Editing Erasure (duo) (section)

===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>