Erasure Bio|url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/erasure/biography/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111054127/http://www.mtv.com/artists/erasure/biography/|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2014|website=MTV Artists|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref> It featured a video of the duo dressed in ABBA outfits, and was one of the principal drivers of the ABBA revival scene in the 1990s.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

Also in 1990, Erasure contributed the song "[[Too Darn Hot]]" to the [[Cole Porter]] tribute album ''[[Red Hot + Blue]]'' produced by the [[Red Hot Organization]]. In 1992, a singles compilation, ''[[Pop! The First 20 Hits]]'', also hit number one and went triple platinum, featuring all the band's singles released from 1985 to 1992.
[[Image:19920908 erasure andybell magdeburg.jpg|200px|thumb|Bell performing live in [[Magdeburg]], Germany, 1992]]
In 1994, Erasure released ''[[I Say I Say I Say]]'', their fifth consecutive number one on the [[UK Albums Chart]]. Its first single, "[[Always (Erasure song)|Always]]", became the band's third top 20 hit in the United States. A second single, "[[Run to the Sun]]", was released in July and became their final UK top 10 hit until 2003. "[[I Love Saturday]]" was released in November and was the third and final single from the album.

===Releases 1995–2007===
The October 1995 release of the studio album ''[[Erasure (album)|Erasure]]'' marked a determined shift away from Erasure's signature three-minute synth-pop to a more introspective and experimental sound. Nevertheless, it made the UK top 15 and spawned two UK top 20 singles, "[[Stay with Me (Erasure song)|Stay with Me]]" and "[[Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)|Fingers & Thumbs]]". A remixed version of "[[Rock Me Gently (Erasure song)|Rock Me Gently]]" was released only in Germany and the Czech Republic as the third single.

In spite of a return to three-minute pop songs, the 1997 studio album ''[[Cowboy (album)|Cowboy]]'' did not restore the success of their 1986–1994 era. ''Cowboy'' enjoyed a short-lived success, peaking at number 10 in the UK but lasting only two weeks in the UK top 40. In the U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' charts though, it was one of their most successful records. The first single "[[In My Arms (Erasure song)|In My Arms]]" reached number 13 in the UK and entered the top 2 on the U.S. Dance chart. The second single "[[Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me]]" made number 23 in the UK. The third single "[[Rain (Erasure song)|Rain]]" was also only released in Germany and the Czech Republic.

In October 2000, Erasure released their ninth studio album ''[[Loveboat (album)|Loveboat]]'', co-produced with [[Flood (producer)|Flood]], though only peaking at a lowly number 45. The first single was "[[Freedom (Erasure song)|Freedom]]", which made a brief entry into the UK top 30. In 2001, they released a limited EP, ''[[Moon & the Sky]]'' containing new versions of the title song, a cover of [[the Supremes]] song "[[Baby Love]]" and some acoustic versions of ''Loveboat'' songs.

The 2003 release ''[[Other People's Songs]]'' was a collection of [[cover version]]s. Its first single, a cover of [[Peter Gabriel]]'s song "[[Solsbury Hill (song)|Solsbury Hill]]", reached the UK top 10, and Erasure were invited to perform on ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' for the first time since March 1997. The second single from the album was a cover of [[Steve Harley]]'s "[[Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)]]", which made number 14 in the UK. 
In 2003, a new 'best of' compilation was released, called ''[[Hits! The Very Best of Erasure]]''. Included was a new version of the 1986 song "Oh l'amour" — originally a commercial flop in the UK, this new version charted in the top 15.

Erasure's 2005 studio album ''[[Nightbird (Erasure album)|Nightbird]]'''s first single, "[[Breathe (Erasure song)|Breathe]]", reached number 4 in the UK charts (their first top 5 hit in more than a decade) and achieved the number one position on the [[Hot Dance Club Songs|U.S. Dance chart]], 18 years after their first chart-topper.

The next single, "[[Don't Say You Love Me (Erasure song)|Don't Say You Love Me]]", which made the UK top 15, enabled purchasers to configure their own remixes of the single through the band's website, with each variant of the song limited to a single download.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sean.co.uk/a/musicjournalism/var/erasure_download_mp3_customisation.shtm|title=Erasure pioneers customised MP3 sales|publisher=Sean.co.uk|access-date=23 October 2014}}</ref> The third single was a double A-side, featuring new versions of "[[Here I Go Impossible Again]]"/"[[All This Time Still Falling Out of Love]]".

