Erasure celebrate 40 years of ‘Who Needs Love Like That’

(By János Janurik) In September 1985, Erasure asked: “Who Needs Love Like That?” The answer – at least in terms of audience interest – seemed to be: not many. Despite Vince Clarke’s remarkable track record with three hugely successful projects (Depeche Mode, Yazoo and The Assembly), the first single from his new venture peaked only at number 55 on the UK charts and fared little better elsewhere.

His newly discovered “songbird,” the fantastically talented but then very shy and reserved Andy Bell – who at that time had released only one almost unnoticed single, Air of Mystery, with Pierre Cope – took full responsibility for the duo’s modest early showing. Of course, this can only be seen as a setback when measured against the early, chart-topping hits of Depeche Mode and Yazoo.

Forty years on, it has been proven time and again that Vince Clarke made the right choice in selecting Andy Bell as his musical partner. The two have always been grateful to their fans – many of whom have supported them almost from the very beginning, buying their records and attending their concerts faithfully.

‘A 40th Anniversary Evening with Erasure’

To celebrate this milestone, they took time to reminisce and sing songs with their fans. With the help of Richard Evans- leader of their fan club, editor of their website and newsletter, and a seasoned veteran of the music industry – a series of celebratory events was organised across the United Kingdom, taking in Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Bristol. Tickets were limited and sold out quickly, and there was huge interest in the fan sessions that took place between 17 and 21 September.

Unfortunately, due to official commitments, I was unable to attend the London event, which perhaps received the most attention. Nevertheless, I stayed in close contact with the organiser, the band, other fans and members of the press.

Now, a week after the events, here is a summary of the key moments and a link to a high-quality YouTube video – so that others can join in the celebration too. Because celebrating is always a joy, especially when great music and true friendship come together. Those qualities have arguably played the most important role in Erasure’s four-decade career.

Fan gatherings have been part of Erasure’s history before, but this one was perhaps the most prestigious and closely followed. The reason was, of course, the 40th anniversary – and a mixture of devoted love and gentle concern from the fans. In 2022, for reasons beyond their control, Erasure were forced to interrupt their tour promoting The Neon, one of their biggest successes of recent years. Then, at the end of 2023, Vince released a sombre solo album to process a personal tragedy. In early summer 2025, Andy followed with a colourful pop record co-written with Dave Audé.

With only rumours of another collaboration circulating, fans were eager to know when their favourites would next release new material together.

While that new material is still to come, Andy and Vince proved that their on-stage chemistry remains as strong as ever. They treated their fans to a carefully chosen set of songs, including a number of genuine rarities. Andy – taking a brief break from his solo tour – was in superb voice, while Vince provided an expertly crafted musical foundation for these few days of shared memories.

The setlist featured the unmissable mega-hits (“Oh L’Amour,” “Love to Hate You,” “A Little Respect”) alongside gems such as “Rock Me Gently” and one of this writer’s personal favourites, “How Many Times?”. Vince alternated between his array of gadgets and his guitar, and even mimed singing along beneath his non-existent moustache. He clearly wanted the two-part concert to feel relaxed and celebratory. There was even a playful question-and-answer game to see who knew more about the other, which had the audience laughing heartily. This mini talk-show was hosted with great professionalism by Richard Evans (EIS), aided by a projector above the stage.

Andy was joined on stage by vocalists Val and Emma, who have performed with him almost continuously since 1988.

One of Erasure’s great anthems, “Always,” was sung by Andy for his friend and co-writer Vince, lifting the lines “Always, I wanna be with you / And make believe with you” to a deeply moving level.

Friendships like theirs are truly rare in today’s commercialised pop business. To this day, Andy emphasises how grateful he is to Vince for selecting him from so many applicants and giving a gay “Smalltown Boy” the chance to break free and realise his musical dreams.

But these evenings were not only about looking back – they were also about the future. The good news for fans is that Erasure have already begun writing new songs. Early writing sessions have taken place both at Vince’s home in San Diego and at Andy’s in Mallorca, and these could well take shape as a new album sometime next year.

In the meantime, there is another collaborative treat: Vince Clarke’s remix of “Dance For Mercy,” a track from Andy Bell’s solo album.

Andy Bell will resume his highly successful Ten Crowns tour on 3 October, accompanied by support act Savannah Pope. The tour will travel across the United States until 13 December, before concluding with a double concert in Los Angeles.

We can only hope it won’t be long before Andy is back on stage with Vince, Val and Emma – and that we’ll hear brand-new Erasure songs from his golden voice.

We will, of course, keep readers informed as soon as there is any fresh news from the Erasure camp.

Setlist for the 40th Anniversary Erasure Events (2025)

1. A Little Respect
2. Ship of Fools
3. Oh L’Amour
4. In My Arms
5. Breath of Life
6. Stop!
7. Victim of Love
8. Rock Me Gently
9. Love to Hate You
10. Always
11. Blue Savannah
12. How Many Times?

János Janurik

I began my career in online music journalism in 2001, writing about artists I had followed since the late ’80s and early ’90s, including Depeche Mode, Erasure and The Cure. I later edited the Hungarian Mute microsite for EMI Music Hungary. This led to interviews with Erasure, Nitzer Ebb and Alan Wilder, and some of those collaborations developed into lasting friendships. Since 2014, I have been part of the editorial team of depechemode.de. I also contribute interviews to Reflections of Darkness, Peek-A-Boo Magazine and Kaput Mag. I maintain a close connection to Mute Records artists and have also supported releases on Very Records. I am proud to collaborate with Side-Line Magazine, where I regularly publish interviews and features.

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