O3L - E154 - Top 5 Vince Clarke Songs

When it comes to Vince Clarke, we just can't get enough (was that too obvious?).  So "don't go" anywhere (how 'bout that one?)!

Born Vincent John Martin on July 3, 1960 in South Woodford, Essex, England, Vince Clarke is a classically trained musician who got the bug to make electronic music after hearing Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in the late ‘70s, which led to the formation of a band with school chum Andy Fletcher called No Romance In China.  Shortly after, the duo added Martin Gore to the mix and called themselves Composition of Sound.  With the addition of lead vocalist Dave Gahan, Composition of Sound morphed into Depeche Mode.  Following the first Depeche Mode album Speak & Spell, Clarke teamed up with Alison Moyet for Yazoo, releasing two huge albums and a string of singles that hovered near the top of the charts. After Yaz, Clarke took up various production duties and projects, most notably The Assembly, before landing upon his most formidable partnership with Andy Bell in Erasure - an alliance that has resulted in 19 studio albums to date, including 5 that have hit #1 in the UK, and some of the most beloved singles of the past nearly 40 years.  That’s only scratching the surface, of course, but let’s just put it this way…he is an electronic music pioneer, a synth-pop legend, someone who helped to expand the definition of what a rock star looks like and sounds like. 

Because some might say that we have trouble at times sticking to the topic at hand, we also cover the newly minted adult in Uncle Gregg's house (hint: it's not him), intimacy issues, a genius (question mark?) way to save the planet, jorts, hot knees, and cuddles.  Lots o' cuddles.  And what does Hollywood legend Jamie Kennedy have to do with Vince Clarke?  We're not sure either.

One thing's for certain...we will NOT be calling ourselves Only Three Lads US!

Awww yeah!

Our O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is UK garage rock trio The Len Price 3, whose 2007 debut album is being reissued on April 7th by Little Steven's Wicked Cool Records.  The record will be available on vinyl for the first time, and also contains four unreleased bonus tracks on CD and digital.  We are thrilled to play one of those unreleased tracks, the incendiary "Break Your Neck" on this week's episode.