''[[Union Street (album)|Union Street]]'' was a 2006 side-project which featured a collection of previously released album tracks that the band re-interpreted in an [[Acoustic music|acoustic]] and [[country & western]] style. The album was named after the recording studio in [[Brooklyn]] where it was recorded.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}}
[[File:Andy, Vince, and the ladies.jpg|thumb|Erasure in concert in [[Brooklyn]] in 2007]]
The duo then released a more 'dance-oriented' album than some of their more recent work. Titled ''[[Light at the End of the World]]'', the album was produced by [[Gareth Jones (music producer)|Gareth Jones]] and was released on 21 May 2007 in the UK, and in North America the following day. The album was preceded by its first single "[[I Could Fall in Love with You]]", which peaked at number 21 in the UK. A second single, "[[Sunday Girl (Erasure song)|Sunday Girl]]", was released in June<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=23656_0_2_0_C |title=New Erasure single "Sunday Girl" out now |publisher=Side-line.com |date=22 February 1999}}</ref> and made number 33 in the UK. The album was supported by the Light at the End of the World Live tour. The ''[[Storm Chaser (EP)|Storm Chaser]]'' EP included an exclusive B-side, "Early Bird", a duet with [[Cyndi Lauper]].

===Releases 2009–2019===
''[[Total Pop! The First 40 Hits]]'', a collection of Erasure's first 40 hits plus a new remix of "Always" by Jeremy Wheatley, was released on 23 February 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=37097_0_2_0_C |title=Erasure to release 'Total Pop! The First 40 Hits' |publisher=Side-line.com |access-date=16 April 2012}}</ref> The compilation fractionally missed the UK top 20, reaching number 21.

On 10 August 2009, Erasure released a six-track EP of classic remixes entitled ''[[Erasure.Club]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=43209_0_2_0_C |title=Promo-only remixes of Erasure see light of day on 'Erasure.Club' MCD |publisher=Side-line.com |date=22 February 1999}}</ref>

To celebrate 21 years since its release, the album ''The Innocents'' (1988) was remastered and re-released on 26 October 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.erasureinfo.com/news/index.html|title=Erasure &bull; News &bull; 2009 News|date=20 May 2009|publisher=The Erasure Information Service|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115204515/http://www.erasureinfo.com/news/index.html|archive-date=15 January 2008}}</ref>

Andy Bell released his second solo studio album, ''[[Non-Stop (Andy Bell album)|Non-Stop]]'', on 7 June 2010.

In February and March 2010, the song "[[Always (Erasure song)|Always]]" enjoyed an unexpected peak of popularity among [[Browser game|flash-game]] players for its prominent role as the soundtrack of the [[Adult Swim]] game ''[[Robot Unicorn Attack]]''.

Vince Clarke stated in radio interviews that the band wanted to complete the concept album of [[nursery rhymes]] that they had been working on for some time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.erasure.ru/eng/interview08.html |title=Interview with Erasure |publisher=Erasure.ru |date=5 October 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316134730/http://www.erasure.ru/eng/interview08.html |archive-date=16 March 2012}}</ref> 
On 16 December 2010, Erasure's official website announced a new studio album planned for release in summer 2011 to be produced by [[Frankmusik]]. Also, a world tour was announced (including the [[Ultra Music Festival]] in Miami, Florida in March 2011 and the Total Pop! Forest Tour of the UK in June and July 2011) with dates including stops in Europe and South America.

Erasure played a 27-date US and Canada tour, as well as at [[Estadio Monumental "U"]] in [[Lima]], Peru on 18 August. The Tomorrow's World Tour began on 31 August 2011 in Tampa, continuing through September, and finished in Seattle on 6 October 2011. The UK and European leg of the Tomorrow's World tour began on 12 October 2011 in Leicester, UK, continuing through to 14 November 2011 in Dresden, Germany.

[[File:Erasure - Fill Us With Fire.ogv|thumb|left|A music video of the Erasure song "[[Fill Us with Fire]]"]]
On 20 June 2011, it was confirmed via their official website that their new studio album was to be called ''[[Tomorrow's World (album)|Tomorrow's World]]''. This album was released on 3 October 2011 (11 October 2011 in the US). The first single from the album was "[[When I Start To (Break It All Down)]]".  The album reached number 29 in the UK, number 35 in Germany and number 61 in the US.  The second single from ''Tomorrow's World'', "[[Be with You (Erasure song)|Be with You]]", peaked in the top 10 on the US [[Hot Dance Club Songs]] chart, making it their highest peak since "Breathe" in 2005.  The third and final single from the album, "[[Fill Us with Fire]]" was released on 12 March 2012.

