Biography Of Yazoo (Band)

“Yazoo” was an English Synth-Pop / New Wave music group. The band was founded in Basildon (Essex) by Alison Moyet (singer) and Vince Clarke (keyboard player). The duo formed in late 1981 after Clarke responded to an ad Moyet had posted in the British music magazine "Melody Maker". Although they grew up in the same town and attended the same music school, Alison and Vince didn't know each other and had never spoken to each other before. Vince Clarke had just left the band "Depeche Mode" after their debut album and three hit singles, all written by him. The group's name was inspired by “Yazoo Records”, a well-known blues music label. In March 1982 the debut single "Only You" was released, which in a few days reached the second place in the singles chart in the United Kingdom. "Don't Go" was released in July 1982 as the second single in the UK and reached the top of the charts. In North America, the track "Situation" had been a club hit in a remixed version by New York DJ "François Kevorkian" and against the wishes of the band, it was released as the debut single of "Yazoo" in the US and on Canada. The duo recorded their debut album "Upstairs at Eric's" at "Blackwing Studios" in South East London, where Clarke had recorded Depeche Mode's album "Speak & Spell" the previous year. “Upstairs at Eric's” was released in the UK in August 1982, reached number two on the UK album chart, sold over 300,000 copies and went platinum. In November 1982, after the release of their new single "The Other Side Of Love", the duo returned to "Blackwing" to record their second album. Vince Clarke thought that the album "Upstairs At Eric's" should be the only project of the "Yazoo" but given the great success achieved and the pressure from the producers, he was convinced to continue. In May 1983 the hit single "Nobody's Diary" was released (third position in the UK charts). A few days after the single's release, Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet announced that they were separating. The album "You And Me Both" was released in July 1983 and reached the top of the album charts in the UK and New Zealand. Alison Moyet then embarked on a solo career while Vince Clarke, after various experiences, ended up founding the “Erasure” duo in 1985.

Discography :

Album

1982 - Upstairs at Eric's

1983 - You and Me Both

Singles

1982 - Only You

1982 - Don't Go
1982 - Situation
1982 - The Other Side of Love
1983 - Nobody's Diary

Compilation

1999 - Only Yazoo - The Best of Yazoo

2008 - In Your Room