Andy Bell: ERASURE�S Nightbird Erasure are going through a great time�after releasing OPS and Hits! in 2003 they have made amends with their public and the British press, who have been so hard to them during their 20 year-long career. Q magazine recently included them into their top 50 bands of all times. Mute, their record company, releases The Tank, the Swan and the Balloon live in DVD. Nightbird�s first single, Breathe, has already made it to number 1 in several radio stations even before it had been released. Tickets for their shows in the UK, Germany and Denmark have almost sold out (perhaps we might be able to see them live in Spain for all)But no, Erasure are not coming back, they have always been there, but it looks as if they were getting now all the acclamation they deserve. Nightbird, (literally �Nocturnal Bird�), is the name of the new album inspired in the Fac. that Andy wrote the songs during the night due to the insomnia he has suffered since some time ago, has arised many expectations. As we wait for its release at the end of January, we chat with Andy Bell, ERASURE�s vocalist y co-writer, about these and many more issues. Odisea: Why have Erasure never enjoyed of a massive success? AB- We started in the 80�s and at that time being gay was not a good thing in many places such as North America, South America, Spain �Being a massive band is not one of my concerns. I am happy with things like they are now. O-Mute has confirmed that you have one of the biggest and most faithful Fans Club �your fans are equally homo y heterosexual� Why, do you think, this is so? What do you think about your fans? AB- Our music is not directed to any specific audience. We are really impressed with the dedication that our fans always show to us. O-After OPS and Hits! Erasure have obtained more recognition�Why has the public�s and the press opinions towards you changed? AB- It�s been quite a long time since we started working, but you never know, because sometimes you may be liked or not in a certain moment. But we have always been the same. O-January sees the release of Nightbird, your eleventh album. What are the expectations that you have with regards to this album? Do you expect to obtain more respect and acclamation? AB- Well, I haven�t really thought about it�but we don�t make record to gain acclamation, we make them because we enjoy making them. O- Nightbird sounds less experimental and more positive and soul-ey that Erasure, Cowboy and Loveboat albums�the lyrics are more about love than usual.What�s the reason behind this changes? AB- Surely it must be due to the time we are going through�both of us feel really positive and enthusiastic again. We don�t intend to get new fans with a much less risky style. Our music has always been influenced by our personal situation and this is what it�s like at the moment. O- It seems that the new fashion among pop bands is to do musicals, like, Pet Shop Boys, Boy George. What do you thin about the idea? Will Erasure ever do a musical? AB- We have already done some kind of a musical (The Tank, the Swan and the Balloon). But normally when something is fashionable among bands it looks as if the others have never done anything. Anyway, I wouldn�t like to do a musical based only in ERASURE songs, I�d rather also have a script, a story. O- With every album as usual there is always this rumour that it will be the last, that Erasure are splitting up.What can we expext after Nightbird? AB- At the moment we are not planning to split up. We will be celebrating our 20� anniversary this year. Even if we are making different albums on our own we still have loads of material that we have worked together for. Whatever happens, I will continue to write songs. O- Lately we have seen you DJing at some parties. AB- So far it�s only been one night, that�s not something I�m very interested in at the moment. I used to record my own compilations on tape when I was younger. I do enjoy making my own collection from my own record collection or records that I borrow from my friends. This way I can remember the songs I have always loved and have fun at the same time. O-What about the book your boyfriend Paul,with whom you have been together for 20 years now, is writing? AB- It is his biography, his childhood during the 50�s in California, his relationship with the hippies in the 60�s, his first experiences with drugs when he was in the Army. Later he tells the story of our relationship. O-What Hill your solo �lbum be like? AB- It will be mainly electronic dance music, similar to Erasure but in a different style. It�s already finished and it will be released in 2005. O- Paul and you own a property in Mallorca where you spend about half the year� What are your bonds with Spain and what do you think about Spanish people? AB- Spanish people are very kind, much more than British people. You can always go to a small bar and go out to the street with the locals. Mallorca is very peaceful and we have a great time when we go out. O- You haven�t played live in Spain since 88 � Will we finally be able to see you at a gig promoting Nightbird? AB- It mostly depends on whether we will be able to fill up a venue and many other aspects. I would really love to, seeing as Erasure are more and more popular in Spain everytime. O- You have always been very open regarding your homosexuality� Rupert Everett has recently said that he regretted he had made it public, as it had affected his career so much � Do you believe this has affected your career at all? AB- I do not regret anything, I don�t believe I would have sold any more albums if I�d said that I was a hetero. This is how I am, I don�t have to think about saying so or not in favour of my career, I am like that and this is how things have turned out.. The press are always paying more attention to my live performances (Andy�s alter ego is a drag queen on stage) than to our music. This is really sad but I could never avoid being myself. O- Your attitude on stage lately has changed a bit, you look much more formal. AB- Now I am much more maturer and wiser�I was asked about a week ago to do a show in Germany dressed up ABBA but right now I don�t feel like doing those things anymore. O- Next year same sex marriages Hill be legalised in Spain. Will you take this opportunity to marry Paul? AB- I think that�s fantastic, Spain should be proud about this. But I�m not interested in getting married. O- Would you like to send any message to your Spanish fans? AB- Yes, I would like to thank you for your support and your interest from Spain. I hope some day we will be able to do a gig there. Andy speaks rather good Spanish, which is very funny� Even after all the things he has been through during the past year, such as the operations to have a new waist bone implanted, and breaking the news that he is HIV positive since1998, Andy looks positive, happy � We hope this is a permanent situation and that this is reflected in the success that they have always deserved so much, although it has taken so long to be credited to them as due. WE WANT TO SEE ERASURE LIVE IN SPAIN It�s been quite a long time since Erasure last played live in Spain Espa�a. This is mostly because Mute didn�t want to take any risks. A gig in Spain does mean a lot of money and they need to make sure that it will pay off in the end. But don�t despair as it�s not all lost yet. Their managers in Spain are working on it and they assured that there is still a possibility that Erasure will be visiting us as part of the promotion tour for Nightbird. But in order to achieve it we must show that we are able to fill up a venue. How can we do this? Well, obviously by buying (and not illegally downloading) Nightbirdand the single which will be released in January. But most importantly�.there is a rumour that both MUTE and Erasure do read the Oficial Erasure Website Forums to make some of their decisions. Therefore you must go to erasureinfo.com and log into the forum. Once there make it to the section Gigs and Tours and leave a message requesting an Erasure live gig in Spain�the more we are, the better the chances to achieve it. THE END |
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