Erasure toured internationally in 2011; it was one of their longest tours and included visits to some places for the first time, including Russia and Ukraine. They also did a whole South American Tour, including two shows in Buenos Aires, where they last performed in 1997 during the Cowboy Tour.
[[Image:Erasure,_Live_at_Delamere_Forest.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Vince Clarke and Andy Bell onstage, 2011]]

On 11 November 2013, Erasure released their first Christmas album, ''[[Snow Globe (album)|Snow Globe]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.erasureinfo.com/erasure-announce-new-album-snow-globe/|title=ERASURE ANNOUNCE 'SNOW GLOBE' ALBUM|publisher=erasureinfo.com |date=9 September 2013}}</ref> The first single from the album was a cover of the 1973 [[Steeleye Span]] track "[[Gaudete]]" which was available as a digital download from 28 October, in advance of the single's full release as a CD and download bundle on 9 December. The track was available in the US on 29 October.

On 27 May 2014, Erasure announced their sixteenth studio album for a September 2014 release, a 10-track record titled ''[[The Violet Flame]]''. Released on 22 September 2014 and produced by [[Richard X]], it entered the [[UK Albums Chart]] at number 20, giving the duo their first top 20 album since ''[[Other People's Songs]]'' in 2003.

In October 2015, in order to celebrate their 30 years in the music industry, Erasure released an updated version of "Sometimes" as a single and a new compilation album entitled ''[[Always: The Very Best of Erasure]]''. Release dates were 23 October and 30 October 2015.

On 29 July 2016, Erasure announced that they would be continuing their special series of releases to mark their 30th anniversary with the autumn release of an anthology box-set entitled ''[[From Moscow to Mars]]''.

On 23 February 2017, Erasure announced that their seventeenth studio album would be titled ''[[World Be Gone]]'' and would be released via Mute on 19 May 2017. To mark the release, the band would headline three UK shows at Glasgow's [[O2 Academy Glasgow|O<sub>2</sub> Academy Glasgow]] on 27 May 2017, Manchester's [[Albert Hall, Manchester|Albert Hall]] on 28 May 2017 and London's [[Roundhouse (venue)|Roundhouse]] on 29 May 2017 before embarking on a four-month European tour as special guests of [[Robbie Williams]] in June, July, August and September.

In March 2018, the album ''World Beyond'' was announced, a re-recording of Erasure's previous year's ''World Be Gone'' in a post-classical garb. It was recorded in ten days by Andy Bell and seven musicians from the Brussels-based ensemble Echo Collective. Erasure's album ''World Beyond'' then debuted at No. 1 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Classical Albums and Classical Crossover Albums charts dated 24 March 2018.

===2020–present: ''The Neon'' and ''Day-Glo''===
On 21 August 2020, Erasure released their eighteenth studio album, ''[[The Neon (album)|The Neon]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/erasure-the-neon-review-2646983800.html|title=A New Erasure Album Is Precisely What This Pandemic Needs|website=Popmatters.com|first=Rhea|last=Rollmann|date=17 August 2020 |access-date=26 August 2021}}</ref> The album reached number 4 in the UK and was their highest placed album in the UK charts for 26 years. ''The Neon'' was preceded by the single "[[Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling)]]", which was first heard on [[BBC Radio 2]]'s ''The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show''. The band stated that they tried to go back to their original sounds. Clarke used some of his older synthesizers and Bell described the new album as "going back to the beginning".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ham |first1=Robert |title=Erasure – The Neon |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/erasure-the-neon/ |website=pitchfork.com |publisher=Pitchfork |ref=08/21/2020}}</ref>

On 13 May 2021, Erasure announced the release of "Secrets", a new single available as a one-track stream or download ahead of a new album, ''The Neon Remixed''. The album, a two-disc set of remixes from their eighteenth album, was released on 30 July and also included the single "Secrets". It charted on the [[UK Albums Chart]] in August 2021<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/|title=Official Albums Chart Top 100 &#124; Official Charts Company|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=26 August 2021}}</ref> at number 33, with a sales total of 2,255 units and became Erasure's 23rd hit on the UK Albums Chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/charts-analysis-billie-eilish-scores-second-no-1-album/083885|title=Charts analysis: Billie Eilish scores second No.1 album &#124; Analysis &#124; Music Week|website=Musicweek.com|access-date=26 August 2021}}</ref> The band played a twelve venue tour of the UK in October 2021.

In June 2022, Erasure announced the release of their nineteenth studio album, ''[[Day-Glo (Based on a True Story)]]'', which was stated as being a follow-up to the previous release ''The Neon'' (2020). It was released on 12 August 2022.<ref name="TQ">{{cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/31663-erasure-reveal-new-album-day-glo-based-on-a-true-story|title=Erasure Reveal New Album, 'Day-Glo (Based On A True Story)'|website=[[The Quietus]]|last=Eede|first=Christian|date=14 June 2022|access-date=3 August 2022}}</ref>