Vince Clarke

Known for ActingBorn 1960-07-03 (age 65)South Woodford, Essex, England, UK

Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously the main songwriter for several groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and the Assembly. In Erasure, he is known for his deadpan and low-key onstage demeanour, often remaining motionless over his keyboard, in sharp contrast to lead vocalist Andy Bell's animated and hyperactive frontman antics. Erasure have recorded over 200 songs and have sold over 28 million albums worldwide. Clarke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 as a member of Depeche Mode. Vincent John Martin was born on 3 July 1960 in South Woodford, Essex; he later moved to Basildon, Essex. He initially studied the violin and then the piano. Clarke's early musical influences included Sparks, Paul Simon, and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), who inspired his interest in electronic music. Clarke also cites electronic influences such as the Human League, Daniel Miller and Fad Gadget. In December 2013, Clarke listed his "13 LPs that mean the most to him" for The Quietus: Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon (1973): Kraftwerk – Computer World (1981); The Human League – Travelogue (1980); Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends (1968); T. Rex – Electric Warrior (1971); David Bowie – "Heroes" (1977); The Eagles – Hotel California (1976); OMD – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980); Philip Glass – Glassworks (1982); Genesis – A Trick of the Tail (1976); Michael Jackson – Dangerous (1991); The Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977); Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV (1971). In the late 1970s, Clarke and schoolmate Andy Fletcher formed a short-lived band called No Romance in China, with Clarke on vocals and guitar and Fletcher on bass guitar. In 1979, Clarke played guitar in the Plan, an Ultravox-influenced band, with friends Robert Marlow and Paul Langwith. In 1980, after the Plan dissolved, Clarke and Fletcher formed Composition of Sound, and were soon joined by Martin Gore. Clarke provided vocals until lead vocalist Dave Gahan joined the band, which was renamed Depeche Mode. At that time he adopted the stage name Vince Clarke, by which he is currently known. The band initially adopted a slick synthesised electropop sound, which produced the studio album Speak & Spell and the Clarke-penned singles "Dreaming of Me", "New Life", and "Just Can't Get Enough" in 1981. ... Source: Article "Vince Clarke" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.Read more

Movies & web series

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Inductions

Depeche Mode: Video Singles Collection

Erasure: The Tank, the Swan, and the Balloon

Yazoo In Your Room

Depeche Mode: 1980–81 “Do We Really Have to Give Up Our Day Jobs?”

Depeche Mode: Some Great Videos

Synth Britannia

The Sparks Brothers

New Wave: Dare to be Different

Depeche Mode: 1982 “The Beginning of Their So-Called Dark Phase…”

I Dream of Wires

Champs-Elysées

Top of the Pops

Berlin Live

Sacrée soirée

Bullfighter

Erasure - Berlin Live

Depeche Mode at The BBC

Track Stories

I Dream of Wires: Hardcore Edition

Erasure: Live at Karlsson

Erasure: Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Erasure: On the Road to Nashville

Erasure: The Erasure Show - Live in Cologne

Erasure: Sanctuary The EIS Christmas Concert 2002

Erasure - Hits! The Videos

Big World Cafe

Riverside

Erasure - Innocents - Live at the NEC 1988