Vince Clarke British pop musician and songwriter Date of Birth: 03.07.1960 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Vince Clarke

Vince Clarke is a British pop musician and songwriter who has been associated with several well-known bands, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly, and Erasure. He played a significant role in the creation of Depeche Mode before leaving the band on January 12, 1982. Prior to joining Depeche Mode, Vince Clarke was a guitarist in various amateur folk/gospel bands.

After leaving Depeche Mode in 1982, Clarke formed the pop duo Yazoo with singer Alison Moyet. Their album "Upstairs At Eric's" quickly reached the top of the national UK charts. Two years later, Moyet began her solo career, while Clarke and Fergal Sharkey (formerly of The Undertones) recorded under the name The Assembly for a brief period of time. In 1983, the duo achieved success in the British Top 10 with the song "Never Never," but Sharkey chose to pursue a solo career.

Following Sharkey's departure, producer Eric Radcliffe proposed that Clarke record an album with ten different vocalists, but Clarke declined and began searching for a new partner. He found Andy Bell, who had been working in a semi-amateur group called Dinger. Initial comparisons between Bell and Alison Moyet were not favorable to Bell, and their debut singles and album "Wonderland" did not make a strong impression on the British public. However, their 1986 song "Sometimes" became a European hit and gained recognition in their home country, reaching the second position on the national charts.

By 1987, Erasure had developed their own style, and their album "Circus" reached the UK Top 10. Following successful tours, the duo gained popularity in Europe. Alongside Duran Duran, they performed in the United States, where their song "Victim Of Love" topped the US dance singles chart. The remix album "Two Ring Circus" solidified Erasure's reputation as one of the best dance groups of the 1980s. However, their true success came with the release of the album "The Innocents," which reached the first position in the UK and 49th in the US. The singles "A Little Respect" and "Chains" became mega-sellers. The EP "Crackers International" became Erasure's eighth consecutive Top 20 single in the UK, and their album "Wild!" reached the first position on the UK charts.

While Erasure's recent works may not be particularly original, fans of dance music still consider them one of the best pop-rock groups in the genre. In early 1997, Erasure released a new studio album and embarked on a European tour. In 2011, Clarke returned to Depeche Mode to work on the remix compilation album "Remixes 2: 81-11." In the fall of 2011, he joined forces with Martin Gore to create a new techno project called VCMG.