And Bronski Beat. I never can tell which is which.
Ottokring
3 days ago
Clark was pretty shrewd. He latched onto the White Girls Singing With Black Voices trend with Moyet and the Gay Club scene with Bell.
I always assumed that he batted for both sides.
Bucko
3 days ago
It was the other one, wasn’t it?
Ducky McDuckface
3 days ago
Eh? How did you?
Never mind, just give a little respect.
Norman
3 days ago
I never met him. Alison said nothing about him. Very odd lad so I’m as surprised as you but a clever popster. Only You is all counterpoint: no chords. You don’t often hear that.
Yeah, but then listen to classic period Stevie Wonder and how he tracked up chordal parts with mono synths. Brilliant. But then, Stevie’s all about harmony. Vince isn’t.
Philip Scott Thomas
3 days ago
I have infinite amounts of time for Clarke. Arguably one of the best (pop) songwriters Britain has ever turned out. Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell is head and shoulders above anything they made after he left. Yazoo (or Yaz as I knew them in the States) still stands up as some truly great tunesmithing.
“Arguably one of the best (pop) songwriters Britain has ever turned out.“
Yes, for (pop) as you say.
“Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell is head and shoulders above anything they made after he left.”
And this is where I will seriously get annoyed.
Once Clarke left the band, Gore had to step up. Took some time, perhaps, but (pop) is not where they wanted to be, at that point.
Post-Clarke, there does seem to be the idea the Michael was the bestest British songwriter, “guilty feet” and all that, evah.
I will argue to my dying day that it was and is Gore. There is no way that George would ever write Blasphemous Rumours, Stripped or Silence, or Somebody, or anything else.
Gore/DM may have had a major (absolutely massive) advantage in Wilder, who seems to be hugely under appreciated, and I really do like Recoil.
“Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell is head and shoulders above anything they made after he left.”
If you measure it by (pop). And, I’m not sure about that, TBH.
bloke in spain
3 days ago
Basildon Tim. Survival rate for gingers in Basildon was never good.
Western Bloke
3 days ago
Norman can probably comment more on this, but it seems to me that singers are generally more the flamboyant types. The rest of a band are happy standing in the background. Which doesn’t always code to camp gay, but more likely.
Russell Mael from Sparks is straight, but definitely gives off camp gay vibes.
Guitarists and drummers also flamboyant. Keys and bass, generally less so, but also didn’t have a gay rep. I recorded with a few gays and lezzers but never played live with any.
Last edited 2 days ago by Norman
Rupert
3 days ago
In the late 80’s I visited a friend doing a stint at Ford in Dagenham, and his landlord said his daughter used to go out with Vince, so I’m nearly 40 years ahead of you 🙂
It’s extremely odd, but about a week ago I was having a late lunch in a sarnie shop and a song came on. I could tell it was Alison Moyet singing, but I wasn’t sure if it was Yazoo or from her solo career. So I looked the song up while munching. One thing led to another, and I discovered that Vince Clark is not gay.
I’d always thought he was like that other one from the Pet Shop Boys.
Norm, since you’re here, what did you make of Richard Wright as a keyboardist?
It’s extremely odd, but about a week ago I was clearing out some stuff for a hospitalized relative, and came across some CDs, two of which were Dark Side of the Moon. Anyway, have been playing it while travelling to visit him, having not heard it for many years, and have come to the conclusion that Richard Wright absolutely makes that album, and why wasn’t he more well-regarded?
Did the job. Good organ sounds. He liked his big triadic chords. Being a jazzer, though, I prefer people with denser harmony. In pop, for me, Stevie Wonder takes some beating.
And on reading up on him I’ve realised that for thirty years I’ve confused Erasure with The Communards.
And Bronski Beat. I never can tell which is which.
Clark was pretty shrewd. He latched onto the White Girls Singing With Black Voices trend with Moyet and the Gay Club scene with Bell.
I always assumed that he batted for both sides.
It was the other one, wasn’t it?
Eh? How did you?
Never mind, just give a little respect.
I never met him. Alison said nothing about him. Very odd lad so I’m as surprised as you but a clever popster. Only You is all counterpoint: no chords. You don’t often hear that.
Mono synths force that
Yeah, but then listen to classic period Stevie Wonder and how he tracked up chordal parts with mono synths. Brilliant. But then, Stevie’s all about harmony. Vince isn’t.
I have infinite amounts of time for Clarke. Arguably one of the best (pop) songwriters Britain has ever turned out. Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell is head and shoulders above anything they made after he left. Yazoo (or Yaz as I knew them in the States) still stands up as some truly great tunesmithing.
“Arguably one of the best (pop) songwriters Britain has ever turned out.“
Yes, for (pop) as you say.
“Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell is head and shoulders above anything they made after he left.”
And this is where I will seriously get annoyed.
Once Clarke left the band, Gore had to step up. Took some time, perhaps, but (pop) is not where they wanted to be, at that point.
Post-Clarke, there does seem to be the idea the Michael was the bestest British songwriter, “guilty feet” and all that, evah.
I will argue to my dying day that it was and is Gore. There is no way that George would ever write Blasphemous Rumours, Stripped or Silence, or Somebody, or anything else.
Gore/DM may have had a major (absolutely massive) advantage in Wilder, who seems to be hugely under appreciated, and I really do like Recoil.
“Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell is head and shoulders above anything they made after he left.”
If you measure it by (pop). And, I’m not sure about that, TBH.
Basildon Tim. Survival rate for gingers in Basildon was never good.
Norman can probably comment more on this, but it seems to me that singers are generally more the flamboyant types. The rest of a band are happy standing in the background. Which doesn’t always code to camp gay, but more likely.
Russell Mael from Sparks is straight, but definitely gives off camp gay vibes.
Guitarists and drummers also flamboyant. Keys and bass, generally less so, but also didn’t have a gay rep. I recorded with a few gays and lezzers but never played live with any.
In the late 80’s I visited a friend doing a stint at Ford in Dagenham, and his landlord said his daughter used to go out with Vince, so I’m nearly 40 years ahead of you 🙂
Did Clarke drive a Sierra, or something?
Outrageous! I hope Mr Clarke apologises to the thousands of gay men he led on with his antics.
It’s extremely odd, but about a week ago I was having a late lunch in a sarnie shop and a song came on. I could tell it was Alison Moyet singing, but I wasn’t sure if it was Yazoo or from her solo career. So I looked the song up while munching. One thing led to another, and I discovered that Vince Clark is not gay.
I’d always thought he was like that other one from the Pet Shop Boys.
Norm, since you’re here, what did you make of Richard Wright as a keyboardist?
It’s extremely odd, but about a week ago I was clearing out some stuff for a hospitalized relative, and came across some CDs, two of which were Dark Side of the Moon. Anyway, have been playing it while travelling to visit him, having not heard it for many years, and have come to the conclusion that Richard Wright absolutely makes that album, and why wasn’t he more well-regarded?
Waters treated him badly, Wright ended up on wages rather than as a full member of the band.
That was sort of what was on my mind.
I also can’t help thinking that Nick Mason got lucky.
He did a good job on that but don’t overlook Alan Parsons’ contribution.
I once saw Wright described as Vaughn Williams-esqe, which I thought apt. Nowt wrong wi’ that.
Did the job. Good organ sounds. He liked his big triadic chords. Being a jazzer, though, I prefer people with denser harmony. In pop, for me, Stevie Wonder takes some beating.
You mean his outrageously flirtatious standing motionless at the keyboard?
Thassaone!
Hussy!
You’ve outed him.
Vince clarke is a genius who has had hits with 3-4 bands.